9 Easy Halloween Snacks Made With Oreos, Pretzels, and Candy
Three ingredients already sitting in most pantries can cover an entire Halloween spread without a single trip to a specialty store. Oreos, pretzels, and a bag of candy corn or M&Ms turn out to be more versatile than they get credit for.
These nine snacks mix and match all three in different combinations, none of them requiring a stand mixer or an oven timer longer than a few minutes.
Oreo Spiders
Melt a handful of chocolate chips in the microwave in short bursts until smooth, then dip one Oreo in the chocolate and set it on parchment paper. While the chocolate is still soft, push four thin pretzel sticks into each side of the cookie so they stick out like spider legs.
Bend each pretzel leg slightly downward once it’s in place so the spider looks like it’s standing rather than lying flat. Two candy eyes pressed onto the top finish it off, and the whole batch sets in about 15 minutes at room temperature.
Pretzel Witch Brooms
Take thin pretzel sticks and dip about a third of each one into melted chocolate, coating just the tip. While the chocolate is still wet, press a few thin pretzel threads or shredded wheat pieces around the dipped end so they fan out like straw bristles.
Let the brooms sit until the chocolate hardens, which takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes without refrigeration. A small strip of black licorice tied around the bristle end adds a finishing touch, though it works fine left off if there’s no licorice on hand.
Candy Corn Bark
Melt white chocolate chips and spread the mixture in a thin, even layer across a parchment-lined baking sheet. While it’s still warm, scatter crushed Oreos, candy corn, and a handful of pretzel pieces evenly across the surface, pressing them gently so they stick.
Refrigerate the tray for about 20 minutes until the chocolate hardens completely, then break it into rough, uneven pieces by hand. The mix of textures, smooth chocolate, crunchy cookie, and salty pretzel, makes this one disappear fastest at any table it’s set on.
Mummy Pretzel Rods
Melt white chocolate or white candy melts and dip each pretzel rod partway, letting any excess drip off before setting it on parchment. Using a spoon or piping bag, drizzle the melted white chocolate back and forth across the rod in loose, uneven lines to look like mummy wrapping.
Leave a small gap near the top uncovered, then press two candy eyes into that space before the chocolate sets. They firm up within about 15 minutes at room temperature and hold their shape well even if packed into a lunch bag later.
Oreo Truffle Eyeballs
Crush a full package of Oreos into fine crumbs, either in a food processor or by hand in a sealed bag, then mix the crumbs with softened cream cheese until a thick dough forms. Roll the mixture into small balls, about an inch across, and place them on a lined tray.
Dip each ball into melted white chocolate to coat it completely, then set it back on the tray before the coating firms up. While still soft, press on a green or blue candy eyeball, and use a toothpick dipped in red food coloring to draw a few thin veins across the white for a bloodshot effect.
Candy Corn Rice Krispie Bars
Make a standard batch of Rice Krispie treats using melted marshmallows and butter, folding in the cereal until fully coated. Stir in a generous handful of candy corn and a few crushed pretzels right before pressing the mixture into a lined pan, so the candy stays whole rather than melting completely.
Let the bars cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting them into squares. The salty pretzel crunch cuts through the sweetness of the marshmallow and candy corn, which keeps this one from tasting one-note.
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Ghosts
Dip whole pretzel rods into melted white chocolate, coating them almost entirely and leaving just a small section at the bottom bare to hold onto. Set them on parchment paper standing up if possible, or lying flat if that’s easier to manage.
Before the chocolate sets, press on two small chocolate chips or mini candy eyes for a simple ghost face. They’re ready to eat within about 15 minutes, and the plain white coating makes them an easy one for kids to decorate themselves.
Oreo Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies
Twist apart a batch of Oreos and set the cream-filled halves aside for another use. Melt orange candy melts and dip the plain cookie half into the coating, tapping off any excess before it sets.
While the coating is still wet, use a toothpick to carve a simple jack-o’-lantern face, two triangle eyes and a jagged mouth, by dragging through the melted candy before it firms up. A small piece of green pretzel or a sliver of green candy pressed into the top makes a quick stem.
M&M Pretzel Bites
Preheat the oven to 200°F and arrange a single layer of small pretzel twists on a lined baking sheet. Press one milk chocolate M&M or Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each pretzel and warm the tray in the oven for about three to four minutes, just long enough for the chocolate to soften without fully melting.
Pull the tray out and immediately press another pretzel or a second M&M on top of each softened piece to seal it together. Let them cool for a few minutes on the counter before serving, since the chocolate stays soft and needs a moment to firm back up.
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