Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Seasonal Meals 30 Delicious Halloween Desserts and Treats That Will Have Everyone Howling for More By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Ariel Klein Ariel Klein Instagram Ariel Klein is a copywriter and 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. Highlights: * Copy supervisor at a New York-based advertising agency * Freelance writer with a focus on lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology, home, cooking, and gardening topics * Work has appeared in Real Simple, Well+Good, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, and Food & Wine magazine Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 15, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: CHRIS COURT Halloween season is upon us, and while it may be the only time for your kids to collect copious amounts of candy, it's also the perfect time to cozy up in the kitchen and craft some delicious desserts and sweet treats. The autumn months are typically filled with richly warm flavors of apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and silky caramel, which paves the way for dozens of fun Halloween baking ideas. No matter what your palate craves this time of year, there's certainly something to satisfy your tastebuds. From tangy pumpkin cheesecake bars and zesty, chewy spice cookies, to adorable spider cookies and no-bake treats, you'll be baking up a storm all season long. You'll even find ways to put extra Halloween candy to good use with our gallery of easy Halloween desserts! 11 Things to Do on Halloween If You're Not Going Trick-or-Treating 01 of 30 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 dessert recipe teaches you how to make a homemade pumpkin spice mix (it's really just a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice) so you have nothing to be ashamed of. Mix it into a quick homemade batch of sugar cookie dough along with some pumpkin purée and you've got the makings of an intensely seasonal fall cookie. Get the recipe 02 of 30 Chewy Spice Cookies Victor Schrager You can think of these cookies as a sister to a Snickerdoodle. They have the same chewy texture, but have a bit of a kick from ginger, clove, black pepper, and nutmeg. Make the most of a fall afternoon by enjoying them with some warm apple cider. Get the recipe 03 of 30 Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches Beatriz da Costa A velvety cream cheese frosting is sandwiched between two soft and 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 04 of 30 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 seasonal colors. To save time, you can cover and freeze the cake up to three days in advance. When this Halloween cake is ready to serve, dip a thin knife into hot water to easily cut it into servable slices. Get the recipe 05 of 30 M&M Popcorn Balls Samantha Seneviratne We gave classic popcorn balls a burst of color by adding M&Ms to the equation. The entire recipe only requires five pantry ingredients: butter, marshmallows, salt, popcorn, and M&Ms. That makes it great for a last-minute Halloween treat for school, since you can whip it up the night before and still have a festive dessert all the kids are sure to love. The technique is similar to making Rice Krispies treats, except instead of cereal, you'll be tossing popcorn into the buttery marshmallow mixture. Buttering your hands will keep the marshmallows from sticking, so don't skip this step, even if you're skeptical. Get the recipe 06 of 30 Simple Spiderweb Cake Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley Start with any flavor of cake as your base, and top with vanilla frosting to create a canvas for this Halloween cake. Then, make black frosting by combining black food coloring and vanilla frosting in a piping bag. With a steady hand, follow the step-by-step directions to draw a large spider web. Finish your spooky design with three spiders. Get the recipe 07 of 30 Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting JOHN KERNICK Amp up 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. The results are moist and sweet but not cloyingly so. In other words, if there are any leftovers, you can get away with enjoying them for breakfast the next morning. Making them ahead of time? Garnish them with candy corn right before serving, because the longer they sit the more likely they are to bleed a tiny bit of orange and yellow into the white icing. Get the recipe 08 of 30 White Chocolate Ganache Eyeballs Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley These spooky, edible eyeballs are ideal for kids who are more into the trick than the treat. Though they look like they've been decorated by a professional, they're actually quite easy to make at home. All you need is white chocolate, heavy cream, salt, chocolate chips, and red food coloring. Our favorite part about them is the chocolate chip trick: the pupil of the eye is simply an upside down chocolate chip that's been pressed, pointed-side down, into the top of each ball of ganache. To create creepy looking red veins, dip the tip of a toothpick in food coloring and draw them on. Get the recipe 09 of 30 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. Using a deep-fry or candy thermometer takes all the stress out of frying: You'll know exactly when to add the donuts to the oil. If you don't want to give away all these Halloween treats to the school, save the donuts for yourself and send the kids with the donut holes. 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 10 of 30 Pumpkin Cheesecake Chris Court This cake's graham cracker crust provides a crunchy contrast to the velvety cream cheese filling, which is spiked with pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice for a double dose of autumnal flavor. In a pinch, you can prepare the pie and refrigerate it, loosely covered with plastic wrap, up to two days in advance. Get the recipe 11 of 30 Spider Cookies With Chocolate Chips PHILIP FRIEDMAN; STYLING: COLLEEN RILEY Chocolate creepy crawlers give everyone's favorite cookie an eerie upgrade. To recreate the look, dip a toothpick in melted chocolate and draw legs around an exposed chip—or two. To make the spiders even spookier, press red Nonpareils into the chocolate chip (you may need to use tweezers) when the cookies first come out of the oven. Get the recipe 12 of 30 Pumpkin Spice Bread Victor Protasio Banana bread season is officially over. Say "hello" to this autumn-inspired pumpkin bread that has the perfect combination of sugar and spice, and will be sure to get you in the seasonal spirit. Get the recipe 13 of 30 Cinnamon-Spiced Pumpkin Muffin Grace Elkus These flavorful muffins are simple to make and are ideal for an easy breakfast, snack, or dessert. You might want to consider making a double batch since your family will likely devour them when they're fresh out of the oven. Get the recipe 14 of 30 Pumpkin Cream Puffs Max Kelly If you're looking to take your baking skills up a notch, these Pumpkin Cream Puffs are a great option. They're irresistibly delicate, yet packed with flavors like brown sugar and pumpkin. You will feel like the ultimate French pastry chef after whipping up these little fancy treats. 60 Canned Pumpkin Recipes That Are Incredibly Easy to Make Get the recipe 15 of 30 Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats Jennifer Causey Who says all fall desserts must be pumpkin-flavored? If you're more of a chocolate lover, you're not going to want to pass on these easy-to-make rice crispy treats. The best part about these delightful sweets? All you'll need is four ingredients and 30 minutes! get the recipe 16 of 30 Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds John Kernick Looking for ways to repurpose those pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lanterns? Toss them in a mixture of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and salt for the most delicious sweet and salty snack. Fair warning: These pumpkin seeds are slightly addicting, so don't be surprised if you eat an entire bowl on your own. get the recipe 17 of 30 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Greg DuPree Why make a whole cheesecake when you can make an easier and more convenient alternative? These Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars are creamy, tangy, and certainly don't lack flavor. Bring them to your next family gathering or holiday potluck – they'll be sure to outshine everything else on the dessert table. Get the recipe 18 of 30 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 just be the easiest recipe you'll ever come across. There's no need to mess around with pie dough or take up room in the oven (this is especially helpful while prepping other dishes). Get the recipe 19 of 30 Orange and Clove Basque Cheesecake Jennifer Causey This ain't your average cheesecake, and it's guaranteed to impress your guests at any elevated Halloween soiree. The combination of cloves and orange gives a warm, earthy flavor, and it's the perfect note to end the meal on. Get the recipe 20 of 30 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. You're going to want to cut yourself a slice shortly after taking it out of the oven and top it with vanilla bean ice cream for the full experience. Get the recipe 21 of 30 Pumpkin Doughnuts Levi Brown Baked 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. get the recipe 22 of 30 Apple Coffee Cake Twist With Giant Crumbs Brie Passano Coffee cake is almost always a fan favorite, and a great after-school treat for the kids. And since you may have 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 23 of 30 Sheet-Pan Apple Crisp Caitlin Bensel Sheet-pan dinners are all the rage, but what about sheet-pan desserts? If you're having a Halloween party or entertaining a big group of kids, skip the pie and cupcakes and make this easy apple treat. It will save you time and energy in the kitchen, and what's more priceless than that? get the recipe 24 of 30 Apple Cider Doughnut Tower Jennifer Causey If you're not an avid baker but still 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 30 Candy Skillet Cookie Greg DuPree Trying to find a way to use up that leftover Halloween candy? Make this giant skillet cookie using whatever you have on hand. M&Ms, Peanut Butter Cups, and other fun-sized chocolates are ideal, but you could really use anything your kids haven't already devoured. get the recipe 26 of 30 Pumpkin Pecan Crisps Max Kelly There are few combinations more delicious than pumpkin and pecans, and these sweet and crunchy crisps are great for both kids and adults. While they're incredibly easy to make, they look fancy and delicate since they're served in individual ramekins. get the recipe 27 of 30 Rustic Apple Tart David Prince Some homemade pies can take up to hours to bake—from making and chilling the dough to mixing the filling—it's usually a bit of a process. Now you can achieve the same homemade taste but in under 30 minutes thanks to store-bought pie dough and frozen cinnamon apples. get the recipe 28 of 30 Pumpkin Rice Pudding Dana Gallagher Rice pudding is an incredibly underrated dessert, and this mouth-watering fall-inspired rendition is absolutely worth trying. The flavor combinations of fresh orange, vanilla, brown sugar, pumpkin, and cinnamon might just be what dreams are made of. 25 Perfect Pumpkin Recipes You'll Want to Eat All Year Round get the recipe 29 of 30 Chocolate Bar Fondue Anna Williams Not sure what to do with all your extra Halloween candy? Transform your bounty of chocolate bars into luscious, creamy fondue. Not only is it a fun activity to enjoy with your kids, but there are so many ways to get creative with snacks to dip, like fresh or dried fruit, cake, pretzels, and crackers. get the recipe 30 of 30 Kit Kat-Filled Angel Food Cake Kana Okada Put your Kit Kat stash to good use and serve this cake stuffed with the popular candy bars at a Halloween gathering. You'll start with a store-bought (or pre-made, if you go that route) 9-ounce angel food cake. Simply slice the finished, cooled cake in half horizontally and create a small hollowed-out area in the middle, which you'll spread with a filling of chopped Kit Kat bars and homemade whipped cream. Replace the top layer of cake, dust it with cocoa powder, and you're ready to slice and serve. Easy enough, right? get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit