These 10 Spooky Treats Are Must-Haves For Any And Every Halloween Party

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In case you haven't heard yet, Halloween 2020 is definitely not cancelled! While the holiday might look a little different this year, there's no reason why you can't still celebrate with your children just like you would any other year.

Cooking and baking are two Halloween traditions that kids adore. It's always fun to have an excuse to bake a treat or two. While it might just be your family celebrating together this year, with the right spirit (and snacks!) you can still have a pretty fun Halloween party.

Gather up your children and your ingredients and head to the kitchen! Here are 10 spooky treats that are must-haves for any and every Halloween party (even if it's just a family party).

Pumpkin Bat Soup

Twenty20

If you're looking for a fun way to kick off lunch or dinner on Halloween, try this soup! This recipe from The Salty Marshmallow will hit the spot.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps. butter
• 2 large yellow onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 (15 oz.) cans pumpkin puree
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized.
3. Season the onions with garlic, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and stir constantly for 1 minute.
4. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the remaining chicken stock, water, and pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
6. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the stovetop and puree the soup in a blender in two to three batches.
8. Stir the heavy cream into the soup. Serve immediately with warm bread, if desired.
9. Place the soup in the ghoulish bowl of your choice (mini cauldrons, for example) and garnish the soup with plastic bats.

Monster Eyeball Treats

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Think rice krispies, but spookier! These treats from Two Sisters are great for snacks or dessert, and they're also just really fun to look at.

Ingredients:

• Crisped rice cereal
• Salted sweet cream butter
• Mini marshmallows
• Food coloring
• Food scale
• Candy eyes

Instructions:

1. Melt 3 tbsps. butter in a medium pan.
2. Add 3 cups mini marshmallows and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted.
3. Take the pan off the heat.
4. Add food coloring and mix.
5. Add 3 cups crisped rice cereal and mix until they are completely covered with the marshmallow mixture.
6. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
7. Roll into balls, approximately 0.5 oz. each.
8. Allow the monster eyeballs to cool.
9. Stick a candy eye on each ball.

6-Feet-Under Cupcakes

JamieAnne/Flickr

These cupcakes are basically required for a Halloween well done, right? We love this recipe from Sweetest Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsps. grapeseed oil, or other flavorless oil
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup cold water

Frosting:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 2 tbsps. water
• 3 large egg whites
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Handful of Oreos

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper liners (this recipe makes 11 cupcakes, so you can leave a hole empty!). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift in flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine.
3. Using a spoon, make three wells in the dry ingredients, one large well and two smaller wells. Pour the grapeseed oil into the largest well, the vinegar into one of the smaller wells, and the vanilla extract into the last well. Pour the cold water over everything and whisk the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
4. Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. They are done when the tops spring back when lightly pressed in the center (or you can do the toothpick test).
5. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For the frosting: In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, set over a saucepan of simmering water and combine sugar, corn syrup, ¼ cup water, and egg whites. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently until mixture registers 160 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
7. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat mixture on high speed until glossy and voluminous, 3 to 4 minutes (do not overbeat). Beat in vanilla. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes as desired (a large round tip works well).
8. Process Oreos in a food processor until they are ground into fine crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the frosting and decorate with your Halloween decor.

Graveyard Nacho Dip

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Halloween can't be all about the candy and sweets: why not add nacho dip while you're at it? This recipe from Food Lion will help keep your meals balanced, kind of.

Ingredients:

Layer 1 (bottom):

• 1 can refried black beans

Layer 2:

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 package taco seasoning

Layer 3:

• 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and mashed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsps. mayonnaise

Layer 4:

• 1 cup of salsa

Layer 5:

• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped
• 2 large tortillas, for the tombstones and tree

Instructions:

1. Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning (layer 2) in a small bowl.
2. In another small bowl, mix the mashed avocados, minced garlic, and mayonnaise (layer 3).
3. In a clear baking dish, pour in the beans (layer 1) across the bottom evenly. Next, add the second layer (sour cream mixture), followed by the third layer (avocado mixture).
4. Pour salsa evenly across the top, and then scatter the chopped scallions across the pan.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until ready to serve.
6. For the tombstones and tree, cut the shapes out of 2 large tortillas. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper, and position the cut-out tortillas on it. Bake at 350 degrees F until the tortillas are toasted (roughly 3 to 5 minutes).
7. Add the tombstones and tree to the top of the dip and serve.

Bloody Candy Apple

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Candy apples are Autumn staples, so why not take the traditional recipe and give it a little Halloween twist? We really adore this recipe from Wonky Wonderful.

Ingredients:

• 4 large apples
• 12 oz. white chocolate morsels
• 2 tbsps. shortening
• 4 bamboo apple sticks
• Wilton’s red sparkle gel

Instructions:

1. Thoroughly wash and dry apples.
2. Insert bamboo sticks.
3. In a large measuring cup, microwave chocolate and shortening for 60 to 90 seconds. Stop and stir every 30 seconds. After 1 minute, chocolate will not be completely melted. Stir vigorously until all chocolate is melted and smooth.
4. Dip apples in melted chocolate, and transfer to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Double dip if needed.
5. Refrigerate apples 5 to 10 minutes or until chocolate sets.
6. Drizzle red sparkle gel on apple tops. Use a wooden stick to gently spread gel and manipulate “blood” drips.
7. Refrigerate apples to prevent the gel from dripping down further.
8. Let sit at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before serving to allow chocolate to soften.

Spider Deviled Eggs

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Deviled eggs are always a fun addition to any party, and this spooktacular recipe from SheKnows definitely offers a Halloween twist!

Ingredients:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 3 tbsps. mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. minced shallot
• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole black olives

Instructions:

1. Once hard-boiled eggs have cooled, carefully peel off the shell and discard. Cut each egg in half vertically, scoop out the yolk and place into a large bowl.
2. Add mayonnaise, minced shallot, white vinegar, salt and pepper, and mustard to the bowl. Mix to combine. Add additional mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste. Fill each egg half with about 1 tbsp. of filling.
3. To make spiders, cut the olives in half. Place one half of the olive cut side down in the middle of the egg filling. Cut the rest of the olive into slices vertically. Then position four olive slices around the olive in the center (to create spider legs).
4. Garnish with spider webs and enjoy!

Scary Finger Cookies

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Finger cookies are totally a Halloween classic! Taste of Home has provided a wonderful recipe so you can recreate this creepy treat at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• Red decorating gel
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into 1-inch balls. Shape balls into 3-inch by 1/2-inch fingers. Using the flat tip of a table knife, make an indentation on one end of each for the fingernail. With a knife, make three slashes in the middle of each finger for a knuckle.
3. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 3 minutes. Squeeze a small amount of red gel on the nail bed; press a sliced almond over gel for nail, allowing the gel to ooze around the nail. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Devil's Eyes Eggs

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This fun recipe from Surviving a Teacher's Salary offers another fun twist on deviled eggs.

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• Red food coloring
• 2 avocados
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can black olives
• Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Once dry, carefully peel eggs and cut into halves.
2. Remove the yolks from the egg halves and save for another use.
3. Use a toothpick to draw wavy lines onto the cut side of the egg halves to create a bloodshot eyeball effect.
4. Cut the avocados into halves, remove the pit from the center and spoon the inside of the avocado into a medium-size bowl.
5. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the avocado and mix well.
6. For a little bit of spice, add some hot sauce to the avocado mixture (optional).
7. Spoon a dollop of avocado mixture into the eggs.
8. Place a thinly sliced black olive on top of avocado to finish the eyeball look.
9. Serve and enjoy!

Monster Face Sandwiches

Wendy Copley/Flickr

If you're looking for another lunchtime treat for Halloween, look no further! These monster face sandwiches from Mrs. Happy Homemaker will surprise and delight children of all ages.

Ingredients:

• Sandwich bread
• Lunch meat
• Sliced cheese
• Toothpick
• Olives

Instructions:

1. Using a glass or biscuit cutter, cut your sandwich bread into rounds. Cut jagged teeth into the edge of your cheese.
2. Stack the lunch meat and cheese on one of the sandwich bread rounds, leaving the jagged part of the cheese hanging over a bit.
3. Top with the other sandwich bread round. Break the toothpick in half and insert one half into an olive and the other into the top of the sandwich.
4. Repeat with the other one, forming your monster eyes.

Ants on a Log

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Here's a recipe you probably recognized right off the bat, modified for Halloween. While ants are super scary, this snack from Just a Pinch will provide a little reprieve from bloody eyeballs and fingers. Plus! Celery is a vegetable!

Ingredients:

• Celery stalks
• Peanut butter
• Raisins
• Dried cranberries

Instructions:

1. Wash your celery with water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Chop celery in individual portions.
3. Spread peanut butter in the celery cavity.
4. Top with raisins and/or cranberries in a single-file line like ants.