There’s more to Halloween sweets than just trick or treating. This spooky season, we’re baking with plenty of pumpkin, throwing candy into cookies, and even mummifying our hand pies. Want to join us? Here are our 13 best Halloween recipes to enjoy all October long.
1) Black Cocoa Halloween Cookies
These thin, crispy, and chocolatey cookies transform into a Halloween treat with a simple brush of orange glaze. (And if you’re feeling more ambitious, break out your piping bag to create a family of jack-o’-lanterns.) To achieve that black-as-night appearance and deep cocoa flavor, black cocoa is an essential ingredient.
Get the recipe: Black Cocoa Halloween Cookies
Shop the recipe: Black Cocoa
2) Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake
Can’t get enough pumpkin? Add a swirl of espresso (PSL, anyone?), and bake it in a beautiful, autumn-themed Bundt pan. Plus, this cake gets big flavor from the addition of whole grains and is dairy-free.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake
Shop the recipe: Autumn Wreath Pan
3) Mummy Hand Pies
These hand pies are almost too cute to eat, but we can’t resist a buttery, flaky pie crust, no matter how adorable these hand-held, fruit-filled treats might be. Opt for a red jam or pie filling, such as strawberry or cherry, to really make those frightening mummy faces ooze.
Get the recipe: Mummy Hand Pies
Shop the recipe: Blake Hill Montmorency Tart Cherry Pie Filling
4) Spider Web Brownies
A batch of fudgy brownies is always in season, but a simple cream cheese decoration makes these a haunted delight. A simple piping technique creates a spider web effect and adds a touch of rich tang to chocolatey brownies.
Get the recipe: Spider Web Brownies
Shop the recipe: Double Dark Cocoa Blend
5) Faux-reos
A hint of orange natural food dye gives our homemade version of these classic cookies a Halloween makeover. Once you’ve had the homemade version of these ultra-chocolatey and creamy cookies, you'll never go back to store-bought.
Get the recipe: Faux-Reos
Shop the recipe: Black Cocoa and Natural Food Colors Set
6) Halloween Skull Cakes
Give your guests a fright with these chocolate skull cakes. A decorative pan does most of the work for you — so you can serve these little cakes as-is or make them even spookier with candy eyes or frosted teeth.
Get the technique: Halloween Skull Cakes
Shop the recipe: Haunted Skull Cakelette Pan
7) Sourdough Ginger Pumpkin Bread
Prefer to eat your pumpkin instead of carving it? This adorably shaped loaf of sourdough bread is flavored with pumpkin pie spice and crystallized ginger and, despite its appearance, is surprisingly easy to shape. Skip the decorative centerpiece in favor of this beautiful edible one.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Ginger Pumpkin Bread
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
8) Black Sesame Cake
This jet-black cake is a tahini lover’s dream. Black sesame powder and black tahini add an intensely nutty flavor to this fine-crumbed cake. To bring the sesame flavor over the top, use shards of sesame brittle to decorate.
Get the recipe: Black Sesame Cake
Shop the recipe: Round Layer Cake Pan Set
9) Pumpkin Swirl Cake
There’s beauty on the inside and outside in this stunning loaf cake. Vanilla and pumpkin-flavored batters are swirled together and baked in a decorative pan, so this moist cake doesn’t need any extra adornment.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Swirl Cake
Shop the recipe: Sunflower and Pumpkin Loaf Pan
10) Monster Cookies
Just like Frankenstein's monster is pieced together from various parts, these ghoulishly good cookies fuse together peanut butter, oats, crunchy pretzels, and M&Ms into a craveable cookie. Make these extra-scary with a few sugar candy eyes. It’s alive!
Get the recipe: Monster Cookies
Shop the recipe: Chiptastic Chocolate Chip Blend
11) Carol’s Caramel Corn
Sweet, salty, and very hard to stop eating, this caramel corn would be a wonderful addition to any Halloween party. And because this recipe makes a whopping 15 cups, there’s plenty to go around.
Get the recipe: Carol’s Caramel Corn
Shop the recipe: Half-Sheet Parchment Paper
12) Spider Web Cheesecake
Spider web designs are a fun and easy way to add a touch of spookiness to your desserts — all you need is whipped cream and chocolate ganache. Start with a base like our Easy Cheesecake recipe, then spread an even layer of whipped cream on top. Next, make a simple ganache (it’s just melted chocolate and heavy cream!) and pipe concentric circles around the center, like a target and bullseye. Finally, drag a toothpick through the center several times to create a sweet-yet-spooky spider web effect. Learn the full technique here: How to decorate spider web cheesecake.
Get the recipe: Easy Cheesecake
Shop the recipe: Pastry Bags and Tips Set
13) Apple Cider Caramels
There’s plenty of candy to go around during Halloween, but even the best houses for trick-or-treating won’t have these homemade caramels. Make them just for yourself or prepare to gain a new reputation on the block for the best candy.
Get the recipe: Apple Cider Caramels
Shop the recipe: Boiled Cider
Stock your kitchen with everything you need for Halloween and fall baking!
Cover photo (Black Cocoa Halloween Cookies) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.