5 Spooky Halloween Potluck Recipes

Planning a Halloween potluck and want to bring something that’s both delicious and perfectly spooky? These five crowd-pleasing recipes are easy to make at home, travel well, and are guaranteed to be the hit of any Halloween gathering. From creepy crawly desserts to ghostly appetizers, these recipes use simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

1. Witches’ Brew Punch

This mysteriously delicious punch will have your guests under its spell! The floating “eyeballs” add just the right amount of creepy fun.

Ingredients:

• 64 oz green lemonade (or regular lemonade with green food coloring)
• 32 oz ginger ale
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup green grapes
• Ice cubes
• Large punch bowl
• Ladle

Instructions:

1. Pour the green lemonade into a large punch bowl.
2. Just before serving, slowly add the ginger ale to maintain fizz.
3. Drop in blueberries and grapes to create floating “eyeballs.”
4. Add ice cubes and stir gently.
5. Provide a ladle and cups for guests to serve themselves.

Pro tip: Freeze some grapes and blueberries beforehand to help keep the punch cold without diluting it!

2. Graveyard Brownies

Transform a simple brownie mix into a spooky cemetery scene that’s almost too fun to eat. Almost.

Ingredients:

• 1 box brownie mix (plus ingredients called for on box: eggs, oil, water)
• 20 Oreo cookies
• 8-10 Milano cookies or rectangular graham crackers
• 10-12 gummy worms
• White icing (optional, for tombstone writing)

Instructions:

1. Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions in a 9×13 inch pan. Let cool completely.
2. Place Oreo cookies in a food processor or crush in a sealed bag until they become fine crumbs.
3. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs evenly over the cooled brownies to create “dirt.”
4. Press Milano cookies or graham crackers vertically into the brownies as tombstones.
5. If desired, use white icing to write “R.I.P.” or other spooky messages on the tombstones.
6. Scatter gummy worms on top, letting some “crawl” out of the dirt.
7. Cut into squares around the tombstones when serving.

3. Mummy Meatballs

These wrapped-up meatballs are scary good! The ranch “bandages” make them irresistibly creepy.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen meatballs (or homemade)
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 24 black peppercorns
• 1 cup marinara sauce (for serving)
• Large baking sheet
• Squeeze bottle or piping bag

Instructions:

1. Cook frozen meatballs according to package directions. If using homemade, bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
2. Let meatballs cool for 10 minutes so the ranch won’t slide off.
3. Transfer ranch dressing to a squeeze bottle or piping bag.
4. Drizzle ranch in crisscrossing lines over each meatball to create “mummy bandages,” leaving small gaps.
5. Press two black peppercorns into each meatball for eyes, positioning them where there’s a gap in the “bandages.”
6. Arrange on a serving platter with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make-ahead tip: You can wrap the meatballs up to 2 hours before serving and keep them at room temperature.

4. Dirt Chocolate Pudding Cups

These individual desserts are perfect for a potluck – no cutting or serving required! Guests will dig the gummy worms “crawling” out of the chocolate dirt.

Ingredients:

• 1 large box chocolate pudding mix (or 8 individual pudding cups)
• 3 cups cold milk (if making from scratch)
• 20 Oreo cookies
• 24 gummy worms
• 8 clear plastic cups or glass dessert cups

Instructions:

1. If making pudding from scratch, prepare according to package directions using the cold milk. Let set in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
2. Place Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. Alternatively, place cookies in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
3. Divide pudding evenly among the 8 cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
4. Sprinkle a generous layer of cookie crumbs on top of each cup to create “dirt.”
5. Insert 2-3 gummy worms into each cup, letting them peek out of the dirt at different angles.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. Provide small spoons for eating.

Variation: Add a few drops of green food coloring to make “swamp mud” instead of regular dirt!

5. Halloween Deviled Eggs (Spider Style)

These classic deviled eggs get a spooky makeover with olive “spiders” that will make your guests do a double-take.

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp paprika (plus extra for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 large black olives, pitted
• Large serving platter

Instructions:

1. Hard boil the eggs: Place eggs in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let sit 12 minutes.
2. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool completely, then peel.
3. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks to a bowl.
4. Mash yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
5. Cut 12 olives in half lengthwise – these will be your spider bodies.
6. Slice the remaining olives into thin rings, then cut rings into small curved pieces for spider legs.
7. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture back into egg whites.
8. Sprinkle extra paprika over the yolks for an orange Halloween color.
9. Place one olive half in the center of each egg as the spider body.
10. Arrange 6-8 small olive pieces around each body to create spider legs.
11. Arrange on a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.

These spooky treats prove that Halloween food doesn’t have to be complicated to be impressive!