Witch’s Fingers. iStock/AnnaPustynnikova
Spook up your Halloween party with fun and flavorful recipes for all ages.
There’s something extra sweet about Halloween when the treats are homemade. Whether I’m hosting a spooky soiree or heading to a costume party, a platter of festive homemade goodies adds a personal touch. From gnarly witch’s fingers to a scary meatloaf, these delectable dishes are sure to impress ghouls and goblins of all ages. I’ve made these dishes for the last 15 years, and after minor adjustments here and there, they are all crowd-pleasers.
Devil-delish Deviled Eggs
This recipe is an adorable way to make a standard appetizer more festive for the holiday with a few strategically placed red pepper flakes and pieces of chives.
- 12 eggs
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. curry powder (optional)
- salt, to taste
- ½ tsp. black pepper or ¼ tsp. white pepper
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- paprika for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chives
- 2 Tbsp. red chili flakes
Rinse eggs in water, and place in a saucepan. Cover with cold water, and turn the stove to medium-high heat. Bring eggs to a boil. Turn off the heat, and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and peel. Cool eggs in a refrigerator for 20 minutes. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks. Place yolks in a mixing bowl, and mash with a fork. Add Dijon mustard, curry powder, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Stir for 2 minutes or until well-combined. Using a spoon, fill each egg with 1 ½ tsp. of the yolk mixture. Sprinkle paprika. Cut chives into half-inch segments. Arrange them on the egg at angles to create devilish eyebrows. Place a large chili flake at the bottom of the egg to create a beard. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Witch’s Fingers
I like to think of these as what holiday shortbread would dress up as for Halloween—a classic witch costume with a cookie twist that is buttery and just a little wicked. These cookies walk the line between eerie and elegant with just enough drama to earn a double take and then a second helping. It’s a fun nod to the season’s spookier side.
- 2 Tbsp. natural red food coloring (optional)
- 30 slivered almonds
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you decide to dye the almonds, place the food coloring into a small and shallow bowl. Place almonds into the food coloring. Stir gently until the almonds evenly absorb the color. Leave them in the bowl for 5 minutes. (Too long and the thin slivered almonds can get overly delicate.) Remove, and let dry on a plate lined with a paper towel. Separate one egg, and set the white aside. In a small bowl, whisk the yolk, whole egg and the vanilla. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Stir until well combined. Add the egg mixture, and mix until smooth, which is about 10 minutes by hand or 2 minutes with an electric stand mixer. Add flour, and knead slowly until it has blended into a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm. If you aren’t keen on plastic wrap, use a muslin cloth, and place the cloth-wrapped dough in an airtight container before cooling it in the fridge. Once dough is cool and firm, unwrap, and cut in half. Divide the half into 15 pieces. Repeat for the other half of the dough. Lightly flour the working surface. Roll each piece into a finger shape that is about 3–4 inches long. Pinch the dough in two places to form the knuckles. Score each knuckle with the back of a knife or a pie crust cutter. Place fingers on baking tray. Brush each finger with the egg white. Place the almonds (nails) onto the end of the finger. Push into the dough to attach. Bake until lightly browned (10–12 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.
Zombie Meatloaf
I always like to serve a dish that’s more substantial than the average party bites. This zombie is not only comically cute, but it is delicious too.
- ¼ tsp. avocado oil
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup butter crackers, crushed
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. seasoning salt
- 2 green olives
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
- 5 cloves garlic, diced
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with foil, and grease it with a fine layer of avocado oil. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, butter crackers, milk, cheese, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt. Blend until well combined. Remove mixture from the bowl, and place on the baking sheet. Form into a body shape: head, torso, arms and legs. Make two small holes for the eye sockets, and place olives into the spaces. Place pine nuts into the mouth area. I usually use 8–10 per row of teeth. In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and barbecue sauce, and mix until smooth. Use 1/4 of the sauce on top of the meatloaf body, and pour the remaining around the pan. Bake for 45–60 minutes or until it’s no longer pink in the center. Add extra sauce if needed. Enjoy.
