Simple Snacks For A Halloween Dorm Party

As spooky decorations line the residence halls and costume ideas fill our Pinterest feeds, it’s the perfect time to dress up and throw a Halloween party with your friends.

A good spooky party needs some delicious food, but away with the old candy apples and pumpkin pie! To help you out, here are three spooktacular recipes you can easily cook in the dorm.

Chocolate Pumpkin Ghost Cookies

With a sharp kick of pumpkin spice combined with the decadent, crunchy white chocolate glaze, the only thing scary about these chewy ghost cookies is how they haunt my cravings for more!

It is really easy to make these delicious cookies in large quantities for a party, and even with decorations, it takes only 35 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• Cookie Dough:
  • 1/2 cup (122g) canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 (168g) unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• Frosting:
  • 1 bar of dark chocolate
  • 2 bars of white chocolate
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • Piping bag / Ziplock bag
• Spiced Sugar:
  • 1 cup (220g) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small bowl, mix ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and the light brown sugar.
3. Pour the pumpkin puree onto a plate and press with paper towels to soak up excess moisture.
4. In a medium to large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
5. In another large bowl, mix softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, either using an electric mixer or whisking at high speed.
6. Add in egg yolks and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
7. Add in the pumpkin puree and continue to mix until all the ingredients are well blended together. 
8. Add the dry ingredients and slowly mix until they form a smooth, soft dough. 
9. Scoop the dough into 2 tbsp-sized balls and roll the sugar mixture from Step 2.
10. Place the cookie balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake cookies for 12-14 minutes.
11. Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
12. In the meantime, melt your white chocolate with 1 tsp of coconut oil
13. Scoop a small dollop of white chocolate onto a cookie to create a ghost shape
14. While letting the white chocolate harden, melt your dark chocolate with 1 tsp of coconut oil and pour it into a piping bag (#SpoonTip: I used a ziplock bag!)
15. Pipe out small eyes and mouths on your ghost cookies.
16. Once everything cools and dries, enjoy!

Mochi Eyeballs With Strawberry Blood

Bouncy and chewy like a tapioca ball but sweet and fruity like a tart, these creepy mochi eyeballs are a snack many of your guests won’t see coming!

Whether you want to drizzle the strawberry syrup over the eyeballs or have your friends dip them into vats of “blood”, it’s up to you.

Ingredients:

• Mochi Dough:
  • 1 1/3 cups sweet shiratamako rice flour
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2 tsp black food coloring 
  • Optional: red, green, and blue food coloring
  • Cornstarch/Potato starch
• Bloody Strawberry Syrup:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups strawberries

Instructions:

1. Place the sugar and water in a pot on a stove set to medium heat.
2. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the strawberries and continue stirring for 10-12 minutes until the strawberries soften and the syrup thickens.
4. Strain the syrup into a jar and cool.
5. Place the shiratamako flour into a bowl and slowly drizzle in water while kneading with either a spoon or your hands.
6. Gradually add in more flour or water until the dough can clump into one piece and is firm enough to be rolled into a ball.
7. Separate a small amount of the dough and dye it black (if you want to give your eyes irises, use a 1/4 of the dough and dye it with your desired colors instead!)
8. Roll the remaining dough into 8 balls and place on a plate lined with plastic wrap or covered in cornstarch or potato starch.
9. Make little balls with black dough and press them into the center of the balls to make the pupils.
10. Boil a pot of water and add the eyeballs in.
11. When the balls float, boil until the eggs are cooked all the way through, 3-5 minutes. You can test by poking with a skewer.
12. Transfer the eyeballs into a bowl of ice water to cool.
13. Place your eyeballs onto a serving plate and serve with strawberry blood!

Graveyard Tiramisu

The graveyard tiramisu’s balance between the rich flavors of coffee and fluffy sweet cream is truly to die for!

While this recipe will feature store-bought instant coffee and ladyfingers, you can also brew your own coffee and make your own ladyfingers. No baking or cooking is necessary for the tiramisu, but keep in mind that it takes a long time to set.

Ingredients:

• Coffee Mixture:
  • 1/2 cup of brewed coffee
  • 15g sugar
• Tiramisu Cream:
  • 250g mascarpone cheese
  • 25g sweet condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200ml heavy cream
  • 20g sugar
• Tiramisu Layers and Decoration:
  • 20 ladyfingers
  • 15g cocoa powder
  • 1 bar of white chocolate
  • 1 bar of dark chocolate
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • Piping bag / Ziplock bag

Instructions:

1. In freshly brewed or instant coffee, dissolve 15g of sugar and let it cool.
2. In a large bowl, add mascarpone cheese, sweet condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Mix together.
3. In a separate bowl on ice, add heavy cream and sugar. Whisk until fluffy
4. Add the whipped cream cheese mixture and combine.
5. Soak the ladyfingers in coffee and line them along the bottom of a square Tupperware.
6. Spread an even layer of the cream mixture on top of the biscuits.
7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6, alternating between ladyfingers and cream layers.
8. Scrape off the top with a straightedge for any excess cream, and cool the tiramisu in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
9. While waiting, melt the dark chocolate with coconut oil and pour it into a piping bag (once again, I used a ziplock bag!)
10. Snap the white chocolate bar into smaller pieces, and on the smooth side, decorate with tombstone letters using the dark chocolate!
11. After taking out the tiramisu and coating it with cocoa powder, scatter your chocolate tombstones through the dish and serve!

With these three simple recipes, your guests won’t get any tricks but plenty of treats. So, fire up the stove, get cooking, and have a Happy Halloween!

• Baking
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• Dorm Cooking
• Halloween
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• Snack Recipes