34 Halloween Potluck Ideas for Dishes to Serve at Your Monster Mash
Heading to a Halloween bash? Choose from one of our big-batch appetizers, main dishes, or desserts. With crowd-pleasers like cheesy barbecue sliders, bacon-wrapped smokies, and even a PSL (pumpkin-spiced latte) bundt cake, these Halloween potluck ideas will make even the pickiest ghouls and goblins happy.
Spider Halloween Deviled Eggs
This eerie Halloween potluck idea may look like green-tinted deviled eggs, but they're hiding a spooky surprise. Once you've boiled your eggs, gently crack them and place them into a bowl with black food coloring. The result is egg whites that look like they've been coated with spider webs!
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
The holiday season is busy, and we could all use a make-ahead Halloween potluck recipe that comes together quickly. This pumpkin cheese ball recipe fits the bill. Create your own in just 15 minutes and chill until ready to serve.
Cider-Cheese Fondue
A bottle of hard cider is the secret to this creamy cheese fondue. The light apple flavor helps cut through the richness of the cheese. One reviewer shared a must-have hack for keeping the dish warm, "This cheese is amazing. It was so creamy. The cider flavor was perfect for fall. I used my instant pot to saute and keep warm since we don't have a fondue pot."
Halloween Dessert Nachos
Put all that Halloween candy to good use by whipping up a tray of these dessert nachos. Top sliced Granny Smith apples with melted peanut butter, jelly, and chopped chocolate candy. A sprinkle of candy eyes adds a spooky touch.
Marbled Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies
These fudgy bars are part brownie and part cheesecake. We've topped our homemade brownie recipe with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese mixture. Spice them up with cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla. Once baked, cut them into a whopping 36 individual servings.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Bundt Cake with Whipped Cream
For many of us, it's not Halloween. It's PSL season. Bring the flavors of your favorite fall drink home in this easy bundt cake recipe. Serve the finished cake with homemade whipped cream and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice.
Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Grinders
This big-batch recipe checks all the boxes for a delicious Halloween potluck. It serves 12, comes together in your slow cooker, and calls for inexpensive pantry ingredients. On the buffet, serve the meat on split hoagie rolls topped with shredded cheese and sliced banana peppers.
Classic Nachos
These nachos are a classic for a reason—everyone loves them! Layer chips, beef, beans, salsa, and cheese then bake until hot and melty. Serve straight from the pan with your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and peppers.
Zombie Brain Cupcakes
These spooky Halloween cupcakes only look complicated to make. A boxed cake mix is the start of this easy dessert. Once baked, fill each cake with eerie green vanilla cream and use a piping bag to create the brains.
One-Pot Cuban-Style Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Put a twist on classic pulled pork by adding grainy mustard and sweet relish to the sauce. Serve the shredded meat with mayo and pickle slices.
Test Kitchen Tip: Choose how long this recipe takes with our instructions to make it in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.
Apple-Brown Butter Bars
Apples are at their peak during Halloween. If you want a sweeter tart, choose an apple like Honeycrisp. Using tart apples like Granny Smith will produce a slightly less sweet dessert. No matter what apple you choose, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt is the perfect finish.
Roasted Pumpkin Guacamole
Traditional guacamole gets a makeover for fall (and Halloween) by stirring in chopped, roasted pumpkin and toasted pumpkin seeds. It's spicy, creamy, zesty, and delicious–just what you're craving when you need a break from candy. Try using this Halloween potluck idea for work, or keep the whole batch for yourself!
Sugared Bacon-Wrapped Smokies
With nearly 30 5-star ratings, this easy appetizer idea is truly a fan favorite. Whip up a big batch (it serves 45!) for your Halloween potluck with just three ingredients.
Test Kitchen Tip: Make the dish up to 24 hours before serving.
Spooky Strawberry Pumpkin Patch
Bring the pumpkin patch to your potluck! To create this easy Halloween dessert, dip fresh strawberries in orange candy coating. Plant them in a tray of homemade chocolate cookie crumbs and finish with piped green frosting vines.
Sweet-Spicy Barbecued Chicken Sliders
A few simple shortcuts make these saucy sliders a perfect Halloween potluck idea. Stir purchased rotisserie chicken with canned pineapple, shredded cheese, and bottled barbecue sauce. Spread on sandwich rolls and bake until golden brown and melty.
Test Kitchen Tip: Assemble the sandwiches up to eight hours before the Halloween party.
Pimiento Cheese Dip
You're just one step away from the ultimate Halloween potluck dip. Amp up the bold flavor with smoked cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper, and diced pimientos. Arrange the cheese dip on a platter with crackers, assorted crudites, and dill pickle chips. The tangy flavor of the pickles helps cut through the richness of the cheese.
Mummy Dogs
Heading to a family-friendly Halloween party? Bring a tray of buttery mummy dogs. This easy potluck recipe calls for just three inexpensive ingredients. Whip up a batch and serve them with ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce.
Halloween Oreo Ball Ghosts
These sweet ghosts combine crushed chocolate cookies, cream cheese, and mini marshmallows, then get a vanilla candy coating. The recipe makes 18, so it's a great Halloween potluck idea for work, a party, or a get-together with friends. Wherever you serve them, these ghosts will vanish in no time!
Tombstone Taco Dip
It's not really a party without chips and dip, and this recipe for taco dip will certainly bring the party to life. This Halloween potluck idea uses refried beans, salsa, chicken, and guacamole as the graveyard's base and baked tortillas to double as dippers and creepy tombstones. If you've got a large crowd coming, making a double batch is easy.
Coconut-Pumpkin Soup
Want to turn up the heat at your Halloween gathering? This sweet-and-spicy pumpkin recipe has coconut milk and jalapeño peppers to create a delicious blend of fresh flavors. The recipe serves 12, and it's a good Halloween potluck idea if you want to provide a savory option alongside all of the sweets.
Blood Orange Bars
The name of this recipe says it all. Blood oranges totally fit the Halloween theme and give these dessert bars a sweet citrus flavor. Bake these up to three days before your gathering.
Veggie Reuben Pan-Wiches
If you're planning on serving vegetarian ghouls at your party, this is the Halloween appetizer for you. As one BHG reviewer raved, "We've made these three or four times and we LOVE them. So much flavor and texture and the pretzel buns make them extra special."
Zarela's Pineapple-Ginger Wings
Try something new with chicken wings! Serve them with a zesty pineapple sauce and fresh lime wedges.
No-Bake Butterscotch Bars
Stock up on candy bars for this Halloween potluck dessert. A bag of Butterfingers is the secret to the butterscotch flavor in this big-batch sweet.
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Artichoke Dip
Two kinds of peppers flavor this creamy dip recipe. If you want to make it a Halloween potluck idea, serve it with a drizzle of blood-red harissa paste and sweet potato chips.
Spicy Apple-Glazed Meatballs
A cup of apple juice in the sauce is the secret to this fall appetizer idea. It's the perfect recipe for Halloween parties. One BHG home cook raved, "Absolutely yummy and easy, they disappear fast—have made a couple of times and will make them again."
Mexican Nachos
Customize this crowd-pleasing appetizer with any one of our recipe variations. Try mole sauce or top the dish with homemade refried beans. No matter what you choose, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Apple-Cherry Chutney
If assembling a charcuterie board is your idea of cooking, this is the potluck idea for Halloween you've been looking for. A simple homemade chutney is our secret to the ultimate party appetizer.
Gluten-Free Tex-Mex Cheese Dip
You're two steps away from the cheesiest dip we've ever made. Balance the rich dip with pickled jalapeno slices, pico de gallo, and fresh lime juice.
Chicken Nachos with Wasabi Guacamole
A bit of wasabi gives these nachos just the right amount of heat. In fact, the recipe works for potlucks with kids. As one BHG home cook shared, "This was so awesome. My kids have always complained that the Nachos never had a great kick! They don't anymore."
Japanese Pan-Fried Chicken Gyoza
Prep these up to three months before you plan to serve them. When it comes time for the party, pan fry the gyoza and serve them with dipping sauce.
Gyro Nachos with Tzatziki Sauce
A slow cooker is the secret to this Halloween potluck appetizer. Pile pita chips with stewed chicken, tatziki sauce, olives, tomatoes, and dill. For even more flavor, try topping the nachos with crumbled feta cheese.
Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Dip
This dip is loaded with everything you love about jalapeno poppers, right down to the crispy topper. Serve it up with sliced veggies, crackers, and chips.
Air-Fried Bratwurst Bites with Spicy Beer Mustard
When cooked in the air fryer, mini peppers and sliced bratwurst become crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce.