5 Sweet and spooky Halloween party dessert recipes

Once the school year is under way, kids across the country begin to think about that very important question: What are you going to be for Halloween? And while children ponder this very important matter, I know parents are also beginning to think of something else: What snacks should I serve at the party?

From whimsical to classic autumn flavors, here are some fun ideas that everyone will love at your next Halloween party.

Ghostly meringues

Light as air and more adorable than spooky, these ghostly meringues are so easy to make and a treat that won’t leave you feeling guilty on Halloween. Made with egg whites and sugar, they are fluffy and fun to make! You can paint little faces on them with thin frosting or frosting dye, or use mini chocolate chips to capture the perfect ghoulish expression (recipe below).

“Boo-berry” coconut macaroon spiders

Classic coconut macaroons get a Halloween twist when you add some “boo-berries!” Blueberries or blackberries lend some of their dark color and their fruity goodness to these macaroon cookies that are so easy to make for a crowd. To make your trick-or-treaters’ skin crawl, add some legs with licorice strings or sour straws. Candied eyes make them almost too cute to eat (recipe below)!

Pumpkin ice cream sandwiches

Come fall, I can’t get enough pumpkin, and that couldn’t be more true than with pumpkin ice cream! And what’s better than ice cream? Well, ice cream sandwiches, of course! These pumpkin ice cream sandwiches are a cool treat to scoop for all your little witches and goblins. Get the recipe for pumpkin ice cream sandwiches.

Dark chocolate, pumpkin seed & cranberry bark

Pumpkin-flavored everything is all well and good, but let’s not forget healthy pumpkin seeds! This treat is a wonderful way to add some crunch to your next Halloween party. .

Pumpkin butter smoothie

Smoothies for Halloween? Why not? Everyone will love these wholesome smoothies —they’re rich, they’re creamy and they taste like a pumpkin milkshake. The thing is, they are so much better for you than a milkshake, because they’re made with delicious, homemade pumpkin butter. Get the recipe for this pumpkin butter smoothie.

Ghostly meringues recipe

Yields 24 meringues

Ingredients:

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Black food dye or mini chocolate chips for eyes

Directions:

1. Let the egg whites come to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F with the rack placed in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whip attachment, whip together the egg whites and sugar on high speed until it is frothy. Add the cream of tartar and cornstarch and whip the egg white mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the egg whites are stiff, taking care not to over-whip until the point of dryness.
4. When the egg whites appear thick and glossy, add the vanilla and whip for about 1 minute more.
5. Transfer the meringue to a large piping bag outfitted with a large round tip. Keeping the piping bag vertical, pipe the meringues in 2-inch-wide cones: start by making a circle and continue moving the tip upwards, mimicking the look of soft serve ice cream. The meringues should be 3 to 4 inches tall.
6. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours. When the meringues are done, they will be a light ivory in color, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool slowly with the door shut, then open it a crack and continue to cool completely. This can be done overnight.
7. Decorate the ghosts with eyes. Chocolate chips or painted food dye both work. The meringues can be prepared a few days in advance. Store in a dry place in a tightly sealed container.

”Boo-berry” coconut macaroon spiders recipe

Yields 24

Ingredients:

• 5 1/3 cups (1 14 ounce bag) sweetened shredded coconut
• 2/3 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 (14 ounce) can of fat free condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries or blackberries
• Licorice string or sour straws, for legs
• Candied eyes
• Melted candy coating (to attach eyes)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the racks placed in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the coconut and flour. Add the condensed milk and stir well.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, chop the berries until fine. Take about 1 cup of the coconut mixture and blend it with the berries until well blended. Return this coconut mixture to the large bowl and stir well until well incorporated.
3. Using a small cookie scoop, drop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through baking, until the cookies are light brown on the bottom and the coconut is lightly toasted.
4. Let the cookies cool slightly on the pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. To add legs, cut the licorice or sour straws into 1-to-2-inch pieces. Use a toothpick to poke tiny holes in the macaroons and insert the legs. Attach eyes using a drop of melted candy coating.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored collaboration between Aquafresh^® Toothpaste and SheKnows