Easy Halloween Party Ideas | Baked by Claire

It’s the most spooktacular time of the year! That’s right, Halloween is here!

And if you’re anything like me, you can’t wait. I always throw a big monster bash, so I’m constantly on the hunt for fun Halloween party ideas.

And since you’re here, I assume you are too. So let’s check out everything from themes and costumes to decor, food, and drinks.

Something wicked this way comes…are you ready for it?

Theme

You don’t necessarily need a theme for a Halloween party. I mean, Halloween kind of is the theme, right?

But if you want to go the extra mile, you could include a fun theme. Such as:

Matching costumes - this needs 2 or more people to dress up in couples or group outfits, like salt and pepper shakers or Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Creepy carnival - anything and everything carnival-related - but make it spooky.
Masquerade ball - masks, gowns, and plenty of makeup.
Vampires - this could be a simple set of fangs, or dressing up like Edward Cullen, Damon Salvatore, or Dracula.
Movie madness - have your guests dress up like their favorite scary movie characters.
Harry Potter - have people dress up in their House colors, and don’t forget the butterbeer!

Invitations

If you have a theme, I recommend matching the invites.

So, for a vampire-themed night, be sure to include blood and maybe some tooth holes. Or perhaps go for a clown theme if you’re doing creepy carnival.

I like homemade invites, but e-vites are terrific too - and way more convenient.

Either way, you can easily whip up something fun (and free) on Canva!

Here are three super quick invites I made using the free themes:

Dark and Colorful

This one is pretty simple. I found the template and only really changed the colors.

Light and Playful

This one had some premium images on the template, so I just swapped them out for something cute and Halloween-themed.

You could even use this for kids if you take the “cocktails” away.

Cute but Spooky

Here’s another template that I simply changed up a little with free images.

There are, of course, a ton of premium graphics and templates. So if you make this kind of thing a lot, it’s probably worth the fee.

Or, you could do a free trial. Make the invites, then cancel before the week is up!

Costumes

If you’re excited about throwing a Halloween party, I’m going to assume you like dressing up in costumes.

So, be sure to encourage your guest to dress up too!

I find having a theme makes it easier since they have an idea to run with. But you have to let people do their own thing too.

That said, you can’t beat a costume contest! Give prizes for “Most Creative,” “Scariest,” and “Funniest.”

You could even encourage a costume parade so everyone can show off their outfits!

Decorations

Okay, here’s where things get really fun!

Obviously, you can buy all kinds of spiderwebs, banners, tablecloths, and more online. It’s quick, easy, and works well.

But if you want to make something yourself, I have a few ideas.

DIY Floating Candles

This video by The Sway is the best tutorial I’ve seen for making floating candles at home.

And all you need are toilet rolls/kitchen towel rolls, hot glue, paint, fishing wire, and LED candles.

Start by adding a layer of glue around one end of the cardboard roll, dripping it so it’s like hot wax.
Then, once that’s dry, paint it white. (or you can paint it first, then add the glue if it’s clear)
Add a small piece of cardboard to the bottom so the light doesn’t show.
Next, make small holes near the top to run the wire through, and glue the LED lights in place.
Finally, string them up and watch the magic happen.

Flying Bats

Recipe Magik has a bunch of fun Halloween decoration ideas, but these flying bats are my favorite!

You can make them with nothing more than thick black paper and scissors. Just cut the shapes and stick them to the wall.

How cute is that?

I like the added cobweb, but it’s not needed. If you have enough of these, in different sizes, they’ll look super spooky on their own.

Paper bats on the wall - Halloween decorations

Credit: Recipe Magik

Cheesecloth Ghosts

Kaitlyn Harris is a wizz when it comes to fun decorations. And these little ghosts are some of the cutest I’ve ever seen.

They’re seriously adorable and pretty easy to make, believe it or not.

You’ll use balloons to create the overall shape, then add a mix of water and cornstarch over cheesecloth. It’s like paper mache, but the cheesecloth is see-through.

It’s kind of messy, and you’ll need to prop the balloons up high so you get the draping effect. But it’s so worth it when they’re dry!

Halloween Food Ideas

Halloween food can be as easy as putting this whipped goat cheese dip into a pumpkin bowl. Really, it’s that easy!

Or, you can go all out and make something more elaborate. Here’s a few fun recipes:

Deviled Eggs - Add some paprika to the usual egg yolk filling, then pipe it into place. After that, add a strip of green onion for the stalk.

Halloween Snack Board - Find all your favorite Halloween treats and snacks and arrange them on a board, as you can see below. (Here’s the recipe)

Jalapeño Popper Mummies - Cut fresh jalapeños in half and add your go-to cream cheese filling. Then, wrap them in puff pastry and add a couple of candy eyes before serving. (Here’s the recipe)

Mummies in a Blanket - Wrap cocktail sausages like you see in the popper picture below and bake until golden.

Halloween Snack Board and Jalapeno Mummies

Halloween Cocktails

Like the food, you can serve beer, wine, and cocktails in spooky glasses, and your guests will be thrilled.

I almost always serve my spicy margarita for Halloween. It’s delicious, refreshing, and has a most pleasant warmth in every sip.

But again, if you want something special for the party, there are a ton of ghoulish options.

Enchanted Sangria - Make a batch of sangria with super dark red wine, then add a spoonful of edible luster dust. It’ll shimmer in the candlelight like a magic spell.

Haunted Pumpkin Margarita - Full of pumpkin butter, apple cider, and tequila, this one is ideal for Halloween. And it’s best served in pumpkin-shaped glasses. (Here’s the recipe)

Vampire’s Kiss Martini - Full disclosure, this one is sweet! You’ll coat the rim of the glass with colored corn syrup, and then the drink itself features raspberry liqueur and cranberry juice. (Here’s the recipe)

Haunted Halloween Pumpkin Margarita and a Vampire Martini

Halloween Desserts

If you’re hosting a group of people, you want desserts that are easy to make and even easier to eat. That usually means bite-sized recipes that people can eat without cutlery.

These pumpkin brownies, for example, would be ideal. You can make a big batch and cut them nice and small for people to enjoy.

Cookies are another terrific option because you can make them ahead, and everyone loves cookies!

Here are a few fun ideas for your party:

Graveyard Dirt Cups - Make quick dirt cups with chocolate pudding and crushed Oreos. Then top them with gummy worms and Milano cookies. Use a black edible pen to write RIP on each cookie.

Halloween Bundt Cake - I know it’s not bite-sized, but the monster bundt cake below is crazy-easy to recreate. Just make your favorite chocolate cake, then add bright frosting and candy eyes. (Here’s the recipe)

Ghost Cupcakes - I love the color contrast between the chocolate and white ghosts on the cupcakes below. But you could use any flavor sponge you like. To make the ghosts, just add marshmallows to frosted cupcakes and carefully drizzle white chocolate over the top. (Here’s the recipe)

Bloody Red Cupcakes - Make a batch of red velvet cupcakes and fill them with raspberry jam. That way, when people take a bite, the jam will ooze out!