37 Easy Halloween Treats Kids Can Make

Coaxing the kids into eating fruit isn’t always easy, especially on a holiday. But even picky eaters won’t be able to resist getting at least one of their five-a-day when you team up to make this easy Halloween treat. Ask your little ones to garnish his or her own little plate of apple “nachos” with drizzles of melted PB&J, handfuls of Halloween candy pieces, and not-so-scary Candy Eye Balls, ($3, Target).

Parents, you can tell your kids you do know jack. Jack o’ lantern, that is! The orange sprinkle-coated variation of this Halloween dessert for kids will be the MVP of your bash. And you don’t need a lot to bring them to life. Marshmallows (feel free to make your own if you like), a set of Green Paper Straws, ($3, Target), and your kid's imagination are all you need to create a collection of frightful friends.

Your Halloween party can really take shape around this creatively-configured edible centerpiece. Bake a couple of Bundt cakes in a 12-Inch Bundt Pan, ($13, Target), allow them to cool, then invite the kids to assist with flipping one on top of the other and drizzling them with homemade almond-flavor frosting. A green ice cream cone makes for a spot-on “stem.”

“How are those ghosts floating above the party cupcakes so perfectly—and eerily?” everyone will ask. The hidden surprise inside: A donut hole! This just-spooky-enough dessert comes together in just a few easy steps, thanks to purchased fondant.

Looking for a salty and sweet snack for a kids party? This irresistible blend of pretzels, chocolate, and candy is frighteningly good and an easy Halloween dessert recipe.

This festive Halloween cake couldn't be easier to make. Bake a simple cake (or use a boxed mix), then melt candy corn to create a sweet, sugary combination; then poke holes in the baked cake and pour the mixture over the top of the cake so it trickles down into the holes. Top with whipped cream and a classic Halloween combo: Candy corn and peanuts!

Spiders, mummies, vampires, monsters...the gang’s all here! Why wait until dessert to get the party started? We suggest kicking Halloween off with a super-sweet breakfast of “costumed” store-bought donuts. Faux spiders and Candy Eye Balls ($3, Target) make these holiday treats extra festive.

Craving a big bag of candy corn? Get your sweet fix a different way with this fun Halloween treat to make with kids. Grab a set of Pop-Up Cake Containers ($13, Williams Sonoma) and layer cake and icing to look just like your favorite seasonal candy. Put your little ones in charge of layering the pops once all the ingredients are assembled.

Classic popcorn balls taste even better when you sneak in a few candy treats! Make these Halloween treats for kids by coating your popped popcorn with a homemade vanilla sugar syrup, then sprinkle with gummy worms and candy corn before rolling into balls. If you're making them for a school gathering or Halloween party, individually package them in Clear Cello Treat Bags, ($2, Target).

Channel your inner Hansel and Gretel baker and tempt everyone to enter—or at least enjoy—this sweet haunted house. After you prepare the cookies, kids will delight in building the house. Then assist them as they deck the halls with frosting, candy corn, and candy pumpkins.

A cereal-based snack mix is tops for any holiday party for kids. And Halloween treats for kids don’t come much easier than this trail mix. Even the youngest of kitchen helpers can help stir the four pantry staple ingredients together.

Start with boxed cake mix and these cute ‘cakes come together in one, two, three. 1. Prepare the batter according to package instructions. 2. Bake. 3. Pipe with a tall stack of tinted frosting. Oh yes, and 4. Enjoy!

Keep those eyes on deck for these cute, cartoony cupcakes. Ask the kids to dress up the from-scratch chocolate cupcakes you baked with spikes of blue frosting. Before it hardens, they can add a little—or a lot—of icing and Candy Eye Balls ($3, Target) on top.

Try this wise idea for creating cute Halloween cupcakes. Top a plain cupcake with purchased cookies and sliced almonds to get the look. This hooting fellow will be the star of your spread of snacks for a kid’s party.

Invite some extra sweet spirits to your soiree. There’s something ghoulishly great about topping your favorite vanilla milkshake with a hauntingly cute white ghost! While they make a great Halloween treat for kids, you can also use these spooky Halloween sweets to top an adults-only drink while the kids sip their shakes.

Don’t worry, these monster sandwich cookies won't bite! Soft chocolate-espresso cookies filled with rich orange mascarpone cream make for a spooky and fun snack for a kids party, especially when topped with big marshmallow eyes. (Speaking of which, have you ever tried your hand at homemade marshmallows?)

Don’t put away that Belgian Waffle Maker ($20, Target) after breakfast! It’s the key to acing the corny shape of these carrot cake-flavor treats. Simply cut your finished waffle into triangles. This semi-homemade Halloween dessert recipe is a cinch to cook up with kids since many of the ingredients you can just snag at the supermarket and assemble easily.

Beady-eye blackbirds aren't so menacing when they're so sweet and snackable. Use bird-shape cookie cutters or sub in other black Halloween figures, such as a cat, witch, or bat. A brushing of corn syrup after baking is the trick to getting the black sugar coating to stick.

Introducing: Our pick for the cutest Halloween fruit recipe! Candy-coated strawberries act as faux pumpkins in this candy crumble “patch.” 

Test Kitchen Tip: Take this Halloween dessert to the next level by building a cake foundation, frosting, then sprinkling on the cookie crumbles. Finish with the dipped strawberries and frosting "vine" decorations. 

You won't need a bonfire for these fright-night snacks. The beloved marshmallow sandwiches heat in the microwave for one of the quickest and easiest party dessert recipes our Test Kitchen has ever developed. Dip the edges of each treat in sprinkles or orange and yellow sugar to give these Halloween goodies extra flair.

Spin a sugary spiderweb to lure your party guests toward the Halloween dessert table. These thick caramel-chocolate shakes are eye-catching and taste bud-tempting all at once. Drizzled caramel and dark chocolate ice cream toppings create an oozing effect on the glass.

Test Kitchen Tip: Because the webs set up quickly, we recommend that a second person (such as your little sous chef!) add the salt as you drizzle each web.

On this occasion, it’s okay for the kids to say, “bite me!” Halved chocolate oatmeal cookies make for a menacing mouth. Then get creative with red frosting “gums,” mini marshmallow “teeth,” and slivered almond “fangs.” 

No need to choose between cookies, cake, or candy. This mash-up recipe features all three in one sweet package. Stir together and bake a batch of vanilla cupcakes, then ask the kids to crawl on over to layer on the chocolate frosting, add black licorice “legs,” and finish with a chocolate-covered marshmallow cookie “body.”

Homemade candy meets cookie in this spider web-inspired snack. It is Halloween after all, so you might as well double up on the sweets! Purchased Candy Eye Balls ($3, Target) bring the spider truffles to life, while a dusting of powdered sugar on the chocolate cookies spins the web.

Halloween recipes don’t have to be complicated. This fun-to-make treat starts with a classic cookie recipe but gets the Halloween treatment thanks to the simple addition of Candy Eyeballs, ($3, Target).

Add some spook to a pan of classic brownies. The scary twist in this easy Halloween dessert comes by way of dipped chocolate sandwich cookies and candy “eyes.” Voila: Mini mummy faces to adorn each square.

Gummy candies have never looked so sinister! Since no oven time is required (you melt the chocolate in the microwave), this is one of the easiest Halloween treats for kids to help create. They’ll delight in drawing the white cobwebs and placing the gummies and licorice in the scene. To speed up the recipe (or if you don't like licorice), opt for Spider Sprinkles, ($7, Etsy) instead.