Halloween is not just about what goes into the trick-or-treat bag. It is also a perfect excuse to gather the grandkids in the kitchen and create a few delightfully creepy treats of your own.
October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, and popcorn makes an easy starting point for Halloween snacks. It is inexpensive, fun to decorate and versatile enough to become a spider web, a green zombie, a witch or even a crunchy caramel apple.
These four family-friendly recipes range from silly to spooky, with plenty of jobs for young kitchen helpers. Adults should handle the stove, melted chocolate and hot marshmallow mixtures.
Find more Halloween recipes at Popcorn.org.
Spooky Popcorn Spider Web
This shareable marshmallow-and-popcorn web comes complete with chocolate popcorn spiders. Place it in the middle of the table and let everyone pull off a piece—if they dare.
Makes: 1 large spider web
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
8 cups miniature marshmallows, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
9 cups popped popcorn, divided
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Black string licorice
Candy eyes
Directions
Line a round pizza pan with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add 5 cups of marshmallows and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes, or until completely melted.
Stir in the vanilla, then remove the pan from the heat. Add 8 cups of popcorn and stir until evenly coated.
Spread the mixture onto the prepared pan in an irregular circle about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for approximately 15 minutes, or until firm.
Microwave the remaining marshmallows for about 20 seconds, or until melted. Use a spatula or spoon to stretch thin strands of marshmallow across the popcorn circle, creating a cobweb effect.
Melt 3/4 cup of chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of hot—but not boiling—water. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
Place the remaining cup of popcorn in a bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over it and gently fold until coated.
Divide the chocolate popcorn into eight small clusters on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Add two candy eyes to each cluster. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, or until set.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips. Cut the licorice into 1-inch pieces for legs.
Dab small circles of melted chocolate around the popcorn web. Place one chocolate popcorn cluster on each circle and attach licorice legs.
Refrigerate for another 15 minutes. Cut the web into smaller pieces before serving.
Witchy Popcorn Balls
These green popcorn witches have candy faces, licorice hair and chocolate-cone hats. No two witches need to look alike, which is helpful when little decorators take creative control.
Makes: 8 popcorn balls
Ingredients
16 chocolate wafer cookies
Nonstick cooking spray
3 quarts popped popcorn
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3 tablespoons lime gelatin dessert mix
1 to 2 drops green food coloring, optional
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Licorice strings
8 chocolate ice cream cones
Orange sugar sprinkles
Jelly beans
Candy corn
Directions
Cover the work surface with waxed or parchment paper. Arrange eight wafer cookies on the paper as bases for the witches.
Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray and add the popcorn.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and gelatin powder, stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth. Add green food coloring if a deeper shade is desired.
Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir until evenly coated.
Lightly coat clean hands with cooking spray. Firmly shape the mixture into eight balls and place each one on a wafer cookie.
Press jelly beans, candy corn and other small candies into the popcorn balls to create eyes, noses and mouths.
Place the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate onto each popcorn ball. Press licorice strings into the chocolate to make hair.
Dip the rim of each ice cream cone into the melted chocolate and then into the orange sugar. Place each cone on one of the remaining wafer cookies to create a hat.
Set a hat on top of each witch. Allow the chocolate to firm for approximately 45 minutes.
Serve immediately or wrap the popcorn balls individually.
Green Halloween Zombies
These goofy green zombie heads are more funny than frightening. Let each grandchild use the candy to create a different expression.
Makes: About 7 zombie treats
Ingredients
2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 tablespoons lime gelatin powder
Red gumballs
Candy corn
Flat green candy strips or fruit leather
Green sugar sprinkles
Directions
Place the popcorn in a large bowl.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted.
Stir in the gelatin powder until the mixture is evenly colored.
Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir until thoroughly coated.
With buttered hands, shape the popcorn into seven ovals. Flatten each oval slightly and pinch one end to create a skull shape.
Place the skulls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Press two red gumballs into each skull for eyes and add candy corn for teeth.
Trim the green candy strips with kitchen scissors and press them into the tops of the skulls to make hair. Finish with green sugar sprinkles.
Allow the zombies to set for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or wrap individually.
Popcorn Caramel Apples
Caramel apples get an extra layer of crunch in this sweet-and-salty Halloween treat. Slice them before serving so they are easier for children—and grandparents—to enjoy.
Makes: 4 apples
Ingredients
1 quart freshly popped popcorn
1 package caramels, approximately 9 1/2 ounces, unwrapped
1/4 cup light cream or half-and-half
4 lollipop sticks or wooden candy-apple sticks
4 apples
1/2 cup chocolate
chips
Sugar sprinkles
Decorative ribbon, optional
Directions
Place the popcorn in a large bowl and cover the work surface with waxed paper.
Combine the caramels and cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until the caramels have melted and the mixture is smooth.
Insert a stick into the center of each apple.
Dip one apple into the caramel, using a spoon to coat any uncovered areas.
Place the caramel-coated apple in the bowl of popcorn. Gently press popcorn onto the caramel until the apple is covered. Transfer it to the waxed paper and repeat with the remaining apples.
Place the chocolate chips in a resealable microwave-safe bag. Microwave in 10-second intervals, gently pressing the chips between intervals, until completely melted.
Snip a tiny corner from the bag. Drizzle chocolate over each apple and add sugar sprinkles.
Tie a ribbon around each stick, if desired. Allow the coating to set, then cut the apples into slices before serving.
With a little popcorn, melted marshmallow and candy creativity, the kitchen can become Halloween headquarters. Just be warned: Once the grandkids discover that candy eyes improve nearly everything, no ordinary snack may ever look safe again.