Easy Halloween Desserts Your Whole Table Will Fight Over

Some October evenings feel made for baking. The porch light is on, the kitchen smells like warm chocolate, and a tray of something orange and a little bit silly is cooling on the counter while the first trick-or-treaters wander by.

These Halloween desserts are made for exactly those nights. They’re festive without being fussy, and easy enough that you’ll want to make them again next year. You’ll find a chocolate Halloween cake for the party table, no-fuss bars and bark for the school bake sale, and bite-sized Halloween treats for little hands.

Most of them come together in an afternoon, and nearly all can be made ahead, so you can enjoy the party as much as everyone else.

1. Chocolate Halloween Cake with Candy Corn

If you’re making one showpiece this year, make this one. Moist chocolate cake layers are stacked with rich chocolate buttercream and finished with candy corn, so it looks like Halloween without much decorating skill. It’s the dessert people photograph before they cut into it. Get the recipe: Candy Corn Cake

2. Halloween Cupcakes (Vanilla Candy Corn)

These are festive without being frightening: soft vanilla cupcakes topped for Halloween. They’re the right size for a classroom party or a trick-or-treat gathering, and you won’t need to slice or serve anything. Get the recipe: Vanilla Candy Corn Cupcakes

3. Fudgy Halloween Brownies

Rich, fudgy brownies paired with sweet, chewy candy corn. It’s a classic combination of salty-sweet-chocolatey that tends to disappear first at fall parties. Get the recipe: Candy Corn Brownies

4. Peanut Butter Halloween Blondies

Here’s a good home for the leftover Halloween candy collecting in your pantry. These blondies are a little nostalgic and a little indulgent, and the peanut butter keeps them from tasting like pure sugar. Get the recipe: Peanut Butter Candy Corn Blondies

5. Halloween Fudge

When you want a creamy, colorful Halloween treat without turning the oven on, make fudge. It sets in the fridge, cuts into neat squares, and packs well for gifting or party platters. Get the recipe: Quick & Creamy Candy Corn Fudge

6. Halloween Bark

The easiest sweet-and-salty Halloween treat on the list is a chocolate bark. Spread, sprinkle, chill, break into shards, and pile it into a bowl. It’s one to hand to kids who want to help. Get the recipe: Candy Corn Bark

7. Halloween Cookies

Simple, cheerful cookies that bring out the kid in everyone. They’re ideal for Halloween parties and fall bake sales, and they travel well in a tin. Get the recipe: Easy Candy Corn Cookies

8. Halloween Cake Pops

Cake pops make any dessert table feel playful. They’re bite-sized, glossy, and easy to dress up with orange, black, and purple. Use the foolproof base recipe, then decorate for Halloween. Get the recipe: Delicious Cake Pop Recipes

9. No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Not every Halloween dessert needs to be orange-and-black themed. These creamy, spiced bars are undeniably fall and need no oven, which makes them handy when the kitchen is already busy. Get the recipe: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Make It a Party

Dessert is only half the table. Pair these Halloween treats with a drink:

For the grown-ups: Spooky Halloween Cocktails
For the kids: Halloween Drinks for Kids
More cozy sweets: Fall Dessert Recipes
Carving night: Pumpkin Carving Ideas

Halloween Dessert FAQ

Which Halloween desserts can I make ahead? Fudge, bark, cake pops, and the no-bake cheesecake bars all hold well in the fridge for a few days. Bake the brownies and blondies the day before and cut them just before serving.

What are the easiest Halloween treats for kids to make? Bark and fudge, because there’s very little baking and plenty of sprinkling.

What can I do with leftover Halloween candy? Fold it into the blondies, or press it into bark or fudge.