A killer Halloween party calls for popcorn balls, pizza bagels and tons of candy—when you’re a kid. Grown-ups, on the other hand, get their scare on with recipes that are more classy than kitschy, but still scream fall. Here are 65 Halloween appetizers and finger foods to serve in 2023, including bacon, onion, and asiago fondue; baked mac and cheese bites and Brussels sprouts sliders. Just pair them with a scary movie, and ring in the spooky season.
65 Halloween Appetizers and Finger Foods That Are Easy, Impressive and Oh-So Seasonal
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Published Aug 27, 2023
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner friendly, special occasion-worthy
Skip toasted bread in favor of crispy, paper-thin roasted sweet potatoes. Choose your fancy fighter: smoked salmon or cranberry-almond.
2. Cranberry, Brussels Sprouts and Brie Skillet Nachos
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, one pan
This appetizer is chic enough for a dinner party yet approachable enough for the kids to devour (just look at all that cheese).
3. Pumpkin Soup in Mini Pumpkin Bowls
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Hello, autumn. Make sure you hang onto the pumpkin seeds—roasted pepitas are the ultimate crunchy finishing touch.
4. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Potatoes could never. Leave the delicata's striped skin on—it adds a fancy flair to the rings.
5. Bacon, Onion and Asiago Fondue
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
The ultimate cure for a chilly Halloween night? An ooey-gooey skillet of meat and cheese, of course. (Psst: If you can't find asiago, white cheddar works too.)
6. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, special occasion-worthy
If you’re sick of all your salad’s tasty toppings falling to the bottom of the bowl, consider your problem solved.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
It’s one of the most timeless snacks around, but a mix of spices and fresh herbs is all it takes for a modern update. We recommend a mix of rosemary, oregano and thyme to really usher in the fall vibes.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
The secret to these bite-sized goodies? Baking them in mason jar lids (and using store-bought pie dough).
9. Pumpkin Pizza Crust with Arugula and Prosciutto
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
Psst: We figured out what you should do with that spare can of pumpkin purée in the pantry.
10. Baked Brie with Figs, Pistachios and Orange
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, one pan
So good you’ll want it for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and every day in between.
11. Cheesy Polenta Bites with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Beware: These cornbread-Parmesan hybrids will haunt your party guests long after they’re gone.
12. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The same snack you loved as a child is all grown up, thanks to swapping neon-orange nacho cheese with creamy Brie.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Nothing warms the soul quite like French onion soup. Besides puff pastry-wrapped French onion soup, obvi.
14. Pumpkin Polenta
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Whether you serve it as an appetizer or side dish, pumpkin polenta is about to become your newest holiday tradition.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Pumpkin purée meets cream cheese, shredded cheddar, toasted pecans and all the bacon.
16. Cranberry-Brie Pie Crust Bites
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Halloween has never looked this gourmet. Your guests will have no clue that you started with store-bought pie dough.
17. Curried Parsnip Apple Soup
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, one pot
’Tis the season for all things apple. Go for a tart type, like a Granny Smith or Bramley.
18. Pumpkin Brioche
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes (plus rising time)
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Halloween brunch is a go. Consider turning a loaf into French toast sticks to wow your guests.
19. Baked Mac-and-Cheese Bites
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead, vegetarian
Crispy on the outside, creamy and chewy on the inside. Serve them with ketchup for the kids and hot sauce for the adults.
20. Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Pumpkin
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, make ahead
Your blender has this appetizer covered, so you’ll have plenty of time to put on your costume.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, one pan
Careful, this snack is so addictive it's scary. Even better, the bites come together in a single baking dish, so you'll have minimal dirty dishes to wash once they're gone.
22. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, make ahead, Instant Pot recipe, one pot
Sure, your jack-o’-lantern looks amazing. But this vibrant orange number will steal your guests’ hearts every time.
23. Mozzarella Bites
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
It's pretty much impossible to complain about fried cheese, right? If there are kids at the party, this appetizer is a no-brainer.
24. Cranberry-Brie Puff Pastry Pops
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
They sure beat all the lollies the kids have ever gotten while trick-or-treating. Feel free to substitute jam for cranberry sauce.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegan
Consider this spread pumpkin’s prettiest Halloween costume yet. Pile on the finishing touches, like pomegranate arils, pepitas and edible flowers.
26. Pizza with Butternut Squash Sauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Because you can do better than tomato sauce and pepperoni. Ricotta, mozzarella and from-scratch butternut squash sauce make every bite impossibly creamy.
27. Boursin Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Have crackers, will travel. You also only need one skillet to prepare it to boot.
28. Mini Mason Jar Chicken Pot Pies
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
A gloomy autumn day is no match for these cuties. They're easier to prepare than they look, thanks to store-bought rotisserie chicken.
29. Crisp Fall Green Salad with Benne Seed Ginger Dressing
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, no cook, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes
We’re just making sure you get a dose of veggies before all that Halloween candy.
30. Roasted Squash with Yogurt and Spiced Buttered Pistachios
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Lemony yogurt and warm-spiced nuts can hold their own against sweet acorn, kabocha or red kuri squash.
31. Mini Caramel Pecan Pies with Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Halloween candy who? The kids will forget all about it when they meet these 45-minute wonders.
32. Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, make ahead
Sorry, summer. You don’t own pasta salad, and this one has sweater season written all over it.
33. Cauliflower, Pomegranate and Apple Salad
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, vegan, special occasion-worthy
Our go-to cruciferous vegetable can do anything. Just wait until you try it drizzled with tahini-honey dressing.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
A treat fit for a next-level breakfast buffet. We dare you to have just one.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, one pan
Want to see some Halloween magic? Set this six-ingredient appetizer out for your guests and watch it vanish before your eyes.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Sweet, sticky, two-ingredient caramel meets smoky, tingly cayenne pepper to create a next-level bowl of popcorn. Turn on a scary movie, will ya?
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
It turns out halved Brussels sprouts make the most adorable substitute for buns.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
A late-night snack before ransacking the kids’ Halloween candy? Don’t mind if we do.
40. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
Not only does this dish boast a swirly, Insta-worthy design, but it’s also loaded with cinnamon streusel.
41. Jolly Rancher Candy Apples
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Tell your little monsters to start digging through their Halloween hauls for ingredients.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Regular old cereal gets an epic makeover, thanks to cookie butter (!!!), white chocolate chips and pumpkin pie spice.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Single-serve portions make it so much easier to not accidentally devour half a pie in one sitting.
44. Snickers Dip
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, kid-friendly
What’s a Halloween party without candy? This one-bowl crowd-pleaser boasts mini Snickers bars, milk chocolate and caramel.
45. Brown-Sugar Pear Puff Pastries
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
These are peak classy. They would look even prettier under a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but you already knew that.
46. Biscuit Dough Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The key to a foolproof flaky crust? Store-bought dough. Your secret is safe with us.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
This old-school Halloween snack is timeless. Using miniature Lady apples instead of the biggest ones you can find makes them way easier to eat.
49. Chocolate Bark Halloween Brownies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We know we made a big deal about making your Halloween party as grown-up as possible, but a few candy eyeballs never hurt.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, vegetarian, sheet pan recipe
Crunchy pepitas, dried cranberries and warm spices put this reinvented appetizer firmly in fall territory. Don't be shy with the crema drizzle.
52. Jammy Upside-Down Onion Tart
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
Who knew frozen store-bought puff pastry could look so gourmet? Chalk it up to gooey caramelized onions doused in butter, sherry and herbs.
53. Prosciutto Bites
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Warning: You might want to make a second batch, because these crispy prosciutto-wrapped balls of pizza dough are going to disappear in two minutes flat.
54. Sweet Potato Biscuit Rolls with Honey Butter Glaze
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Aka our new favorite way to use up leftover sweet potatoes. These rolls are the autumnal love child of a crisp biscuit and a pillowy, soft bun.
55. Loaded Baked Potato ‘Chips’
- Time Commitment: 1 hours and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
These will blow your classic Lay's potato chips right out of the water.
56. Mini Skillet Pizzas With Mushrooms And Roasted Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian
Nothing spooky about a personal pizza.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
When there's a chill in the air...bring in the eggplant Parm.
58. Roasted Cauliflower Sliders
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
She's seasonal, she's veg-friendly, and ooh! She's spicy, too!
59. Sheet Pan Pierogi with Caramelized Cabbage, Onions and Dill
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly
There's nothing we love more than a hearty, seasonal creation—and we're happy to have extras to cure that post-Halloween hangover.
60. Turnip Fries
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, beginner-friendly
Turnips are the total underdog of fall produce—take advantage of them while you can!
61. Pear, Cranberry, And Brie Mini Tartlets
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: make-ahead, beginner-friendly
While these look time-consuming, they're secretly so easy to make. But we won't blow your cover.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
We're obsessed with this veggie spin on a party classic.
63. Speck-Wrapped Persimmons With Balsamic Honey Glaze
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser
This salty and sweet combo is irresistible.
64. Savory Pear, Date And Burrata Flatbread With Crispy Sage
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly
This is basically just a pizza in disguise, and we aren't mad about it.
65. Spiralized Parsnip Nests With Eggs, Bacon And Arugula
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Halloween brunch is calling your name with this one.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
