Skip to content

Top Navigation

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Course
  • Baking
  • Global
  • Healthy
  • Favorite Ingredients
  • Holidays and Occasions
  • Quick and Easy
  • Convenience Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling
  • How To
  • Extra Crispy
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Email Preferences
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore MyRecipes

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. Read More
    • The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      Trust me, it’s so worth it. Read More
    • 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time.  Read More
  • Course

    Course

    See All Course
    • Best Appetizer Recipes...Ever
    • Best Drink Recipes for Any Occasion
    • Salad Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Sensational Sides
    • Soup and Stew Recipes
    • Easy Entertaining for Everyone
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Main Dishes and Entrées
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
  • Baking

    Baking

    See All Baking
    • Bread Recipes
    • Our Most-Loved Cake Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Pie Recipes
  • Global

    Global

    See All Global
    • Spanish Recipes
    • Thai Recipes
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Middle Eastern Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Malaysian Recipes
    • Korean Recipes
    • Japanese Recipes
    • Italian Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
    • Greek Recipes
    • French Recipes
    • Chinese Recipes
    • African Recipes
    • American Recipes
    • Cajun and Creole Recipes
    • Caribbean Recipes
    • South American Recipes
    • Southern Recipes
    • German Recipes
  • Healthy

    Healthy

    See All Healthy
    • Easy, Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfasts
    • Healthy Dinners
    • Healthy Desserts
    • Diabetic Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Diet and Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Low Carbohydrate Recipes
    • Low Cholesterol Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Low Sodium Recipes
    • Low Calorie Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Favorite Ingredients

    Favorite Ingredients

    See All Favorite Ingredients
    • The Ultimate Guide to Chicken
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Cheese Recipes
    • Chocolate Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Shrimp Recipes
  • Holidays and Occasions

    Holidays and Occasions

    See All Holidays and Occasions
    • A Foodie's Guide to Halloween Recipes
    • The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
    • Hanukkah Recipes
    • Your Ultimate Christmas Recipe Guide
    • Our Most Festive New Year's Recipes
    • Best-Ever Super Bowl Sunday Recipes
    • Best Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Mardi Gras Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Easter Recipes
    • Cinco de Mayo Recipes
    • Labor Day Recipes
    • The Ultimate Fourth of July Guide
    • Memorial Day Recipes
    • Touchdown-Worthy Tailgate Recipes
    • Wedding and Shower Recipes
  • Quick and Easy

    Quick and Easy

    See All Quick and Easy
    • 15-Minute Recipes for Busy Home Cooks
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Dinner Tonight
    • No-Cook Recipes
    • 45-Minute Recipes
  • Convenience Recipes

    Convenience Recipes

    See All Convenience Recipes
    • Budget-Friendly Recipes
    • Our Top Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Our Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling

    BBQ and Grilling

    See All BBQ and Grilling
    • Grilled Beef Recipes
    • Grilled Fish Recipes
    • Grilled Shrimp Recipes
    • Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • Grilled Pork Recipes
    • Grilled Vegetable Recipes
  • How To

    How To

    See All How To
    • 7 Ways With...
    • Videos
    • Ingredients and Tools
    • Kitchen Cleaning
  • Extra Crispy
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Email Preferences
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Holidays and Occasions
  3. A Foodie's Guide to Halloween Recipes
  4. 75 Halloween Dessert Ideas

75 Halloween Dessert Ideas

Updated August 24, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Spooky Candy-Coated Apples
Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher

No tricks to these treats! The best part about Halloween desserts is that they're basically your favorite treats disguised as Halloween goodies. You don't need super special icing skills to make these recipes shine. Simple instructions, a few Test Kitchen tips, and a love of fun holiday foods are all you need to get started. Keep these Halloween dessert ideas in mind all season long. 

Hungry for more spooky ideas? Check out our Ultimate Halloween Guide (with 200+ recipes) next. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Black Sesame Cupcakes

black-sesame-cupcakes
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Black Sesame Cupcakes Recipe

There's nothing artificial about these dramatically hued treats. Supermoist (and whole-grain) chocolate cupcakes get their blackout color from black sesame seeds and antioxidant-rich dark cocoa powder. These desserts are delicious and better for you, with every bit of fun, festive flair you crave.

1 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Halloween Spider Cookies

Halloween Spider Cookies
Credit: Sara Tane

Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe

Landing somewhere between adorable and slightly spooky, these Halloween spider cookies are sure to fulfill all your creepy-crawly sweet needs for your upcoming Halloween festivities. Using a classic cut-out butter cookie dough keeps the edges of your spider cookies shape neat and clean—no worries about the cookies expanding when they bake. Decorate these Halloween cut-out cookies with black gel icing, royal icing, candy eyes, orangle and black sprinkles, or whatever fun decorations you have on hand. These cookies make for a playful, spooky food craft that grown-ups and kids alike can enjoy.

2 of 75

3 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mini Ghost Cupcakes

Mini Ghost Cupcakes
Credit: Mark Thomas

Mini Ghost Cupcakes Recipe

Decorate mini chocolate cupcakes for the perfect Halloween treats by topping them with whipped topping in the shape of spooky ghosts and chocolate chips for their ghastly expressions. These cupcakes are perfectly portable and great to bring along to a your next Halloween bash! 

3 of 75

Advertisement

4 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Deserted Graveyard Cake

Deserted Graveyard Cake
Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher

Deserted Graveyard Cake Recipe

Prepare this decadent, chocolate-frosted cake for a festive Halloween dessert. 

4 of 75

5 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mummified Candy-Corn Cake

Mummified Candy-Corn Cake
Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher

Mummified Candy-Corn Cake Recipe

This festive candy corn-colored cake is sure to impress your Halloween guests. 

5 of 75

6 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars

White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars
Credit: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars Recipe

Jessica Segarra, 25, Tampa, Fla., thenovicechefblog.com

6 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Trick or Treat Cupcakes

Trick or Treat Cupcakes
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Trick or Treat Cupcakes Recipe

This cupcake is the showcase for our Halloween thrills. For the parade of goblins, ghosts, and monsters looking for something sweet, we top it with anything we can find on the candy aisle. There's no trick to this treat—it's scrumptious any time of year.

7 of 75

8 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Lookie-Lookie Cookie Pops

Lookie-Lookie Cookie Pops
Credit: Oxmoor House

Lookie-Lookie Cookie Pops Recipe

These fun, kid-friendly, and super yummy cookie pops are the perfect treat for Halloween! Your friends and family will not be able to resist one–or two, or three.

8 of 75

9 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chocolate Spider Cupcakes

Chocolate Spider Cupcakes
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Rachel Haas

Chocolate Spider Cupcakes Recipe

These spooky spiderweb cupcakes for Halloween are easier to decorate than you think. Simply frost in white icing, then pipe black icing in concentric circles and drag a toothpick through them to create the webbed effect. For kid-friendly cupcakes, use water instead of bourbon in the frosting.

9 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spun-Sugar Cobwebs

Spun-Sugar Cobwebs
Credit: Thomas J. Story

Spun-Sugar Cobwebs Recipe

Spun-sugar recipes typically involve flinging hot liquid sugar across a setup of dowels and newspaper. It's messy and, frankly, a little bit frightening. Here's a much easier method that requires nothing more than a few forks and a small upturned bowl, and you can do it on your kitchen counter. The results--golden, airy sugar webs--make excellent Halloween cupcake toppers. (This recipe makes extra, so you can choose the prettiest ones.) For a bigger cobweb to top a cake, just use a large bowl. Make sure you do this on a dry day, though; humidity will make the webs collapse.

10 of 75

11 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Scary Spiders

Scary Spiders
Credit: Ryan Benyi, Charles Schiller; Styling: Karen Tack

Scary Spiders Recipe

Transform packaged snack cakes into creepy crawlers. These treats take minutes and are a perfect Halloween-themed activity for cookie-loving kiddos.

11 of 75

12 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Ghost Cookies

Ghost Cookies
Credit: Sara Tane

Ghost Cookies Recipe

Prepare for a  sweet scare when these adorable Halloween ghost cookies are all iced, decorated, and ready to party. Super easy and kid-friendly to make, these butter cut-out cookies coated with royal icing are the perfect dessert for your Halloween spread. Candy eyeballs add a playful, whimsical touch to these spooky treats, but you could also use black icing to draw eyes on your ghost cookies. Using a classic cut-out butter cookie dough keeps the edges of your ghost cookies shape neat and clean—no worries about the cookies expanding when they bake. Whip up a batch with the kids and let them go to town with the decorating for a fun Halloween kitchen activity.

12 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Frankenstein Cookies 

Frankenstein Cookies Images
Credit: Darcy Lenz

Frankenstein Cookies  Recipe

Starting with refrigerated, store-bought cookie dough, these cooky Frankenstein cookies are an easy Halloween baking project to whip up this year. That said, packaged cookie dough is made to spread, so if you’d rather your Frankenstein cookies have rectangular or otherwise shaped faces (as opposed to these round-faced cuties), you can use a classic cut-out cookie dough that will better hold its shape. Follow the same method for coloring the dough, and then simply cut it into the shapes you want (freehand or using rectangular cookie cutters). In the recipe below, we provided a suggested path for decorating your Frankenstein cookies, but definitely feel free to go about designing and decorating these tasty little monsters however you please. If you’d rather, you can bake the green cookies plain and decorate as you please using only icing pens once they have cooled. Keep in mind—it’s OK if they’re a little messy, they are monsters after all. 

13 of 75

14 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies
Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies Recipe

TIP: Let fresh-baked brownies chill, uncovered, overnight. For a perfect slice, cut while they're cold. Serve at room temperature.

14 of 75

15 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Graveyard Cake

Graveyard Cake
Credit: Mark Thomas

Graveyard Cake Recipe

Halloween desserts definitely call for having a little extra fun in the kitchen. This kinda-cute, kinda-creepy Graveyard Cake is easy to make, fun to decorate (so recruit the kids’ help), and is sure to be a perfectly spooky centerpiece for any Halloween dessert table. Black icing transforms store-bought cookies into perfectly-sized miniature headstones for the chocolate-frosted graveyard cake. And once you’ve placed your headstones, crumble chocolate wafer cookies around each to create “dirt.” Just be sure to make each "gravesite" the serving size you want to ensure easy slicing. Disperse a few candle “lanterns” throughout the chocolaty graveyard and you have the perfect cake for a Halloween birthday party. The classic chocolate cake recipe here is decadent and moist standby, but if you’re in a pinch for time, feel free to use your favorite boxed cake mix instead. Obviously, it’s all about the decorating on for this Halloween-inspired treat. 

15 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Candy Corn Cobs

Candy Corn Cob image

Candy Corn Cobs Recipe

Make this too-cute Halloween food craft with just two ingredients and a bit of assembly. Using prepared cookie dough as a “cob,” simply press kernels of candy corn into place to create a sugary look-alike of corn on the cob. Making these candy corn cobs is an easy and fun Halloween project for kids, and the completed corny confections could be used as playful name card holders for a Halloween dinner party. You may need to gently reform each into a cob shape if the dough begins to soften as you place the corn—but once you’re finished, simply pop all of the corn-filled cobs back into the freezer for a few hours if you want them to remain super firm for a while. Although we wouldn’t recommend eating an entire candy corn on the cob in a sitting (unless you’re looking for a serious sugar overload), if anyone wants to take a nibble, just be sure to let any guests know that the core is made using raw cookie dough, in case allergies are a concern. Packaged raw cookie dough is typically pasteurized, thus considered safe to consume raw. However, if you’re not completely comfortable using packaged dough, try using a homemade edible cookie dough recipe instead. Another alternative to cookie dough is using bananas cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces for the cob. Pro-tip: Work in rows of candy corn down the entire length of the cob rather than forming cylindrical rows around the diameter of the log—it’s a lot easier.  

16 of 75

17 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze
Credit: Sara Tane

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze Recipe

What better fall-inspired dessert to make than this tahini-glazed pumpkin bundt cake. A medley of fragrant, ground spices enhance the rich sweetness of this incredibly moist bundt cake. Topped with a toasty, perfectly bittersweet tahini glaze, this  easy to make and comforting fall dessert is the perfect centerpiece for your next dinner party, Halloween gathering, or special occasion.

17 of 75

18 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Severed Hand Pies

Severed Hand Pies image
Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Blakeslee Giles

Severed Hand Pies Recipe

This freaky-delicious treat serves up classic flavors with a Halloween twist. Impress your guests with sweet cherry filling in flakey puff pastry... in the shape of a human hand.

18 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Credit: Sara Tane

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter Recipe

Brown butter takes these rich, seasonal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to the next level, adding a nutty, fragrant flavor that is absolutely perfect for fall. Canned pumpkin puree lends moisture to these fluffy, cake-like treats while warm chocolate chips fill every bite. Make these for a Halloween party or a fall dinner party, and be sure to store any leftovers in an airtight container.

19 of 75

20 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mummy Buckeyes

mummy-buckeyes
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Mummy Buckeyes Recipe

Our two-bite treats are scary-simple to make and a ghoulishly good addition to your spread of haunted sweets. When it comes time to wrap the mummies in chocolate, let the kids help out for a fun holiday craft.

20 of 75

21 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Lemon-Black Sesame Baked Doughnuts

Lemon-Black Sesame Seed Doughnuts image
Credit: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Tori Cox; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson

Lemon-Black Sesame Baked Doughnuts Recipe

If you need a break from rainbow-smattered sweets and unicorn-coated everything, these deliciously dark doughnuts are exactly what you’re looking for. A bright lemony glaze balances the warm toasty flavors delivered by black sesame seeds for a balanced, not-too-sweet doughnut. Being an oven-baked doughnut, this recipe is perfect for the first-time doughnut maker or anyone who’s not trying to spend their Saturday morning cleaning up a deep-fry station in their kitchen. We used black food dye to intensify the darkness of these doughnuts, but feel free to leave it out if you’d prefer. Beyond being an incredibly tasty way to boycott rainbow foods, these black sesame doughnuts are the perfect treat to whip out for Halloween. 

21 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Image
Credit: Sara Tane

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze Recipe

With a rich, gooey pumpkin spice filling, buttery pecan streusel topping, and maple glaze, this fluffy and moist pumpkin coffee cake is sure to impress. Perfect for any occasion, from your next fall brunch to a Halloween party, this coffee cake is easy to make and full of toasty fall flavors. You can prepare the brown sugar-pecan streusel, the filling, and even the maple glaze in advance to make pulling this cake together even more of a breeze once you’re ready to bake. Simply prepare each element in a bowl, tightly wrap each with plastic wrap, and stash them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Just be sure to take the glaze out of the refrigerator as soon as you’re ready to start making the pumpkin coffee cake so that it has enough time to return to room temperature, and give it a few stirs to loosen it back up if need be. 

22 of 75

23 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Frosted Brown Butter Blondies

Frosted Brown Butter Blondies
Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Frosted Brown Butter Blondies Recipe

23 of 75

24 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Red Velvet Cobweb Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cobweb Cupcakes
Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher

Red Velvet Cobweb Cupcakes Recipe

These festive Red Velvet Cobweb Cupcakes are as delicoious as they are detailed. 

24 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples

cinnamon-cider-candy-apple-ck-crop.jpg
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Rachel Haas

Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples Recipe

Wash apples well to remove any waxy coating, and dry thoroughly before dipping them. Work quickly, but if the syrup begins to set, you can reheat it over low heat to liquefy.

25 of 75

26 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Monster Brownies

Monster Brownies
Credit: E. Spencer Toy

Monster Brownies Recipe

Your little human monsters will love decorating brownies with chocolate, marshmallows, and M&M's to make these sweet treats. For the base, we doubled the recipe for Dark Chocolate Brownies, baking it in a 9- by 13-in. pan and omitting the glaze. Thin, flat chocolate bars work best for the faces.

26 of 75

27 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Bat Cake

Bat Cake image
Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Bat Cake Recipe

For the Halloween crafter inside all of this, this simple Halloween sheet cake is a fun, easy dessert to make. Devil’s food cake is very dark chocolaty color, but a red velvet cake would look just as fitting and festive for the bat, too. Piping bags and tips are found in craft stores or specialty baking shops. Be sure to cut the cake rounds in the prescribed order so that the bat’s head with ears comes out as 1 of the cuts.

27 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Frankenstein Cookie Bars

Frankenstein Cookie Bars
Credit: Thomas J. Story

Frankenstein Cookie Bars Recipe

These bars make a fun Halloween treat, and they're very flavorful: the green tea frosting cloaks a chewy-soft coconut-lime cookie. They're easy enough that the kids can help you make them.

28 of 75

29 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Skeleton Cupcakes

Skeleton Cupcakes
Credit: Mark Thomas

Skeleton Cupcakes Recipe

Stop the presses! These too-cute cupcakes are a must-bake for your Halloween party. There's room for creativity on these delicious desserts, so make the faces fun or scary--your choice.

29 of 75

30 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Ogre-Eye Cookies

Ogre-Eye Cookies
Credit: Mark Thomas

Ogre-Eye Cookies Recipe

No Halloween party is complete without these cute cookies that, thanks to licorice strips, white chocolate chips and brown M & Ms, look just like monster eyeballs.

30 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Scissor Fingers Cake

Scissor Fingers Cake
Credit: Oxmoor House

Scissor Fingers Cake Recipe

Just a few little almond slices make these ladyfingers have quite the fingernails!

31 of 75

32 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Red-Velvet Cake Balls with White Chocolate

Red-Velvet Cake Balls with White Chocolate
Credit: John Kernick

Red-Velvet Cake Balls with White Chocolate Recipe

Dipped in white chocolate, these red-velvet cake balls are perfect for turning into eyeballs on Halloween. With a steady hand and food coloring, David Burtka paints detailed irises and pupils on each one; for the less artistically inclined, an M and M pressed into the white chocolate before it sets makes for a quick-and-easy creepy alternative.

32 of 75

33 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Credit: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

These whoopie pies give a whole knew meaning to cake and ice cream! Vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between the festive orange cakes that are pack with pumpkin flavor.

33 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

34 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chocolate Cupcakes with Meringue Ghosts

Chocolate Cupcakes with Meringue Ghosts
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst

Chocolate Cupcakes with Meringue Ghosts Recipe

34 of 75

35 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mini Caramel Apples

Mini Caramel Apples
Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy; Styling: Miranda Jones

Mini Caramel Apples Recipe

You get all the satisfaction of a caramel apple in one bite and without a messy chin. If decorating with twigs, make sure twigs are food-safe or use craft sticks.

35 of 75

36 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spider Web Cake

Death by Chocolate

Spider Web Cake Recipe

This incredibly fudgy flourless chocolate cake is a much better way to satisfy your own spooky sweet cravings than dipping into your kids’ Halloween candy. Dark and delightful, this rich and chocolatey cake only requires five ingredients and about an hour to pull together. That said, this decadent Halloween dessert does need to chill for at least 6 hours before you slice, so plan accordingly. After the cake has chilled and you’ve covered it in a sleek layer of chocolate glaze, simply draw on your spider web using a white icing pen. Keep in mind, your web doesn’t have to be perfect! Finish it with a couple of candy spiders or draw your own with the icing. Trust us, a chocolate-on-chocolate spider web cake is a welcome addition to any Halloween party. 

36 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

37 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Rachel Haas

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread cutters work if you're making skeletons. You can also use 2 1/2-inch cat or bat cutters. Look for meringue powder at craft stores or in the craft section of some big-box retailers.

37 of 75

38 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Colorful Critters

Colorful Critters
Credit: Ryan Benyi, Charles Schiller; Styling: Karen Tack

Colorful Critters Recipe

Make these fun, kid-friendly treats with chocolate-covered snack cakes, assorted candies and chocolate and white icing. They're perfect for birthday parties or after-school snacks,

38 of 75

39 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe

This simple sheet cake combines pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice with sweet chocolate chips and crunchy walnuts for a family-favorite fall dessert.

39 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

40 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Candy Corn Cookies

Halloween Cookie Bites
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Candy Corn Cookies Recipe

Those fancy Halloween slice-and-bake cookies are a breeze to make at home thanks to a little food coloring. And trust us, these candy corn cookies are infinitely more delicious than the Halloween candy they’re inspired by (no offense if you like candy corn). Easy to make and absolutely adorable, these autumn-inspired treats are as perfect to send for the kids’ school Halloween party as they are to bring to your own fall festivities. You can even prep the dough a few days in advance and refrigerate, so that baking off the candy corn cookies is a breeze on the day you plan to eat them. Just follow the recipe through step 3, and be sure to wrap the loaf pan tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap. 

40 of 75

41 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Carrot-Coconut Spice Cupcakes

Carrot-Coconut Spice Cupcakes
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst

Carrot-Coconut Spice Cupcakes Recipe

Looking for some not too scary Halloween snacks? These Carrot-Coconut Spice Cupcakes will to the trick. Try this spin on carrot cupcakes by added shredded coconut to the batter and toasted coconut on top!

41 of 75

42 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chocolate-Coconut Cupcakes

Chocolate-Coconut Cupcakes
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Chocolate-Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Nothing could be better than a chocolate cupcake topped with marshmallow frosting, except maybe one topped with marshmallow frosting AND ganache. If you want to pin this, we suggest swirling the ganache to look like spooky spiderwebs.

42 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

43 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Orange Angel Food Cupcakes with Candy Corn Buttercream

Orange Angel Food Cupcakes with Candy Corn Buttercream
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst

Orange Angel Food Cupcakes with Candy Corn Buttercream Recipe

This citrus-flavored spin on angel food cake is perfect as the base for colorful Candy Corn frosting! Pile the cupcake high with buttercream and enjoy this Halloween treat.

43 of 75

44 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Bat Cupcakes

Bat Cupcakes
Credit: Image: JK Denim

44 of 75

45 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Transylvanian Truffles

Transylvanian Truffles

Transylvanian Truffles Recipe

At just a quarter a pop, these decadent and rich chocolate truffles will be the hit of your Halloween gathering. Decorate with mini Halloween candies or roll in toasted nuts, cocoa powder, or powdered sugar.

45 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

46 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Witch's Hat Cake

Witch's Hat Cake image
Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Witch's Hat Cake Recipe

For a spooky spin on your Halloween-inspired sheet cake, look no further than this festive witch's hat cake. We opted for boxed cake mix for simplicity, but if there's a homemade recipe you prefer, that works too. As long as you're ready to get a little crafty and extra witchy, this easy, Halloween dessert will come together in a flash.

46 of 75

47 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Halloween Kitty Cake

Halloween Kitty Cake
Credit: Oxmoor House

Halloween Kitty Cake Recipe

What a sweet kitty this is! The cake is baked, cut into shapes and then put together to make a purr-fect cake for any Halloween party.

47 of 75

48 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Witches' Hats

Witches' Hats
Credit: Ralph Anderson

Witches' Hats Recipe

Bring out your inner witch to make these two-cute cookies that kids are sure to love. Bonus? They're super easy.

48 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

49 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spooky Crème Caramels

Spooky Crème Caramels
Credit: Charles Schiller; Styling: Lynn Miller

Spooky Crème Caramels Recipe

49 of 75

50 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Boo-tiful Pumpkin Cake

Boo-tiful Pumpkin Cake
Credit: Oxmoor House

Boo-tiful Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Make two recipes of this pumpkin cake and create your own tasty pumpkin!

50 of 75

51 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Dark Soul Fondue

Dark Soul Fondue
Credit: Oxmoor House

Dark Soul Fondue Recipe

This chocolatey fondue will be a hit at the party. Cut the pound cake into bone shapes or other fun shapes to fit your movie party theme.

51 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

52 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Gooey Gummy Worms

Gooey Gummy Worms
Credit: Oxmoor House

Gooey Gummy Worms Recipe

This is such a fun recipe to do with kids... and you'll love to serve them and hear the giggles. If you're a real candy connoisseur, you might like to make these in candy molds for fancier gummy candy.

52 of 75

53 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Witches' Brooms

Witches' Brooms
Credit: Oxmoor House

Witches' Brooms Recipe

Any witch would love to have a sweet broom like these yummy cookies!

53 of 75

54 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Cemetery Cookie Dessert

Cemetery Cookie Dessert
Credit: Oxmoor House

Cemetery Cookie Dessert Recipe

Little cookies stand up to resemble little tombstones on this easy-to-make dessert.

54 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

55 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Cookie Bugs

Cookie Bugs
Credit: Oxmoor House

Cookie Bugs Recipe

The anise in these little cookies goes well with the little licorice legs on each one!

55 of 75

56 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Black Kitty Cat Cupcakes

Black Kitty Cat Cupcakes
Credit: Oxmoor House

Black Kitty Cat Cupcakes Recipe

Don't be afraid of these black cat cupcakes... they are devilishly good!

56 of 75

57 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Haunting Slices

Haunting Slices
Credit: Oxmoor House

Haunting Slices Recipe

Slicing these cookies is half the fun. You never know what silly or scary expression you will get!

57 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

58 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Wizard Hats

Wizard Hats
Credit: Oxmoor House

Wizard Hats Recipe

Make this fun Halloween treat for the kids to take to school.

58 of 75

59 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Wormy Popcorn Balls

Wormy Popcorn Balls
Credit: Oxmoor House

Wormy Popcorn Balls Recipe

Add a gummy worm to this little treat for some Halloween fun.

59 of 75

60 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Cake image
Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

For this festive version of a pumpkin cake, we opted for a "spiced pumpkin" box cake mix, but any box mix will do. Adding powdered sugar to the prepared frosting helps make it thicker and less likely to melt off the cake or get too soft and drippy. It's helpful to use piping bags to get a nicel layer of frosting and then blend together on the pumpkin to get green vines and leaves.

60 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

61 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Candy Cake

Candy Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams

Candy Cake Recipe

Use your favorite leftover candy to make this tasty cake. A bittersweet chocolate icing drizzle brings out the sweet chocolate crunch tucked into the Bundt cake.

61 of 75

62 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Jack-o'-lantern Cookies

Jack-o'-lantern Cookies

Jack-o'-lantern Cookies Recipe

62 of 75

63 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Ghost-Topped Fudge Pie

Ghost-Topped Fudge Pie
Credit: Oxmoor House

Ghost-Topped Fudge Pie Recipe

Rich and chocolaty, this pie is perfect for Halloween ghosts and goblins!

63 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

64 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Melted Witches

Melted Witches
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Melted Witches Recipe

Make a sweet treat that looks like the evil witch has melted right out of her hat.

64 of 75

65 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spiderweb Spice Cake

Spiderweb Spice Cake
Credit: Mark Thomas

Spiderweb Spice Cake Recipe

Colored candies are all you need to transform a chocolate cake into a creepy, crawling Halloween-themed cake. Don't worry, even with the spiders you won't be able to resist this delicious confection.

65 of 75

66 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Candy Corn and M&M's Chewy Crispy Bars

Candy Corn and M&M's Chewy Crispy Bars
Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Blakeslee Wright Giles

Candy Corn and M&M's Chewy Crispy Bars Recipe

Candy Corn and M&M's Chewy Crispy Bars make fun Halloween treats.

66 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

67 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Tangled Web Rice Pops

Tangled Web Rice Pops
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Tangled Web Rice Pops Recipe

For a guaranteed hit, garnish these yummy treats with bug candies or sprinkles in Halloween shapes and colors.

67 of 75

68 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Black Cats & Bats

Black Cats & Bats
Credit: Oxmoor House

Black Cats & Bats Recipe

Don't let these black cats and bats scare you... they are as sweet as can be.

68 of 75

69 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Pasties

Pumpkin Pasties image
Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Pumpkin Pasties Recipe

A favorite treat at any magical feast, pumpkin pasties are surprisingly easy to make (even for muggles). We developed two pumpkin-based fillings—one sweet and one savory—for these buttery hand pies, so they’re perfect for serving (alongside a goblet of pumpkin juice!) at any point during a Harry Potter inspired party. If you’re looking to save a little time and effort, you can certainly opt for prepared, refrigerated pie dough.

69 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

70 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Witchy Cookies

Witchy Cookies

Witchy Cookies Recipe

Save time by using refrigerated sugar-cookie dough to make these spooky witch cookies. Use green food coloring and cocoa to dye the dough green and brown then decorate with brown icing and mini chocolate candies.

70 of 75

71 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Monster Cookies

mr-Monster Cookies Image
Credit: Sara Tane

Monster Cookies Recipe

They’re not called monster cookies because they’re scary… but they are monstrously delicious. In fact. these chunky, chewy  monster cookies might just be the king of all kitchen sink cookies. Featuring peanut butter, oats, crushed pretzels, M&Ms, and chunks of milk chocolate, they hit every necessary cookie note—chewy, crispy, salty, sweet, chocolatey, and buttery. We opted for miniature M&Ms to use in these decadent monster cookies, as we often regular-size to feel a little clunky in the context of a cookie, but feel free to use whatever size you prefer. In fact, you can customize these kid-friendly oatmeal and peanut butter cookies in any number of ways depending on what you like—swap peanut butter for almond better, switch the pretzels for crushed kettle cooked potato chips, use semisweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate, etc. However you spin your personal batch of monster cookies, one thing’s for sure: Pulling out a platter of these loaded treats will always incite excitement. 

71 of 75

72 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Cheesecake

Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Cheesecake
Credit: Charles Schiller

Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Recipe

Bring Halloween cheer to the dessert table with this too-cuke cheesecake. Keep it simple by preparing just about everything for this cake ahead of time.

72 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

73 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Frosted Pumpkin Cake

Frosted Pumpkin Cake
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Sabrina Bone

Frosted Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Pumpkin cake is moist and fluffy and a great change-up from classic pumpkin pie.

73 of 75

74 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Black Cat Sandwich Cookies

Black Cat Sandwich Cookies
Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Black Cat Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Letting these cookies cross your path will bring bad luck, so make sure to gobble them up before the tray passes you by.

74 of 75

75 of 75

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spooky Candy-Coated Apples

Spooky Candy-Coated Apples
Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher

Spooky Candy-Coated Apples Recipe

Dipping apples in white candy melts gives them a ghostly apperance perfect for your Halloween party. 

75 of 75

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 75 Black Sesame Cupcakes
    2 of 75 Halloween Spider Cookies
    3 of 75 Mini Ghost Cupcakes
    4 of 75 Deserted Graveyard Cake
    5 of 75 Mummified Candy-Corn Cake
    6 of 75 White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars
    7 of 75 Trick or Treat Cupcakes
    8 of 75 Lookie-Lookie Cookie Pops
    9 of 75 Chocolate Spider Cupcakes
    10 of 75 Spun-Sugar Cobwebs
    11 of 75 Scary Spiders
    12 of 75 Ghost Cookies
    13 of 75 Frankenstein Cookies 
    14 of 75 Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies
    15 of 75 Graveyard Cake
    16 of 75 Candy Corn Cobs
    17 of 75 Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze
    18 of 75 Severed Hand Pies
    19 of 75 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter
    20 of 75 Mummy Buckeyes
    21 of 75 Lemon-Black Sesame Baked Doughnuts
    22 of 75 Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze
    23 of 75 Frosted Brown Butter Blondies
    24 of 75 Red Velvet Cobweb Cupcakes
    25 of 75 Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples
    26 of 75 Monster Brownies
    27 of 75 Bat Cake
    28 of 75 Frankenstein Cookie Bars
    29 of 75 Skeleton Cupcakes
    30 of 75 Ogre-Eye Cookies
    31 of 75 Scissor Fingers Cake
    32 of 75 Red-Velvet Cake Balls with White Chocolate
    33 of 75 Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
    34 of 75 Chocolate Cupcakes with Meringue Ghosts
    35 of 75 Mini Caramel Apples
    36 of 75 Spider Web Cake
    37 of 75 Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
    38 of 75 Colorful Critters
    39 of 75 Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake
    40 of 75 Candy Corn Cookies
    41 of 75 Carrot-Coconut Spice Cupcakes
    42 of 75 Chocolate-Coconut Cupcakes
    43 of 75 Orange Angel Food Cupcakes with Candy Corn Buttercream
    44 of 75 Bat Cupcakes
    45 of 75 Transylvanian Truffles
    46 of 75 Witch's Hat Cake
    47 of 75 Halloween Kitty Cake
    48 of 75 Witches' Hats
    49 of 75 Spooky Crème Caramels
    50 of 75 Boo-tiful Pumpkin Cake
    51 of 75 Dark Soul Fondue
    52 of 75 Gooey Gummy Worms
    53 of 75 Witches' Brooms