Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Seasonal Meals 53 Halloween Desserts and Treats That'll Have Guests Howling for More It's time to scare up the delectable flavors of autumn for a scary-good baking season. By Ariel Klein Ariel Klein Ariel Klein is a freelance writer specializing in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology, home, cooking, and gardening topics. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Well+Good, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, and Food & Wine magazine. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Sue Hughes Sue Hughes An award-winning author, magazine columnist, and accomplished aviation technical writer, Sue Hughes now lends her editing expertise to Real Simple. She also draws on her homesteading lifestyle in rural Oklahoma to contribute to articles on gardening, food, cleaning, and health. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 06, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Grace Elkus Autumn is the perfect time to cozy up in the kitchen and craft some sweet treats. Halloween desserts typically have rich, warm flavors—apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and silky caramel—that pave the way for dozens of fun baking ideas. No matter what your palate craves this time of year, we have a recipe to satisfy it. Conjure up anything from tangy pumpkin cheesecake bars and zesty, chewy spice cookies to adorable spider cookies and no-bake treats (on a dark, stormy night, no doubt). Come November, look for our list of recipes that put extra Halloween candy to good use. 01 of 53 Simple Spiderweb Cake Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley For this frightful Halloween cake, start with any flavored round cake topped with vanilla frosting. Next, make black frosting by combining black food coloring and vanilla frosting in a piping bag and, with a steady hand, follow the recipe's step-by-step directions to draw a large spider web. Finish with three spooky spiders. Get the Recipe 02 of 53 White Chocolate Ganache Eyeballs Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley These spooky, edible eyeballs are ideal for guests who are more into the trick than the treat. They look like they've been decorated by a pro, but they're actually quite easy to make at home. Case in point: To create creepy-looking red veins, dip the tip of a toothpick in red food coloring and draw them on. Get the Recipe 03 of 53 Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Grace Elkus If you're harboring a secret obsession for pumpkin-spiced foods, it's time to come out of the closet. This cookie recipe mixes pumpkin spices into a quick homemade sugar cookie dough along with some pumpkin purée (store-bought or homemade) for an intensely seasonal fall cookie. Get the Recipe 04 of 53 Spider Cookies With Chocolate Chips PHILIP FRIEDMAN; STYLING: COLLEEN RILEY Chocolate creepy crawlers give everyone's favorite cookie an eerie upgrade. The spider legs are super-easy to create using just a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate. Get the Recipe 05 of 53 Chewy Spice Cookies Victor Schrager Think of these cookies as a Snickerdoodle's sister. They have the same chewy texture, but these have a kick from ginger, clove, black pepper, and nutmeg. Make the most of a fall afternoon by enjoying them with some hot apple cider. Get the Recipe 06 of 53 Maggot Morsels Jennifer Causey Truth be told, these traditional Italian Christmas cookies are topped with pignolias, not fly larvae. But instead of our innocuous recipe title, "pine nut drops," call them "maggot morsels" and watch your guests squeal and squirm with delight. Get the Recipe 07 of 53 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Greg DuPree Why make a whole cheesecake when you can make an easier, more convenient alternative? Bring these creamy, tangy bars to your next family gathering or Halloween potluck to ensure they'll outshine everything else on the dessert table. Get the Recipe 08 of 53 Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches Beatriz da Costa Velvety cream cheese frosting is sandwiched between two soft, chewy pumpkin cookies in this version of the classic chocolate-and-vanilla whoopie pie. Plan ahead and make the cookies up to three days in advance. Then, whip the filling and assemble sandwiches no more than two hours before serving. Get the Recipe 09 of 53 Vanilla Mango Ice Cream Cake Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley Mango sorbet, vanilla ice cream, and crushed chocolate wafer cookies come together to create a striped ice cream cake with three layers of distinctly Halloween colors. To save time, cover and freeze the cake up to three days in advance. To serve, dip a thin knife into hot water to easily cut it into servable slices. Get the Recipe 10 of 53 Pumpkin Bread Trifle With Pepita Streusel Antonis Achilleos Wonder how to make a plain (yet delicious) loaf of pumpkin bread into a show-stopping centerpiece? Layer it with a pumpkin crumble and cream-cheese filling in a large trifle dish (or individual glass jars), that's how. Get the Recipe 11 of 53 M&M Popcorn Balls Samantha Seneviratne Give classic popcorn balls a burst of color by adding M&Ms to the equation. This five-ingredient recipe—butter, marshmallows, salt, popcorn, and M&Ms—makes it a great last-minute Halloween treat for school. Whip some up the night before for a festive dessert kids are sure to love. Get the Recipe 12 of 53 Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting JOHN KERNICK Amp up a boxed cake mix with pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin purée for an easy shortcut Halloween dessert that's tastier than most store-bought pumpkin-spiced treats. They're not so sweet, so you can get away with enjoying leftovers for breakfast the next morning. Get the Recipe 13 of 53 Apple Cider Donuts Grace Elkus Apple cider donuts covered in cinnamon sugar are the quintessential fall treat, and they're even better when made from scratch. If you don't have a donut cutter, use a drinking glass to cut out the donuts and a bottle cap to cut out the hole. No one will ever know! Get the Recipe 14 of 53 Pumpkin Spice Bread Victor Protasio Banana bread season is officially over. Say "hello" to this autumn-inspired pumpkin bread with the perfect combination of sugar and spice, guaranteed to put you in the Halloween spirit. Get the Recipe 15 of 53 Cinnamon-Spiced Pumpkin Muffin Grace Elkus These flavorful muffins are simple to make and ideal for an easy breakfast, snack, or dessert. Go ahead and double the recipe because your family will likely devour the first batch fresh out of the oven. Get the Recipe 16 of 53 Pumpkin Cream Puffs Max Kelly If you're looking to take your baking skills up a notch, these irresistibly delicate cream puffs flavored with brown sugar and pumpkin are a great option. You'll feel like the ultimate French pastry chef after whipping up these little fancy treats. Get the Recipe 17 of 53 Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds John Kernick Looking for ways to use pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lanterns? Toss them in a mixture of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and salt for this delicious sweet-and-salty snack. Fair warning: These pumpkin seeds are addicting, so don't be surprised if you eat an entire bowl. Get the Recipe 18 of 53 No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Greg DuPree Is there anything better than a no-bake recipe? Making pies from scratch is no easy feat, but this no-muss, no-fuss pumpkin pie might be the easiest fall recipe you'll ever come across. With this one, there's no need to mess around with pie dough or take up room in the oven. Get the Recipe 19 of 53 Sheet-Pan Apple Crisp Caitlin Bensel Sheet-pan dinners are all the rage, but what about sheet-pan desserts? If you're hosting a Halloween party, skip the pie and cupcakes and make this easy apple treat. It saves you time and energy in the kitchen, and what's more priceless than that? Get the Recipe 20 of 53 Orange and Clove Basque Cheesecake Jennifer Causey This isn't your average cheesecake, and it's guaranteed to impress guests at any elevated Halloween soiree. Its combination of cloves and orange delivers a warm, earthy flavor, making this the perfect note to end a meal on. Get the Recipe 21 of 53 Honey-Apple Galette With Pistachio Sugar Anna Williams If you've never made a galette, what are you waiting for? It's the perfect ratio of crispy, homemade pie dough with a warm, ooey-gooey filling. For the optimum experience, cut yourself a slice shortly after taking it out of the oven and top it with vanilla bean ice cream. Get the Recipe 22 of 53 Pumpkin Doughnuts Levi Brown Pumpkin doughnuts are just the thing for a Halloween fête, especially when they're covered with a rich sour cream frosting and a smattering of orange sprinkles. What's best is that these donuts are baked in a donut pan, not fried. Get the Recipe 23 of 53 Apple Coffee Cake Twist With Giant Crumbs Brie Passano Coffee cake is always a fan favorite and a great after-school treat for the kids. With an abundance of apples this time of year, this twist on a traditional coffee cake is a great way to use them up. Get the Recipe 24 of 53 Apple Cider Doughnut Tower Jennifer Causey If you're not an avid baker but want to make a show-stopping dessert, look no further than this creation. There are few things more exciting than a giant tower of sinful apple cider doughnuts drizzled in caramel and topped with homemade whipped cream. Get the Recipe 25 of 53 Pumpkin Pecan Crisps Max Kelly There are few combinations more delicious than pumpkin and pecans, and these sweet-and-crunchy crisps appeal to costumed guests of every age. They are incredibly easy to make and look fancy and delicate when served in individual ramekins. Get the Recipe 26 of 53 Rustic Apple Tart David Prince Homemade pies can take hours to bake—from making and chilling the dough to mixing the filling—and it's usually a bit of a process. This recipe delivers homemade taste in under 30 minutes thanks to store-bought pie dough and frozen cinnamon apples. Get the Recipe 27 of 53 Pumpkin Rice Pudding Dana Gallagher Rice pudding is an underrated dessert, and this mouth-watering, fall-inspired rendition is worth trying. The flavor combinations of fresh orange, vanilla, brown sugar, pumpkin, and cinnamon might just be what dreams are made of. Get the Recipe 28 of 53 Slow Cooker Apple Spice Cake Victor Protasio "Apple, spice, and everything nice" describes this not-too-sweet cake with tartness from buttermilk and Granny Smith apples. For something sweeter, finish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce. Get the Recipe 29 of 53 Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake John Kernick Once you make this recipe for Halloween, you'll want to make another one for Thanksgiving and a third for Christmas. Yet it doesn't have to be a special occasion to enjoy this creamy treat. Avoid a last-minute rush and make it up to two days in advance. Get the Recipe 30 of 53 Pumpkin Caramel Pie Bars With Toasted Coconut Brie Passano If pumpkin pie, salted caramel, and toasted coconut are your three favorite flavors, this recipe will send you to dessert heaven. It's a great one to pull out for a Halloween party because you make it a day ahead, it takes just 35 minutes hands-on, and it feeds a crowd, Get the Recipe 31 of 53 Vanilla Sweet Potato Cheesecake Victor Protasio Step aside, pumpkin! Sweet potato is the star of this fall-forward dessert, yet it retains the graham-cracker crust and creamy texture we expect from a cheesecake. A drizzle of store-bought caramel sauce adds a touch more sweetness and visual pizzazz. Get the Recipe 32 of 53 Ginger Apple Tarte Tatin Christopher Testani This French fall favorite sounds fancy (pronounced tart tah-tahn) and looks fancy, but it doesn't take a pastry chef to make one. Baked as an upside-down tart—a sheet of puff pastry laid atop ginger-infused apple quarters—it's dramatically flipped just before serving for a scary-good dessert. Get the Recipe 33 of 53 Chewy Chocolate Brownies Recipe Caitlin Bensel What makes this the perfect Halloween treat? It's a dark, brooding crowd-pleaser that's welcome any—make that every—time of year. For extra fall flair, swap out the chocolate chips batter add-in for butterscotch chips. Get the Recipe 34 of 53 Chewy Gingersnaps Levi Brown This simple staple epitomizes the taste and smell of autumn—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, molasses, and ginger—for a chewy, delectable cookie. To make these extra Halloween-y, use orange decorating sugar for a festive finish. Get the Recipe 35 of 53 Make-Ahead Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Jennifer Causey If your kids want to eat Halloween treats for breakfast, serve up these guilt-free bars. For a Halloween bent, use dried apricot or dried mango add-ins. Get the Recipe 36 of 53 Apple Rugelach Victor Protasio This version of rugelach—a rolled pastry popular in Jewish communities worldwide—has an apple butter filling that makes it perfect for any fall festivity. Try it with apricot or peach jam instead for Halloween color. Get the Recipe 37 of 53 Apricot-Macadamia Chocolate Chip Cookies Levi Brown These tasty morsels add an unexpected autumnal twist to your standard chocolate chip cookie. Chopped dried apricots and macadamia nuts add chewiness and crunch, making these cookies an out-of-the-ordinary Halloween treat. Get the Recipe 38 of 53 Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate Caitlin Bensel Turn this Christmas-y, sweet-and-salty biscotti into a Halloween-worthy treat with just a few simple swaps: Use dried apricots or mango instead of cranberry, dip in dark chocolate instead of white, and top them off with orange-colored decorating sugar. Serve with a foamy caramel latte. Get the Recipe 39 of 53 Chickpea "Cookie Dough" Bites Victor Protasio The trick is that these spiced sweet treats are made with chickpeas, but they taste like oatmeal-raisin cookie dough. Rich pecans, fragrant cinnamon, and sweet molasses help these no-bake bites masquerade as confections when they're actually whole-grain, gluten-free, protein- and fiber-filled snacks. Get the Recipe 40 of 53 Peanut Butter Cookies Levi Brown This classic peanut butter cookie is enjoyed any time of year, but this gluten-free recipe is especially welcome when time is short. It takes just a few simple pantry staples and 30 minutes, start to finish, for a cookie that little ghosts and goblins are sure to devour. Get the Recipe 41 of 53 Hermit Bars Greg DuPree These would be scary if they were made from actual hermits, but alas, no. The name is believed to refer to their longevity: New England sailors hermit-ed these treats away in tins on long voyages, where they'd last for months. For our purposes, it's doubtful these rich molasses spice bars will last on the kitchen counter longer than a couple of days. Get the Recipe 42 of 53 Angeletti Cookies Victor Schrager A simple swap can turn this traditional Italian Christmas cookie into a Halloween-worthy confection. Just switch out the multicolor, nonpareil sprinkles with orange-and-black ones, and watch these orbs disappear. Get the Recipe 43 of 53 Potato Chip Crispy Treats Antonis Achilleos Add crushed potato chips to a crispy cereal treat recipe and you have this sweet-and-salty confection. To give this gooey, marshmallow treat a scary turn, call the white chocolate drizzle "cobwebs." Get the Recipe 44 of 53 No-Bake Apricot and Oat Nuggets Jen Causey These no-bake, no-flour, no-egg treats are no joke! A cross between a granola bar and a cookie, you can store these make-ahead treats in the fridge for up to a week (though we doubt they'll last that long). Get the Recipe 45 of 53 Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats Jennifer Causey This rice crispy treat recipe turns out even crispier than your average crispy treat. It lists just four simple ingredients (and marshmallow's not one of them) with no added sugar. For added ghoulishness, cut into coffin-shaped bars. Get the Recipe 46 of 53 Maple Pumpkin Pie David Prince If you're a fan of autumnal flavors—pumpkin, maple, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves—you'll fall for this dessert that uses maple syrup to deliver sweetness. Use our recipe for a freeze-ahead basic flaky pie crust or, if rolling and crimping is too scary, use a store-bought one. Get the Recipe 47 of 53 Pecan Logs David Prince It doesn't take much to transform these non-offensive sugar-cookie rolls into stubby, warty, dismembered fingers and toes for a macabre Halloween buffet. Just before baking, press on an almond sliver as a finger- or toe-nail, add a few creases at each knuckle, and you have a platter of delectable digits to die for. Get the Recipe 48 of 53 Marshmallow Popcorn Bars John Kernick With only three ingredients—popcorn, marshmallows, and butter—and just 10 minutes of prep, you'll have plenty of time to dig up your Halloween cookie cutters and shape these treats into pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. To celebrate the season, add orange M&Ms (and eat the other colors, if you must). Get the Recipe 49 of 53 Gingerbread Pretzel Popcorn Yes, gingerbread is considered a Christmas flavor, but we guarantee no one at your Halloween party will complain about its appearance two months early. Store this addictive, make-ahead snack mix in an airtight container for up to three days. Get the Recipe 50 of 53 Mini Pumpkin Pies With Speculoos Crust and Whipped Cream Jennifer Causey This recipe makes a dozen personal-sized pumpkin pies, each topped with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of crystallized ginger. Its unique cookie crust is made of Speculoos, a crunchy Dutch biscuit spiked with fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Get the Recipe 51 of 53 Pumpkin Bread Sang An A healthy dose of molasses gives this autumnal quick bread its deep, rich color and flavor, which leans toward gingerbread as much as pumpkin. Its egg-free recipe calls for pumpkin pie filling and turns out a loaf that's denser than most. For best results, serve warm with a shmear of honey butter. Get the Recipe 52 of 53 Spiced Pumpkin Cake José Picayo "Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice" best describes this not-too-sweet treat. Topped with a light lemony glaze, this no-fail Bundt recipe takes the cake. Get the Recipe 53 of 53 Dark Chocolate-Pumpkin Dump Cake Caitlin Bensel Chocolate cake meets pumpkin pie in this super-easy Halloween crowd-pleaser. You won't miss frosting on this cake thanks to decadent custard and melted chocolate you'll find in every bite. Get the Recipe 11 Things to Do on Halloween If You're Not Going Trick-or-Treating Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit