This Halloween fruit platter is a fun and healthier way to celebrate the spooky season! The fruits are easy to decorate for kids and adults alike. And they’re a great addition to your Halloween party menu, scary movie night or as a special after-school snack!
Ingredients you’ll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Red or green apples for the apple monsters. You’ll also need a nut/seed butter for the monster mouths, and small nuts/seeds for the teeth (I used pine nuts). The strawberry tongues are optional, but are a fun touch!
Bananas and melted chocolate to make banana ghosts.
Strawberries and melted white chocolate to make strawberry mummies.
Other fruits, for example mandarin oranges, grapes, blueberries and mangoes. We’re keeping these as whole fruit, or cutting them in half and then sticking eyes on them. Easy peasy!
Edible candy eyes. If you’re vegan or can’t find candy eyes at your local grocery store, I’ve included an easy recipe at the bottom of this post. Note that the eyes take 1-2 whole days to set completely. Alternatively, you can use a simple buttercream and/or chocolate chips for the eyes.
This is just a rough guide for a Halloween fruit tray, so please use whatever fruit you have! Some examples are kiwi fruit, fresh lychees, pineapple slices etc.
How to make apple monsters
These spooky monsters are the highlight of the Halloween fruit platter! This is how you make them:
- Remove the cores of the apples and cut them into quarters. If you’re preparing the apples several hours in advance, you can brush a little lemon juice on the cut side to prevent it from browning.
- On the skin side of the apple quarters, cut out a little segment for the monster mouths. (Image 1)
- Spread peanut butter, or your choice of nut/seed butter on the area you just cut out. (Image 2)
- Arrange a strawberry slice on the bottom half of the apple mouth as the ‘tongue’. Stick pine nuts (or your choice of nut/seed) into the upper half. If the nuts don’t ‘stick’, use a toothpick to make little indents in the apple for the teeth. (Image 3)
- Finally, arrange the candy eyeballs on the apple skin, using a little nut butter as ‘glue’. (Image 4)
How to make banana ghosts
- Peel the bananas and cut them in half. Use a small knife to cut a zig-zag pattern on the bottom of the half bananas.
- Stick the candy eyes on the bananas, using some nut butter or melted chocolate as ‘glue’. (Image 1)
- Use a small spoon and melted chocolate to draw a long oval-shaped mouth below the eyes. If the chocolate is too thick, stir in some coconut oil to thin it out. (Image 2)
Tip: Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave to avoid burning it.
Tips for the other spooky fruit
For my Halloween fruit platter, I also prepared some strawberry mummies, spooky grapes, blueberries, mangoes and pumpkin mandarins. These spooky fruits are low effort because we’re mostly just placing candy eyes on them.
Here are some tips:
- Candy eyes stick best to slightly wet surfaces so it helps to use a little peanut butter or melted chocolate as ‘glue’.
- If you’re using homemade candy eyes, they will soften and melt on extra juicy fruit such as the cut areas of mangoes and grapes. Try placing the eyes on those fruit just before your Halloween party. The candy eyes will keep very well on drier fruit including the strawberries and blueberries.
Other ideas for your platter:
- Use some Halloween cookie cutters to cut spooky shapes out of the fruit
- Use a melon baller to create eyeballs from softer fruit
- Add a creamy fruit dip
Making homemade googly eyes
Making your own candy eyes is easier than it looks! First, mix the sugar and aquafaba in a small bowl. The mixture should be quite thick – if you lift the spoon, the icing that drops back into the bowl should keep its shape for a few seconds. If you’re in doubt, you drop a little icing onto a plate as a test.
The icing will be thick enough that each circle will have a little ‘peak’ for a few seconds after piping. However, the peak will naturally settle and form a smooth surface. If it doesn’t, you can gently shake the parchment paper.
I recommend using parchment paper rather than a silicone mat – the candy eyes will slightly stick to the silicone.
The set eyes are slightly more delicate than store-bought candy eyes. They won’t break when you handle them however, if you press them firmly, they will crumble.
More Halloween snacks and pumpkin sweet treats
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Halloween Fruit Platter
This Halloween fruit platter is a fun and healthier way to celebrate the spooky season! The fruits are easy to decorate for kids and adults alike. And they’re a great addition to your Halloween party menu, scary movie night or as a special after-school snack!
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Candy Eyes (or use store-bought)
Other Spooky Fruit (feel free to use different fruit!)
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
Make the candy eyes (or use store-bought):
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Add the powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons (10g) of aquafaba or milk to a small bowl and mix until combined. It should form a thick paste that flattens out slightly when dropped. If the mixture is too thick, add a small dash of liquid and mix again.
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Using a piping bag with a small round tip, pipe the mixture into approximately 30-40 circles on a piece of parchment paper. The circles should be around â…“ inch or 8mm wide.
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Remove the remaining icing from the bag and stir in the charcoal powder or food coloring. Using a piping bag with a very small tip, pipe the black icing into the middle of each of the circles.
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Let the eyes dry uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 days, or until they are firm.
Make the apple monsters:
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Remove the cores from the apples and cut them into quarters. Cut a wedge out of each apple quarter to create the monster ‘mouths’.
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Spread 1-2 teaspoons of peanut butter on the areas that you just cut out. Place a strawberry slice in the lower half of the monster mouths.
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Press the pine nuts into the upper half of the mouths to resemble ‘teeth’. If the pine nuts don’t stick, use a toothpick to create indents in the apple for the pine nuts. Don’t worry about being neat – the monsters are meant to look scary!
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Arrange the candy eyes on the apple skin, using nut butter or melted chocolate as ‘glue’.
Make the banana ghosts:
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Cut the bananas in half. Use a knife to cut out a zig-zag on the cut side of the bananas.
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Arrange the candy eyes on the bananas, using some nut butter or melted chocolate as ‘glue’.
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Use a small spoon and the melted chocolate to draw ‘mouths’ on the bananas.
Make the strawberry mummies:
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Drizzle the melted white chocolate across the strawberries.
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Stick the candy eyes on the strawberries. If the white chocolate has set, use a little melted chocolate as ‘glue’ for the eyes.
Make the other spooky fruit:
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Arrange the candy eyes on the blueberries, grapes and mango cheeks. Use melted chocolate or nut butter as ‘glue’ if needed. (note 1)
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Insert the celery sticks in the center of the mandarins.
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Arrange the fruit on a large platter or tray, as desired. Store covered for a couple of hours in the fridge until needed. Store leftover fruit in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Notes
- If you made your own candy eyes, they will start to ‘melt’ on extra juicy fruit such as grapes and mangoes. I suggest placing the eyes on these fruit just before serving. The candy eyes keep well on the strawberries and blueberries.
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