30 Fun Halloween Dessert Recipes to Make This Weekend

Halloween candy might be the star of spooky season, but if you want to take your spread up a notch, try these frightfully fun homemade Halloween dessert recipes. Some of them are eerily sweet (like the Halloween graveyard dirt cups or haunted house cookies), and others are perfect for a wicked witch-themed party (hello, candy-coated apples).

The best part? These Halloween treats are incredibly easy to whip up. For instance, the ghost-topped cupcakes start with a box of cake mix. Not only will these sweets be the perfect ending to your Halloween dinner menu, but making them can be a fun Halloween activity to do with your kids. Who wouldn’t get a thrill from making a no-bake Halloween dessert like monster bark decorated with candy eyeballs?

If you’re planning a Halloween party, these will all certainly be crowd-pleasers, from a sky-high pumpkin trifle to a seasonal Bundt cake that will impress all the ghouls and goblins. Or make bat cupcakes with store-bought sandwich cookies. They’re so cute, it’s scary! Try any one of these ideas, and you’ll hardly remember to save room for all that candy. (Speaking of which, there are plenty of ways to use leftover candy, too.)

1) Halloween Dirt Cups

Dig into some spooky fun with these dirt cups! Layers of rich homemade chocolate pudding, crushed cookie “dirt,” gummy worms, and cookie tombstones turn this sweet treat into a mini haunted graveyard.

Get Ree’s Halloween Dirt Cups recipe.

2) Haunted House Cookies

These cuties take their cue from gingerbread cookies. They’re just, you know, Halloween-ified with candy corn, gumdrops, and royal icing for lots of cobwebs and ghosts. It’s a great way to occupy your little goblins, too.

Get Ree’s Haunted House Cookies recipe.

3) Bat Cupcakes

How fang-tastically cute are these? Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting, Oreo cookie bat wings, and candy faces make these spooky little treats almost too cute to eat.

Get the Bat Cupcakes recipe.

4) Spiderweb Cake

This chocolate cake may look like it took hours to decorate, but the spooky spiderweb effect is surprisingly simple! Just melt some marshmallows in the microwave, and you’re halfway to creating this creepy-cool Halloween treat.

Get the Spiderweb Cake recipe.

5) Halloween Brownies

What’s better than Halloween candy? Halloween candy piled on top of rich, fudgy brownies, of course! A colorful mix of sweets and sprinkles makes these treats as fun to look at as they are to eat.

Get the Halloween Brownies recipe.

6) Ghost Cupcakes

These boo-tiful treats are a breeze to make thanks to boxed cake mix! Just pipe fluffy buttercream ghosts on top using a large round piping tip, then add mini chocolate chips for the eyes.

Get the Ghost Cupcakes recipe.

7) Candy Corn Cookies

Love it or hate it, candy corn is downright delicious baked into these soft homemade cookies with white chocolate chips. Even the biggest skeptics might find themselves reaching for seconds.

Get the Candy Corn Cookies recipe.

8) Candied Apples

These candied apples are scary good! Made with melted red hot candies, they have a sweet and spicy kick that makes them frightfully irresistible. Granny Smith, Gala, and Honeycrisp work great here, but choose whichever type of apple you like best.

Get the Candied Apples recipe.

9) Halloween Cheesecake Bars

Keep your “eye” on these spooky-sweet cheesecake bars! Swirls of pumpkin and candy eyeballs make them perfect for Halloween, but you can also get creative with sprinkles, candy corn, or your favorite festive toppings.

Get the Halloween Cheesecake Bars recipe.

10) Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

You can’t go wrong with cupcakes, especially when pumpkin is involved! These fluffy treats are topped with tangy maple cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for a fall flavor everyone will love.

Get Ree’s Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes recipe.

11) Candy Corn Bark

Swirls of orange and yellow give this graham cracker bark all the festive fun of candy corn—without a single piece of the polarizing candy! It’s a colorful, crunchy treat that’s made for a Halloween celebration.

Get Ree’s Candy Corn Bark recipe.

12) Spider Cookies

These creepy-crawly cookies are sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike! Mini peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered raisins transform plain peanut butter cookies into spooky spider treats.

Get the Spider Cookies recipe.

13) Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Everyone will shout “whoopie!” when these sweet treats hit the table. With soft, cake-like cookies sandwiched around fluffy marshmallow frosting, they’re the best of both cake and cookies in one bite.

Get Ree’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies recipe.

14) Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Make a homemade version of this popular treat for a fun Halloween activity. A touch of vanilla in the peanut butter, rich dark chocolate instead of milk, and a sprinkle of flaky salt on top really make them shine.

Get the Homemade Peanut Butter Cups recipe.

15) Pumpkin Spice Cake

This pumpkin Bundt cake is sure to make all the ghouls howl with delight. It’s packed with warm fall spices and topped with a luscious caramel glaze for a dessert that’s scary good.

Get the Pumpkin Spice Cake recipe.

16) Pretzel Turtles

Part sweet, part salty, and entirely snackable, these treats are the best way to turn four simple ingredients into something magical. All you need are pretzels, caramel candies, chocolate, and pecans.

Get Ree’s Pretzel Turtles recipe.

17) Caramel Apple Sheet Cake

If you love the taste of caramel apples, then this homemade cake is for you! It’s full of Granny Smiths and topped with a caramel frosting that you can eat by the spoonful.

Get the Caramel Apple Sheet Cake recipe.

18) Pumpkin Truffles

These beautiful candies would make cute giveaway gifts for your Halloween party guests. You can even dress them up with orange sprinkles for more festive fun.

Get the Pumpkin Truffles recipe.

19) Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Soft and chewy with plenty of fall flavor, these blend pumpkin puree, hearty oats, and warm spices—then finish off with a light vanilla glaze. Stir in pecans, walnuts, or even chocolate chips for added delight.

Get Ree’s Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies recipe.

20) Cookie-Coated Caramel Apples

Never made caramel before? Don’t worry: There are only two ingredients required to make it happen here, and it’s so simple to make! The cookie coating is extra sweet and a little spooky.

Get Ree’s Cookie-Coated Caramel Apples recipe.

21) Quick Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies

It doesn’t get easier than this two-ingredient recipe! You just need peanut butter cookie dough and candy. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover chocolate peanut butter cups if you’ve got ’em.

Get Ree’s Quick Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies recipe.

22) Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

Just like those apple cider doughnuts from your trip to a pumpkin patch, this cake version is covered in cinnamon sugar! You’ll want to grab a few napkins and a mug of cider to enjoy.

Get the Apple Cider Doughnut Cake recipe.

23) Pumpkin Roll

It might not be spooky, but this pumpkin roll is an all-time crowd pleaser. You’ll be hypnotized by the fluffy frosting swirl!

Get the Pumpkin Roll recipe.

24) Monster Bark

You’ll want to serve this crunchy dessert at your next monster mash! All you need are graham crackers and candy melts. The candy eyeballs give it a spooky-fun appearance that your kids will love.

Get Ree’s Monster Bark recipe.

25) Pumpkin Trifle

Got a crowd coming over to celebrate? Make this sky-high dessert and feed them all. Layers of spice cake, whipped pumpkin filling, and gingersnap cookies are topped with whipped cream and candied ginger. You’ll impress all the ghosts and goblins!

Get the Pumpkin Trifle recipe.

26) Sugar Cookie Eyeballs

The key to these spooky “eyeballs”? A 24-cup mini muffin pan, which will help to create a small, decoration-friendly indentation in the center of each cookie. Then fill with candy melts, M&M’s, and a dot of black icing.

Get Ree’s Sugar Cookie Eyeballs recipe.

27) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

For fans of the classic chocolate chip cookie, try this autumnal twist. It uses pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice so it’s bursting with fall flavor without a lot of extra effort.

Get the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

28) Quick Caramel Apple Fudge

Sure trick-or-treating is fun for kids, but if you’re all grown up, try making your own candy at home. It’s easier than you might think! You only need ten minutes to get it done.

Get the Quick Caramel Apple Fudge recipe.

29) Doughnut Hole Eyeballs

There’s no need to go all out in the kitchen just to whip up some seriously spooky Halloween treats! These doughnut hole “eyeballs” are so simple to make. You can make Rice Krispies treats, too.

Get Ree’s Doughnut Hole Eyeballs recipe.

30) Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies

These aren’t your ordinary decorated pumpkin cookies. They’ve actually got pumpkin in the recipe, too, plus all the seasonal spices you crave this time of year.

Get the Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies recipe.

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