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Halloween is right around the corner, and I have not even started thinking about what treats I am going to make this year Last Halloween, my homemade mummy cookies were a total disaster the icing kept sliding off and they ended up looking more like melted snowmen than mummies. Learn how to make spooky homemade goodies that taste as good as they look.
Every October, my kitchen transforms into a mad scientist’s laboratory. Ingredients scattered everywhere, food coloring staining my countertops and fingers, and the inevitable powdered sugar cloud that seems to coat everything. Is there anything more satisfying than creating something deliciously spooky with your own hands? I think not.
Bone-Chilling Banana Ghost Pops That Will Haunt Your Taste Buds
One of my go to Halloween treats has always been banana ghost pops. They are ridiculously simple to make, yet they never fail to impress guests at Halloween parties. You can whip these up in under 30 minutes, and they are actually somewhat healthy if we can call any Halloween treat healthy.
You will need:
4 large bananas
8 popsicle sticks
12 ounces white chocolate chips
Mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth
First, peel your bananas and cut them in half. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut end of each banana piece. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for about 15 minutes. This step is crucial I learned the hard way that unfrozen bananas will turn into a mushy mess when dipped in warm chocolate.
While the bananas are freezing, melt your white chocolate. I prefer using a double boiler because microwaves can be unpredictable, and I have burned more chocolate than I care to admit. Once melted, dip each banana into the white chocolate, swirling to coat evenly. Work quickly before the chocolate hardens.
Place your chocolate covered banana ghosts back on the parchment paper and immediately add mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth. The spookier the expression, the better Pop them back in the freezer until you are ready to serve.
Wickedly Delicious Witch Finger Cookies That Will Cast a Spell on Halloween Night
My niece absolutely loves these witch finger cookies, though my sister is not too thrilled when I make them. Do they have to look so realistic she always asks. Yes, yes they do it is Halloween after all
For these creepy digit delights, you will need:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Green food coloring (optional)
Whole almonds
Red decorating gel
Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. If you want green witch fingers add a few drops of green food coloring. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This makes it easier to work with.
When ready, pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into finger shapes. Use a knife to make knuckle marks, and press an almond into one end for the fingernail. Bake at 325°F for about 20-25 minutes.
Once cooled, add a dab of red decorating gel around the nail for that freshly severed look. My brother-in-law actually refused to eat these last year because they looked too real.
Spine-Tingling Spider Web Brownies That Will Entangle Your Guests
Have you ever tried to pipe a perfect spider web It is not as easy as Pinterest makes it look. My first attempt ended up resembling abstract art more than a spider web. But with practice and a steady hand, these spider web brownies have become one of my signature Halloween treats.
Start with your favorite brownie recipe. I use my grandmother’s recipe that calls for extra chocolate chips Halloween is not the time for restraint, after all. Once baked and cooled, prepare a simple white icing by mixing powdered sugar with a small amount of milk until you reach the desired consistency.
Transfer the icing to a plastic bag, snip off a tiny corner, and pipe concentric circles on top of the brownies. Then, use a toothpick to drag lines from the center to the edges, creating a web effect. Add plastic spiders for extra creepiness or make chocolate spiders if you are feeling particularly ambitious.
Halloween baking is not about perfection it is about having fun and creating memories. Some of my favorite Halloween moments involve botched recipes and kitchen mishaps that we still laugh about years later. So embrace the imperfection, get your hands dirty, and create some ghoulish goodies that will have everyone screaming for more.
Reference
Belk, R. W. (1990). Halloween: An evolving American consumption ritual. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(3), 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1086/208561
Santino, J. (2019). Halloween food and traditions: An examination of changing ritual celebrations in contemporary American culture. Journal of American Folklore, 132(524), 175-192.
Pliner, P., & Hobden, K. (1992). Development of a scale to measure the trait of food neophobia in humans. Appetite, 19(2), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/0195-6663(92)90014-W
Baumann, S., & Johnston, J. (2015). Celebrating culture through food: Holidays, rituals, and social meaning. Food, Culture & Society, 18(1), 129–149. https://doi.org/10.2752/175174415X14101814953846