Halloween Recipes: 13 Treats and Desserts

13 Spooky Halloween Treats—All the Classics!

September 28, 2021

We’ve added some more classic Halloween treats to our collection! From peanut brittle to popcorn balls to candy apples, here are the traditional favorites from our archives—for the young and young at heart!

Halloween Fudge

Kids from miles around appear at our neighbor’s house on Halloween, looking for this treat that they’ve come to expect.

There are recipes that bake candy corn into the fudge, but this is the real, unadulterated fudge. Add candy corn on top for a festive touch.

Peanut Brittle

Simple, yet delicious, this peanut brittle is a tasty classic. For variety, mix in a cup of almonds with the peanuts!

Photo by Janet Hudson/Wikimedia Commons

Halloween Pretzel Treat

Kids of all ages just love these mini chocolate pretzels treats. For Halloween, we’ve put candy corn on top, but you could change the topping for any occasion—from candy hearts to holiday-colored M&Ms.

Carmel Popcorn Balls

This old-time Caramel Popcorn Balls recipe dates back to the mid-1800s and remains a favorite wholesome treat, especially at Halloween.

Caramel-Covered Apples

A caramel apple a day keeps the Halloween monsters away!

Candy Apples

Learn how to make classic candy apples with these easy steps. These colorful treats add a festive touch to any fall or Halloween gathering!

Halloween Desserts

When you want to go beyond simple treats, try some of these delicious desserts. They’re easy to make and will be the star of any Halloween gathering!

Brown Burrs

Ever heard of “brown burrs”? This is an old reader recipe that we love. Think of them as small date-nut balls—cute and delicious and even naturally healthy. They’re great for any occasion. One year, we made them to hand out the door on Halloween and they were a hit with kids, too!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Our Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are an early American invention—super moist, spiced perfectly, very seasonal, and great for sharing!

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

Tangy cranberries stud these luscious, spicy pumpkin bars.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasting our Halloween pumpkin seeds is a longtime tradition. These crunchy, salty seeds are super simple to make.

Photo by Denise Torres/Shutterstock

Apple Monster Mouths

When we grew up, apples would often be a Halloween treat or we’d bob for apples. While this isn’t practiced any more, we still like to highlight seasonal apples. Have a little fun with these easy apple monster mouths!

Halloween Spider Cookies

Oreos are a classic cookie that never gets old. Enjoy this fun activity with family and friends. Kids think it’s a hoot to make these critter cookies—and then eat them up!

Halloween Punch

Need a drink? For a scary-looking concoction, make zombie hands punch. You need to prepare a day in advance. Fill two clear surgical gloves (found at your local pharmacy) with red fruit punch, tie off, and stick the gloves in the freezer overnight. Then float the gloves in a red fruit punch–filled bowl, and they look like zombie hands!