More sweet than spooky, these Nutella stuffed jack-o-lantern snickerdoodle cookies are a huge hit!
To make my own version of these snickerdoodle jack-o-lanterns, I used my follower-favorite sugar cookie recipe as the base.
Category: Halloween
Healthy Halloween Snack Plate
This Festive and Healthy Halloween Snack Plate is sponsored by Nellie’s Free Range Eggs. All opinions are my own.
Halloween is often synonymous with the sugary treats we all love to give and receive on Beggar’s Night, but today I want to share a super cute snack plate that is healthy and totally simple to make!
This plate features Franken-kiwis, cheese brooms, boo-nanas, straw-mummies, clementine pumpkins, and spider eggs.
13 Easy Halloween Meals and Appetizers
These easy Halloween meals and appetizers are perfect for a casual meal or costume party
Looking for a deliciously spooky meal idea for Beggar’s Night? Check out these fun Halloween recipes below.
Give finger food a new meaning with these bloody fingers. To make the “nail,” simply scrape off a chunk at the tip of the hot dog, then add “blood” with a healthy drizzle of ketchup.
15 Easy Halloween Treats and Desserts
These spooktacular treats are perfect for your next Halloween party
Looking for some spooktacular kid-friendly recipes? These simple snacks and desserts are just what the
Cupcake trifle with a Frankenstein rice krispies treat on top. This is super easy to make and fun for kids and adults!
20 Unique Pumpkin Recipes
It’s pumpkin spice season, and you know what that means! Lots of opportunities to integrate pumpkin puree into your favorite fall recipes. Whether you’re looking for sweet or savory, these delicious and unique pumpkin recipes are sure to please!
Pumpkin Magic Bars are rich, thick, sweet pumpkin cookie bars layered not only with pumpkin but with butterscotch and toffee flavors as well! With creamy pumpkin, crunchy pecans, butterscotch chips, and toffee chips, it is a magical explosion of flavor and textures in every layer of this cookie bar bite! 
Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Egg Pumpkins
These 4-Pepper Deviled Egg Pumpkins feature a flavorful red pepper twist with a pretty filling that resembled mini pumpkins!
A big thanks to Nellie’s Free Range for sponsoring this post, Roasted Pepper Deviled Egg Pumpkins. All opinions are my own.
We’re a pretty traditional family at Thanksgiving. We often relish preparing and sharing the same traditional dishes year after year. Food trends come and go—but don’t mess with my mashed potatoes! You could say I went a little bit off the rails this year by experimenting with a fun twist on our deviled eggs recipe that I think everyone can get behind!
All it takes is one sweet, piquant, and smoky secret ingredient to upscale a dish of classic deviled eggs. The prototypical Dijon mustard and creamy mayonnaise still play an important role in this recipe the roasted red peppers and a magnanimous dusting of paprika take this from basic – to amazing.
Serve this for Thanksgiving (like we did) or bring them to a potluck, wherever they go, these roasted red pepper deviled eggs are sure to shine brilliantly.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy and disclosures.
Lazy Mom’s Guide to Halloween Dinner
This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Can you feel that? The chill in the air is already creeping in, and so are the Halloween decorations in every store I visit. As you’re well aware, I’m not a big fan of fall, but the holidays of the fall and winter seasons sure make the nip in the air a whole lot more tolerable.
While I do love delighting my kids with a fun themed meal every Halloween season, I don’t always have the same zest for pulling off the details.
Today I’m sharing my lazy mom’s guide to Halloween Dinner. I’m including three, super-simple ideas for pulling off that cute themed dinner, without the prep.
That’s right: if you’re decidedly *not* a Pinterest mom, this post is for you.
Black (and Pink) Cat Halloween Bags
Friendly Cat Printables for Party Favors and Boo Bags
This shop, Black Cat Halloween Bags, has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #BOOItForward #CollectiveBias
Trick Or Treating where I grew up was a ritual like no other I’ve found. When *I* was a kid (said in my best, wise old lady voice), we had to WORK for OUR treats.
When I graduated college and moved to Chicagoland, I remember being a bit appalled at how the kids acted on beggar’s night. They walked up to the door, held their bags open and looked at me expectantly.
Sure, they were dressed up in their adorable little costumes, but make no mistake: these kids were slackers.
I’d ask them, “What’s your trick?” And they and their parents would look at me quizzically, like I was the crazy lady on the block.
See, back when I was a kid in central Iowa, we kids would spend the week before Halloween searching for the BEST joke so we could be prepared for Beggar’s Night. If you had no joke and no costume, you would be DENIED, or at the very least, tsked for not doing your job right.
AKA: Trick FOR treat. Quid pro quo.
I tried to get my kids to single-handedly carry out the tradition out here, but it was a no-go. My neighbors were confused at why they were being told jokes. They didn’t quite appreciate the tradition. I get it.
So, this year we’re trying a new angle: we’re Boo’ing it forward. Surprising neighbors and friends with little treats and goodies on their doorstep.
Forget the traditional and tired oranges, browns and greens of Halloween, and the spooky ghosts and goblins that just aren’t for everyone. We decided to stand out by creating classy and chic Black Cat Halloween Bags.
To make them, start with some simple, inexpensive craft essentials: pink and black paper favor bags, glitter paper, and self stick letters. Oh, and a feather boa.
Spooky Sugar Cookie Bars
THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE BARS RECIPE
Soft, chewy and so yummy, you will want to make this sugar cookie bars recipe with sweet cream cheese frosting again and again.
Halloween Emoji Nail Art
Nailed It! Free printable nail art
I’m back with a new Halloween-themed tutorial combining two things I’ve been a little obsessed with lately: emojis + nail decals. Really, who doesn’t love emojis? They’re cute AND a stand-alone language. Keep reading to download your own free emoji nail art printable and learn just how easy this is!
Salted Caramel Apple Bar
Sweet and savory salted caramel dip recipe
You’re going to love this Salted Caramel Dip recipe! Use it on fruit, ice cream, dried apple and banana chips, or graham crackers for an extra sweet treat!
Shop Your Closet: Free and Fab Halloween Costumes!
DIY This Year’s Hottest Halloween looks for free
Looking for last-minute Halloween costume ideas? Here are 5 inexpensive DIY Halloween costumes you can shop your closet for – no sewing or glue guns required! Or, follow the links to shop these looks for yourself!
Pokemon: Ash ketchum
Mean, Green Halloween Punch
Green Halloween Punch with Spooky Skewers
Did you know Tuesday is National Punch Day? Well, now you do. I couldn’t think of a better reason to share this spooky Green Halloween punch I made for the kids.
Take One And Run Halloween Printable
Free Trick-or-Treat sign for Beggar’s Night: Take one and run!
Every year for Halloween (also known by some as Beggar’s Night) I’m faced with the dilemma of leaving the house to trick-or-treat with the kids, and being unable to hand out candy to our fellow trick-or-treaters. I can’t be the only one with this issue right?
Last Minute (Free) Halloween Costume: Liz Lemon
Looking for a last-minute Halloween costume, on a budget? Shop your closet and go as Liz Lemon of 30 Rock! Who cares that the show ended two years ago? Tina Fey is always in style. Plus, there are cheese puffs involved.
This one came a little naturally to me – I often get comments that I remind people of Tina Fey when I wear my glasses. Having spent half my life in corporate, I pretty much already have all the makings of a Liz Lemon wardrobe (for better or worse), but you can shop the look below.
Shop the look:
Looking for more last minute and free Halloween Costumes? Check out my round-ups, here and here.
Confession: I had a bag of Cheese Puffs for this costume…but I ate them before I could take the picture. I am Liz Lemon.
No-Carve Family Halloween Pumpkins
Family Halloween Pumpkins
Do you want some pumpkin decorating ideas that do not require you to carve them up first? I have the best no carve pumpkin decorating ideas the whole family will love!
At our home, we don’t really “do” spooky Halloween. We have fun, dress-up, and eat lots of sweets on Halloween. So this year, I thought it would be fun to make a pumpkin representing each member of our family that we could bring back out year after year – in addition to carving Jack-O-Lanterns in real pumpkins, of course.
THE BEST NO CARVE PUMPKIN DECORATING IDEAS
Frozen (or cinderella?) no-carve pumpkin
For this pumpkin, you will need:
- Krylon aqua matte spray paint
- Krylon glitter blast diamond dust
- Self-stick rhinestone gems
- Princess tiara
You will want to paint the pumpkin with the aqua matte spray, and allow it to dry.
Then, spray a light coat of the diamond dust spray, and allow it to dry.
To make it, I used Krylon aqua matte spray paint to painT a white craft pumpkin.
I then layered Krylon opulent opal glitter spray paint on top. I was super bummed with this though. It was gorgeous going on, but within moments it stopped working. I figured the glitter was clogging the nozzle and I tried multiple solutions to no avail. What a waste!
I went back and purchased Krylon glitter blast diamond dust spray paint. It was also beautiful and the can worked much better.
Once completely dry, decorate as desired with self-stick rhinestone gems. Top with a fun princess tiara, if desired.
Hello Kitty no carve pumpkin
For this pumpkin, you will need:
- Pinter
- Clear contact paper
- Black and pink acrylic paint
- Hair bow
Simply print out a Hello Kitty face on the printer, and place it over the clear contact paper as a stencil.
Paint the stencil in with the paint and allow it to dry. Add a fun hair bow to complete this look.
Minecraft Creeper NO CARVE pumpkin
For this pumpkin you will need:
- Black craft pumpkin
- Krylon emerald green spray paint
- Printer
- Clear contact paper
- Black acrylic paint
- Black craft pumpkin
To make this painted pumpkin, cut out a square in the black craft pumpkin, and paint the inside green with the green spray paint. Print out the Creeper face, and place it over the contact paper to use as a stencil. Place the stencil inside the dry pumpkin and paint on the Creeper face with the black acrylic paint.
Stud NO CARVE Pumpkin
For my pumpkin, I just picked up this black studded pumpkin from JoAnn’s I just love it!
For my husband, well…
He’s a long-suffering Chicago Bears fan (as am I). Da Bears!
What do you think of our no-carve Family Halloween Pumpkins? Looking for more easy Halloween ideas? Check out my Lazy Mom’s Guide to a Halloween theme dinner.
Then, check out my free printable Halloween emoji nail decals here.
Halloween Treats Round-Up
Spooktacular Halloween Recipes
Halloween may not be my favorite holiday in the world, but I do love getting festive with my food! Here is a round-up of some of my Halloween treats and recipes.
Mean, Green Halloween Punch with Spooky Skewers This refreshing punch with fun and spooky drink stirrers is sure to please at your Halloween gathering!
Skeleton guts made with little smokies and your favorite barbecue sauce make a fun Halloween party appetizer.
Monster Mix Simply toss whatever you have on hand: I use popcorn, pretzel sticks, Cheerio’s, M&M’s, candy corn, and a few mini Oreos. Just a little effort goes a long way with this snack. I once brought it to a cross country meet in a ziplock with some plastic cups for serving, and I don’t want to brag here – but phrases like “awesome mom” and “best cook ever” got thrown around by my kids and their friends quite a bit. No need to tell them this took all of 2 minutes to pull together.
Frankenstein Pudding This one is as easy as mixing a few drops of green food coloring in your vanilla cook & serve pudding and crumbling some Oreos on top. Draw a Frankenstein face on the outside of your clear container with a dry erase marker.
Mummy Pizzas and Hot Dogs It doesn’t get any easier than wrapping strips of crescent rolls around a hot dog and baking them, or DIY mini pizzas using string cheese for the mummy wraps, but it still gets me some serious street cred with the littles.
I made the eyeballs for the Mummy Hot Dogs using slices of string cheese and cutting out a hole using a straw. Then, using the same straw to place a perfectly sized olive slice in the hole. I really did that. Should I be ashamed right now?
Jack-O-Lantern (and Minecraft Creeper) Stuffed peppers are a regular meal on our rotation, so we love to make it a little more festive in October. We sometimes also stuff them with spaghetti when we’re trying to make our monsters a little more gory with guts.
This year, I even made a Creeper Stuffed Pepper for my Minecraft – obsessed son!
Candy Corn Jell-O Parfaits These are as easy as they look. Layer orange Jell-O over cooled, firm lemon Jell-O gelatin. Top with whipped cream and serve!
Monster Cookies First, get these fun Wilton eyeball candies and then follow this recipe.
Caramel Apple Bar Okay this one isn’t Halloween, per say, but what a perfect treat for a Halloween Costume party or Autumn gathering? Learn more about how I pulled this together, here.
Even better, make your own to-die-for salted caramel dip!
Shop your Kids’ Closets for Halloween Costumes!
DIY HALLOWEEN Costumes FOR FREE
Looking for last-minute Halloween Costumes? Look no further than this inspiration for shopping your kids’ closets for these super cute looks!
Star Wars Jedi Luke Skywalker: All it takes is a Karate uniform top, a bathrobe or bed sheet (or you can buy a Jedi cape inexpensively here), some khakis and a pair of boots – and a blue light saber, of course. Here is how I envisioned the costume:
Shop your kids’ closets for Halloween – Star Wars Jedi Luke Skywalker| Five Marigolds
And here’s how it looked on Dub.
Sock Hop – I love this look for a brother and sister! The boy look is super easy, of course. For the girls, I paired a pink tutu pettiskirt with a cardigan, scarf and some black Mary Janes. Either cut out your own “poodle’ or grab a really inexpensive one online. Add some cute glasses for a final touch!
Here’s how it looked on my little one (Yeah…that was before her hair was done, but the only happy look I got. Toddlers!):
Baby Jazzerciser: This goes down as my favorite costume yet and it’s super easy. Just pair a baby onesie with a bright cut-up onesie, legings or tights, some baby legwarmers or Baby Legs (or cut up some old socks) and use a knit baby headband for, well, the headband. I actually cut the elastic tops off of some baby socks for the little baby wristbands! My mother sewed an adorable boom box to complete the look. You can get something similar here or here.
Here’s how my little one rocked it:
Baby Kitty Cat: This one can’t get any easier. Combine a black baby onesie with black leggings or tights, and maybe a cute matching fur vest or black tutu pettiskirt, and you’ve got yourself a kitty cat! Add the finishing touches of a black nose and whiskers using eyeliner, and don’t forget the kitty ears! You can currently buy kitty ears headbands at the Target Dollar Spot, online here, or you can make them on your own. Use a thin feather boa from the dress up pile, and cut it up to make “fur” wrist cuffs and use as the tail.
Pink Poodle: Similar to the black cat costume above, this costume starts with a pink leotard and tutu. I completed the look with a DIY Poodle Headband and faux fur cuffs.
Shop this look: Pink top or leotard, tights, tutu pettiskirt, ballet slippers
Looking for more last-minute Halloween Costume inspiration? Find more ideas for shopping your own closet here and here.
Shop Your Closet: Free and Fabulous Halloween Costumes!
DIY classic HALLOWEEN LOOKS FOR FREE
Note: This post was originally published in 2013, but due to the continued traffic and interest each season, I’m reposting it with updated shopping links. Enjoy!
Looking for last-minute Halloween costume ideas? Here are 5 inexpensive DIY Halloween costumes you can shop your own closet for. Or, follow the links to shop these looks for yourself!
Holly Golightly – Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Or here are a couple inspired by some great television shows:
Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) in 30 Rock
Couple Costume: Sheldon and Amy from The Big Bang Theory
I think my favorite is the “Shamy” couple costume from one of my favorite shows, “The Big Bang Theory.” Which is your favorite?
LOOKING FOR MORE LAST-MINUTE HALLOWEEN COSTUME INSPIRATION? FIND MORE IDEAS FOR SHOPPING YOUR OWN CLOSET HERE AND HERE.
Shop your kids’ closets for Halloween
Shop your kids’ closets for Halloween | Five Marigolds
Shop your own closet for Halloween – Sock Hop | Five Marigolds by shellrock1 featuring a black shawl
Converse black shoes
$43 – debenhams.com
$43 – debenhams.com
Black shawl
modcloth.com
modcloth.com
Mens V-Neck Tee
abercrombie.com
abercrombie.com
Detangling comb
$23 – thehut.com
$23 – thehut.com
Il Gufo Black Patent Mary Jane Shoes
childrensalon.com
childrensalon.com
Basic Cardigans For Baby Size 18-24 M – Light heather gray
oldnavy.gap.com
oldnavy.gap.com
Shop your kids’ closets for Halloween – Luke Skywalker| Five Marigolds
Shop your Own Closet for Hallween | Star Wars Luke Skywalker by shellrock1 featuring halloween home decor
Billabong Dynamite Belt
buckle.com
buckle.com
Halloween home decor
partybell.com
partybell.com
UGG Kids Classic (Little Kid/Big Kid)
zappos.com
zappos.com
