15 Halloween Treats So Fun the Kids Will Beg to Help You Make Them

Remember the thrill of coming home with a pillowcase full of candy? These Halloween treats bring that same magic into your kitchen. From glossy candy apples to silly monster brownies, every recipe here is simple, cheap and so much fun to make with kids. Pick a few for your party, or try one each night this week. For more cozy baking, see our pumpkin desserts that beat pie. Which one will you make first? Keep scrolling and decide..

Candy Apples: The Classic Halloween Treats Everyone Remembers

Nothing says October like a shiny red candy apple. One crunchy bite cracks the sweet glass shell and hits the cold, tart apple inside. Many of us first tasted one at a fall fair, and the memory sticks for life. The good news is they are easy at home with a candy thermometer and a little patience. Kids love picking the sticks and watching the red syrup swirl. Would you rather have the classic red or a black candy apple for a spooky twist?

You will need: 8 small crisp apples, 8 wooden sticks, 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon red food coloring, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Wash and fully dry the apples, then push in the sticks. 2. Boil sugar, corn syrup and water without stirring until it reaches 300 F. 3. Take off the heat, stir in color and vanilla. 4. Dip and twirl each apple fast. 5. Set on a greased tray to harden for 20 minutes.

Gourmet Caramel Apples Rolled in Everything Good

If candy apples are too hard on your teeth, caramel apples are your answer. Soft, buttery caramel clings to the fruit and then you roll it in nuts, mini chips or crushed candy bars. They look like something from a fancy candy shop window, yet they cost a few dollars each. Set up a Halloween treats toppings bar and let every guest build their own. Poll time: A) peanuts, B) mini M and Ms, C) crushed cookies, D) all of the above?

You will need: 6 apples, 6 sticks, 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels, 2 tablespoons milk, toppings like chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips and crushed cookies.

How to make it: 1. Dry the apples well and add sticks. 2. Melt caramels with milk on low, stirring until smooth. 3. Dip each apple and let the extra drip off. 4. Roll the bottom half in toppings. 5. Chill on parchment for 15 minutes until set.

Candy Coated Popcorn: Halloween Treats in Every Color

This rainbow popcorn is the snack that disappears first at every party. A quick sugar syrup turns plain popcorn into crunchy, candy coated bites in bright Halloween colors. Make orange, purple and green batches, then toss them together in one big bowl. It keeps for days in a sealed jar, so it is great for party favors too. Do your kids pick out one color first, or grab a whole handful at once?

You will need: 10 cups popped popcorn, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, gel food coloring in orange, purple and green.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 250 F and spread popcorn on lined trays. 2. Boil sugar, butter and corn syrup for 3 minutes. 3. Stir in baking soda and color. 4. Pour over popcorn and toss. 5. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10, then cool and break apart.

Spooky Chocolate Bark You Can Make in 15 Minutes

Chocolate bark is the easiest candy you will ever make, and it looks amazing. Melt chocolate, spread it thin, then throw on pretzels, candy corn, sprinkles and candy eyes. Once it sets, snap it into rough pieces. Among all Halloween treats, this one needs no baking and no special tools, and kids can do almost all of it. Wrap a few pieces in a cellophane bag with a ribbon and you have a sweet gift for teachers or neighbors.

You will need: 12 oz dark or milk chocolate, 4 oz white chocolate, 1 cup mini pretzels, 1/2 cup candy corn, Halloween sprinkles, candy eyes.

How to make it: 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Melt dark chocolate in 30 second bursts and spread it 1/4 inch thick. 3. Drizzle melted white chocolate and swirl with a toothpick. 4. Press on pretzels, candy corn, sprinkles and eyes. 5. Chill 30 minutes and break into pieces.

Monster Brownies: Halloween Treats With Googly Eyes

These brownies have personality. A fudgy brownie base gets a coat of colorful frosting, candy eyes and a big silly mouth drawn with icing. Every square ends up with its own funny face, which makes kids giggle before they even take a bite. Use a boxed mix if you are short on time; nobody will mind. Which monster face would you draw: A) happy, B) scary, C) sleepy, or D) goofy with one giant eye?

You will need: 1 box brownie mix plus eggs, oil and water it calls for, 1 can vanilla frosting, gel food coloring, candy eyes, black and red decorating icing.

How to make it: 1. Bake brownies in a 9×13 pan and cool fully. 2. Tint frosting green, purple or orange. 3. Cut into squares and frost each one. 4. Press on one to three candy eyes. 5. Pipe mouths and teeth with decorating icing.

Meringue Ghosts That Melt in Your Mouth

Light as air and naturally fat free, meringue ghosts are elegant Halloween treats. You only need egg whites and sugar, whipped until thick and shiny. Pipe tall swirls, bake them low and slow, then add tiny chocolate eyes. They crunch on the outside and melt on your tongue. Line them up on a cake or a dessert stand and watch your guests smile. Have you ever made meringues before, or will these be your first?

You will need: 3 large egg whites at room temperature, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, mini chocolate chips or melted chocolate for eyes.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 200 F and line two trays. 2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. 3. Add sugar a spoon at a time and beat to stiff, glossy peaks. 4. Pipe ghost shapes and add chocolate eyes. 5. Bake 90 minutes, then cool in the oven.

Graveyard Dirt Cups With Gummy Worms

Dirt cups are the Halloween treats kids talk about for weeks. Creamy chocolate pudding hides under a layer of crushed cookie dirt, and gummy worms wiggle out of the top. Stick in a cookie tombstone and the cups turn into tiny graveyards. They are made in clear cups, so everyone can see the layers. Grown ups secretly love them too. Would you add whipped cream between the layers, or keep it pure chocolate?

You will need: 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding, 2 cups cold milk, 1 cup whipped topping, 15 chocolate sandwich cookies, gummy worms, oval cookies for tombstones.

How to make it: 1. Whisk pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes and chill 5 minutes. 2. Fold in whipped topping. 3. Crush cookies into crumbs in a bag. 4. Layer pudding and crumbs in clear cups. 5. Top with worms and a cookie tombstone.

Pumpkin Patch Cake Pops

Cake pops look fancy, but they start with crumbled cake mixed with frosting. Roll the mix into balls, dip them in orange candy melts and add a little green stem. Suddenly you have a tray of tiny pumpkins on sticks. These Halloween treats are perfect for bake sales because they are easy to carry and portion. Make them a day ahead and keep them cold. Which flavor would you hide inside: A) chocolate, B) vanilla, C) spice cake?

You will need: 1 baked 9×13 cake (any flavor), 1/2 cup frosting, 24 oz orange candy melts, green candy melts or green licorice, 30 lollipop sticks.

How to make it: 1. Crumble the cooled cake into a bowl and mix in frosting. 2. Roll into 1 inch balls and chill 1 hour. 3. Dip stick tips in melted candy and push into balls. 4. Dip each pop in orange coating. 5. Add a green stem and let set upright.

Ghost Strawberries, Lighter Halloween Treats

Want something sweet that is a little lighter? Dip fresh strawberries in white chocolate and give them two dark chocolate eyes and a little round mouth. In seconds, each berry becomes a cute ghost. Kids love the surprise of juicy fruit inside the shell. These Halloween treats are best made the same day you serve them, so they stay fresh and the chocolate stays crisp.

You will need: 1 pound large strawberries, 8 oz white chocolate or white candy melts, 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or melted dark chocolate.

How to make it: 1. Wash the berries and dry them completely. 2. Melt white chocolate gently. 3. Hold each berry by the leaves and dip, pulling down to form a ghost tail. 4. Place on parchment. 5. Add two chocolate eyes and a mouth, then chill 15 minutes.

Jack o Lantern Pumpkin Cake

A whole cake shaped like a smiling pumpkin is a showstopper for any party table. Bake two bundt cakes, stack them flat sides together, and frost them orange. A small upside down ice cream cone becomes the stem. Draw the face with chocolate frosting and your jack o lantern is ready. The spiced pumpkin flavor tastes like fall in every slice. Who in your family would carve the face best?

You will need: 2 boxes spice cake mix plus pumpkin puree (1 can) in place of half the water, 2 cans vanilla frosting, orange gel color, 1 sugar cone, green and chocolate frosting.

How to make it: 1. Bake cake batter in two bundt pans and cool. 2. Trim the flat tops and stack them with frosting between. 3. Tint frosting orange and cover the cake in vertical strokes. 4. Add a cone frosted green as the stem. 5. Pipe eyes and a grin with chocolate frosting.

Candy Corn Snack Mix in Under 5 Minutes

Love it or hate it, candy corn is the color of Halloween. Mix it with salty peanuts, pretzels and chocolate candies and you get a sweet and salty snack that is hard to stop eating. It takes about five minutes and zero cooking, so even little kids can make it. Serve it with other Halloween treats in a pumpkin bowl for movie night. Poll: is candy corn A) a must have or B) a hard pass at your house?

You will need: 2 cups candy corn, 2 cups honey roasted peanuts, 2 cups mini pretzels, 1 cup candy coated chocolates, 1 cup mini marshmallows.

How to make it: 1. Grab your biggest mixing bowl. 2. Add all ingredients. 3. Toss gently with your hands or a large spoon. 4. Scoop into small cups or bags. 5. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Witch Finger Pretzel Rods, Creepy Halloween Treats

Long pretzel rods dipped in colored candy coating look just like creepy witch fingers, especially with an almond nail on the end. They are crunchy, salty and sweet all at once. Pick bright pink, green or purple coating and add sprinkles for a fun party look. They stand up nicely in a tall glass, which makes a great centerpiece. Which color would your witch choose?

You will need: 24 pretzel rods, 16 oz candy melts in green, purple or pink, 24 sliced almonds, Halloween sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Melt candy melts in a tall glass in short bursts. 2. Dip each rod two thirds of the way and let it drip. 3. Press an almond slice on the tip for a nail. 4. Add sprinkles before it sets. 5. Lay on parchment until hard, about 20 minutes.

Monster Rice Krispie Treats

Crispy rice treats are a childhood classic, and they are so easy to dress up. Tint the melted marshmallow green or orange, press it into a pan, then add candy eyes and sprinkles once it cools. You can also cut them with cookie cutters into bats or pumpkins. These Halloween treats are no bake, soft and chewy, and ready in 20 minutes. Do you like yours thick and chewy, or thin and extra crispy?

You will need: 3 tablespoons butter, 10 oz mini marshmallows, 6 cups crispy rice cereal, gel food coloring, candy eyes, sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Butter a 9×13 pan. 2. Melt butter and marshmallows on low. 3. Stir in color, then the cereal. 4. Press into the pan with buttered hands. 5. Top with eyes and sprinkles, cool and cut into squares.

Witch Hat Cupcakes for Halloween Treats Night

Turn simple chocolate cupcakes into a coven of witch hats. A swirl of orange frosting becomes the hat band, and an upside down chocolate cookie with a chocolate kiss on top makes the pointy hat. They look clever on a platter and take only a few extra minutes. Kids can stack the hats themselves. Would you serve these at a class party or keep them all for yourself?

You will need: 12 chocolate cupcakes, 1 can vanilla frosting tinted orange, 12 chocolate wafer cookies, 12 chocolate kisses, a little melted chocolate for glue.

How to make it: 1. Frost each cooled cupcake with orange frosting. 2. Glue a chocolate kiss to the center of each wafer with melted chocolate. 3. Let set 10 minutes. 4. Place a hat on each cupcake. 5. Pipe a thin orange band around the base of each kiss.

Marshmallow Ghosts, the Easiest Halloween Treats of All

Saving the easiest for last. Big marshmallows already look like little ghosts. Just draw on faces with an edible marker or melted chocolate, and they are done. Stick them on skewers for a fun cocoa topper, or float them in hot chocolate for a spooky surprise. They take two minutes and kids can do every single step. Which treat from this list are you making first? Tell us in the comments!

You will need: 1 bag large marshmallows, 1 black edible marker or 2 oz melted dark chocolate, optional lollipop sticks or skewers.

How to make it: 1. Set marshmallows on a plate. 2. Draw two oval eyes and an open mouth on each. 3. Let the chocolate set for 5 minutes if using. 4. Push onto sticks if you want ghost pops. 5. Serve on hot cocoa or as a quick party snack.