55 Savory and Sweet Halloween Food Ideas for a Scary Good Party

chocolate dipped ghost pretzels
Halloween Party Food Ideas for Kids and Adultsjenifoto - Getty Images

Looking for frighteningly flavorful Halloween food ideas? We know the perfect recipes. These Halloween snacks, appetizers, dinners, and desserts are the perfect festive touch to any Halloween bash. Whether you’re hosting a party, participating in a potluck, or looking to get loved ones into the spooky spirit, we have a plethora of ghostly recipes to inspire, delight, and frighten.

Because everyone has a different skill level when it comes to cooking and baking, we’ve included easy-to-make recipes that everyone, from adults to kids, can whip up with ease, as well as complex recipes to sharpen bakers’ piping, layering, and assembling abilities.

But if there’s one thing these Halloween recipes have in common, it’s that they’re all showstopping crowd-pleasers with an eerily tasty bite. Bring out a platter of breadstick monster fingers, bat cheese balls, and severed toe sausages to impress even the pickiest of guests. By the end of the night, they’ll be asking for the recipe to make at their own Halloween bash.

For more of our favorite festive Halloween recipes, make sure to check out our lists of Halloween punch recipe ideas, Halloween cake recipes, and Halloween cookie recipes.


Pico de Gallo with Bat Chips

Make use of a Halloween-themed cookie cutter with this bat chip and pico de gallo recipe. For the truly crafty chefs, cut the tortillas by hand in the spooky shape of your choice.

Get the Pico de Gallo with Bat Chips recipe.

pico de gallo with bat chips
Mike Garten


Witch Cupcakes

You'll be cast under a spell by this recipe's sugary sweet goodness. The terrifying treat features cake, ice cream cones, and mini chocolate doughnuts — a wickedly good trio.

Get the Witch Cupcakes recipe.

witch cupcakes recipe
Johnny Valiant


Pumpkin Ghosts

Spooky and simple, these ghoulish bites are just pumpkin bread, trimmed in the shape of ghosts, and covered in vanilla frosting. This is a great recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen this Halloween.

Get the Pumpkin Ghosts recipe.

pumpkin ghosts
Pumpkin Ghosts -- RBK 1007Frances Janisch


Jack-o'-Lantern Pie

Dress up a homemade or store-bought pie with excess pie dough cut into spooky shapes. Garnish with candy bars and green sour laces for the finishing touches.

Get the Jack-o'-Lantern Pie recipe.

jack o lantern pie
Mike Garten


Halloween Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies

Who says gingerbread is exclusively for Christmas? We certainly don't! Use Halloween-themed cookie cutouts for an ensemble cast of fall characters. Make sure to cut doubles of each shape to sandwich them together with the delicious cream cheese and marshmallow cream mixture.

Get the Halloween Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies recipe.

halloween gingerbread sandwich cookies
Ellen Silverman


Monster Fingers

These creepy monster fingers take a bit of work but are well worth it. To make, shape ready-made breadstick dough, tint it with spray color, and then top it with an almond "fingernail" and poppyseeds.

Get the Monster Fingers recipe.

halloween food ideas monster fingers
Mary Ellen Bartley


Trick-or-Treater Sugar Cookies

Show off your decorating skills with these adorable and customizable trick-or-treater sugar cookies.

Get the Trick-or-Treater Sugar Cookies recipe.

halloween food ideas trick or treater sugar cookies
Steve Giralt


Snakes and Soup

Perfect as an appetizer or snack, these breadstick snakes are a delicious addition to any soup — though, we're partial to tomato because of the bright, red hue.

Get the Snakes and Soup recipe.

RELATED: Easy Halloween Appetizers That Are Scary Good

halloween food ideas snakes and soup
kate sears


Chocolate Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies

DIY your own Whoopie Pies, giving them a festive look with orange icing piped in the shape of spiderwebs.

Get the Chocolate Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies recipe.

halloween food ideas chocolate spiderweb sandwich cookies
kate sears


Slow Cooker Sausage, Potato, and Onion-Stuffed Peppers

Talk about easy! To add some Halloween flair to this slow-cooker recipe, carve a mouth, nose, and eyes into a bell pepper for a jack-o'-lantern appearance.

Get the Slow Cooker Sausage, Potato, and Onion-Stuffed Peppers recipe.

halloween food ideas slow cooker sausage potato and onion stuffed peppers
zbarovskiy96 - Getty Images


Chocolate Tombstone Cookies

Put your chocolate cravings to rest with these chilling treats made with chocolate cookie dough, white chocolate skulls, edible icing, and food markers for decorating.

Get the Chocolate Tombstone Cookies recipe.

halloween food ideas chocolate tombstone cookies
Ian Bagwell


Halloween Snack Mix

For an easy, quick Halloween treat to snack on all night long, combine everyone's favorite mini snacks (pretzels, popcorn, candy corn, etc.) into a bag or container.

RELATED: Savory and Sweet Halloween Snacks for After School (or Work)

halloween snacks halloween snack mix
VeselovaElena - Getty Images


Skeleton Crudite

Looking for a fun way to serve veggies? Arrange your crudité platter — including lettuce, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, and any other raw vegetables you'd like — in the shape of the skeleton. Don't forget to serve it up with a side of scallion dip!

halloween food ideas skeleton crudite
Steve Giralt


Candy Corn Cupcakes

It wouldn't be Halloween if candy corn didn't make at least one appearance in your dessert spread.

Get the Candy Corn Cupcakes recipe.

halloween food ideas candy corn cupcakes
Kamin Williams


Stuffed Eyeballs

All of your guests will have their eyes on this olive-stuffed appetizer, which you can easily assemble using fresh balls of mozzarella, pimiento-stuffed olives, and strips of prosciutto.

halloween food ideas stuffed eyeballs
Getty Images


Pumpkin Hand Pies

Taste the warm goodness of pumpkin pie without sitting down with a knife and fork to eat it. Simply bite into these hand pies while mingling about.

Get the Pumpkin Hand Pies recipe.

halloween food ideas pumpkin hand pies
CHRIS COURT


Tangy Pumpkins

Put a Halloween twist on this beloved fruit with a snippet of celery for the pumpkin's stem.

Get the Tangy Pumpkins recipe.

RELATED: Healthy Halloween Treats That Everyone at the Party Will Love

halloween food ideas tangy pumpkins
Kamin Williams


Chocolate Dipped Ghost Pretzels

These ghost dippers are one of the easiest recipes ever! Microwave white candy melts and 1 tsp coconut oil for 20-second increments, stirring until melted and smooth. Then dip the end of each pretzel rod two-thirds of the way into the candy melt mixture, shaking off the excess. Then place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Let set until firm. Use a black edible marker to create ghost faces.

chocolate dipped ghost pretzels
jenifoto - Getty Images


Mini PB&J Spider Sandwiches

Want an appetizer that's sure to please even your littlest guests? Cut out small circles of bread to assemble mini peanut butter and jelly spider sandwiches, complete with chocolate chip eyes and pretzel stick legs.

halloween food ideas mini spider pbj sandwiches
jin chu ferrer - Getty Images


Spider Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes topped with spun-sugar webs and edible spiders are the perfect way to both fright and delight guests.

Get the Spider Cupcakes recipe.

RELATED: Easy Cupcake Recipes to Make From Scratch

halloween food ideas spider cupcakes
MIKE GARTEN


Orange Jack-o'-Lanterns

Jack-ify your fruit bowl with these lantern-inspired oranges. All you'll need is a Sharpie, oranges, and a bit of imagination.

halloween food ideas orange jack o' lanterns
Steve Giralt


Marshmallow Heads

Kids will definitely get a kick out of these. Though they may look complicated, all you really need are a few basic ingredients and a bit of toothpick handiwork.

Get the Marshmallow Heads recipe.

halloween food ideas marshmallow heads
Con Poulos - Hearst Owned


Cheese Pumpkins

Traditional cheese balls have nothing on these festive pumpkins that are packed with savory flavors, including cheddar, cream cheese, garlic salt, and dry mustard.

Get the Cheese Pumpkins recipe.

halloween food ideas cheese pumpkins
Iain bagwell


Black Chocolate Witch Cake

Can you blame a witch for flying into a cake this delicious? Homemade buttercream frosting and spooky decorations add to the Halloween fun in this tiered treat.

Get the Black Chocolate Witch Cake recipe.

RELATED: Easy Halloween Cake Recipes That Are Scary-Good

halloween food ideas black chocolate witch cake
Erika Lapresto/Studio D. - Hearst Owned


Spiderweb Nacho Spread

Just make sure to let guests know that the spider on top of this hearty spread is 100% fake.

Get the Spiderweb Nacho Spread recipe.

halloween birthday party ideas spiderweb nacho spread
MARY ELLEN BARTLEY


Candy Apples with Gummy Worms

Get the kids to help you when prepping these candy apples by letting them dip the apples in the praline topping.

Get the Candy Apples with Gummy Worms recipe.

halloween food ideas candy apples with gummy worms
Erik Rank


Guacamoldy Eyeballs

The great thing about deviled eggs is that they are an easy appetizer to prepare. These ones are filled with creamy guacamole and topped with eyeball-like detailing.

Get the Guacamoldy Eyeballs recipe.

halloween food ideas guacamoldy eyeballs
Jonny Valiant


Black Cat, Bat, Spider, and Mice Doughnuts

Kids will love creating these Halloween critter treats. Hand them some candy corn and M&M's, and see what creatures they come up with.

Get the Black Cat, Spider, and Mice Doughnuts recipe.

RELATED: Halloween Treat Recipes Kids (And Adults) Will Scream Over

halloween food ideas black cat, bat, spider, and mice doughnuts
Steve Giralt


Spiderweb Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza for dinner? Make this spiderweb meal for the kiddos before heading out to trick-or-treat.

Get the Spiderweb Pizza recipe.

halloween snacks spiderweb pizza
Wendell Webber


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

If you have a knack for decoration, you'll love tackling the icing pumpkins on this fall-flavored cake.

Get the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake recipe.

halloween treats pumpkin chocolate chip cake
Mike Garten


Mummy Meat Loaves

Bury us in these delicious, individual-sized mini meat loaves, and not just because they're cute. Sweet cherry tomatoes are hidden in the center for a surprising pop of flavor.

Get the Mummy Meat Loaves recipe.

halloween food ideas mummy meat loaves
Jonny Valiant


Double Chocolate Mummies

Bring out your gingerbread man cutters a few months early to make these mouth-watering cookies. Dutch-process cocoa powder is the key to both color and flavor, so make sure to check the label!

Get the Double Chocolate Mummies recipe.

halloween food ideas double chocolate mummies
Mike Garten


Monster Wraps

Consider your dinner a graveyard smash with these tasty light bites. They are completely customizable, so even picky eaters will be pleased.

Get the Monster Wraps recipe.

RELATED: 100+ Light Dinner Ideas That Are Easy and Delicious

halloween food ideas monster wraps
Mike Garten


Candy Corn Fudge

The secret ingredient of this recipe is tart cherries. They ensure the sweet candy corn isn't too overpowering in this bite-size treat.

Get the Candy Corn Fudge recipe.

halloween food ideas candy corn fudge
Tara Donne


Halloween Cheese Balls

Combine goat and cream cheese to create these tortilla winged cheese balls — a great bite-sized, pre-party snack.

Get the Halloween Cheese Balls recipe.

halloween food ideas halloween cheese balls
Steve Giralt


Banana Mummies

You can convince yourself that your kids are eating a healthy-ish dessert when you serve this banana recipe.

Get the Banana Mummies recipe.

halloween food ideas banana mummy pups
Antonis Achielleos


Ghostly Pizza

Normally, bugs on your food are a turn-off, but not when they're made of olives. If olives aren't your thing, you can still enjoy this cheesy, ghostly pizza.

Get the Ghostly Pizza recipe.

RELATED: Creepy Halloween Dinners That Aren't at All Gross

halloween food ideas ghostly pizza
Mike Garten


Enchanted Brooms

The best treats are savory and sweet, which is why these brooms will magically disappear within minutes of being set down.

Get the Enchanted Brooms recipe.

halloween food ideas enchanted brooms
kate sears


Severed Toes in Bandages

We know these bandaged toes don't look super appetizing, but trust us, they're delightful. And they only take 30 minutes to make!

Get the Severed Toes in Bandages recipe.

halloween food ideas severed toes in bandages
Kate Sears


Candy Apples

If you are dressing up as Snow White this Halloween, you need these apples nearby to complete the look. Red syrup and red cinnamon gummies are the most important ingredients in these candy-coated Red Delicious apples.

Get the Candy-Covered Apples recipe.

RELATED: Best Disney Couples Costumes for Adults to DIY or Buy

halloween food ideas candy covered apples
Jonny Valiant


Pumpkin Burger

Cut "eyes" into a burger bun and top with a pepper stem for a jack-o'-lantern worth drooling over.

Get the Best Burger recipe.

halloween food ideas pumpkin burger
Sarsmis - Getty Images


Jack-o'-Lantern Chicken and Sweet Potato Potpie

This is the perfect main course for your Halloween bash. The recipe calls for chicken and sweet potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal.

Get the Jack-o'-Lantern Chicken and Sweet Potato Potpie recipe.

halloween food ideas jack o' lantern chicken and sweet potato potpie
Jonny Valiant


Halloween Cat Cake

Guests won't be able to resist petting the orange cotton candy tail on this festive cake.

Get the Halloween Cat Cake recipe.

halloween food ideas halloween cat cake
Steve Giralt


Bat Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

If you've run out of time while prepping for your Halloween party, or you want to do something a little more kid-friendly, these peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will fly off the plate.

Get the Bat Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches recipe.

RELATED: Healthy Kid-Friendly Dinner Ideas Even Picky Eaters Will Love

halloween food ideas bat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Kamin Williams


Mummy Jalapeño Poppers

You're wearing a costume, so why shouldn't your food? Transform your cheesy jalapeño poppers into little mummy bites with crescent roll dough.

Get the Mummy Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

halloween food ideas mummy jalapeno poppers
Woman's Day


Ghost Cupcakes

Surprise and delight guests with these ghoulish marshmallow cupcakes that you can bake and assemble in just one hour!

Get the Ghost Cupcakes recipe.

RELATED: Easy Halloween Cupcake Recipes

halloween food ideas ghost cupcakes
Karim Williams


Green Popcorn

After you've popped your popcorn, mix it with white chocolate that's been dyed green with food coloring. Allow it to sit on parchment paper to absorb. Or, you can spray with a food coloring mist.

halloween treats green popcorns
Getty Images


Bite-Size Eyeballs

Top these cheese pastry puffs with slices of cucumber, olives, and squiggles of spicy Sriracha for a Halloween treat you won't be able to take your eyes off of.

Get the Bite-Size Eyeballs recipe.

halloween appetizers bite size eyeballs
Steve Giralt


Beaker Glass Dips

Instead of serving guacamole and hummus in a regular bowl, buy a set of beakers from your local craft store or online to create a mad scientist-inspired setting.

Get our best dip recipes.

halloween food ideas test tube dips
Steve Giralt


Frankenstein and His Bride Cupcakes

Chocolate sprinkles have never looked so good. But be warned: Kids are definitely going to fight over the bride (after all, there's way more sprinkles on her).

Get the Frankenstein and His Bride Cupcakes recipe.

halloween cupcakes frankenstein and his bride cupcakes
Steve Giralt


Mummy Hot Dogs

Grill up some hot dogs, brats, or sausage links. Once you're done, cut pre-made dough into strips, and start wrapping it around the hot dogs to achieve a mummified look. You can cut the bottoms with a pair of kitchen shears to create "legs."

RELATED: Easy Grilling Recipes

halloween food ideas mummy hot dogs
Tetiana_Chudovska - Getty Images


Frankenstein Toast

After smashing up your avocado, decorate the toast with black olives, peppers, and radishes to make Frankenstein's monster.

halloween food ideas frankenstein toast
Getty Images


Chocolate Apple Cat Faces

Decorate Granny Smith apples with chocolate sprinkles, banana-shaped candies, and heart-shaped candies to make these adorable kitty candy apples.

Get the Chocolate Apple Cat Faces recipe.

halloween food ideas chocolate apple cat faces
Erik Rank


Cheesy Spiders

Cream and shredded cheese come together to make these critters, complete with chow mein noodle legs.

Get the Cheesy Spiders recipe.

halloween food ideas cheesy spiders
Erik Rank


Decorated Halloween Cookies

Set out a platter of Frankenstein monster, bat, coffin, pumpkin, spiderweb, and tombstone cookies, and watch them disappear before your very eyes.

Get the Decorated Halloween Cookies recipe.

halloween food ideas decorated cookies
Erik Kran

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