Halloween Appetizers

Halloween appetizers are fun ways to spook up your party and preparation may not be as scary as you think.  You can stir up a lot of attention when snake bites, vegetables, and cheeseballs all show up in full costume. There are plenty of options to choose from that will leave your guests screaming for more. While looks are important, your guests will expect a delicious taste as well.  Any get-together will be better with appetizers all dressed up and ready to glow. 

Halloween is a time for spooky and delicious treats, and what better way to kick off the festivities than with some ghoulishly good appetizers? From creepy dips and savory snacks to hauntingly good finger foods, there are plenty of options to choose from that will leave your guests screaming for more. So grab your cauldron and broomstick, and let's get cooking up some wickedly tasty Halloween appetizers!

Easy Halloween appetizers that are
guaranteed to thrill.

If you are a first time food haunter, make it easy on yourself with a familiar recipe. From creepy dips and savory snacks to hauntingly good finger foods, simply make whatever your guests love or expect and take the presentation to the extreme.  How thrilling.   

Creepy Dips

These Halloween appetizers only look tricky. With a little imagination, you can dress up your favorite dips for the happiest Halloween ever. And best of all, the trickery was accomplished without sacrificing taste.  

Wicked Good Spider Dip

Mix 1 can of refried beans with 1 pkg. of taco seasoning.
Spread onto the bottom of dish.
Add a layer of sour cream followed by a layer of salsa.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Cut flat white American cheese into thin strips to make web.
For the spiders, cut a black olive in half.  Use one half for body,
the other half cut into thin strips for legs.

Puking Pumpkin Buffalo Chicken Dip

Photo credit: Pinterest

2 large cans white chunk chicken
2-4 oz. hot sauce to taste
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup bottled ranch salad dressing
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese 

If using canned chicken, drain, and then shred chicken in a bowl and mix hot sauce into chicken well.  Combine softened cream cheese and dressing, and mix until smooth.  Combine chicken mixture, cream cheese mixture and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a bowl and stir well.  Pour into 9 x 13 inch baking dish and bake 15 minutes on 350 degrees.  Eat with tortilla chips.

Halloween Guacamole Dip

Witch, please.  Guacamole naturally looks like something that witches and goblins would love with the green color and lumpy texture.  Use both to your advantage and let the guacamole speak for itself.

Halloween Appetizer Serving Ideas

Looking for ways to elevate your Halloween festivities this year? Why not add some spooky flair to your appetizer presentation with the help of some spooky serving pieces? From eerie platters to snack stands, we've got you covered with a selection of serving pieces that are sure to impress your guests and make your appetizers scream Halloween spirit. So grab some ghoulishly good treats, and set the stage for a spooktacular appetizer display!

With so many spine-tingling Halloween appetizers, you will need all the space you can get.  Take the fear factor away with tiered serving trays.  Impress your guests with a stylish serving idea that requires less space and room for more.

Halloween Cheeseballs

A new twist on an old favorite.  Cheeseballs are Halloween appetizers that are quick and easy, and can be made ahead.  Have fun haunting your favorite cheeseball recipe.

Creepy Peepers

Ever get the feeling that someone is watching you.  The eyes have it with this scary Halloween cheeseball.

Two 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese
2 sticks of butter
2 pkgs. of dry ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix

Mix all ingredients and form into an eyeball shape.  In the center of eyeball, place a circle cut from a spinach leaf to represent the pupil of the eye.  Half a black olive and place into spinach circle.  To complete eyeball, draw on the veins using gel icing.

More creepy cheeseball
Halloween appetizers. . .

This is one of the fastest cheeseball presentations to make, but the attention it gets will last a long time.

Photo credit: Neatorama

Your guests will go batty over these bite sized mini cheeseballs and you will be surprised at how fast they fly off the table.

Photo credit: of All You

It would not be Halloween without a witch's hat.  This one happens to be delicious and extremely creative.

Photo credit: Curious Purple Pig

We all know that the original jack-o-lantern was a turnip, but did you know that a green pepper can turn cheeseballs into pumpkin Halloween appetizers.

Photo credit: Divine Dinner Party

Pumpkins are the symbol of the season, so add Halloween appetizers in shapes to your party menu.  Prepare your favorite cheese ball recipe.  Add orange food coloring and form into a pumpkin.  Using a blunt knife, draw lines from top to bottom to form pumpkin ridges.  Cut a piece of celery for the stalk.  Add leaves to complete.

Photo credit: Vernoicas Cornucopia

Halloween Deviled Eggs

How would you like your eggs?  Scary for me, please.  Freaking out your deviled eggs is an easy way to go from normal to incredible Halloween party appetizers.  The key is to create a transformation that is egg-actly what you had in your twisted little mind.

Halloween Jalapeno Mummies

10 jalapeno peppers
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
1 green onion (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package crescent rolls
2 eggs (beaten)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Cut jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds.  Leave stems attached.  (Be sure to wear rubber gloves when preparing peppers.)

Mix cream cheese, shredded cheese, onion, and salt.

Unroll the crescent rolls.  Push dough together to become one big piece.  Using a pizza cutter, cut into about 1/2 inch long strips.

Fill each pepper with the cheese mixture  Wrap each pepper with the dough strips leaving opening for eyes.  Brush with egg mixture and place on baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  

Place eyes into place using candy eyes or black olives.

Halloween Snake Bites

This slithering snake is so realistic that you will expect him to hiss. New Halloween party appetizers are great, but some favorites never die.  

Photo credit: Stirring the Pot

This Paula Deen Halloween food recipe is sure to slither its way
into your holiday favorites list.

1 can crescent rolls
Flour, for dusting
4 tablespoons spicy mustard
10 ounces thinly sliced ham
10 ounces thinly sliced salami
10 ounces bologna
12 ounces Monterey Jack, grated
Liquid food coloring
3 egg yolks
2 whole cloves
Toothpicks
2 small pimento-stuffed olives
1 (1-inch) strips jarred roasted red peppers

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with foil. Grease the foil and set aside.

Dust a flat surface lightly with flour. Spread out the crescent dough - do not separate. Pinch together the seams so that you have 1 piece of dough. Roll out to make a large rectangle. Make sure the dough is not stuck to the surface at all.

Brush the dough with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Layer the meats down the center of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on either end. You can feel free to use your favorite cold cuts.

Top the meats with the cheese. Fold 1 side of the dough over the filling, lengthwise. Then, fold the other 1/2 over and press the seal the filling inside. Take 1 egg yolk, and beat lightly with a fork. Brush the egg yolk over the top of the dough. The yolk will act as the glue to hold. Fold the dough in 1/2 again lengthwise. Pinch the seam with your fingers to seal. Press the outside of the dough to make sure everything is sealed tight and to make an even thickness for the body of your snake. Taper 1 end of the dough to form a tail shape. Form the other end into a head shape.

Beat the 2 remaining egg yolks together. Transfer to 3 separate small bowls. Add some food coloring to each bowl - whatever colors you like! Using a clean paintbrush, "paint" the snake with the egg yolk/food coloring mixture.

Transfer the snake to the foil lined sheet tray. Form into an "s" shape so it looks like the snake is slithering. Insert 2 cloves into the head to look like nostrils and 2 stuffed olives for eyes. Create a mouth or tongue with the roasted red peppers. Bake the snake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

When a vegetable is orange to begin with, it makes creating pumpkin Halloween appetizers simple and easy.  There is no carving required.

Photo credit: Cute As A Fox

Serve the dip in a hollowed out pumpkin surrounded by vegetables. 

Follow these steps:

• Start by selecting a medium-sized pumpkin with a flat bottom for stability.
• Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and flesh from the inside.
• Rinse out the inside of the pumpkin and let it dry completely.
• Place a small bowl or container inside the hollowed-out pumpkin to hold the dip.
• Fill the bowl with your desired dip, such as guacamole, hummus, or spinach artichoke dip.
• Surround the bowl with your choice of dippables, such as tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetable sticks.

Remember to keep the dip chilled if it needs to be refrigerated before serving. Enjoy the festive presentation!

Photo credit: Little Shamrocks