Quick Info
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 10–12 as appetizers
- Course: Appetizer / Party Platter
- Cuisine: American with a spooky twist
- Skill Level: Easy
- Special Equipment: Baking sheet, parchment paper, small piping bag or zip-top bag, food-safe gloves (optional), toothpicks
Introduction
Every October, my little goblins and I transform our kitchen into a haunted snack lab. We crank up “Monster Mash,” dim the lights, and cackle our way through a batch of Creepy Halloween Finger Foods that somehow get devoured faster than you can say “boo!” This platter isn’t just cute; it’s a showstopper that makes guests pull out their phones and ask for the recipe—right before they bite into a witch finger breadstick or a googly-eyed caprese skewer.
Think of this as your one-pan plan for Halloween: a mix of savory bites and crunchy veggies with a shocking beet hummus “blood” for dipping. It’s simple, scalable, and perfect for parties, class events, or a fun family movie night. Let’s get spooky!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Witch Finger Breadsticks
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough (or 1 pound homemade)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried Italian herbs
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 24 whole blanched almonds (for “nails”)
- Coarse salt, to finish
- Mini Mummy Dogs
- 1 can crescent roll dough
- 24 mini beef or turkey cocktail sausages
- 2 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard (for eyes)
- 1 tbsp honey (optional, for glaze)
- Caprese “Eyeballs” Skewers
- 24 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 24 cherry tomatoes
- 24 pitted black olive slices (for “pupils”)
- 2 tbsp pesto or olive oil
- 1–2 tsp balsamic glaze (vein effect, optional)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Toothpicks or 4-inch skewers
- “Bloody” Beet Hummus & Severed Veggie Sticks
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 small cooked beet (about 3 oz), diced
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp salt, or to taste
- Assorted veggies: carrot sticks, celery ribs, cucumber spears, red bell pepper strips
- To Serve
- A large platter or board
- Fresh rosemary or kale leaves (for spooky garnish “twigs”)
Optional / Variations
- Swap almonds with pepita seeds for nut-free witch fingers.
- Use plant-based sausages and a vegan crescent dough for vegetarian mummies.
- Stir a few drops of Sriracha into hummus for extra “bloody” heat.
- Add edible gel food coloring (red) to the mozzarella “veins” for drama.
- Tuck in cheese string “bandages” around hot mummies if you prefer not to bake dairy.
- Include pretzel stick “bones,” green grapes, or blackberries for color balance.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat & Prep Your Haunted Kitchen
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set out your serving platter and create a base with kale leaves or rosemary sprigs—this turns into a dark, moody forest for your creepy bites. My kids call it the “graveyard.”
Step 2: Shape the Witch Finger Breadsticks
Unroll the pizza dough and cut it into 24 strips. Roll each strip into a 3–4 inch log, tapering one end to a point for the fingertip. Use a knife to add shallow “knuckle” lines across each finger—two sets of three little slashes look convincingly creepy. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, smoked paprika, and a pinch of coarse salt. Press a blanched almond onto each pointed tip as a “nail.” Arrange on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10–12 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. For extra realism, brush the “knuckles” with a touch of olive oil and paprika after baking to deepen the shadows. Let cool slightly on the pan.
Step 3: Wrap the Mini Mummy Dogs
Cut the crescent dough into thin strips (about ¼ inch wide). Wrap each cocktail sausage with overlapping strips, leaving a small gap near the top for “eyes.” Place on the second baking sheet. Brush lightly with honey if you want a glossy finish.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the dough is golden and the sausages are heated through. Dot two tiny mustard eyes in the gap—use a toothpick for tidy dots. If transporting to a party, add eyes right before serving so they don’t smudge.
Step 4: Assemble Caprese “Eyeballs”
Thread a cherry tomato, a basil leaf, and a mini mozzarella ball onto each toothpick. Press a black olive slice onto the center of each mozzarella to make a “pupil.” If it won’t stick, dab with a touch of pesto or olive oil as edible glue. For a veiny effect, streak a very thin drizzle of balsamic glaze from the “pupil” outward using a toothpick. You can also lightly score the mozzarella with a paring knife before glazing for a more dramatic look.
Step 5: Whirl the Bloody Beet Hummus
In a food processor, combine chickpeas, beet, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, and salt. Blend until silky-smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Adjust with a tablespoon of water for a softer dip or more olive oil for richness. Taste and tweak lemon or salt. The color should be a vivid crimson—my youngest swears it’s vampire-approved.
Transfer to a shallow bowl and use the back of a spoon to swirl dramatic “bloody” waves. Drizzle with olive oil and a crack of black pepper.
Step 6: Build Your Spooky Platter
Place the beet hummus bowl slightly off-center. Fan witch finger breadsticks along one edge, pointing inward like a creepy hand reaching for the dip. Tuck mummy dogs opposite the hummus. Fill gaps with severed veggie sticks—carrots, celery, cucumbers, and red pepper strips. Nestle the caprese eyeballs around the board so they “stare” at your guests. Finish with rosemary sprigs or kale for that haunted-forest vibe. Serve immediately, or cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 2 hours; warm the mummies in a low oven for 5–7 minutes before setting out.
Tips & Variations
- Make-Ahead Magic: Shape breadsticks and wrap mummies up to 1 day ahead; keep covered in the fridge. Bake just before guests arrive. Hummus keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.
- Kid Helpers: Let little hands press on almond “nails” and olive “pupils.” It’s messy, it’s hilarious, and it becomes a October tradition before you know it.
- Gluten-Free Path: Use gluten-free pizza dough and crescent dough alternatives, or replace the breadsticks with gluten-free pretzel rods shaped into knobby fingers using strips of gluten-free tortilla.
- Nut-Free Nails: Pepitas or sunflower seeds make great “claw” substitutes. Even a triangle of red bell pepper works in a pinch.
- Heat Level: Add a pinch of cayenne to the breadstick seasoning, use spicy mustard for mummy eyes, or swirl harissa into the hummus.
- Color Balance: Add green grapes or kiwi slices (separate dish) for a pop of eerie green; blackberries bring a “midnight” tone that’s stunning next to the beet red.
- Serving Warm: Keep mummies warm on the lowest oven setting (170–200°F / 75–95°C) on a foil-lined sheet while guests mingle.
- Platter Size: For a crowd, double the breadsticks and mummies; the caprese eyeballs scale easily.
- Dairy-Free Eyeballs: Use marinated mushrooms or firm tofu cubes in place of mozzarella; top with olive “pupils.”
- Edible Dirt: Sprinkle crushed black sesame or pumpernickel bread crumbs around the board for a graveyard “soil” effect.
Nutrition
(Per approximate party serving—about 2 breadsticks, 2 mummies, 2 eyeball skewers, and ¼ cup veggies with hummus.)
- Calories: 370
- Protein: 16 g
- Carbs: 38 g
- Fat: 17 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Sugar: 5 g
Final Thoughts
There you have it—Creepy Halloween Finger Foods that are equal parts eerie and irresistible. This platter brings all the seasonal thrills with minimal stress, so you can enjoy your party and still have time to sneak a mummy (or three). If you try it, let me know which bite vanished first; at our house, the witch fingers are gone before the doorbell rings.
Save this for your Halloween party board, spooky appetizer ideas, Halloween party food, Halloween snacks for kids, and make-ahead Halloween appetizers. From my haunted kitchen to yours—happy haunting!
