Halloween is my favorite holiday. It was a childhood love which I never outgrew. I still adore the creative costumes, spooky decorations, eating the sweet treats and observing the giddy excitement of children. As a child I also took delight in baking. Barely tall enough to reach the countertop, I would stand on a step stool to measure and mix ingredients, roll out dough and decorate cookies. 

Over the years, I fused my passion for baking, love of Halloween and cherished childhood memories into some amazing treats that are both fun and easy for anyone to make. Invite your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews into the kitchen to encourage creativity, build a strong bond and inspire a future baker.  

Hopefully you and your children have as much fun as I did, and still do, using imagination and creativity in the kitchen. With Halloween as inspiration, “scare” up a few ingredients, summon the “spirits” of creativity and have a “hauntingly” fun time baking these festive treats.

Nutella Cookies

Consisting of only three ingredients, Nutella cookies are so simple to make.  The natural dark brown almost black color of the dough is perfect for spooky bats, cats and spiders.

Makes 2 dozen 3 inch cookies

• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg

Blend Nutella and egg in bowl.  Add flour and mix just until it forms a dough.  Roll out to ¼ inch thickness.  Cut out desired shape.  These cookies can also be scooped out and dropped onto cookie sheet.  Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes.  

Nutella Icing

• 2 Jars Nutella
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• Water or milk as needed

Blend Nutella with powdered sugar in mixer and add water or milk to desired consistency. 

Chocolate Truffle Spiders

Truffles are fancy yet easy to make.  With the addition of pretzel sticks, they transform into decadent spiders for Halloween.  These hand-rolled treats are a delicious way for children to get messy in the kitchen.

Makes 30-40 chocolate truffles.

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher), well chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Small pretzel sticks or licorice ropes

Optional flavorings:

• Mint leaves (1 bunch, stems removed, chopped, about 1 cup)
• Cinnamon (1 cinnamon stick)
• Raspberry, strawberry, any flavor extract (1 teaspoon)

Coatings

• Cocoa powder
• Crushed corn flakes
• Shredded coconut

In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (this may take a while, be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).

If you are using one of the other recommended flavorings, stir it in with the cream (and ignore vanilla in the next step). If adding mint or other solids, after the cream simmers, remove from heat and let seep for an hour. Then strain away solids and return the cream to a simmer and proceed with recipe.

Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. (This chocolate base is called ganache.)

Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Roll in cocoa powder insert pretzel or licorice legs and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

Octopie (Berry pie with an Octopus Crust)

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cubed
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Dash salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
• 3/4 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough into 2 portions so that 1 is slightly larger than the other. Shape each into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

For filling, in a large saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, water, lemon juice and, if desired, cinnamon until smooth; add fruit. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool.

Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate. Add filling.

Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; cut into 1/2-in.-wide strips. Arrange from center out to edge of pie to form tentacles. Shape a small golf ball size ball for the body of the octopus and place in center of tentacles, use two blueberries for eyes. (See picture for example)

Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool completely before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Baking/Pastry, and Value Added Local Food, and non-credit cooking and food classes through our Community Education Culinary Institute. For more information, visit our website at www.llcc.edu.