35 Easy Halloween Treats to Make

Photo: Johnny Autry

From pumpkin cookies to candy apples, these bone-chillingly delicious Halloween snacks and treats are perfect for any ghoulish gathering. Our homemade goodies are also a smart alternative to sugar-loaded, store-bought candy—and while we do recommend several healthy (ish) candies to hand out, why not spark the Halloween spirit this year by stepping into the kitchen?

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Frosted Brown Butter Blondies

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Frosted Brown Butter Blondies

A plastic zip-top bag makes it easy to pipe the web pattern onto the frosting. Here’s a tip for keeping your piped webs picture perfect when slicing these decadent blondies—run a sharp and clean knife under hot water before making each cut. A larger knife, such as a chef’s knife works best.

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Spooky Spider Cupcake Toppers

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Spooky Spider Toppers

These super simple Halloween spiders are a perfect activity for craft-loving kids and parents. For best results, use chocolate candy melts (such as Wilton’s) over chocolate chips. The body parts and webs are fragile, so make sure to pipe more than you think you’ll need.

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Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt

We give a classic recipe a fresh fall makeover by swapping in fresh grated pumpkin for canned, whole wheat pastry flour for all-purpose, and olive oil for butter.

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Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Photo: Jamie Vespa

We stayed away from artificial food coloring and instead added drama in other ways: A coating of black sesame seeds makes for creepy bats and spiders with great texture (we use chopped pistachios for the bats’ eyes), and ghosts become ghoulish with little more than a layer of glaze and either mini chocolate chips or black sesame seeds for eyes. Pumpkin puree adds rich flavor and a bit of golden color to the cookie dough.

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3-Ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes

Photo: Rebecca Longshore

View Recipe: 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes

Our serves-one recipe yields four fluffy pancakes, but you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients for a crowd. Top them with a drizzle with honey and almond butter or a sprinkling of ground cinnamon and powdered sugar.

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Meringue Ghosts

Jamie Vespa

These adorable treats use mini chocolate chips for eyes to achieve a truer-than-life look. Put these ghoulishly good meringues out for grabs, and your hungry little goblins will be thrilled as ever.

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Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

Sara Tane

View Recipe: Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and canned pumpkin combine for a simple, crowd-pleasing frozen treat that only takes 10 minutes to prep. The best part? No ice cream machine necessary.

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Grilled Camembert

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grilled Camembert

Blood-red pitted cherries make sure a dramatic presentation that’s sure to stir Halloween revelry in party guests. If it’s too chilly to grill outside, you can use a grill pan to mark the Camembert.

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Jackfruit Taquitos

View Recipe: Jackfruit Taquitos

Taquitos are crispy rolled tortillas that are typically deep-fried—we bake ours to keep calories and fat in check. Serve these two-bite jackfruit-stuffed “fingers” (which are also vegan!) at your next creepy soiree.

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Honey Cider-Beer Cocktails

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Honey Cider-Beer Cocktails

The cider-honey base pleases all palates by offering adult and kid-friendly twists in a single recipe. To ensure the bubbliest batch, stir in the seltzer water and beer or sparkling cider just before serving.

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Pistachio-Orange Caramel Apples

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Pistachio-Orange Caramel Apples

Orange juice and rind gives caramel a tangy burst of flavor, which pistachios and chocolate add crunch and decadence. Here’s a tip: Chilling your apples before dipping helps the caramel set faster.

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Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples

These blood-red cinnamon and brandy-spiked candy apples make for a deliciously gruesome centerpiece on the table at your next Halloween blowout.

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Murder in Manhattan

View Recipe: Murder in Manhattan

Not for the faint of heart, this blood-curdling take on the classic Manhattan is a delectably boozy treat. Here, we’ve used a lowball glass, but a coupe would also work well.

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Bacon-Pretzel-Peanut Butter Caramel Apples

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Bacon-Pretzel-Peanut Butter Caramel Apples

Savory bacon and salty pretzels meet peanut butter-infused caramel in these explosively flavorful apples. Make sure to wash the apples thoroughly beforehand to remove ay wax coating—this will help the caramel stick better.

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Candy Corn M&M's

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Candy Corn M&M's Chewy Crispy Bars

You probably have most of the ingredients for these gratifyingly gooey bites in your pantry already. For a festive twist, break out the Halloween cookie cutters and let kids carve out their most ghoulish creations.

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Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Photo: Courtesy of Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Kids will love this salty-sweet popcorn—as a lower sugar alternative to candy, we love it too. Pre-portion into fun spooky-themed plastic bags and distribute to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

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White Chocolate-Pumpkin Pie Caramel Apples

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: White Chocolate-Pumpkin Pie Caramel Apples

No treat screams Halloween more than caramel apples. While any soft-fleshed apple will work in this recipe, we recommend tart Granny Smith apples to counter the sweetness of the white chocolate, pumpkin, and caramel toppings.

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Pecan-Pumpkin Drops

Photo: Chris Court

View Recipe: Pecan-Pumpkin Drops

Who needs canned biscuits when you can make drop biscuits from scratch in roughly the same amount of time? These fluffy, pumpkin-spiked treats deserve a place on the table at your next Halloween-themed brunch.

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Hummingbird Caramel Apples

Photo: Randy Mayor

For this tantalizing take on the classic southern cake, we combine dried pineapple, flaked coconut, and toasted pecans for a crunchy-sweet topping.

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Hazelnut Lace

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Hazelnut Lace

Hazelnut meal is a gluten-free, finely ground nut flour that adds a pleasingly texture to this show-stopping brittle. For a Halloween twist, drizzle chocolate spiders, ghosts, webs, and more over top.

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Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards

View Recipe: Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Buttermilk adds a rich and tangy flavor, while half-and-half and evaporated milk keep fat and calories in check. Yes, you read it right—simply toss your leftover pumpkin pie into your ice cream maker and watch the magic happen.

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Cider Sangria

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards

View Recipe: Cider Sangria

Sangria isn’t just for sipping during summer heat. Here, we put a fall-themed spin on the popular boozy drink with sparkling apple-cranberry cider. If you have boxed wine (such as Bota Box Pinot Grigio), this is a great way to use it up, since you’ll need a little over a standard 750 ml bottle for the recipe.

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White Bean and Pumpkin Hummus with Pita Chips

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: White Bean and Pumpkin Hummus with Pita Chips

Traditional hummus gets a spook-tacular makeover with white beans and pumpkin puree, while cumin and paprika add flavor depth. This sweet and smoky dip serves as a nutritious snack alongside homemade pita chips, and easily doubles as a spread on sandwiches.

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Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

Cooking Light

View Recipe: Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

Halloween snacks are meant to be munched by the handful, which is why we love this crunchy, spicy, savory-sweet snack mix. Whole-grain air-popped popcorn is an excellent “filler,” adding volume to the mix without upping more sodium- and calorie-heavy ingredients. We love the pungent kick and crunch of wasabi peas; you can leave them out or substitute unsalted roasted or smoked almonds.

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Hot Mulled Cider

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Hot Mulled Cider

This spicy, comforting cider will become your go-to recipe for any fall get together. A short simmer with aromatics, ginger, and lemon show that fresh ingredients make all the difference.

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Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds

Hang onto that pulp when you’re carving your Jack-o-Lantern. Pumpkin seeds serve as a nutritious and tasty snack. Shelling pumpkin seeds require a bit of time, so look for pepitas at the grocery store if you’re in a rush.

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Honey-Orange and Chocolate Marshmallows

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Honey-Orange Marshmallows

Tangy orange meets death-by-chocolate in this perfectly balanced marshmallow duo. Enjoy them as is or dunk into a mug of steamy hot chocolate. Store at room temperature in an airtight container layered between sheets of parchment paper.

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Black Cauldron

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Black Cauldron

The nostalgic ice cream float gets a boozy makeover in this adults-only Halloween libation. Make a little extra espresso—and offer it to guests as an alternative drink. For beer, we recommend Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout.

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Pumpkin-Almond Cheesecake

Photo: Levi Brown

View Recipe: Pumpkin-Almond Cheesecake

Almond brittle makes for an elegant, and whimsical topper to this cheesecake, which is perfect for a special spooky gathering. For a touch of color, substitute the sliced almonds for coarsely chopped pistachios or pepitas.

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Pumpkin Pie Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cake

From lattes to ravioli, pumpkin carries endless uses, not to mention remarkable health benefits. Here, we incorporate this versatile fall ingredient into a moist layer cake that’s simple in execution but stunning in presentation.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Whether you’re creating Halloween skeletons, Christmas trees, or Valentine hearts, you’ll want to save this simple dough and royal icing recipe for cookie decorating around the year.

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Caramel-Pecan Dacquoise

Photo: Levi Brown

View Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Dacquoise

A dacquoise is a classic French dessert made with alternating layers of baked meringue and a cream-based filling. Our version incorporates a nutty pecan meringue and a brown sugar mousse for a seriously impressive sweet finale. For a Halloween spin, drizzle the chocolate in concentric circles over top and drag a toothpick through them to create a webbed look.

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Chocolate Spider Cupcakes

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Chocolate Spider Cupcakes

These creepy crawly arachnids are perfect for a Halloween cupcake decorating party—bake the cupcakes and make the icing in advance and let guests “spin” their own webs.

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Black Cat Sandwich Cookies

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Black Cat Sandwich Cookies

For a simple twist that closely resembles a linzer cookie, swap the chocolate filling for blackberry jam and top with powdered sugar.

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Frosted Brown Butter Blondies

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Spooky Spider Cupcake Toppers

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Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt

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Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

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3-Ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes

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Meringue Ghosts

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Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

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Grilled Camembert

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Jackfruit Taquitos

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Honey Cider-Beer Cocktails

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Pistachio-Orange Caramel Apples

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Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples

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Murder in Manhattan

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Bacon-Pretzel-Peanut Butter Caramel Apples

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Candy Corn M&M's

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Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

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White Chocolate-Pumpkin Pie Caramel Apples

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Pecan-Pumpkin Drops

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Hummingbird Caramel Apples

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Hazelnut Lace

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Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

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Cider Sangria

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White Bean and Pumpkin Hummus with Pita Chips

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Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

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Hot Mulled Cider

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Sweet and Spicy Pumpkinseeds

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