Spooky Halloween Charcuterie – ACTUALLY SCARY & GROSS RECIPES for Adults
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Summon up the kitchen spirits! Today, I’m going to show you how to make the spookiest Halloween spread in town. The most important part of your next Halloween party—aside from the costumes—is the FOOD! You don’t want your guests turning into zombies halfway through the monster mash. Providing sustenance will help them feel less-than-ghoulish.
RECIPE UPDATE: I’ve made this spread for many Halloween celebrations – in this post you will see a combination of a few different years where I managed to capture a few really cool pictures from both spreads – but the main components remain the same!
Feel free to customize your spookuterie board with your favorite Halloween tastes and treats.
Impale your guests’ eyes with simple cake pops on mini fork skewers!
Brains filled with cheese will give your guests a fright!
Bloody brie cooked in a crock—with just a hint of witch’s magic.
And easy devil eyes will keep an eye on you!
With just a little resurrection magic, you too can be serving severed arms, dislocated eyeballs, bloody brie, and brains at your next seance.
Severed Arm Charcuterie
- Cream cheese: Softens to create a smooth base for the arm.
- Garlic powder: Adds a subtle garlicky flavor.
- Fresh chives: Brings a mild onion taste.
- Prosciutto: Wraps the arm to resemble exposed muscles.
- Chorizo: Forms the ‘bone’ of the arm.
- Lit’l Smokies: Creates the knuckles for a realistic touch.
- Beef jerky sticks: Serves as the fingers.
First things first, bring that cream cheese to room temperature. Nobody wants to wrestle with a cold block of cheese. Mix in your garlic powder and fresh chives until well combined.
Spread about half of the cream cheese onto a surface lined with plastic wrap. Now, place the chorizo link right in the center and cover the top and sides with more cream cheese. This chorizo is going to be the bone of your spooky severed arm.
Next, shape a ‘palm’ on one end of the chorizo and use the Lit’l Smokies to create the metacarpal bones in the center of the hand. Cover everything with more cream cheese, making sure the ends of the Lit’l Smokies poke out as knuckles. Chill this masterpiece in the fridge for one hour.
While waiting, cut the beef jerky into finger-length pieces. Bend them slightly so they snap but don’t break completely; this will make them more flexible. Wrap these jerky fingers in prosciutto, then extend the prosciutto down the cream cheese arm to resemble exposed muscles. Wrap it up and chill for at least one more hour.
CHICKEN ROLL UPS NOTE:
For my charcuterie board, I doubled the amount of chiles in adobo sauce to really pump up the heat to a scary level. This step is optional! I also used spinach flavored tortilla wraps – but feel free to use your favorite tortilla wraps in whatever color you can find!
Find the recipe for the chicken roll ups here!
Find the recipe for the cinnamon roll guts here!
CAKE POP RECIPE NOTE:
The recipe I used here today is an adaptation of the recipe link below. That one uses Oreos instead of red velvet cake; however, the recipe concept is the same. You can use any kind of cake or cookie for this cake pop recipe!
Find the cake pop recipe here!
BRAIN CHEESE NOTE:
The “brain cheese” recipe uses the leftover chicken roll ups filling, a Jell-O brain mold and thin sliced turkey as the outermost layer of “brains.” It is then chilled and served with crackers.
You can also check out my ORIGINAL brain cheese recipe here!
Bloody Brie
- Brie wheel: Melts into a gooey center.
- Raspberries: Adds tartness and a gory look.
- Sugar: Sweetens the raspberry sauce.
- Apple cider: Enhances the sauce with a fruity note.
Let’s move on to our Bloody Brie. Combine the raspberries, sugar, and apple cider in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir and mash those berries until they break down into a sauce. You’ll notice the mixture will start foaming up—just keep simmering and stirring every few minutes until the foam disappears and you’re left with a thick, sticky sauce. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Slice off the top rind of the brie wheel and pour that delicious raspberry sauce over the top. Pop it in the oven for 5-8 minutes, until the brie is melted and the sauce is just starting to bubble.
Devil Eyes
- Pickled peppadew peppers: Provides a sweet and spicy base.
- Mozzarella pearls / bocconcini: Forms the ‘eyeball.’
- Basil leaves: Adds a fresh, aromatic touch.
- Capers: Creates the ‘pupil’ of the eye.
Finally, let’s whip up those Devil Eyes. Tear your basil leaves into small pieces. Stuff a piece of basil into the center of each pickled peppadew pepper, then press a mozzarella pearl inside.
Cut a small slit into the exposed side of the pepper and press in 1-2 capers for the pupil. Secure everything with a toothpick and chill until you’re ready to serve.
MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Extra Tips for Your Spooky Spread
- Chill Time is Key: For the severed arm, make sure to chill it properly at each step. This helps the cream cheese set and makes assembly easier.
- Preventing a Cheese Meltdown: When baking the Bloody Brie, keep an eye on it. Overbaking can cause the cheese to ooze out too much, losing its spooky shape.
- Easy Capers Handling: Use a toothpick to easily maneuver and place the capers in the Devil Eyes. It keeps the process neat and precise.
- Fresh Basil Matters: Fresh basil leaves provide the best flavor and texture for the Devil Eyes. Avoid dried basil for this recipe.
- Creative Presentation: Arrange your charcuterie board with plenty of space between each item. This enhances the visual appeal and makes it easier for guests to grab and enjoy.
Hungry People, you’ve got the ultimate spooky Halloween spread ready to freak out your guests and keep them munching all night. With severed arms, bloody brie, and devil eyes, your party is bound to be a scream. Keep the ghoulish vibes going with some chicken pinwheels, cinnamon roll guts, and brain cheese. Your friends will be talking about your creepy culinary creations long after the night is over. Have a spooktacular Halloween filled with frights and bites!
Spooky Halloween Charcuterie
Ingredients
FOR SEVERED ARM:
- 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 1 package prosciutto
- 1 full link chorizo 1-3ft long
- 5 Lit'l Smokies for knuckes
- 2 beef jerky sticks for fingers
FOR BLOODY BRIE:
- 1 wheel brie
- 15 raspberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup apple cider
FOR DEVIL EYES:
- 12 pickled peppadew peppers
- 12 mozzarella pearls / bocconcini
- 10 basil leaves juilenned
- 12 capers
Instructions
FOR SERVERED ARM:
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature. If it is cold, it will be hard to work with. Mix in the garlic powder and chives.
- Spread about half of the cream cheese onto a surface lined with plastic wrap. Place the chorizo link in the center and cover the top and sides with cream cheese.
- Create a 'palm' on one end and use the Lit'l Smokies to make the metacarpal bones in the center of the hand. Cover with cream cheese. The ends of the Lit'l Smokies will make the knuckles. Chill for one hour.
- Cut the beef jerky into finger lengths. Bend the jerky fingers so they snap but don't break all the way. This will help make the fingers malleable.
- Wrap the jerky fingers in prosciutto, then extend the prosciutto down along the cream cheese arm to make it appear as though the muscles are exposed. Wrap and chill at least one hour. Enjoy with an assortment of crackers and vegetables.
FOR BLOODY BRIE:
- Combine all ingredients except the brie wheel in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir and mash until the raspberries are broken up and a sauce begins to form. The mixture will begin to foam as it cooks.
- Continue simmering, stirring every few minutes, until the foam has gone away and you are left with a thick, sticky sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the top rind of the brie and pour the raspberry sauce over the top. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until the brie is melted and the sauce is just starting to bubble. Serve warm with chips and veggies.
FOR DEVIL EYES:
- Tear the basil into pieces. Place a piece of basil into the center of the pepper and then press a mozzarella pearl into the pepper. Cut a slit into the exposed side of the pepper and press 1-2 capers into the slit. Use a toothpick to hold the pieces in place. Chill until ready to serve.
