25 Spooky Halloween Appetizers

Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays! Everyone loves this spooky time of year in the fall. Halloween is all about monsters, horror movies, trick or treating, and delicious food!

If you’re throwing a Halloween party or dinner party, then you’re likely to need some ideas for food (see also ‘28 Fun Halloween Snacks‘)!

The appetizer is an integral part of a party. They can be defined as a small food or drink item that acts as the first step of a meal.

Appetizers are supposed to whet your appetite for the meal to come, but can also be a great addition to a party where people aren’t eating too much.

Appetizers are fantastic ways to display your culinary creativity, and can be little moments that guests will remember for years to come.

But here’s the thing – it can be hard to come up with good appetizers for Halloween, and even harder to make them.

If you’ve got a big Halloween party coming up, but can’t figure out ideas, don’t panic!

We’re here to help! Below is a list of 33 spooky Halloween appetizers to enthrall your guests! We’ve also included a short FAQ to answer any additional questions you might have left over.

What Makes A Good Appetizer?

Before we get into our extensive list of Halloween-themed appetizers, let’s take a look at what makes a good appetizer. To put it simply, an appetizer should meet these criteria:

• Delicious
• Easy To Consume
• Fitting to the theme of your party.

The delicious part all comes from the recipe you pick and how practiced you are at preparing it.

If you’ve never tried a specific recipe before, make sure to follow it to the letter to make sure it’s perfect.

Secondly, an appetizer should be a small item that is easy to consume by guests.

You don’t want your appetizers to be too big, particularly if you have a meal planned afterward. You also want to make sure there are enough for guests to all try one.

Finally, they need to be fitting to the theme of your party. In this case – Halloween!

There are lots of ways you can do this, but there are lots of unique recipes or classics that you can give a spooky twist!

33 Spooky Halloween Appetizers

1. Ghost Pizzas

If you’re looking for a spooky twist on everyone’s favorite – check out these incredible ghost pizzas.

These are mini pizzas that have been created with cheese formed into the shape of a ghost. They’re fairly simple to make but you might need to spend a bit of time getting the ghost shape right!

2. Ghost S’Mores

If you’re looking for a more sweet ghost-themed Halloween treat, check out these marshmallow ghosts. These are simple to make and the sky is the limit with how much you can decorate them.

Marshmallows are a sure favorite for anyone attending a party who want something quick and delicious!

3. Mummy Hot Dogs

This appetizer is a little bit more difficult to make than some of the others on our list, but if you can pull it off you’re going to have a food item that will wow guests.

The mummy is one of the least appreciated Halloween monsters, and we think you should bring it back with a bang!

This recipe includes standard hot dogs, crescent roll dough, and edible eyes! If you can put them together they’re going to look great and be a big hit!

4. Pinwheel Pumpkins

For the first pumpkin-based item on this list, we’ve gone with a savory pinwheel recipe that includes shallots, sage, cheese, and crispy bacon!

This is a great appetizer for a formal dinner with a Halloween theme and can be a great way to unlock your guests’ appetites.

They are fairly easy to make but have a bit of a long prep time. If you’re willing to put in the effort this could be a great appetizer that guests will love.

5. Pumpkin Quesadillas

Halloween + Mexican food? This is a mix you just have to try! Quesadillas are an incredible choice for an appetizer because they’re simple to make, and a great crowd pleaser.

The recipe we’ve chosen here has some additional ingredients, but if you want something simpler you can simply make sure the filling is just cheese and nothing else!

It might not be the most themed recipe on our list, but it’s a sure-fire way to please guests if you don’t want to be too adventurous.

6. Pumpkin Dip

This is more of a table item you can use to accompany other foods, but it’s a great addition to your party. Pumpkin dip is simple to make and can give your appetizers a Halloween twist without too much difficulty!

We’ve picked a sweet recipe here, but you should be aware that there are savory versions out there that you can make with just a few small changes to your ingredients!

7. Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Pretzels are a gorgeous food item that is perfect for Halloween. You can give these out at a party as a small treat for guests to enjoy.

These are made with cinnamon, and chocolate that gives a spider-like theme.

Orange and black are the perfect colors for Halloween so we think this is a great-looking choice for your Halloween party.

You can also give these out in small paper bags for guests to take home with them.

8. Pumpkin Biscuits

This one is a simple Halloween treat that can be used as an appetizer, or just as general party food for guests to pick at. The recipe we’ve chosen here has a short prep time and cooks in only 15 minutes.

You’ll get 36 biscuits out of each batch so you can make an entire round of appetizers with not much time. Once again, this is a sweet appetizer so it can also work as a dessert.

9. Mummy Meatballs

This recipe is almost identical to the mummy hotdogs we outlined in the section above, with the main difference being that you use meatballs instead of hotdogs.

One thing that will make this recipe more challenging is creating the pastry from scratch yourself, though you may be able to easily swap this out for premade pastry.

10. Jack ‘O Lantern Quesadillas

If you want to make something a little more artistic and challenging, then this twist on the classic Quesadillas favorite is going to be a good recipe for you to try.

Quesadillas aren’t too difficult to make, but to get the Jack ‘O Lantern design right you’re going to need to pull out all the stops!

This recipe includes chicken, but you can easily make a vegetarian version if you have guests with different diets to please!

11. Candy Corn On The Cob

If you take a look at the picture of this appetizer, you may be wondering if it’s really candy corn! Well, that’s the magic of this recipe, and one of the main difficulties of making it!

This is one to pick if you have some extra time on your hand and want something unique that will wow your guests. The center of this recipe consists of cookie dough, and the outer pieces of ‘corn’ are candy corn.

You can also make a multi-colored variety if you’d like, adding any candy corn or substitute that you can find.

12. Pumpkin Soup

Trying to make soup work as an appetizer can be a difficult task, especially if it’s within a less formal party setting.

The trick here is to pick a delicious recipe and make sure it is served hot off of the stove. This recipe in particular is simple to make and is a great way to add more pumpkin to your Halloween party!

13. Jack Skellington Candy Apples

This recipe is for those who are fans of the Tim Burton movie – The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Candy Apples are a staple of Halloween celebrations worldwide, and this themed twist on them is going to be a great appetizer for guests to marvel over.

It is worth stating that this is one of the more difficult recipes to get right on our list, so make sure you follow the recipe closely and take your time!

14. Toffee Apples

Toffee apples are more or less the symbolic food we use to represent Halloween.

This is an old type of food that has been used for generations to delight trick or treaters – and you should know that it works equally well as an appetizer.

One thing to note is that toffee apples can be quite a lot to eat, so you may want to select the smallest-sized apples you can find!

15. Pumpkin Hummus

Like our ‘Pumpkin Dip’ recipe we linked above, this is another that will act as an accompaniment to other appetizers you may be serving.

Hummus (see also ‘The Ideal Foods To Eat With Hummus‘) is universally loved, though pumpkin as a base is a bit more unique. This one is simple to make and can put a great Halloween twist on a food type that a lot of people adore.

16. Oreo Bats

Oreos are another favorite for trick or treaters, and a great opportunity for you to make something that will delight your guests.

One incredible thing about this recipe is that it is completely vegan (Oreos can’t be vegan right?) and something that most guests are sure to love.

They’re also a very small treat so they work great as an appetizer.

17. Ghost Cheese Crackers

This is another ghost-based appetizer that can work great as an appetizer and isn’t too dissimilar to the pizzas we linked above (for more pizza-based appetizers, read here).

These are super simple to make and consist of foods that are more traditionally sued as appetizers.

The hardest part is going to be sculpting the perfect ghost shape for your crackers, so make sure you take your time on this step of the process.

18. Monster Truffles

Next up we have some monster truffles that look incredible if made right.

Truffles (see also ‘What Do Truffles Taste Like?‘) are not always the most common food type to find as an appetizer, but these look so great that you’ll have guests wanting to dig in right away.

This recipe consists of Oreos, cream cheese, snickers, Reese’s pieces, white chocolate, candy eyeballs, and purple sprinkles.

It’s worth noting that making them can be difficult even though the cooking time isn’t that long, so make sure you have adequate time if you want to pull them off.

19. Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

This is another favorite Halloween candy that will be perfect for a short, sweet appetizer.

The real advantage you have with this recipe is that you can make a whole load of different spooky creatures depending on how much time you want to spend.

In the pictures linked to this recipe, you can see devils, Frankenstein’s monsters, and Jack ‘O Lanterns. Whichever you choose is sure to look great.

20. Monster Cookies

These are Halloween-themed only in name, but they are another great choice for something sweet and filled with sugar. Monster cookies are cookies featuring peanut butter, oats, M&Ms, and chocolate chips.

They are a little bit more complicated than normal chocolate chip cookies to make, but if you’ve ever baked cookies before they should be simple for you to whip up!

21. Pumpkin Pie

Now this one might seem more like a full dessert than an appetizer, but if you make the pieces small enough then it can be a great appetizer.

We would mostly recommend this as part of a less structured Halloween party, where guests can take a slice as they please.

It’s also worth noting that pumpkin pie can be difficult to make, so to make things easier you can buy canned pumpkin puree!

22. Chocolate Apples

This is a recipe that has been created for the United Kingdom Festival known as Bonfire Night, but they can work equally as well for any fall celebration.

If you liked the other apple-based appetizers we’ve already gone over, then this is how you can bring that concept to the next level.

As before, we suggest using the smallest apples (see also ‘28 Super Simple Leftover Apple Recipes‘) you can find if you’re planning on making this into an appetizer.

23. Ghost Cake

This is another sweet dessert recipe that should only be used as an appetizer in a more casual party setting (see also ‘37 Dessert Bar Recipes Perfect For A Party‘).

You won’t want to break out great wedges of ghost cake before a big meal, but it can be a great aside for guests during celebrations.

This is the ultimate recipe on our list if you’re looking to test your baking skills, and there is a lot that needs to be prepared to get it right.

24. Bloody Mary Syringes

Here is a drink-based appetizer that can be a great first point of contact for guests at a Halloween party. They are served in syringes and act as an amazing, themed alcoholic beverage.

Bloody marys aren’t for everyone, but the presentation is enough to make guests want to try them out. You can also make non-alcoholic versions of this cocktail if you’re having a sober party.

25. Brain Jello

We’re going to leave you with brain jello, a unique recipe that looks kind of gross but can be a great appetizer to leave on a party table and delight guests.

This one is all about presentation, and although jello is simple to make you may need to follow the recipe carefully to make sure you get the desired effect.

We recommend this one majorly for kid’s parties, as it’s super gross and interactive, but also delicious!

26. Stuffed Roaches

These are a bit of a controversial choice, but something that older guests might enjoy, Made from dates, walnuts and soft cream cheese, these are a great appetizer that tastes much better than they look.

A great addition if you’re looking for something involving insects!

27. Ghost Hard Boiled Eggs

In order to get these tiny little ghosts, all you have to do is hardboil the egg and then completely remove the yolk.

What you’ll be left with is a ghostly white egg that you can begin to craft into the face of a ghost. Less is more with these, we think!

28. Various Halloween Pizzas

If the ghost pizza from earlier didn’t do it for you, we’re going to expand your spooky horizons to a whole list of different Halloween-themed pizzas.

Pick one or two, or try all of them out. There are a few different ingredients for each, and some are harder to make look right than others.

29. Spooky Fruit Kababs

This recipe is one where you can really flex your artistic skills. Whilst the ingredients are mostly simple, the difficulty is getting them to look right.

This is a great appetizer that you can make with kids who will want to prepare fun, interactive food.

30. Mummy Pizza Pies

What’s better than a pizza? A pizza pie! This recipe is similar to the mummy pizza included in the various pizzas above, only they’re much deeper dish and small enough for guests to pick at.

Don’t worry though, they’re no way near as hard to make as a thick, crusty pie!

31. Halloween Popcorn

This is a perfect recipe if you need to prepare an appetizer in a hurry.

Halloween popcorn is a surefire way to make something that looks great and unique, without having to fork out too much on preparation or ingredients.

32. Pretzel Broomsticks

If you pre-buy your pretzels, this is probably the easiest one on our list.

The fun/difficult part is what you decide to do with them. There are a few ways to make pretzel broomsticks and we suggest following the guide in the recipe here.

33. Spooky Taco Dip

Ah, taco dip! This is a surefire favorite that you’re going to want to accompany your appetizers.

This recipe is great and includes artistic little tombstones that will have your guests wowed. Add this one if you have some appetizers that will go well with spicy dip!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Hors d’oeuvres?

This is a French word that is a fancy way of saying appetizer (see also ‘21 Irresistible French Appetizers‘). They are usually savory dishes that come on a tray or are handed out to guests to whet their appetite before a larger meal.

They are typically the first point of contact for guests after they arrive at the party in question.

Can You Have An Appetizer As A Main Course?

There are times when you like an appetizer recipe so much that you might want to create an entire course out of it.

Whilst this isn’t normally done if you want to do this all you have to do is increase the portion size or add additional components to the meal.

There are some appetizers this works better for. It’s worth noting that sweet appetizers don’t really work well for the main course, as savory is usually the better option outside of a few specific dishes.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! Those were our list of 33 Halloween appetizers for your guests to enjoy.

It’s best to just pick a few, depending on how many guests you’re having, and always remember to choose light dishes if you’re planning on having a big meal afterward.

We hope that this has given you some ideas and that you now feel a lot more confident about preparing appetizers for your Halloween party.