Creative Holiday Treats 🎃

One of my favorite family traditions is making holiday themed treats together. The kitchen gets a little messier, the kids get a little louder, and somehow those are the memories that last the longest.

Whether you're planning a Halloween party or just looking for a fun afternoon activity with the kids, these festive treats are always a hit!

🎃 Jack-o'-Lantern Pizza

Turn pizza night into Halloween night!

Use your favorite pizza dough and toppings, then create a smiling jack-o'-lantern face using:

• Orange bell pepper strips
• Green bell pepper strips
• Sliced ripe olives
• Cherry tomato wedges

It's almost too cute to eat... almost!


🕸️ Spiderweb Nacho Spread

A spooky appetizer that's always one of the first things to disappear!

Bean Layer

• 16 oz low-fat refried black or pinto beans
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 large plum tomatoes, sliced
• 1½ cups thick and chunky salsa
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Guacamole Layer

• 4 ripe Hass avocados
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 seeded and minced jalapeños
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To Decorate

• Plastic toy spider (clean)
• Blue, red, and yellow corn tortilla chips for serving

Directions

Combine all bean layer ingredients (except the tomatoes) and spread onto a large serving platter, forming a circle. Arrange tomato slices around the edge to create a border.

Drain excess liquid from the salsa and spread over the bean layer, leaving a small border visible. Sprinkle with cheese.

Mash together the avocado, lime juice, onion, jalapeños, and salt. Spread evenly over the cheese.

Transfer the sour cream to a zip-top bag, snip off a tiny corner, and pipe a spiderweb over the guacamole and onto the plate. Finish with a toy spider in the center.

Can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.

🧹 Witches' Brooms

These are almost too adorable to eat!

Ingredients

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1½ cups flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 10 pretzel rods, cut in half
• 2 teaspoons shortening
• ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Melted butterscotch chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix the brown sugar, butter, water, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour and salt.

Roll dough into twenty small balls and press one onto the cut end of each pretzel rod. Flatten gently with a fork to create broom bristles.

Bake for about 12 minutes, just until set. Cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening and dip the cookie portion of each broom, leaving part of the pretzel handle exposed. Drizzle with melted butterscotch chips and allow the chocolate to set.

🧙 Witches' Hats

Sometimes the simplest treats are the most fun!

Ingredients

• 32 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
• 1 package fudge-striped shortbread cookies
• 1 tube orange decorating icing

Place a small ring of orange icing on the chocolate side of each cookie and press a Hershey's Kiss into the center.

That's it!

Simple, festive, and perfect for little hands to help assemble.

Whether we're decorating pizzas, building spooky nachos, or making witches' hats and brooms, I've found that the best ingredient is never listed in the recipe...

It's the laughter around the table.

Years from now, the kids probably won't remember every treat we made, but I hope they'll always remember how much fun we had making them together.