Fun and Spooky Halloween Foods
Halloween is a holiday that’s fun for all--both kids and kids at heart consider it to be a favorite holiday. While this occasion is a celebration of all things ghostly, it’s also the day to enjoy lots of laughs, sugar and treats.
Your kids will delight in some of the fun and funky ideas out there for creative Halloween fare, including some of the ones here on CDKitchen. You can base a whole meal around such ghoulish offerings as peeled grape eyeballs, spooky cheese sandwiches cut into the shapes of Jack O’Lanterns and ghosts (use dark pumpernickel bread for an ultra scary effect), hot dog mummies, and finger shaped pretzels or cookies complete with an almond fingernail. And for dessert, pumpkin cupcakes or a spiral shaped pumpkin roll dusted with powdered sugar in a Halloween themed pattern would be the perfect thing. A refreshing beverage to go with it all would be witches brew, a spiced apple cider and cranberry concoction you can serve warm or cold.
There are so many fun ideas that I am thinking of throwing a little pre- trick or treating get together on Halloween this year. My husband’s birthday happens to fall right after Halloween, so this year the pumpkin cupcakes will definitely be on the menu (And I’ll know he has been reading my column if he knows in advance we’ll be celebrating his birthday with them!).
The recipe for pumpkin cupcakes is so easy - you start by following the directions for a packaged vanilla cake mix, simply substituting one fifteen ounce can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the recipe. If you want to spice it up a bit you can also add a quarter to a half teaspoon full of pumpkin pie spice. Then bake as directed for cupcakes and top with your favorite cream cheese or buttercream icing. You can decorate the cupcakes in any number of ways. Top with festive candy such as candy corn or colorful sprinkles, pipe spiderwebs designs in chocolate icing, or cut a Halloween shaped stencil out of a plastic lid, lay across the top of each cupcake, and dust with black or orange sanding sugar.
Halloween is also the time of year for classic snacks like caramel apples dipped in nuts and roasted pumpkin seeds (recipe below) that will sustain your favorite little trick or treaters. During your next Jack O’Lantern carving session, you can reserve the seeds that you pull out with the pumpkin guts, and clean and wash them. Simply spread them in layers on a baking sheet, with salt and the optional addition of garlic and red pepper flakes, and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes until crunchy. It’s a traditional, yet healthy Halloween snack that will supply some added energy for the big night.
So whether your haunted Halloween treats turn out fun or scary (or both), your family is sure to enjoy some of these festive ideas this year. And please feel free to share some of your own ideas for spooky treats in the comments section below. Happy Halloween!
Serves/Makes: 8
- 1 can (11 ounce size) refrigerated breadstick dough
- 8 hot dogs
- mustard
- poppy seeds
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Unroll the breadstick dough and separate into individual sticks. Cut each stick in half the long way and pinch the ends together to make longer pieces of dough (one for each hot dog).
Beginning at one end of each hot dog, wrap the dough around to create the "mummy" look. Leave an opening at the top for the face, wrap the dough around the head once or twice and pinch the dough on the back to seal the end so it doesn't come unwrapped while baking. Place the wrapped mummy dogs on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place two small dots of mustard on the face for the eyes. Add a poppy seed in the middle of each dot. Serve immediately.
Serves/Makes: 6
- 1 1/2 cup raw whole pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 pinch salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.
Some Flavor Combinations for Gourmet Pumpkin Seed Snacks
Italian Style Pumpkin Seeds -- Italian Seasoning Blend, Parmesan Cheese, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper
Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Seeds -- Cinnamon, Ground Ginger and Pinch of Nutmeg, Butter
Greek Style -- Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend, Oregano, Salt, Olive Oil
Buffalo Wings Pumpkin Seeds -- Butter, Tabasco Sauce, Salt
Made with all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, cream cheese
Serves/Makes: 16
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on waxed paper/towel)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
***Filling***
- 1 package (8 ounce size) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or cookie sheet and line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle additional sheet of wax paper or towel with powdered sugar.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl.
Beat eggs and sugar in a medium mixing bowl on medium speed until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture.
Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared wax paper. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and wax paper together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake and remove paper. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
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