It’s that time of year again. We get to eat as much candy without having to come up with a good excuse and dress up like our favorite superhero, princess or villain. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween without plenty of spooky Halloween treats and liquid potions to stir things up for the costume get together.
We’re sure you will agree that these easy Halloween party treats and drink recipes will be the haunting hit of your party.
Pumpkin Kiss Brownie Delights
These sweet, rich, buttery brownies have all the flavor of fall wrapped into one recipe and those Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses are absolutely heavenly!!
Ingredients:
Chocolate Brownies
6 Oz. Semisweet Chocolate
6 Oz. Unsalted Butter
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C Light Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Instant Espresso Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
Pumpkin Kiss Ganache
10 Oz. (1 Bag) Hershey’s Pumpkin Kisses
1/2 C Heavy Cream
Dark Chocolate Glaze
2 1/4 Oz. Unsalted Butter
4 Oz. Dark Chocolate
1 1/2 Tsp. Light Corn Syrup
Directions:
Brownies
Preheat oven to 325°
Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper & spray with non-stick spray. Melt chocolate & butter together. Mix eggs & sugar with whip attachment a few minutes until eggs thicken and get lighter in color. Mix in vanilla. Pour melted chocolate/butter mixture into a mixer. Make sure it is warm, not hot. Add flour, baking soda, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt, and mix just to combine. Pour batter into a pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes rotating once halfway through.
Pumpkin Kiss Ganache
Bring cream up to a scald and pour over kisses. Stir together until smooth and set aside. When brownies are completely cool, pour ganache on top. Refrigerate until set.
Chocolate Glaze
Melt butter and chocolate together. Stir in light corn syrup. Quickly pour over brownies. Refrigerate till set. Cut brownies with a clean, hot knife to get a clean cut.
Note: When using the glaze, you want it to be warm, but not hot. Let brownies chill completely before cutting them. Use a hot, clean knife when you cut them. These are very rich so cut into 12. These will stay for about a week in the fridge but don’t count on them actually still being there that long.
Candy Corn Martini
Need a good excuse to buy that bag of Candy Corn? Or maybe that perfect Trick or Treat Cocktail? Look no further.
Ingredients:
1 C vodka
3/4 C candy corn, plus extra for garnish
1/4 C DeKuyper Butterscotch Schnapps
Directions:
In a glass container soak the Vodka and Candy Corn for 3 hours. (Called Infusing)
After Vodka and Candy Corn are infused, in a shaker with ice, add 1 C candy corn-infused vodka, and 1/4 C butterscotch schnapps. Shake and serve in martini glasses with a few corns at the bottom.
Halloweegan Peppers
There will be looks of envy from your guests when you serve this colorful, delicious, pumpkin face entrée of bell peppers stuffed with mushrooms, onion, garlic, and quinoa.
Ingredients:
8 Orange Bell Peppers
Salt
Black pepper
Quinoa Stuffing:
1 Tbls. Olive Oil
½ C Onion, Chopped
½ C Mushrooms, Chopped
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
1 C Vegetable Broth
½ C Uncooked Quinoa
2 Tbls. Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbls. Minced Fresh Parsley
¼ Tsp. Salt
Black Pepper, To Taste
Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté 2 more minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for just about 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, quinoa, nutritional yeast, parsley, salt, and black pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 12 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed. Keep it covered, remove from the heat.
Carve the simple pumpkin face in the Orange bell pepper, stuff and cover with top of the pepper, and bake in a covered casserole dish at 350° for 25 minutes.
Veggie Skeleton Centerpiece
So, I saw this a few months ago and wanted to feature the design as a great centerpiece. Use our Hotter Than Heck Horseradish Dip and follow the design in the picture using lettuce leaves, sliced olives, and our dip in a bowl for the head. For the body use celery, baby carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, cherry or grape tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, and cucumber slices.
On a separate platter provide celery and carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and cauliflower and broccoli pieces to actually dip into the head so you can save the skeleton from being devoured.
Jason’s Juice (Kid Friendly)
The best part about this punch is the spooky, frightening ice sculpture waiting to greet your thirsty guests. The kids will love it.
Ingredients:
1/2 C Sugar
Zest Of 1 Orange
6 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Quart Cranberry Juice And Chilled Syrup
1 (25.4 Oz.) Bottle Sparkling Cider
1 Liter Club Soda
1 Plastic, Scary Mask. Try Walmart!
Directions:
Cover openings of a Halloween mask with duct tape. Line inside of mask with plastic wrap. Set mask in a bowl and fill with water; freeze overnight. Combine 1/2 cup each water and sugar, zest of 1 orange, 6 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Strain and chill. Mix 1-quart cranberry juice and chilled syrup in a punch bowl. Stir in 1 (25.4 oz.) bottle sparkling cider and 1 liter club soda. Remove ice from the mask and float it face up in punch. Serves 8.
Witches’ Broomsticks
Want to wow your kids? You can whip up a batch of these faster than you can shriek, “I’ll get you my pretty and your little dog too!”
Ingredients:
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Pretzel Sticks
Chives
Directions:
To make the broom, slice the mozzarella stick across in thirds. Use a knife or scissors to cut a fringe pattern on the lower half of the cheese. Insert a pretzel stick into the cheese, making the broomstick, and tie a chive around the top.
Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Boo-schetta
Compliments of Gourmet’s Magazine
Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of these “red-veined eyeball” toasts. The great thing about the boo-schetta is that a platter full of them not only looks eerie but also tastes delicious.
Ingredients:
1 (12-Inch-Long) Loaf Of Italian Bread (About 2 To 3 Inches In Diameter), Cut Into 20 Slices, About 1/2 Inch Thick
1 To 2 Large Garlic Cloves, Halved Crosswise
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 C Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 (1/2-Pound) Balls Fresh, Lightly Salted Mozzarella
2 Tbsp. Prepared Basil Pesto (See Cooks’ Notes)
2 Tbsp. Mascarpone, Softened
7 Large Pitted Black Olives (Mediterranean-Style Or Canned California), Ends Trimmed And Each Olive Cut Crosswise Into Thirds
1 (7 Oz.) Jar Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Drained, Patted Dry And Cut Into Thin Strips
Directions:
Heat oven to 400° with rack in middle.
Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until pale golden, 6 to 12 minutes. Rub tops of slices with cut sides of garlic, then brush each bread slice with oil. Season toasts with salt and pepper and transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely. Cut mozzarella crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and trim, if necessary, to fit toasts. Stir together pesto and mascarpone in a small bowl. If necessary, thin mixture with a little olive oil or water. Dollop 1/2 teaspoon pesto mixture in center of each mozzarella-covered toast, then top each dollop with an olive slice to form the “irises” of the “eyeballs.” Add 6 to 8 pepper slices for “veins,” trimming to fit. Serve within 1 hour of making.
Makes about 20 toasts, or 10 servings
Spooky Spider Cupcakes
Halloween parties aren’t the same without fun festive desserts! Spider cupcakes are an easy cupcake to make and adds a scary, creepy treat to the party.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes
1 1/3 C All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/8 Tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Butter, Softened
1 1/2 C White Sugar
2 Eggs
3/4 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C Milk
Frosting
3 Oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
3 Tbsp. Butter
3 C Confectioners’ Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 To 8 Tbsp. Milk
Decorations:
1 Package Black Or Red Licorice (For Legs)
Chocolate Sprinkles
1 Bag Marshmallows. Cut Marshmallow Into Slices (For Eyes)
M&M’s (For Eyes)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
While cupcakes are baking, in a double boiler over hot water melt chocolate with the butter. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. In an electric mixer add chocolate mixture and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until mixture resembles chalky beads. Add the vanilla and the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until a spreadable consistency is reached. Beat until fluffy — adding more milk if necessary. Once cupcakes are cool, front and decorate.
To Decorate:
Frost each of the cupcakes with a thick layer of frosting. Dip tops in chocolate sprinkles. Cut the licorice whips into smaller even pieces to make the legs. Push one end of the licorice into each cupcake. Repeat until you have eight legs. Press M&M into a slice of marshmallow to form the eye then press eye into a cupcake. Repeat until you have two eyes per spider.
Makes 20 cupcakes.
Witches Brew
If you’re looking for a potion that you can make a lot of and let guests help themselves to the brew this will do the trick. Make the time to buy these Gummy Eyeballs and, using a toothpick, make these scary garnishes to complete this treat.
Ingredients:
18 Oz. Skyy Infusions Cherry
8 Oz. Lime Juice
6 Oz. Cranberry Juice
2.5 Oz. Grenadine
Lemon-Lime Soda
Fresh Cherries, Pits Removed
Gummy eyeballs
Tooth Picks
Suggested Online Sources for the Gummy Eyeballs:
