3 Halloween Apple Treats: Nachos, Monsters and Pretzel Bites

Choose your recipe and set up

Choose one recipe before shopping: their yields count different things, so four servings of nachos is not the same as eight apple monsters or twenty-four pretzel bites. Wash and dry the fruit, clear a chopping area and set out the serving dish before slicing. Keep the toppings in separate small dishes until you need them.

1. Spooky Caramel Apple Nachos

4 servings · 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 crisp apples
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce
• 50 g semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp candy eyes

Method

1. Core the apples and cut into thin wedges. Toss with the lemon juice, then lightly blot away excess juice and arrange in a broad overlapping layer on a serving plate.
2. Melt the chocolate in a dry bowl in short microwave bursts, stirring each time. If the caramel is too thick to drizzle, warm it gently in a separate microwave-safe bowl.
3. Drizzle the caramel and chocolate over the apple slices. Scatter over the peanuts and candy eyes. Serve immediately while the apples are crisp.

The broad overlapping layer matters: sauce can reach several slices without pooling under a deep heap. Blot the lemon-coated apples before drizzling, then serve while the fruit is crisp. The peanuts are part of this recipe, so include them when naming ingredients for guests.

Open the complete Spooky Caramel Apple Nachos recipe

2. Apple Monster Bites

8 apple monsters · 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium green apples
• 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 2 large strawberries
• 48 shelled sunflower seed kernels
• 16 edible candy eyes

Method

1. Wash and dry the apples and strawberries. Quarter and core the apples to make eight pieces. Carefully cut a shallow V-shaped mouth into the skin side of each quarter, leaving the back intact.
2. Hull the strawberries and cut four thin lengthwise slices from each, making eight tongues. Reserve a small dab of the measured peanut butter for attaching the candy eyes, then divide the rest between the eight apple mouths.
3. Press six sunflower seed kernels into the upper edge of each mouth as teeth. Add one strawberry slice as a tongue to each mouth.
4. Attach two edible candy eyes to each apple using the reserved peanut butter. Serve promptly. If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate until serving; the cut apple may brown.

Keep the back of each apple quarter intact when cutting the mouth; it supports the peanut butter, seed teeth and strawberry tongue. The measured peanut butter also attaches the eyes, so reserve a dab before filling the mouths. Six seeds per monster gives forty-eight in total.

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3. Haunted Caramel Apple Pretzel Bites

24 bites · 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 dozen square pretzel snaps
• 2 dozen soft caramel candies, unwrapped
• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• 50 g semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/8 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 135°C / 275°F. Line a baking tray with parchment and arrange the pretzels in one layer. Place one caramel on each pretzel.
2. Bake for 8–10 minutes, checking at 8 minutes, until the caramels are soft enough to press but still hold their shape. While they warm, core the apple and cut it into 24 small bite-size pieces, keeping some green skin on each. Pat dry.
3. Press an apple piece into each warm caramel using a spoon rather than touching the hot candy. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Melt the chocolate in a dry microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring each time. Drizzle thin lines over the bites and sprinkle with the salt. Chill for 10 minutes, until the chocolate sets. Serve the same day for the crispest pretzels. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Keep each caramel on its pretzel while warming. Press the apple in with a spoon, as the method says, rather than touching hot candy. Pat the fruit dry before pressing it in, and serve the same day for the crispest pretzels.

Open the complete Haunted Caramel Apple Pretzel Bites recipe

Plan the serving order

For a small gathering, choose nachos when you want a shared plate and monsters when you want individual pieces. If making pretzel bites as well, start their oven and chilling stages first. Cut and finish the nachos closer to serving. Keep the individual recipes open when scaling: they specify their own quantities and handling notes.

Optional tools for these recipes

These are optional equipment links. Use suitable items you already have. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through these links. As an Amazon Associate, Fondfolk earns from qualifying purchases.

An apple corer can remove the centers before the slicing steps in all three recipes. A knife you already handle safely is also suitable. OXO Good Grips Apple Corer. Keep fingers clear of the cutting edge. A paring knife can handle more varied fruit preparation.

Divided serving dishes can keep the peanut, seed and candy-eye toppings apart while you decorate. They are for serving, not for melting chocolate. Sweese Divided Serving Dishes. Use the actual dishes’ care directions before heating; this recommendation is for serving.

Parchment lines the pretzel tray for the short oven stage and catches the chocolate drizzle. Trim it inside the tray rim. King Arthur Half-Sheet Parchment. Rated by the maker to 450°F. Keep inside the tray and away from heating elements; no broiler use.

Browse edible candy eyes for the nachos and monsters; check the selected pack’s ingredients and size. Compare edible candy eyes. Check ingredients, allergens and intended serving age; decorative pieces must be edible.