39 Free Pumpkin Stencils for Your Best Jack-o'-Lanterns Yet

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated August 07, 2020
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Credit: Carson Downing
Use these basic pumpkin templates as starting patterns to create cute (or creepy!) Halloween pumpkins that will delight trick-or-treaters. If you are searching for designs to make your own, these pumpkin stencils range from beginner to advanced. Just pick your favorite pumpkin carving template, cut it out, and trace. Once you’re ready, let the creative pumpkin carving begin!
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Wide Smile Stencil

Credit: Jason Donnelly
Get the Wide Smile stencil

Crack a smile when you're carving—just like this beginner pumpkin template. This grinning gourd design is a perfect starting spot for a whole set of goofy jack-o'-lanterns. Set up the happy pumpkin faces around your front porch for the best Halloween display.

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Frankenstein Pumpkin Stencil

Credit: Carson Downing
Get the Frankenstein stencil

Let's be frank: This guy is a blockhead. But we love him anyway! To use this easy free pumpkin template, open the pattern and print. Size the carving pattern on a copier if needed. Tape the design to your pumpkin and poke the outline of the pattern with a pin before carving.

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Owl Stencil

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the Owl stencil

Making a fowl pumpkin with this stencil is sure to be a hoot. The bright-eyed template involves minimal carving—the design mostly calls for etching along the pumpkin’s face. If this design is too spooky for you, try carving a pretty owl pumpkin instead!

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Snake Pumpkin Carving Template

Credit: Adam Albright Photography Inc.
Get the free pumpkin stencil

This snake pumpkin carving is actually made by etching out the body to create a pattern. Use our free pumpkin carving template to create the design. Once you've mastered the technique, try making several to create an eerie Halloween display.

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Scarecrow Stencil

Credit: Jason Donnelly
Get the Scarecrow stencil

This creepy pumpkin face will scare more than just the crows away. This carve design lends itself to an evil-eyed, glowing guard for your front porch during the Halloween season.

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Zombie Pumpkin Carving

Credit: Jason Donnelly
Get the free pumpkin stencil

These zombie pumpkins are a spooky way to greet your Halloween guests! Create this zombie pumpkin carving by placing a cut hand at the bottom of a simple circle opening. Finish by etching grass to complete the scene.

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Crow and Tree Stencils

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the free pumpkin stencil

Bring a spooky Halloween forest to your front porch with these crow and tree pumpkin carving templates. Complete the display with a scattering of artificial crows and stacked pumpkins.

Buy It: Black Crows Set of 3, ($21, Etsy)

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Skull Pumpkin Carving

Credit: Adam Albright
Get the free pumpkin stencil

Carve a bone-chilling Halloween jack-o'-lantern with this free skull pumpkin stencil. Carve the face shapes and use a simple etching technique to create the teeth. Add a truly creepy touch by threading a rubber snake through the eyes.

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Deer Stencil

Credit: Carson Downing
Get the Deer stencil

Don’t be a deer in the headlights when it comes to finding a pumpkin face to carve. A flickering full moon makes for a bright stroll through the woods for a buck on Halloween.

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Halloween Mouth Stencil

Get the Free face stencil

Guess which holiday this pumpkin face loves? Spell out your love for Halloween by carving the word into your pumpkin with this clever carving design.

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Horned Grin Stencil

Get the Horned Grin stencil

This free pumpkin face stencil might look mischievous for Halloween, but it’s actually pretty easy to carve! Trick-or-treaters will love seeing this pumpkin with spooky fangs and big eyes that will peer out from the front porch.

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Lion Stencil

Get the Lion stencil

Roar onto the Halloween scene with a pumpkin that could show off your Zodiac sign (talking to you, Leos!) or could simply show that you're king of the neighborhood carving competition. If this free animal pumpkin carving stencil stands out as a favorite, you can plan a whole zoo of pumpkins for next year!

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Vampire and Fangs Stencil

Get the free Vampire stencil

Sink your teeth into this clever carving that isn’t a pain in the neck to make. Our pumpkin face template will help you create a vampire with spooky fangs and a frighteningly glaring gaze. If you want to create a whole front porch display, we've got a whole collection of free vampire and warewolf pumpkin stencils to choose from.

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Round-Face Stencil

Get the Round-Face stencil

Hang around this smiley pumpkin face long enough and you are sure to elicit laughs from tickled trick-or-treaters. This pumpkin template is perfect for beginners looking to plan their first carve design.

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Chess Piece Stencil

Get the Chess Piece stencil

Strategizing for your best-ever Halloween pumpkin? This template is a guaranteed checkmate! Celebrate your inner gamer with a cute chess piece carving design.

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Cyclops Stencil

Get the Cyclops stencil

He's got his (one) eye on you! Carve a simple ghoul that is sure to attract stares. As a bonus for beginning carvers, there’s no need to worry about symmetrical eyes with this cyclops pumpkin face—making this an easy pumpkin carving idea for kids.

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Missing-Teeth Smile Stencil

Get the Missing-Teeth stencil

Who needs a full set of chompers when you've got a grin this goofy on your Halloween pumpkin? This grinning pumpkin template will light up your Halloween display—and luckily, fewer teeth means fewer difficulties when carving!

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Cat Stencil

Get the Cat stencil

This Halloween scaredy cat looks like it crossed its own path! The black cat stencil carving is a tricky design, but it’s definitely a treat for Halloween kiddos in the neighborhood. If you want to carve a pumpkin that looks more like the family cat, choose from our free pumpkin stencils of favorite cat breeds.

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Trick-or-Treat Stencil

Get the free stencil

This towering “trick-or-treat” stencil will have you ready with a welcoming pumpkin carving on Halloween night. The design is meant for advanced carvers—so be sure to print out the pumpkin template before starting.

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Spooky Skeleton Stencil

Get the Skeleton stencil

This skeleton stencil is scared speechless. Carve our stitched pumpkin face with wide eyes, a pointed nose, and a thin smile.

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Goofy Skeleton Stencil

Get the Skeleton stencil

Turn your pumpkin into a graveyard with this bony pumpkin stencil. Pro tip: Start this pumpkin template with the detail work on the skeleton face, then work your way downward to the arms and outward to the face shape. This will fit right in with your existing skeleton decor!

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Feline Stencil

Credit: Illustration by Glenda Aldrich
Get the Feline stencil

Our cat stencil is so cute, you might find yourself wanting to cuddle with your jack-o'-lantern. This design is the sophisticated version of our “scaredy cat” pumpkin stencil, so print this template when you’re “kitten” in the mood for a Halloween carving challenge.

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Vampire Face Stencil

Get the Vampire Face stencil

This vampire has its next prey in sight—and it’s definitely your Halloween candy corn. When you are brainstorming spooky pumpkin faces to carve, choose this template to celebrate Halloween evening's shadowy figures.

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Happy Halloween Stencil

Get the Free Pumpkin stencil

Ready for a challenging pumpkin template? Use this detailed design to carve special Halloween wishes for all who pass by your yard.

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Witch Stencil

Get the Witch stencil

A bewitching pumpkin stencil will turn your yard into the perfect hangout for ghouls around the neighborhood. This spooky pumpkin face will glow at guests and bring flickers of fear. Display this pumpkin on your front porch, surrounded by other witch-theme Halloween decorations for the ultimate haunted house.

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Spooky Bat Stencil

Get the Spooky Bat stencil

Trace this beginner’s bat template onto your pumpkin, and it just might take a quick flight around the block. Carry the theme through the rest of the house with more bat-inspired Halloween crafts you can make yourself.

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Howling Wolf Stencil

Get the Howling Wolf stencil

A full moon is the perfect backdrop for a howling wolf pumpkin template. You’d be barking mad to not try this clever carve design for Halloween.

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Smiley Face Stencil

Credit: Illustration by Glenda Aldrich
Get the Smiley Face stencil

A smiling pumpkin template will get everyone in the Halloween spirit. This goofy carve design will have trick-or-treaters pairing the pumpkin with a smile of their own.

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Creepy Crow Stencil

Get the Creepy Crow stencil

This spooky crow stencil might have guests flying away before they even get to the door. If you’re free as a bird when it comes to pumpkin templates, consider this creepy design.