No Tricks-Just Halloween Treats

August 20, 2013
Credit: Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Whether you're greeting trick-or-treaters at the door or taking cookies to a Halloween party, get into the fun of the season with these "not-too-scary" Halloween treat recipes.
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Mummified Candy-Corn Cake

Credit: Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher
Mummified Candy-Corn Cake Recipe
This festive candy corn-colored cake is sure to impress your Halloween guests.
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Deserted Graveyard Cake

Credit: Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher
Deserted Graveyard Cake Recipe
Prepare this decadent, chocolate-frosted cake for a festive Halloween dessert.

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Halloween Cookie Pops

Credit: Image: JK Denim
Halloween Cookie Pops

Wafers and vanilla crème cookies dipped into candy melts create these Halloween-inspired cookie pops!

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Decorate Store-Bought Pumpkin Pies

Credit: Image: JK Denim
Decorate Store-Bought Pumpkin Pies

Turn store-bought pumpkin pies into spooky jack o'lanterns with this creative, time-saving tip.

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Spooky Candy-Coated Apples

Credit: Photo: 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.

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Haunted Chocolate Bark

Credit: Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Ed Gallagher
Haunted Chocolate Bark Recipe
Decorate homemade chocolate bark with gummy worms, Kit Kat bars, candy corn, and more to make these festive treats.
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Chocolate Halloween Cutout Cookies

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chocolate Halloween Cutout Cookies Recipe
Bake a batch of these delicious Halloween cookies for your family, and bake a second batch to give away. Make sure to decorate the cookies well in advance so the icing can fully set before the cookies are boxed up to give.

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Tombstone Cookies

Credit: Leigh Beisch
Tombstone Cookies Recipe
Use these chocolate-speckled cookies as accents for Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème, or enjoy them alone as a Halloween snack.

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Crème-Filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Credit: Photo: Brie Passano; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Crème-Filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Adults deserve a Halloween treat too. Just stir in a little bourbon or rum into the filling for a fun touch to a festive cookie.
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Blackberry Jam Bar Cookies

Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams
Blackberry Jam Bar Cookies Recipe
If you're not in the Halloween spirit, skip the trinkets and focus on the flavor of these fruity, sweet bar cookies. The pantry-friendly ingredient list means that you can get started right away.

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Caramel Peanut Popcorn Snack Mix

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Caramel Peanut Popcorn Snack Mix Recipe
There's no trick to this treat. All you need is 30 minutes to make this scary-good mix for a Halloween party or your next movie night.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Credit: Photo: 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.
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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.

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Chocolate Apple Eyeballs

Credit: Image: JK Denim
Chocolate Apple Eyeballs

Simple dipped apples become creepy eyeballs when decorated with fondant, icing, and a miniature chocolate cookie.

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Owl Cookies

Credit: Brown Cannon III
Owl Cookies Recipe
Trace an owl-shaped pattern on heavy paper or lightweight cardboard, or use cookie cutters in any shape. Then decorate with candy corn and mini chocolate chips.
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Molasses-Spice Crackles

Credit: HOWARD L. PUCKETT
Molasses-Spice Crackles Recipe
The "crackly" texture of those brown sugar cookies comes from dipping the balls of cookie dough in granulated sugar before baking.

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Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge Recipe
Celebrate the harvest season with this twist on traditional chocolate fudge. These sweet little squares feature canned pumpkin, white chocolate, and marshmallow crème.

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Cocoa-Cinnamon Bat Cookies

Credit: Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Jan Gautro
Cocoa-Cinnamon Bat Cookies Recipe
Cookies get a new theme thanks to a bat-shaped cookie cutter and a little work with royal icing. If you make your bats all white, use mini chocolate chips to make the eyes.
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Bite-size Honey Popcorn Balls

Bite-size Honey Popcorn Balls Recipe
These miniature popcorn balls, held together with caramelized honey, are just the right size for snacking.

 

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Mickey Mouse Dipped Apples

Credit: Image: JK Denim
Mickey Mouse Dipped Apples

JK Denim shows us how to make Mickey Mouse-inspired chocolate apples just in time for Halloween.

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Butterscotch Caramels

Butterscotch Caramels Recipe
We highly recommend wrapping these silky-sweet candies individually because the unwrapping will slow you down and keep you from popping too many in your mouth.
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Coconut Haystacks

Coconut Haystacks Recipe
It's hard to beat a three-ingredient treat with a flakiness that resembles a Butterfinger candy bar. You don't need a candy thermometer for these chocolates–just be careful when you're melting the chocolate so it won't burn.

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Bat Cupcakes

Credit: Image: JK Denim
Bat Cupcakes

Learn how to make scary-good bat cupcakes using chocolate cookie pieces and frosting.

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Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

Credit: Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies Recipe
Use a zip-top plastic bag with a small hole snipped in the corner to pipe the frosting onto the cookies. Then pull a wooden pick through the frosting to make a spider's web.
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Harvest Moon Lollipops

Harvest Moon Lollipops Recipe
These "MoonPies on a stick" make a perfect party project for kids. Or, arrange the lollipops in a container filled with florist foam for an impressive centerpiece.

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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.

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Chocolate Ghost Cakes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey, Rose Nguyen
Chocolate Ghost Cakes Recipe
Haunting (but not daunting) snack cakes get a makeover with ready-made white frosting.
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Cinnamon-Cider Candied Apples

Credit: Photo: 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.

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Tangled Web Rice Pops

Credit: Photo: 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.

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Honey-Orange Marshmallows

Credit: Photo: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Rachel Haas
Honey-Orange Marshmallows Recipe
These beautifully spooky skewers feature homemade orange and brown marshmallows
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White Meringue Ghosts

Credit: Photo: William Dickey
White Meringue Ghosts Recipe
Meringue cookies make delicious and festive Halloween ornaments on a central tablescape. Use licorice string as a loop if you plan to hang the spooky treats.

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Candy Corn Cookies

Credit: Photo: 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. 

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Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

Credit: Photo: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe
Infused with decadent fall flavors, these unusual ice cream sandwiches are the perfect sweet treat to put you in the Halloween spirit.
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White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars

Credit: Photo: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
White Chocolate 'Butterfinger' Bars Recipe
These quick and easy candy bars make a spooktacular homemade munchie for your Halloween party guests.

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Jack-o'-Lantern Sugar Cookies

Credit: Photo: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Jack-o'-Lantern Sugar Cookies Recipe
Too cute to eat? BOO to that! We love these adorable Jack-o'-Lantern sugar cookies.