Sweet recipes for Halloween

Halloween may not be as traditional a holiday for us as some others. But what is clear is that, for several years, it has been installed in our culture to stay, and is that the theme of witches and fear is something that especially love the little ones, especially when it is accompanied by great sweet Halloween recipes.

Why we celebrate Halloween

Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions, particularly a holiday known as Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter around October 31. It was a time when the spirits of the dead were believed to walk again among the living.

During Samhain, the Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off evil spirits. With the Christianization of Europe, the Catholic Church attempted to replace the pagan festivities with Christian celebrations. All Saints’ Day, originally celebrated on May 13, was moved to November 1 by Pope Gregory III in the 8th century, possibly in an attempt to Christianize the Celtic festival of Samhain. All Hallows’ Eve, known as All Hallows’ Eve, was eventually shortened to Halloween.

The holiday came to America through the European colonizers, especially with the Irish migration in the 19th century. In the United States, Halloween became popular in the twentieth century, and it has been in the twenty-first century when it has reached Spain with more force, due to globalization.

In Spain it is traditional to have empiñonadas on All Souls Day or, of course, the traditional Huesos de Santo, although if you are looking for something new and different, here are some sweet recipes for Halloween for all ages and tastes.

3 Sweet recipes for Halloween

If you really want to succeed on Halloween, there’s nothing like offering some spooky sweet treats to your guests.

1. Pumpkin Pie

The pumpkin is an iconic symbol of Halloween that cannot be missing from any spooky meal.

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 1 1/4 cups crushed crackers (can be graham crackers)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter

For the filling:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree (you can use canned pumpkin or make your own pumpkin puree)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk or heavy cream

How to prepare pumpkin pie

Preparation of the base:

• Preheat the oven to 175°C.
• In a bowl, mix the crushed cookies, sugar and melted butter.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of a springform cake pan, creating an even base.
• Bake the base for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Then let cool.

2. Preparation of the filling:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg) and salt. Mix well.
• Gradually add the evaporated milk or heavy cream, whisking continuously until smooth.
• Pour the mixture over the pre-baked cookie base.

3. Baking:

• Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is firm.
• Let the cake cool completely before refrigerating. It is recommended to refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to allow the flavors to blend well.

2. Halloween Cookies

This recipe will allow you to make delicious cookies and then decorate them with spooky and creative motifs.

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For decoration:

• royal icing (you can make it by mixing powdered sugar with egg white and a few drops of lemon juice)
• Gel food coloring (orange, black, green, purple)
• Halloween sprinkles and candies

How to make Halloween cookies

Preparation of the dough:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. A
• Add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue beating until well incorporated.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Gradually add this mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients, beating at low speed until the dough forms.

Refrigeration of the dough:

• Divide the dough into two parts, form two discs and wrap them in cling film.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the dough is firm enough to be rolled out.

3. Stretching and cutting of the cookies:

• Preheat the oven again to 180°C.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 finger.
• Use cookie cutters with Halloween shapes (pumpkins, bats, ghosts) to cut out the cookies.
• Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

4. Decoration:

• Let the cookies cool completely before you start decorating.
• Prepare the glaze and divide it into several bowls.
• Add food coloring to each bowl to create the desired colors (orange, black, green, purple).
• Fill pastry bags with each color of frosting and decorate cookies as desired.
• Add Halloween sprinkles and candies while the frosting is still wet so they will adhere.

3. Halloween cupcakes

Transform traditional cupcakes into something spooky with an orange or purple buttercream frosting. Decorate the cupcakes with sugar eyes, jelly worms or mini chocolate spiders to give them a Halloween twist. Kids (and adults) will love these themed cupcakes.

These are some recommendations that we make from Casa Mira of sweet Halloween recipes. Our store has been making some of the best candies in Madrid for more than a century. If you want to try them you just have to come to our store in the center of the capital, or place an order in the online store. You will find out that the scariest thing about Halloween is not tasting them.