It’s fall! It’s October! It’s…almost Halloween! Whether you need a pumpkin fix or are simply craving something with more sustenance than all those summer salads (let’s be honest, all those leafy greens were getting a bit tiring), one of these Halloween recipes is sure to do the trick. Yes, there’s plenty of scary sweet treats to be found, but there’s also a filling pumpkin soup, glamorous gold-dusted cupcakes, and chocolate covered apples that adults AND kids will be happy to munch on! See below for savory dishes and sweet goodies for the scariest night of the year.
Spider Web Pumpkin Soup
Pictured above: a toothpick and a steady hand are all you need to create this webbed look.
Let’s start with pumpkin and its favorite close cousin, the squash. Those gorgeous orange veggies are a joy to display on the porch, yes, but they’re also filled with delicious flavor – and lots of nutrients! Before the kids and adults get all hyped on the sugary treats, start the evening with a spooky but healthy Halloween soup. We boosted the color with some tomatoes, which also adds a boost of health benefits, and spices to boot, then easily decorated with creme fraiche for that spiderweb, Halloween-appropriate look. The ghostly croutons complete the look, and are something that you can easily make to serve appetizers if you don't want to do a soup - just pile them with cheese and charcuterie, and they're scary-good!
French Macarons
Pictured above: darkly delicious, these macarons only look scary to make - they're actually quite easy.
What’s better than macarons? Seasonally-appropriate macarons! We took things to a deep, dark, and delicious level in this recipe for Halloween Macarons! Making macarons can be intimidating but it doesn’t have to be, especially when we show you how. Achieving the color is done easily with food coloring, and you can adjust the recipe to create the color you want – ghoulishly purple? Monster green? No problem! We filled ours with white chocolate tinted with orange coloring, but you can fill it with pumpkin jam, orange preserves, or pretty much anything you want.
Gold Dusted Cupcakes
Pictured above: Halloween doesn't have to be hockey! It can be glamorous too, if you're serving our gold-dusted cupcakes.
This is the ultimate in glamorous Halloween treats! These Halloween cupcakes are full of gothic, glamorous drama! A simple chocolate cupcake becomes the centerpiece of your Halloween dessert table, or the perfect treat to bring to work on October 31st. Sweet without being overly cloying, they're equal parts treat and Halloween decor! If you don’t have gold dust or edible gold leaf, use golden sprinkles o dragees.
Halloween Cake
Pictured above: cute little ghosts adorned this showcase Halloween cake.
Don't be afraid of this spooky cake! The preparation can be a little bit intimidating, but there's big payoff in flavor and thrilling Halloween drama. We picked cream cheese frosting, but you can use your favorite - buttercream, ganache, etc. The ghosts, made with Italian meringue, are perfect for kids, since the egg is fully cooked and therefore safe for children to eat. This is the perfect centerpiece for your Halloween party!
Chocolate Apples
Pictured above: a healthy snack disguised as a Halloween treat!
We’re convinced these are the invention of some sneaky mom trying to camouflage healthy apples into a Halloween treat! These tasty concoctions are super simple to make – a bit of high-quality chocolate, some crushed nuts or cereal, and you’re done! Kids will have a blast decorating them, and they won’t even notice they’re eating fruit (points for Mom!). Extra points if you get organic apples, but make sure whichever you pick are firm and bruise-free.