61 Spookalicious Halloween Potluck Dishes: Appetizers, Drinks, Desserts & More

Looking for unique ways to infuse both terror and taste into your next Halloween potluck dishes? If you’re hosting a Halloween-themed potluck or you’ve been invited to one, you’ll need to know your options when it comes to bringing a dish to share. From eerie appetizers to wickedly delightful desserts, these dishes are sure to bewitch your guests.

Table of contents

• Halloween brunch potluck dishes
• Spooky appetizers
• Macabre main dishes
• Deadly desserts
• Spell-binding drinks

1. Bloody pancakes

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

Start your Halloween morning off right with a stack of delicious bloody pancakes. Get creative with fun and scary shapes like spiderwebs or ghosts and drizzle with strawberry syrup “blood.” 

2. Mummified sausage links

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

Entomb sausage links in a flaky biscuit crust to create this kid-favorite breakfast potluck dish! Serve with a side of ketchup for an extra bloody breakfast. 

3. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

Attending a Halloween brunch? These cinnamon rolls infused with pumpkin puree and warm spices are the perfect seasonal sweet treat to share. 

4. Pumpkin muffins

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

These moist and aromatic pumpkin spice muffins are a cozy and crowd-pleasing addition to any Halloween brunch. Add a rich cream cheese filling for an extra bit of sweetness. 

5. S-Ooo-gar donuts

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

In a rush? Never fear — this Halloween potluck dessert is not only creative but super quick and easy to make. Just grab a dozen of your favorite powdered donuts and some candy eyes to create these adorably ghoulish treats. 

6. Earthworm parfait

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

For a healthier Halloween breakfast alternative, these creepy crawly granola bowls topped with gummy worms fit the bill and match the theme perfectly.

7. Frankentoast

Type of potluck dish: Brunch

Turn your Halloween breakfast potluck into a monstrously delicious affair with this creepy take on classic avocado toast. Create this scary yet nutritious dish by topping toasted bread with mashed avocado, black olive bolts and a bell pepper mouth. It’s a frightfully fun and savory twist that will amuse and satisfy your fellow potluck-goers.

8. Monster bites

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Looking for a kid-friendly Halloween snack that’s sure to cause a fright? These apple and peanut butter monster bites are quick and tasty treats. Sliced almonds, marshmallows, or yougurt-covered almonds make for terrifying teeth!

9. Spiderweb layered dip 

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Elevate your chips and salsa game with this spooktacular Halloween-inspired five-layer dip. Pack in the guacamole, sour cream, salsa, beans, cheese and any other favorite dip ingredients, then top with a sour cream web and black olive spider. Serve with your favorite blue corn tortilla chips for a creepy take on a potluck classic!

10. Roasted pumpkin seeds

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Have your pumpkin carving double as food prep by collecting, seasoning and roasting the pumpkin seeds for your next Halloween party. This is a super simple recipe that’s guaranteed to have friends and family coming back for more. 

11. Wrapped hot dog mummies

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

This Halloween version of pigs in a blanket is just as fun to eat as it is to make. Let your little ones help you create these scary Halloween treats for some family fun.

12. Pumpkin cheese fondue

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Have your friends indulge in the ultimate Halloween comfort food experience with cheese fondue served in a hollowed-out pumpkin! Serve with a vegetable platter, cubes of crusty bread and other classic fondue accompaniments. 

13. Spooky spider hot dogs

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Turn ordinary hot dogs into creepy-crawly delights with this spider Halloween hot dog recipe. Simply slice each hot dog to resemble spider legs, wrap in crescent dough, bake and serve for a frighteningly festive dish!

14. Bat cheese balls

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

These creepy yet charming bat cheese balls are the perfect shareable Halloween dish — if you can manage to get them to the party before eating them all yourself! Simply follow your favorite cheese ball recipe and complete the look with olive eyes and blue corn tortilla chip wings. 

15. Pumpkin hummus

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Channel comfy fall vibes with this creamy and subtly spiced pumpkin hummus.  Crafted with sweet pumpkin puree and traditional hummus ingredients, this delicious vegetarian party food offers a seasonal twist that pairs perfectly with pita bread, veggie sticks and other dippables. 

16. “Deviled” eggs

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

No potluck is complete without deviled eggs, but “devil” takes on a whole new meaning with this appetizer. Follow your go-to deviled eggs recipe and have grape tomatoes or red bell pepper and olives on hand to design your own devilishly cute deviled eggs. 

17. Breadstick bones

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Cheesy breadsticks and marinara sauce are always a crowd-pleaser, but shaping your dough to resemble bones is sure to get people talking. Use premade breadstick dough for an easy recipe hack. 

18. Mummy jalapeno poppers

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Add some heat to your Halloween potluck with mummy jalapeño poppers! These spicy delights, encased in flaky pastry dough bandages, create a playful and spooky twist on a potluck must-have. 

19. Mini widow pizzas

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Transform frozen mini pizzas into spine-tingling Halloween treats by topping them with olive spiders in a web of mozzarella. Simply arrange sliced black olives to create creepy-crawly spiders with olive-slice bodies and legs.

20. Octodogs

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Although not a traditional animal feared on Halloween, octopuses can still be scary in their own right. That’s why the octodog makes a great Halloween treat. Just buy some hot dogs, slice one end to resemble tentacles, and then create their faces with mustard and pepper flakes.

21. Plucked eyeballs

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

These prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella eyeballs are sure to cause a scream! Not only are they super easy to make, but fellow party goers won’t be able to refuse with these guys staring up at them from the appetizer table. 

22. Spider deviled eggs

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

After preparing the classic deviled egg filling, turn it into a sinister delight by adding sliced black olives as spider bodies and thin olive strips as spindly legs. 

23. Creepy charcuterie board

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Put a spooky spin on your charcuterie board with thematic touches like blackberries for a dark and mysterious twist, gummy worms for extra creepiness and miniature pumpkin-shaped cheeses to set the eerie tone for a memorable Halloween feast.

24. Halloween snack mix

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Conjure up this spooktacular blend by combining caramel popcorn, mini pretzels, candy corn, peanuts and mini marshmallows. It’s the ultimate combination of sweet, salty and crunchy — perfect for munching while enjoying the festivities. 

25. Witches’ brooms

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Take your Halloween cheese tray to the next level with these tiny broomsticks made from cheese, pretzel sticks and chives. They’re a savory addition that will cast a spell on all the other potluck guests. 

26. Eye of newt

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Add a touch of witchcraft to your Halloween feast with these delicious eye of newt deviled eggs, complete with an ooey gooey bright green filling. 

27. Ghost pepper dip

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Kick your Halloween potluck dishes up a notch with this ghost pepper dip. The blend of spices pairs well with the melty cheese. Serve in a skull-shaped bowl with chips and cut vegetables. 

Not a fan of spicy? Add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt to balance out the heat.

28. Bewitched breadsticks

Type of potluck dish: Appetizer

Stay on theme with these breadstick broomsticks that are sure to sweep your guests away. Serve with marinara or your choice of dipping sauce. This is also an easy cooking activity for kids!

29. Zombie eye pasta

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Serve up a chilling delight with this spooky Halloween twist on spaghetti and meatballs: zombie eye pasta! Crafted with carefully shaped meatballs and mozzarella “eyeballs,” this ghoulish dish is the perfect addition to your macabre menu. 

30. Black bat wings

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Get your hands on your favorite chicken wings and coat them in a mixture of dark soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, black food coloring, hickory barbecue sauce and dark brown sugar to give them an unsettling — but totally tasty — black glaze.

31. Jack-o’-lantern peppers

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Elevate your Halloween potluck with whimsical and vibrant jack-o’-lantern stuffed bell peppers! They can be stuffed with meat, cheese and tomato sauce as a scrumptious main dish, or veggies and dressing for an easy-to-serve side salad.

32. Severed finger dogs

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Carving individual hot dogs to look like fingers may take some time, but the results are sure to impress your guests (and turn some stomachs). Don’t forget to drizzle ketchup to create the appearance of fake blood.

33. Zombie meatloaf

Type of potluck dish: Main course

If you already have a crowd-pleasing meatloaf recipe, create your own take on the zombie meatloaf trend. We’ve seen dishes covered in “blood” (ketchup), mummified in pastry dough and even wrapped in gore-stained “bandages” (bacon). 

34. Monster burgers

Type of potluck dish: Main course

From sloppy joes to juicy burgers, you can turn any slider into an adorably devilish Halloween potluck entree. Don’t be afraid to get creative with stuffed olive googly eyes, ketchup blood or even pickle tongues! 

35. Paranormal pizza

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Want to surprise guests with a finger food that everyone will love (and fear)? Whip up a spooky paranormal pizza with prepared pizza dough, tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella and fresh mozzarella trimmed into fun ghost shapes. Bonus points for adding black olive spiders!

Need an idea of how many pizzas to make? Check out our pizza calculator to find out!

36. Shrunken head baked potatoes

Type of potluck dish: Main course

These ghoulishly baked spuds, complete with eerie facial features and delectably crispy skin, are bound to be the most talked-about dish of the night. Complete your Halloween potluck dish with sides of sour cream, chives, bacon bits and cheese.

37. Vampire blood tomato soup with Muenster sandwiches

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Use cookie cutters to cut a few grilled cheese sandwiches into black cats, witches, bats or whatever other Halloween creature you’d like. Pair them with tomato soup served in test tubes that resemble vials of blood.

38. Jack-o’-lantern beef pies

Type of potluck dish: Main course

For a hearty Halloween potluck dish, these bewitching beef pies are sure to delight and satisfy. Use your cupcake pan to make mini biscuit cups, fill with spicy beef mixture and top with American cheese or biscuit pumpkin faces!

39. Baked rats

Type of potluck dish: Main course

These mini meatloaf baked rats smothered in tomato sauce are sure to freak your friends out, but once they get past the appearance, this Halloween potluck dish will be gone in a flash. 

40. Mummy meatballs

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Halloween potluck dishes not only have to be spooky, but they do have to be delicious! These mummy meatballs are wrapped in pastry dough and served with a warm marinara sauce. Double or even triple the recipe, depending on your guest count.

41. Bewitching beef stew

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Indulge in the warmth of this witch’s brew beef stew. Serve your stew in a cauldron to enhance the Halloween spirit. Add a few drops of green food coloring to sprinkle in more spookiness.

42. Frankenstein’s monster chili

Type of potluck dish: Main course

Not sure what to make for your Halloween party? This monster chili is easy to make yet so delicious (and spooky!). Take your monster chili to the next level with a few drops of green food coloring.

43. Red velvet vampire cupcakes

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Irresistible cupcakes with fake blood seeping out? Delicious and spooky. Whip up a dozen red velvet cupcakes (or buy a dozen — we won’t tell) and infuse them with a little bit of “blood” (raspberry jam brightened with a drop of red food coloring). These cupcakes are sure to be a hit at any Halloween potluck.

44. Creepy lychee eyeballs

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Make your friends and family squirm with these chillingly delicious treats — stuffed lychee eyeballs. These eerie delights feature lychee fruits stuffed with strawberry jam and garnished with a blueberry center. They can double as a cocktail garnish and a healthy snack for your kids!

45. Finger cookies

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

For a hauntingly delightful addition to your Halloween potluck, consider bringing these cursed finger-shaped cookies. These eerily realistic treats, complete with almond “nails” and edible “blood,” will send shivers down spines while delighting taste buds.

46. Graveyard brownies

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Transform your chocolate brownies into a haunting graveyard scene, complete with crumpled cookie dirt and cookie tombstones. Add gummy worms emerging from the graves’ for an extra spooky finishing touch. 

47. Spiders on a stick

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

These creepy crawlers can make a great Halloween appetizer or dessert. Grab some pretzels and chocolate and whip up a batch for your potluck. Let your kids help you make them for a bit of pre-Halloween night fun.

48. Vampire gingerbread men

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

For a dish straight out of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” adorn your traditional gingerbread man cookies with fangs! Your fellow partygoers will love sinking their own teeth into these deliciously adorable vampire cookies.

49. Mini pumpkin pies

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Impress your Halloween potluck guests with charming mini pumpkin pies featuring jack-o’-lantern crusts. These bite-sized treats boast a creamy pumpkin filling and a spooky carved pastry lid for a delightful fusion of classic fall flavors and Halloween whimsy.

50. Eyeball cake pops

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

People won’t help but ogle at these eerie and delicious eyeball cake pops. These chillingly realistic treats are made with moist cake crumbs, coated in white chocolate and adorned with vividly detailed bloodshot “veins.” 

51. Frankenstein’s monster pops

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Create these adorably eerie treats by dipping marshmallows in green-tinted white chocolate, adding candy eyes and a stitched mouth. They’re a fun and frightful sweet treat that will electrify your party guests.

52. Ghoulish cupcakes

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Ready to take your baking skills to new heights this Halloween? These rich chocolate cupcakes topped with hand-made white chocolate ghosts are an absolute scream. 

53. Mummy macarons

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Wrap your taste buds in spooky sweetness with mummy macarons for your Halloween potluck. These delightful pillowy cookies, drizzled with white chocolate to create mummy bandages and adorned with candy eyes, make for a deliciously eerie dessert. 

54. Caramel apple bites

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

These dipped apples feature crisp apple slices on sticks, generously coated in luscious caramel or rich chocolate and toppings of your choice. They’re an irresistible, bite-sized indulgence that captures the essence of fall in every sweet, sticky bite.

55. Graveyard dirt cup

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Take a spooky spin on a childhood favorite with dirt cups — layers of chocolate pudding, crushed chocolate cookies and gummy worms — adorned with cookie gravestones for a delicious touch of macabre. 

56. Pumpkin spice truffles

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Follow this simple pumpkin spice truffle recipe for a decadent treat that captures the essence of the season in every bite. They’re the perfect bite-size indulgence to sweeten up your spooky gathering.

57. Haunted crispy rice treats

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Dazzle your Halloween potluck with creatively themed crispy rice cereal treats that go beyond the ordinary. Craft eerie tombstone-shaped treats using rectangular bars, frosting and cookie crumbs for an edible graveyard. Or, shape them into whimsical pumpkin or ghost forms and add a drizzle of orange or white chocolate to complete the spooky transformation.

58. Haunted house cake

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Impress your guests by making this haunted house cake. While it may seem difficult to cook up, it’s shockingly simple. Serve this chocolate cake for all to enjoy.

59. Cauldron of chocolate

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Add a spooky take on traditional fondue with a cauldron of chocolate. Add your melted chocolate to a cauldron and serve. Make sure to put out a bowl of marshmallows, pretzel and other ingredients for dipping.

60. Spiderweb cheesecake

Type of potluck dish: Dessert

Indulge in this stunning and delicious dessert that’s perfect for Halloween. This creamy cheesecake is topped with a web pattern to mimic the appearance of a spiderweb. The combination of the rich, creamy cheesecake and the dark, intricate spiderweb pattern makes for an unforgettable Halloween potluck dish.

61. Perilous punch

Type of potluck dish: Drinks

Don’t forget the party drinks! This blood-red Halloween punch with a creepy frozen hand reaching for the surface will have guests utterly spooked. Skip the vodka if you plan on sharing with the kiddos. 

62. Witch’s brew

Type of potluck dish: Drinks

This chilling witch’s brew recipe combines lime sherbet, pineapple juice, lemon-lime soda and gummy creatures, creating a bubbling, foggy green brew that’s as refreshing as it is spooky. Add some rum for a boozy concoction. 

63. Butterbeer

Type of potluck dish: Drinks

Transport your guests to the magical world of Hogwarts with a cauldron of this enchanting libation. Topped with buttery whipped cream and gold sprinkles, this punch alternative is all treats and no tricks. 

Conjure up a taste of Halloween delights

The magic of the season lies not only in costumes and decorations but also in the enchanting flavors that tantalize your taste buds. From spider deviled eggs that send shivers down your spine to the cozy comfort of pumpkin spice muffins, Instacart makes it easy to order online and grab everything you need for your next Halloween potluck dish.