From creepy snacks and ghoulish drinks to quick decorations and games, this roundup has everything you need to pull off a memorable celebration with minimal prep. Whether you’re hosting for a few friends or a full house, these creative tips and tricks will help you get into the Halloween spirit in no time.
1. Prepare your Halloween pumpkin
The night of 31 October isn’t the time to experiment with your carving skills, so follow our simple video guide for a quick and easy pumpkin lantern. Use our templates to create a bat, witch, or haunted house design – tape it to your pumpkin, and mark the outline with a skewer to make carving easier. Or, for an even faster option, try our hole-punched lantern using an apple corer. Light a candle inside, and you’re all set.
Learn how to carve a pumpkin, here.
2. Ideas for spooky snacks
Halloween cheeseboard with creepy crackers
Put together a Halloween-themed cheeseboard with a mix of cheeses – try to include an orange variety, a blue-veined cheese, and if possible, a charcoal-coated option. Pair it with homemade crackers dyed with black food colouring for a spooky touch. For the full recipe, click here.
Devilled eggs
These spooky devilled eggs are ideal for bite-sized party snacks. Crack the shells of hard-boiled eggs, then submerge them in a mixture of water, vinegar, and food colouring (red, orange, green, or black works well). Once peeled, pipe in the filling for a creepy yet delicious treat. For the full recipe, click here.
Healthy Halloween nachos
For a healthy sharing platter, try these Halloween nachos. Make a quick guacamole by mashing avocado, lime, and coriander, and prepare a sweetcorn salsa with corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and black beans. Cut bat shapes from tortillas, bake them until crispy, and serve alongside your dips. For the full recipe, click here.
3. Create a Halloween drinks menu
Eyeball & hand fruit punch
Both kids and adults will love this creepy punch. Make frozen ice hands by filling disposable gloves with water and freezing overnight. For the punch, combine blueberry juice, cranberry juice, and sparkling water, then add lychee eyeballs stuffed with cherries and raisins for a spooky touch. For the full recipe, click here.
4. Speedy Halloween bakes
Halloween slash cake
This terrifying Halloween slash cake is not for the faint-hearted. Bake a rich red velvet sponge, layer it with blood-red buttercream and strawberry jam, then cover with white fondant. Use a knife to slash the surface, and drizzle the “blood” (buttercream mixed with water) into the cuts. For the full recipe, click here.
Kiwi slime pies
These gooey kiwi slime pies are a quick and fun treat. Use store-bought shortcrust pastry to bake individual pies in muffin tins, then fill with a green-tinted custard made from jelly, eggs, milk, and sugar. Top with kiwi slices for an extra eerie effect. For the full recipe, click here.
5. Last-minute costume ideas
For a quick costume fix, look no further than your kitchen! Black bin liners can double as a spooky poncho, and a light dusting of flour in your hair will give you a ghostly look. Just be sure to brush it out thoroughly before the end of the night – no one wants to start November with floury hair!
