Spooky Season is by far one of the best times of the year, and you know that calls for more treats for all your spooky wishes! Whether you’re wanting to hold a party, a study session, or just make some yummy snacks for yourself, here are some snacks that will fit right in with your Halloween decor.
- Spooky Forest Pudding Cups
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INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 1/2 c. whole milk
6 large egg yolks
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
20 whole chocolate sandwich cookies, plus 12 crushed
1 1/2 c. chocolate candy melts
4- or 6-inch bamboo skewers
Chocolate sprinkles, optional
Candy pumpkins, for decorating
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and eggs. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until mixture just begins to bubble and thicken, 5 to 7 minutes. (Make sure to stir the bottom and inside corners of the pan to prevent scorching.) Remove from heat. Add chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Place 1 whole cookie on the bottom of 10 juice glasses (about 6 ounces each). Top with half of the pudding, dividing evenly. Top with a second cookie. Top each glass with remaining pudding, dividing evenly. Top with crushed cookies, dividing evenly; cover and chill.
Place tree template under a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet. Melt candy melts according to package directions. Transfer to a heavy-duty zip-top bag and cut a small hole in one corner. Pipe a line of melted chocolate on the trunks of the trees and place the bamboo skewers on top. Pipe chocolate over the bamboo skewer and over the rest of the lines on the template to create trees (this can be done loosely—there is no need to follow the template exactly). Sprinkle the branches with chocolate sprinkles. Chill until set.
Insert chocolate trees into glasses of pudding and decorate with candy pumpkins.
- Marshmallow Ghost Brownies
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INGREDIENTS
For the Brownies (or use a premade mix, but it won’t have the added pumpkin flavors from the original recipe):
Cooking spray
1 c. plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
9 tbsp. (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the Marshmallow Ghosts:
1 1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin (part of 1 envelope)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
Store-bought black piping frosting
DIRECTIONS
Make the Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9- by 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides. Grease paper.
Whisk together flour, pie spice, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Melt chocolate chips, butter, and cocoa in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add butter mixture to sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add flour mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely in pan. Run a knife along the two short sides of the pan and lift brownies from pan using parchment. Remove parchment and transfer brownies to a serving platter.
Make the Marshmallow Ghosts:
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a bowl to soften.
Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. When water comes to a boil, stop stirring, and wash down sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any undissolved sugar and prevent crystals from forming. Boil until the temperature reaches 238°F on a candy thermometer, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add sugar mixture to gelatin. Whisk with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Increase speed to high and whisk until soft peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer marshmallow to a heavy-duty zip-top bag with a small hole cut in one corner (or a piping bag fitted with a #12 plain tip).
Immediately pipe ghost shapes on brownies. Let dry 1 hour. Pipe black frosting eyes and mouths. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container for 1 day.
- Ghost Popcorn
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INGREDIENTS:
16 cups popped popcorn (about 1 standard size bag of popcorn)
one 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
1 package Wilton bright white candy melts
candy eye balls (I used regular sized ones)
DIRECTIONS:
Place the popcorn in a large bowl (or 2 large bowls to make mixing easier).
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the mini marshmallows and butter. Stir occasionally until smooth.
Pour the melted mixture over the popcorn (dividing between 2 bowls if you divided the popcorn). Stir with a spatula until the popcorn is coated.
Butter your hands and begin to form the popcorn into balls. You can make taller balls like the shape of a ghost, or whatever you prefer.
Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Allow the balls to cool and firm up. (30 minutes to 1 hour)
Melt the white candy melts according to the package. You can add vegetable shortening or vegetable oil to help thin out the chocolate if desired. Dip the tops of the popcorn balls into the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Allow the chocolate to set for 1-2 minutes before adding candy eye balls to each ball. You can try to add the eyes right away, but they may slide off if the chocolate is too hot.
Allow the chocolate to set before serving. If you’ll be serving them the next day, place them in a tupperware container.
You can display them in a fun way! For example, you can display them in a large tray on top of Halloween-colored M&Ms with some fake spiders added in!
- Poison Candy Apples
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INGREDIENTS
12 baby Granny Smith apples
12 wooden candy apple sticks or dowels
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. black gel paste food coloring
DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry apples thoroughly. Place on a baking sheet and poke firmly with dowels. Line a second baking sheet with buttered parchment paper, and set aside.
Place a candy thermometer in a medium saucepan and add sugar, 3/4 cups water, and corn syrup. Place over medium heat; whisk until sugar is dissolved. Let the temperature rise without stirring until it reaches the hard-crack mark at 310 degrees F. Remove pan from heat. Carefully remove the thermometer, and add food coloring.
Swirl pan to mix in the color completely. Swipe and twirl the apple through the candy, shake off excess, and place on buttered baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.
I hope you all love these spooky recipes, and if you’re looking for more inspiration, check out this link to find more ideas!