Halloween is arguably one of the most fun holidays. There are no gifts to buy, there’s candy corn recipes galore and you get to be someone you’re not for a night! That means you want to spend most of your time partaking in the party and *not* slaving away in the kitchen. The solutions to this are no-bake Halloween treats and a stockpile of make-ahead recipes that you can either prep early or cook way in advance so that you can relax once guests arrive. While you’re contemplating this year’s costume, get to pinning these 14 make-ahead recipes that will make your Halloween a breeze.

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1. Gummy Worm Ice Cubes: Whether you’re indulging in a cocktail or serving a bunch of kids mocktails, these creepy crawly cubes will liven up any drink. You can dye the cubes any color you wish or you can try using juices instead. (via Taking Care of Monkey Business)

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2. Bloody Good Cheesecake: Red velvet cheesecake serves as the bloody base for this massacre. The dripping blood is a frightening mixture of corn syrup, red food coloring and cornstarch… Or is it? Make sure you start the cheesecake a day in advance so it has plenty of time to chill. (via Sugar Dish)

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3. Halloween Bundt Cake: Thanks to boxed cake mix, this cake isn’t nearly as difficult to make as it looks. The fun part is getting messy with icing and sprinkles to create your own Halloween masterpiece. (via Love Bakes Good Cakes)

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4. Chocolate-Dipped Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats: Enlist the help of a few kids and these candy corns will basically make themselves. When stored in an airtight container they’ll keep for several days… If you can keep everyone out of them. (via Pint-Sized Treasures)

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5. Chocolate and Caramel Apples: Why would you spend a fortune on gourmet chocolate apples when you can easily make your own? Decorate each one with different toppings and prepare for people to fight over them. (via Hey Modest Marce)

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6. Creepy Jello Cups: Jello is the ultimate make-ahead treat because it can last for ages in the fridge without changing. Pro tip: Definitely turn these into creepy Jello shots for an adults-only party. (via From Brazil to You)

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7. Day of the Dead Cookies: Get your piping bags ready, because you have quite the task ahead of you. These intricate masks may be more advanced, but if you enjoy cookie decorating, it’ll be a fun challenge for the holiday. (via Wilton)

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8. Halloween Trail Mix: No good Halloween party is complete without a snack mix. Combine all of the components way before guests arrive and try your best not to pick out all of the good stuff. (via The House of Hendrix)

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9. Halloween Candy Saltine Bark: Break into your Halloween candy early to top this sweet and salty bark. It’s quick, it’s delicious and you don’t have to wait until the last moment to fix it. (via The Blonde Buckeye)

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10. Pumpkin Slice and Bake Cookies: Slice and bake cookies are a must during any holiday. If you decide to make your own, you can freeze them and then slice off however many you need at a time. (via My Name is Yeh)

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11. Pretzel Pumpkins: Instead of handing out the same old candy every year, make these pretzel pumpkins to give to trick or treaters. Pre-package them in baggies and they’re ready to distribute on Halloween. (via About)

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12. Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip: Halloween kicks off pumpkin pie season, so it’s only fitting that you represent at your party. Serve this cheesecake dip in a hollowed baking pumpkin alongside Biscoff cookies for the ultimate dunking experience. (via A Night Owl)

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13. Cheesy Halloween Breadstick Bones: These scary and delicious bones can be made up to the baking point and then frozen. When you’re ready, just pop them in the oven and serve with your favorite blood — er, marinara. (via Just a Taste)

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14. Shredded Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers: Even if you’re just having a chill Halloween at home, you have to celebrate a little bit. Turn your mundane dinner into a festive pumpkin by carving a jack-o’-lantern face in an orange bell pepper. (via Everyday Jenny)

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Paige Johnson
Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.