All 30 recipes Graveyard dirt pudding with gummy worms Popcorn drizzled in "blood" (strawberry syrup) Mummy hot dogs wrapped in pastry Candy corn (controversial, like the ending) Witch finger pretzels with almond nails A suspiciously large bowl of cheese puffs Pizza bagels, the official food of 1987 Eyeball meatballs in marinara Brain-shaped Jell-O, jiggling ominously Pumpkin seeds roasted in a cauldron (oven) Bat wings (chicken wings, relax) Swamp water (lime soda + gummy frogs) Ghost meringues that scream when bitten (they don't) Caramel apples from a stranger's orchard Black licorice, for the brave and the damned Nachos with an unholy amount of jalapeños Severed-finger cookies Toxic-green slime punch Cold leftover pizza, eaten in the dark like a raccoon Coffin-shaped grilled cheese Energy drinks, Taz-style (please don't) Grave Hog's mystery chili (do not ask what's in it) Black coffee, Riff-Rot strength Spider-web brownies Pigs in a blanket, tucked into their coffins A mountain of fun-size candy bars Kettle corn from the haunted county fair Bone-dry tortilla chips and "lava" salsa Vampire-bite cupcakes with raspberry centers Full-size candy bars, like the rich neighbors give out Graveyard dirt pudding with gummy worms Serves 6 · about 20 minutes
Chocolate pudding, cookie "dirt" and worms crawling out of the grave. The undead classic.
Ingredients 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix 2 cups cold milk 1 cup whipped topping 15 chocolate sandwich cookies 1 cup gummy worms Optional: cookie "tombstones" (oval vanilla wafers + icing pen) Steps Whisk pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes, then chill 5 minutes until thick. Fold in the whipped topping so the dirt is extra fluffy. Seal the cookies in a zip bag and smash them into crumbs. Therapeutic. Layer pudding and crumbs in cups, finishing with a thick crumb layer. Bury gummy worms halfway so they look like they are escaping. Stick a tombstone in each. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk and wheat; cookies may contain soy. Check worm labels for gelatin.
Shop the specialty stuff: Gummy worms · Tombstone dessert cups
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Popcorn drizzled in "blood" (strawberry syrup) Serves 4 · about 10 minutes
Buttery popcorn splattered like the third act of a slasher.
Ingredients 10 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels) 3 tbsp butter, melted 1/4 cup strawberry syrup (ice cream topping) 1/2 tsp salt Optional: red candy melts for thicker "blood" Steps Spread popcorn on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Toss with melted butter and salt. Drizzle strawberry syrup across in thin splatters with a spoon (flick your wrist for crime-scene realism). Let it set 5 minutes, then pile into a bowl and serve fast before it gets soggy. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk (butter). Use plant butter for dairy-free.
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Mummy hot dogs wrapped in pastry Serves 4 · about 25 minutes
Hot dogs wrapped in pastry bandages. They rise from the oven, as is tradition.
Ingredients 8 hot dogs 1 can (8 oz) crescent roll dough Mustard or ketchup for eyes Optional: candy eyes (stick on after baking) Steps Heat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut dough into thin strips and wrap each dog like a mummy, leaving a gap near one end for the face. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and the hot dogs are heated through. Dot on mustard eyes, cool 2 minutes and serve. Cut into small pieces for little kids (hot dogs are a choking hazard). ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat; dough may contain milk and soy.
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Candy corn (controversial, like the ending) Serves 8 · about 5 minutes
Candy corn is divisive. Hide it in salty mix so even the haters eat it.
Ingredients 2 cups candy corn 2 cups salted peanuts (or pretzel pieces for nut-free) 2 cups mini pretzels 1 cup chocolate candies 1 cup popcorn Steps Dump everything into a big bowl. Toss with your hands like you are mixing a potion. Serve in a cauldron. Accept no complaints about the ending. ⚠ Allergens: Contains peanuts (swap for pretzels or roasted chickpeas to make it nut-free), wheat, milk and soy. Many candies are made in facilities with nuts.
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Witch finger pretzels with almond nails Serves 6 · about 20 minutes
Pretzel rods dipped in green candy, with an almond fingernail. Gnarly, crunchy, cursed.
Ingredients 12 pretzel rods 1 cup green candy melts 12 whole almonds (or red candy-coated chocolates for nut-free) Optional: black sprinkles for warts Steps Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time. Dip the top two-thirds of each pretzel rod and tap off the extra. Press an almond on the tip as the nail. Pinch a little extra coating into "knuckles". Lay on parchment and chill 10 minutes until set. ⚠ Allergens: Contains tree nuts (almonds), wheat, and milk/soy in candy melts. Use a chocolate candy nail for a nut-free hand.
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A suspiciously large bowl of cheese puffs Serves 6 · about 5 minutes
The recipe is the bowl. Bigger. Bigger. Okay, that is suspicious.
Ingredients 1 family-size bag cheese puffs 1 tsp smoked paprika or taco seasoning Optional: 1/2 cup pumpkin-shaped candies Steps Pour the cheese puffs into the largest bowl you own (a cauldron is ideal). Sprinkle paprika over the top and shake gently for a spicy "dragon dust" upgrade. Hand out napkins, or accept orange fingerprints on the remote forever. ⚠ Allergens: Usually contains milk; check the bag for wheat and soy.
Shop the specialty stuff: Plastic cauldron bowl
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Pizza bagels, the official food of 1987 Serves 4 · about 15 minutes
Rad, tubular, and ready during the opening credits.
Ingredients 4 plain bagels, split 1 cup pizza sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella Mini pepperoni or sliced olives 1 tsp Italian seasoning Steps Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Put bagel halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Spread sauce, pile on cheese and add pepperoni or olive "eyes". Sprinkle Italian seasoning. Bake 8-10 minutes until the cheese bubbles. Cool 2 minutes so it doesn't burn your mouth. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat and milk.
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Eyeball meatballs in marinara Serves 4 · about 25 minutes
Meatballs that stare back. Mozzarella and olive eyes in a pool of red.
Ingredients 1 bag (about 24) frozen fully cooked meatballs 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce 12 small mozzarella pearls, halved 6 black olives, sliced Toothpicks for serving Steps Simmer the meatballs in marinara in a covered pan for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until hot all the way through (165°F/74°C). Turn off the heat and press a mozzarella half on top of each meatball. Put an olive slice in the middle as a pupil. Cover 1 minute so the cheese sticks, then serve with toothpicks. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk; frozen meatballs often contain wheat and egg (cooked).
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Brain-shaped Jell-O, jiggling ominously Serves 8 · about 20 minutes
A wobbly pink brain. Plus 4 hours of chill time while it thinks about what it did.
Ingredients 2 boxes (6 oz each) peach or watermelon gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk 1-2 drops green food coloring (for a grayish-pink brain) Cooking spray Steps Lightly spray a brain mold (about 6 cups). Stir gelatin into boiling water for 2 minutes until fully dissolved. Stir in evaporated milk and a drop of green color for that gray matter look. Pour into the mold and chill at least 4 hours until firm. Dip the mold in warm water for 10 seconds and flip onto a plate. Jiggle ominously. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk. Gelatin is not vegetarian; use an agar dessert mix if needed.
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Pumpkin seeds roasted in a cauldron (oven) Serves 4 · about 30 minutes
Rescue the guts from your jack-o'-lantern and turn them into crunchy little coffin nails.
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted dry 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder or cinnamon sugar Steps Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Pick off the stringy pulp, rinse the seeds and dry them well on a towel. Toss with oil, salt and seasoning, then spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Roast 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crunchy. Cool before snacking. ⚠ Allergens: Pumpkin seeds are seeds, not tree nuts, but check if anyone has a seed allergy. Butter adds milk.
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Bat wings (chicken wings, relax) Serves 4 · about 50 minutes
Sticky, dark and glossy. Black-as-night glaze, zero actual bats.
Ingredients 2 lb chicken wings 1 tbsp oil 1/2 cup barbecue sauce 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp honey Salt and pepper Steps Heat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a sheet pan with foil and a rack. Pat wings dry, toss with oil, salt and pepper, and bake 40-45 minutes, flipping once, until crisp and 165°F (74°C) inside. Stir barbecue sauce, soy sauce and honey in a bowl. Toss hot wings in the glaze and bake 5 more minutes until sticky. ⚠ Allergens: Contains soy and usually wheat (soy sauce). Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw chicken.
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Swamp water (lime soda + gummy frogs) Serves 6 · about 5 minutes
Murky green and full of frogs. Tastes way better than it looks.
Ingredients 1 liter lime or lemon-lime soda, chilled 2 cups limeade 1 cup ice 1 cup gummy frogs Optional: a few drops blue food coloring for a darker swamp Steps Pour the soda and limeade into a pitcher or punch bowl over ice. Add a drop or two of blue coloring for that bog-green color. Drop gummy frogs in right before serving so they swim, not dissolve. ⚠ Allergens: Most gummies contain gelatin. Small gummies can be a choking risk for little kids.
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Ghost meringues that scream when bitten (they don't) Serves 8 · about 120 minutes
Little baked ghosts that melt on your tongue. Silent, mostly.
Ingredients 3 large egg whites, room temperature (or 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites) 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp vanilla Mini chocolate chips for eyes Steps Heat oven to 225°F (110°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy, then add sugar a spoonful at a time and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat in vanilla. Pipe tall ghost swirls with a zip bag with the corner cut off. Add two chocolate chip eyes. Bake 90 minutes until dry and crisp (fully baked, not raw), then turn off the oven and let them cool inside. ⚠ Allergens: Contains egg. Chocolate chips may contain milk and soy.
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Caramel apples from a stranger's orchard Serves 6 · about 30 minutes
Shiny, sticky and only slightly cursed. Melting store caramels keeps it easy and safe.
Ingredients 6 small crisp apples (Granny Smith is great) 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels, unwrapped 2 tbsp milk or cream 6 sturdy sticks Toppings: crushed cookies, sprinkles or chopped peanuts Steps Wash and dry the apples well (wax keeps caramel from sticking). Push a stick into each. Microwave caramels and milk in 30-second bursts, stirring, until smooth. It is very hot, so adults handle this part. Dip and twirl each apple, letting extra drip off. Roll in toppings and set on buttered parchment. Chill 15 minutes until firm. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk. Peanut topping contains nuts, so offer a nut-free sprinkle option.
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Black licorice, for the brave and the damned Serves 6 · about 5 minutes
A snack board of dark candy for the brave, with a safety note even ghouls should know.
Ingredients 8 oz black licorice twists or bites 1 cup dark chocolate pieces 1 cup blackberries 1 cup pretzels Optional: red licorice for the cowards Steps Arrange everything on a board in spooky piles. Cut licorice twists into "bones" and cross them like a skull flag. Snack in moderation: the FDA warns that eating a lot of black licorice daily for weeks can affect heart rhythm, especially for adults over 40. ⚠ Allergens: Licorice usually contains wheat. Chocolate may contain milk and soy.
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Nachos with an unholy amount of jalapeños Serves 4 · about 15 minutes
Sheet-pan nachos so spicy the priest leaves early.
Ingredients 1 bag (11 oz) tortilla chips 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained 1/2 cup sliced jalapeños (pickled or fresh) Salsa, sour cream and guacamole for dunking Steps Heat oven to 400°F (200°C) and spread chips on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Scatter beans, cheese and an unholy amount of jalapeños. Bake 6-8 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guac. Wash hands after cutting fresh jalapeños and don't touch your eyes. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk. Check chips if anyone avoids corn.
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Severed-finger cookies Serves 12 · about 30 minutes
Knobby sugar cookie fingers with almond nails and jam "blood". Gross, perfect.
Ingredients 1 tube (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1/4 cup flour (to make the dough easy to shape) 24 whole almonds (or chocolate chips for nut-free) 1/4 cup strawberry jam Steps Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Knead flour into the dough. Roll tablespoon-size pieces into finger shapes and pinch in two knuckles; score lines with a knife. Press an almond on one end as a nail. Bake 10-12 minutes until the edges barely brown. Cool, then lift the nail and dab jam underneath and on the cut end. ⚠ Allergens: Contains tree nuts (almonds), wheat, egg and milk (cookie dough). Use chocolate chip nails for nut-free.
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Toxic-green slime punch Serves 10 · about 10 minutes
A glowing green potion that fizzes like a lab accident. Ladle carefully, the worms bite back.
Ingredients 1/2 gallon (1.9 L) lime sherbet 2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled 4 cups (32 oz) pineapple juice, chilled 1 cup gummy worms Optional: 1 drop green food coloring for extra glow Steps Scoop the lime sherbet into a big punch bowl and let it soften for 5 minutes. Pour in the pineapple juice, then slowly add the soda so it foams up like toxic sludge. Stir gently and add a drop of green coloring if it isn't radioactive enough. Hang gummy worms over the rim and drop a few in. Serve right away while it's frothy. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk (sherbet). Gummy worms usually contain gelatin. Use a dairy-free sorbet for vegan ghouls.
Shop the specialty stuff: Gummy worms · Halloween punch bowl
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Cold leftover pizza, eaten in the dark like a raccoon Serves 2 · about 5 minutes
Cold pizza is valid. But a 5-minute skillet crisp turns raccoon food into something legendary.
Ingredients 4 slices leftover pizza (refrigerated within 2 hours of delivery and eaten within 3-4 days) Optional: chili flakes, honey or ranch for dunking Steps Eat it cold, straight from the fridge, like a raccoon. Or: Put slices in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until the bottom crisps. Add a few drops of water to the pan away from the slices, cover with a lid for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Drizzle with hot honey and chili flakes. Eat in the dark. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat and milk.
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Coffin-shaped grilled cheese Serves 4 · about 15 minutes
Melty grilled cheese cut into coffins. Perfect with tomato soup "blood".
Ingredients 8 slices sandwich bread 8 slices cheddar or American cheese 2 tbsp softened butter Optional: tomato soup for dipping Steps Cut the bread into coffin shapes with a knife (trim the corners into a long hexagon) or a coffin cookie cutter. Butter the outsides and sandwich cheese (trimmed to fit) in the middle. Cook in a skillet over medium-low heat 2-3 minutes per side until golden and melty. Serve with a mug of tomato soup for dunking. Save the bread scraps for croutons. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat and milk.
Shop the specialty stuff: Coffin cookie cutter
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Energy drinks, Taz-style (please don't) Serves 4 · about 5 minutes
Taz chugs four energy drinks a night. Please don't. Here is a caffeine-free fizz with the same neon chaos.
Ingredients 2 cups sparkling water or ginger ale 1 cup white grape juice 1/2 cup mango or passion fruit juice Juice of 1 lime Ice and lime wheels Steps Fill four glasses with ice. Divide the juices and lime juice between them. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and scream "TAZ MODE" with zero jitters. ⚠ Allergens: No common allergens. Caffeine-free, so it's safe for kids and late-night movies.
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Grave Hog's mystery chili (do not ask what's in it) Serves 6 · about 45 minutes
Grave Hog says it is a family secret. It is beef, beans and a little cocoa. Don't tell him we told you.
Ingredients 1 lb ground beef or turkey 1 onion, diced 2 cans (15 oz) kidney or black beans, drained 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes 3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp cocoa powder (the mystery) Steps Brown the meat and onion in a large pot over medium-high heat until no pink remains (160°F/71°C). Drain fat. Stir in spices and cocoa for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and beans, bring to a simmer. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Serve with cheese, sour cream or chips. Do not ask. ⚠ Allergens: Free of the top allergens as written; toppings may add milk or wheat.
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Black coffee, Riff-Rot strength Serves 4 · about 10 minutes
Dark as a tour van at 3 a.m. Riff-Rot drinks it black; you can add whatever you want, we won't tell.
Ingredients 6 tbsp medium-coarse ground coffee (or decaf for late movies) 4 cups hot water (just off the boil, about 200°F/93°C) Optional: a pinch of cinnamon in the grounds Steps Add coffee (and cinnamon) to a French press or drip machine. Pour in the hot water and stir; brew 4 minutes in a French press. Press slowly and pour into the blackest mugs you own. Serve decaf after 8 p.m. so you can actually sleep after the movie. ⚠ Allergens: No common allergens. Not for kids: contains caffeine unless you use decaf.
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Spider-web brownies Serves 16 · about 45 minutes
Fudgy brownies with a white icing web. Add a plastic spider if you hate your friends.
Ingredients 1 box brownie mix plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for 1/2 cup white icing or melted white chocolate Optional: candy spiders or a chocolate candy body Steps Bake brownies in a 9x13 pan as the box says until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (don't eat raw batter: raw egg and flour). Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Pipe 4 rings of icing, then drag a toothpick from the center out to make the web. Add a candy spider, cut into squares and serve. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat, egg and milk; may contain soy and be made near nuts.
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Pigs in a blanket, tucked into their coffins Serves 6 · about 25 minutes
Tiny sausages tucked in for eternal sleep.
Ingredients 1 pack (12-14 oz) cocktail sausages 1 can (8 oz) crescent dough Mustard for dipping 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional) Steps Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut dough into small rectangles and lay a sausage on each. Wrap the "blanket" up to the sausage's chin so the head pokes out. Sprinkle seeds. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden. Serve with mustard. Cut for small kids. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat; dough may contain milk and soy. Sesame seeds are a common allergen, so leave them off if needed.
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A mountain of fun-size candy bars Serves 10 · about 20 minutes
Turn the mountain into candy bar bark: melted chocolate studded with chopped fun-size loot.
Ingredients 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips 2 cups chopped fun-size candy bars 1/4 cup Halloween sprinkles Steps Line a sheet pan with parchment. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Spread it about 1/4 inch thick and scatter candy pieces and sprinkles, pressing lightly. Chill 15 minutes, then smash into jagged shards. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk and soy; many candy bars contain peanuts, tree nuts or wheat. Check every wrapper if allergies are in the crypt.
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Kettle corn from the haunted county fair Serves 4 · about 10 minutes
Sweet, salty and crackling like a carnival after closing time.
Ingredients 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup popcorn kernels 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt Steps Heat oil and 3 kernels in a large pot with a lid over medium heat until they pop. Add the rest of the kernels and the sugar, stir, and cover. Shake the pot constantly as it pops so the sugar doesn't burn. Remove from heat when popping slows to 2-3 seconds apart. Dump onto a sheet pan right away, sprinkle with salt and let cool. Melted sugar is very hot, so adults only at the stove. ⚠ Allergens: No common allergens. Whole popcorn is a choking risk for kids under 4.
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Bone-dry tortilla chips and "lava" salsa Serves 6 · about 10 minutes
A fiery red blender salsa that erupts out of the bowl.
Ingredients 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes 1/2 small onion 1 garlic clove 1 jalapeño (seeds removed for mild) Juice of 1 lime, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/2 tsp salt 1 bag tortilla chips Steps Put tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño, lime, cilantro and salt in a blender. Pulse 5-8 times until chunky, not soup. Taste and add more jalapeño for more lava. Serve in a bowl with a ring of bone-dry chips. ⚠ Allergens: No common allergens. Check chips if anyone avoids corn.
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Vampire-bite cupcakes with raspberry centers Serves 12 · about 45 minutes
Pale frosted cupcakes with two fang holes oozing raspberry.
Ingredients 1 box white or vanilla cake mix plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 1 tub (16 oz) vanilla frosting A straw for making bite marks Steps Bake cupcakes as the box says (until a toothpick comes out clean) and cool completely. Use a small spoon to scoop a little hole in each top and fill with jam. Frost smoothly over the top. Poke two fang holes with a straw and drip a tiny bit of jam from each. Dramatic. ⚠ Allergens: Contains wheat, egg and milk; may contain soy.
Shop the specialty stuff: Halloween cupcake liners
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Full-size candy bars, like the rich neighbors give out Serves 4 · about 10 minutes
Live like the rich neighbors: chop a full-size bar over an ice cream sundae.
Ingredients 1 pint vanilla ice cream 2 full-size candy bars, chopped 1/4 cup chocolate or caramel sauce Whipped cream Steps Scoop ice cream into four bowls. Drizzle with sauce. Pile on chopped candy bars and a swirl of whipped cream. Keep one bar whole and unopened. Display it like a trophy. ⚠ Allergens: Contains milk and soy; many candy bars contain peanuts, tree nuts or wheat.
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