5 Scary and Fun Treat Recipes For Halloween Everyone Will Enjoy

Whether you’re hosting a get-together for adults and friends or a festive party for kids and families, your Halloween party should have lots of fun, scary, and delicious Halloween treats!

Halloween Recipes That Your Guests Will Love

Halloween is the one time of year when you can indulge in all things spooky and sweet—and we’re not just talking about a bowl of Halloween candy, either.

To give your holiday the ghoulishly gorgeous spread it deserves, we’ve rounded up five Halloween treats and dessert recipes that everyone is sure to enjoy.

Meringue Ghost and Pumpkins

These cute little cookies are just the thing for your Halloween party!

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Orange food coloring gel
• Small candy googly eyes
• 1/4 c. white chocolate, melted
• Black food-safe marker

Directions

1. Step 1 Preheat oven to 200°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Step 2 Add egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin mixing on low speed and gradually increase to high speed. When egg whites begin frothing up, slowly add sugar, one spoonful at a time. Beat in vanilla. Whip on high speed until the mixture is glossy and can hold stiff peaks. 
3. Step 3 Transfer half of the meringue mixture to a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe three rows of four meringues about 1-2 inches apart on one baking sheet. 
4. Step 4 Add orange food coloring to the remaining meringue mixture and repeat, piping three rows of four on the second baking sheet. 
5. Step 5 Bake meringues for 1 hour. Turn off oven, and let baking sheets sit inside the closed oven for 1 more hour. Remove from oven, and cool completely. 
6. Step 6 To make the ghost meringues, attach googly eyes to white meringues with a small dab of melted white chocolate. To make the pumpkin meringues, use a black food coloring marker to draw eyes and a mouth.

Halloween Candy Corn Gelatin Cups

Give the kids a Halloween treat that’s frightfully fun! These easy treats are great for your Halloween party, or as an October after-school snack.

Ingredients

• 1 package lemon-flavored gelatin
• 1 package orange-flavored gelatin
• 2 c. whipped dairy topping

Directions

1. Step 1 Make lemon gelatin according to package directions. Place 1/3 cup in 6 1-cup drinking glasses. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Repeat process with orange gelatin, placing it on top of the yellow gelatin. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Top with whipped topping.

Spider Cookies

Cute, creepy, and, most of all, tasty—these chocolate and peanut butter cookies are a fun addition to your Halloween celebration.

Ingredients

• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 20 miniature peanut butter cups, such as Reese’s Mini’s
• 20 chocolate covered peanuts or raisins
• Black or brown writing gel icing

Directions

1. Step 1 Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Step 2 In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the peanut butter, shortening, butter, and both sugars until fluffy and combined, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Step 3 In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat until well mixed.
4. Step 4 Scoop the dough into 20 even portions (about 2 packed tablespoons each) and roll into balls. Flatten each ball slightly and arrange the cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press the center of each cookie with your thumb. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through.
5. Step 5 As you pull the cookies out of the oven, gently place 1 miniature peanut butter cup just barely below the center of each cookie, allowing the warm cookie to melt the chocolate “body” into place. Then, very gently press 1 chocolate covered raisin or peanut “head” right above the peanut butter cup on each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Step 6 Once the cookies are cool, use the gel writing icing to draw 8 legs from the body of each spider. Allow the icing to set and enjoy!

Candied Apples

Along with caramel apples and pumpkin desserts, candied apples are ubiquitous with the fall season. More often than not, they get their classic ruby red color from just food coloring.

But this recipe calls for red cinnamon candy (like Red Hots) for a delicious and subtle cinnamon kick everyone will love.

Granny Smith, Gala, and Honeycrisp will work in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 lollipop or popsicle sticks
• 8 medium apples (any type!), cleaned and dried, stems removed
• 3 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 c. red cinnamon candy, like Red Hots
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup 
• 1/8 tsp. red food coloring
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Step 1 Insert a stick through the stem portion of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
2. Step 2 In a medium saucepan, place the sugar, 1 cup of water, candy, corn syrup, and food coloring. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and continue to boil until the temperature reaches 300°F to 305°, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully add the vanilla, stirring well. Let the sugar syrup stand until the bubbling stops. (This will help eliminate chances of bubbles forming on the coating.)
3. Step 3 Working quickly, dip 3/4 of an apple into the sugar syrup. Hold the apple over the pot, letting the excess drip off. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining apples. Cool completely before serving.

Spooky Boo Brownies

Between the ooey, gooey brownies, creamy frosting and marshmallow surprise, this is a Halloween brownie idea you have to make. Add these to any dessert tray or table for a head-turning dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Delights Supreme Original Brownie Mix
• Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
• 1 cup from 1 tub (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Creamy White Frosting (from 16-oz container)
• 16 large marshmallows
• Betty Crocker™ black decorating gel (from 0.68-oz tube)

Directions

1. Step 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Grease bottom and sides of foil with shortening or cooking spray. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch square pan. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Freeze in pan 15 minutes. Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan, and peel foil away. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.
2. Step 2 Heat frosting in microwavable bowl uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until frosting can be stirred smooth and fluid. If frosting becomes too firm while decorating, microwave 5 seconds; stir.
3. Step 3 Top each brownie with 1 large marshmallow. Spoon 1 tablespoon frosting over each marshmallow to coat. Let stand until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Use black gel to make eyes and mouths.

From Halloween cupcakes and Halloween cookies to finger foods and salty-sweet snacks, these spooky treats will ensure everyone at your party has a frighteningly good time.

Happy Halloween!

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