Spooky season is officially here! Ahhhhh…the crisp fall air, the creative costumes, fun decorations, and ALL the delicious treats. Looking for some new Halloween snack ideas? We're about to share some scary good recipes!

Halloween cookies, snacks, and treats from Shelf Cooking

We love a good celebration around here, but you all know we love to save money, too. When it comes to food for the holidays, we like getting creative and finding ways to use the things in our pantry in fun, new ways! We encourage you to do the same!

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Instead of running out and buying ALL the candy, this Halloween, try a few of these super simple and clever Halloween snack ideas! They’re so fun to make and they're guaranteed to impress your family. Don’t worry, we won’t tell them how stinking easy these are to make. It’s our little secret!


SHOP YOUR PANTRY FOR SNACK IDEAS

Chocolate bat Halloween cookies, from Shelf Cooking

Chances are, you've got plenty of these supplies already in your pantry. Here are just a few of the things you can use to make some frightfully good Halloween snacks:

  • Apples/Apple Slices – There are TONS of ways to transform apples into spooky little treats!
  • Pretzels/Pretzel Rods – You can do just about anything with pretzels. Sweet, savory? You decide!
  • Marshmallows – These are good on their own, but you can easily transform them into crowd-pleasing treats for your Halloween festivities.
  • Cereal – Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and Chex can all come in handy when you're whipping up snacks for Halloween.
  • Caramel – Nothing says fall quite like caramel. We've got a KILLER homemade caramel recipe that just might come in handy. Yummy!
  • Chocolate/White Chocolate/Peanut Butter Chips – There's really no wrong way to use chocolate chips.
  • Leftover Candy – This probably goes without saying, but you can use up leftover candy in so many brilliant ways!
  • Canned Fruit – Oh yeah, we said canned fruit. Halloween treats can absolutely be healthy. Score!
  • Cheese Sticks – We bet you have loads of string cheese on hand for after school snacks. We'll show you how to dress them up a bit!
  • Pumpkin – Nothing says fall quite like pumpkin! (Pumpkin puree counts, too.) Don't be afraid to think outside the pies and lattes.
  • Cookies – We love cookies, yes we do! We love cookies, how about you? It's so easy to make an ordinary cookie look a little spooky.
  • Cakes – Whether you have cake in the freezer or boxed cake mix that's begging to be used, you can whip up a fun treat. The same goes for brownies, too!

We could go on and on and ON. You get the idea, right?


HALLOWEEN SNACK IDEAS: 5 SWEET TREATS

Ghost Rice Krispie treats, from Shelf Cooking

Ready to whip up some treats that will have the kids and the grownups coming back for more? Here are just a few of our faves:

  • Mummy Rice Crispy Treats – These are just too cute! And yummy, too. Make The Original Rice Krispie Treats recipe, cut them into rectangles, and drizzle melted white chocolate over them to look like mummy cloth.
  • Caramel Dipped Marshmallows – Okay, you guys. HOW good does this one look? Two of the best-ever treats rolled into one! Polka Dot Chair has the recipe for caramel dipped marshmallows. Make your own homemade caramel to take this little goodie to the next level.
  • Spooky S'mores – You already know how we feel about this classic fall treat, right? After all, we devoted an ENTIRE post to s'mores recipes. Well, here's a new twist for ya! Pillsbury has this spider s'mores recipe you need to try.
  • Spider Cookies – Speaking of spiders, how about some spider cookies? We're loving this peanut butter version from Allrecipes!
  • “Bleeding” Candy Apples – How spooky! These apples might look gross, but they are quite tasty. Get the Bloody Caramel Apple recipe from The Spruce Eats.

Pro Tip: If you love caramel apples, then you'll love this party idea! Set up your own caramel apple bar. It's so simple, but such a crowd pleaser!


HEALTHY HALLOWEEN SNACK IDEAS

Peppers carved like jack-o-lanterns, from Shelf Cooking

Want to sneak some healthy snacks into your kids' diets this holiday season? We know how to make it fun! Try one of these healthy Halloween snack ideas:

  • Veggie Jack-o'-Lanterns – Instead of carving pumpkins, why not carve peppers instead?! Red, green, yellow, orange–it doesn't matter. Use what you've got. Bonus: stuff the peppers with other veggies, like carrots, celery, or broccoli.
  • Jack-o'-Lantern Fruit Cups – Do you have a pantry full of fruit cups just begging to be used? Or fresh fruit in the fridge that you need to use like yesterday. Oh, good. So it's not just us, then! Well, you'll love this cute and creative Halloween fruit cup recipe from OurKidsMom.
  • Ghostly Bananas – Just peel a banana and slice it in half lengthwise, then pop on some chocolate chip eyes, and boom! You've got a “ghost.” SO easy!
  • String Cheese “Fingers” – Okay, we know we already shared one string cheese recipe, but can you EVER have too much cheese? We think not. Just a Pinch has a super spooky witch finger recipe that incorporates almonds. Hello, healthy snack!
  • Monster Teeth – Here's a smart way to get your kids to eat their fruit! Add some peanut butter and marshmallows to the mix! We love this cute monster teeth recipe from Vita Cost.

Who knew eating healthy could be THIS fun?! We might just use these tricks all year long. Who's with us?


5 SAVORY HALLOWEEN SNACK IDEAS

"Witch finger" pretzel rods dipped in green chocolate, from Shelf Cooking

Halloween isn't just about candy! Serve up one of these salty or savory snacks. They're just as tasty as the sweets:

  • Witch Finger Pretzels – Here's a fun way to use up your leftover pretzel rods! Dip them in yogurt for a guilt-free treat. Melt some white chocolate chips, add green food coloring, dip the pretzel rods halfway down, and add an almond to the tip for a fingernail. So creepy and so fun to eat!
  • Cheesy Monsters – Here's a fun twist on string cheese! Turn those yummy sticks into little monsters. Cleverly Inspired has a monster cheese tutorial that's sure to be a hit with your kids.
  • Guacamole Pumpkin – Your kids will get a kick out of this one! Guacamole served in a pumpkin! Carve up your jack-o-lantern, fill it up with guac, and enjoy. Don't Go Bacon My Heart has the disgustingly delicious puking pumpkin recipe.
  • Halloween Trail Mix – There's never a wrong time of year for a snack mix! Toss in some candy corn to make yours feel more festive. Pip and Abby has a super easy recipe for Halloween Snack Mix.
  • Pumpkin Cheese Ball – Cheese balls are a classic Christmas staple, but if you make them in the shape of a pumpkin, they're instantly Halloween ready! The Country Cook can show you how to make the perfect pumpkin-shaped cheese ball.

And there you have it! A deliciously lucky thirteen (plus) ideas for the ultimate Halloween snacks. Which one of these easy ideas will you try first? Leave us a comment to let us know!

Halloween snack ideas on a counter, from Shelf Cooking

Looking for more festive treats to try?

Happy Halloween!