5 Halloween Treat Recipes

by keith daigel · October 28, 2013

Halloween treats and candy are practically synonymous, but not all treats have to come from the store. With these fun, simple Halloween recipes, you can create homemade treats for your friends, family and co-workers.

Factory-wrapped candy is fine for trick-or-treaters, but for your Halloween party, make something memorable with something special from your kitchen.

Sweet and Salty Popcorn Treats
Skip the candy corn and go straight for the real corn with this Halloween treat rich with candy bits, nuts, marshmallows and popcorn.

You will need:

Non-stick cooking spray
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups popped popcorn
6 cups mini marshmallows
3 cookies, crumbled
½ cup chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolates
½ cup crushed pretzels
chopped nuts (optional)

Melt the marshmallows with the butter until the mixture is creamy and mix it with the popcorn in a sprayed mixing bowl until the popcorn is completely coated. Add the cookie bits, chocolate chips or candies, crushed pretzels, nuts or other chopped or bite-sized treats you like. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and form the popcorn and candy mixture into balls about two and a half to three inches wide. Let the mixture cool and serve as a snack or party treat.

Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin treats are always right for Halloween, and this pumpkin fudge combines two sensational flavors in one sweet dish.

Non-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
7 ounces jarred marshmallow creme
1 cup white chocolate chips
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring the evaporated milk and sugar to a boil over medium heat, then mix in the pumpkin puree and return the mixture to a boil. Add the marshmallow fluff and butter. Let the mixture cook for 18 minutes, stirring frequently to keep it from sticking. Remove it from the heat and add the spices, chips and vanilla. Stir until the mixture’s smooth and creamy, then pour it into a sprayed or lined baking pan to harden. Refrigerate and cut into squares or use Halloween cookie cutters to make seasonal shapes.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
After carving your jack-o’-lantern, don’t just toss those seeds; save them for one of the tastiest Halloween treats!

Clean seeds thoroughly and boil them for 10 minutes in salted water. This step makes the outer layer crispy during roasting. Drain and dry the seeds, then spread them on a baking sheet and toss them with just enough vegetable oil to coat them lightly. Sprinkle them with salt and any seasoning mixture you like. Roast them in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, checking frequently to make sure they don’t get too toasty. The soft inner part cooks more quickly than the crisp outer layer, so break open a few and check during the last minutes of roasting.

Meringue Ghosts
Not every Halloween treat has to be heavy. Light, fluffy meringue cookies are low in calories and contain no fat.

6 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they’re foamy. Blend in the sugar gradually as you continue to beat the egg white mixture until it forms stiff peaks. Add the vanilla and scoop the mixture into a pastry bag or a plastic bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe ghostly meringue shapes onto a cookie sheet and bake at 200 degrees for two hours. Meringue is delicate, so turn the oven off and let them sit in the cooling oven for another four hours to dry and set. You can also add detail to the ghosts’ faces with food coloring or mini chocolate chips.

Microwave Pralines
Pumpkins aren’t the only seasonal delight that belongs on your Halloween table. Fall is prime pecan season, and these classic New Orleans style pralines make the most of them.

16 ounces light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups toasted pecans

Mix the brown sugar, cream and corn syrup in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave it on high for 12 to 13 minutes, checking toward the end of cooking time to see that the sugar has dissolved. Add the butter and stir the mixture constantly until it starts to turn thick and creamy, then incorporate the pecans as you continue to stir. Drop the pralines onto a parchment-covered cookie sheet or baking pan and allow to cool.

These Halloween treats are sure to please a crowd at your party or event! Have some favorites of your own? We’d love to hear about them!

Image Credit: butterfloureggs.com