Halloween in the Atomic Age wasn’t just about costumes and candy—it was about hosting a party with style. Midcentury homes lit up with jack-o’-lanterns, martinis flowed in glowing barware, and cocktail napkins came with just the right touch of kitsch. If you’re planning a Retro Halloween party this year, the hors d’oeuvres tray is where you can really shine. Think spooky, campy, and just a little outrageous—because nothing says “boo” like a platter of retro-inspired bites that look as fun as they taste. Here are 10 spooky hors d’oeuvres that bring together midcentury flair and Halloween spirit — all served up Retroverse style, of course. Learn more about our vibe on the About Retroverse page.
1. Spooky Deviled Egg Eyeballs
Nothing says “retro party” like deviled eggs — and for Halloween, they get a spooky twist! Use black olive slices to make “spider” toppings, or sprinkle with smoked paprika to give them a dramatic, blood-red hue. They’re classic, easy to prep ahead, and always vanish from the table like magic.
Here’s how to make these spooky deviled egg eyeballs for your retro Halloween party:
Spooky Deviled Egg Eyeballs
Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp mustard, paprika, sliced black olives, hot sauce or sriracha.
Instructions:
Halve eggs, remove yolks, and mash with mayo + mustard.
Spoon filling back into whites.
Top each with a black olive slice for a “pupil.”
Use a toothpick dipped in hot sauce to draw squiggly “veins.”
Retroverse Tip: Serve them on a starburst atomic tray for a true midcentury touch.
2. Mummified Pigs in a Blanket
A spooky twist on a classic! These little crescent-wrapped franks are transformed into adorable mummies, complete with olive-slice “eyes.” Perfect finger food that vanishes fast at any Halloween bash. These Halloween hors d’oeuvres will not last long!
Here’s how to wrap up your own edible little mummies:
Mummified Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients:
1 can crescent roll dough
1 package cocktail franks (mini hot dogs)
Mustard or ketchup (for “glue”)
Sliced black olives (for eyes)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cut crescent dough into thin strips.
Wrap strips around cocktail franks, leaving small gaps for “eyes.”
Bake 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.
Use mustard or ketchup as glue, then add two olive “eyes” to each mummy.
Retroverse Tip: Serve them on a vintage serving tray with spiderweb cocktail napkins for maximum retro-Halloween flair.
3. Pumpkin Cheese Balls
A real stand-out in our list of Halloween hors d’oeuvres, these pumpkin cheese balls prove no Halloween party spread is complete without pumpkins — even in snack form! Savory, creamy, and oh-so-cute, they’re shaped like tiny pumpkins with a crunchy pretzel stem. Perfect for dipping with crackers or veggies, they also double as festive table décor.
Here’s the spell to whip them up at your Halloween soirée…
Pumpkin Cheese Balls
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup crushed cheese puffs or orange tortilla chips (for coating)
Pretzel sticks (for stems)
Fresh parsley (for “leaves”)
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika until smooth.
Shape mixture into small balls (about golf ball size).
Roll each ball in crushed cheese puffs to coat completely.
Insert a pretzel stick into the top of each ball as the pumpkin “stem.”
Garnish with a parsley leaf for extra pumpkin vibes.
Retroverse Tip: Want to take these little pumpkins over the top? Roll a few in crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or add a dusting of paprika for extra “glow.” Serve them on a vintage deviled egg tray for that perfect midcentury party touch. 🎃✨
4. Stuffed “Witch Fingers” Breadsticks
Nothing says spooky (and delicious) quite like a tray of witchy fingers fresh from the oven. These eerie breadsticks look creepy but taste heavenly, stuffed with gooey cheese and herbs. They’re guaranteed to be the conversation starter at your retro Halloween party.
Here’s how to conjure them up:
Stuffed “Witch Fingers” Breadsticks
Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated breadstick dough (or pizza dough, cut into strips)
6 string cheese sticks (mozzarella works great), cut in half
12 whole almonds (for fingernails)
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cut cheese sticks into halves. Roll dough strips around each piece, shaping into long “fingers.” Pinch the dough slightly at knuckle spots for effect.
Press a whole almond at the tip of each breadstick to create a creepy fingernail.
Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sea salt.
Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is melty inside.
Retroverse Tip: Serve with a side of “bloody” marinara sauce for extra ghoulish fun!
5. Spooky Shrimp Cocktail Cauldron
Bring a little eerie elegance to your Halloween party with this bubbling “cauldron” of shrimp. The classic shrimp cocktail gets a creepy twist when served in a black bowl or mini cauldron, with cocktail sauce “boiling over” and shrimp draped dramatically around the rim. It’s equal parts classy and creepy!
Here’s how to brew it up:
Spooky Shrimp Cocktail Cauldron
Ingredients:
1 lb cooked jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined (tails left on)
1 cup cocktail sauce
1 tbsp prepared horseradish (optional, for extra kick)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Fresh parsley or dill for garnish
1 small black bowl or cauldron-style serving dish
Instructions:
Mix cocktail sauce with horseradish (if using) and pour into your cauldron dish.
Arrange shrimp around the rim so they “hang” into the cauldron.
Garnish with lemon wedges and sprigs of parsley or dill for a fresh touch.
For extra spook: drizzle a little cocktail sauce over the rim to look like it’s “bubbling over.”
Retroverse Tip: Place the cauldron on a tray with dry ice underneath for a foggy, mystical effect straight out of a 1960s horror flick.
6. Spider Deviled Ham Canapés
No Halloween party is complete without creepy crawlies — thankfully, these are the delicious kind! Spider Deviled Ham Canapés are savory little bites topped with a creamy deviled ham spread and a spooky black olive “spider” perched on top. They’re bite-sized, fun to make, and guaranteed to get guests talking before they take a bite.
Here’s how to spin up your own batch:
Spider Deviled Ham Canapés
Ingredients:
1 can (4.25 oz) deviled ham spread (or homemade)
16 round buttery crackers (like Ritz)
8 large black olives, halved
Extra black olives, sliced into thin strips for “legs”
2 tbsp cream cheese (optional, for smoother spread)
Fresh parsley or dill (optional garnish)
Instructions:
Mix deviled ham spread with cream cheese (if using) until smooth.
Spread a generous spoonful onto each cracker.
Place half a black olive in the center of each canapé for the spider “body.”
Use olive strips to create 8 little “legs” coming off the body.
Add a tiny dot of cream cheese or sesame seed for “eyes” if desired.
Retroverse Tip: Serve on a tray lined with a paper spiderweb doily for an extra midcentury party flair.
7. Bloody Beet Hummus Cups
Bring some eerie elegance to your Halloween spread with these Bloody Beet Hummus Cups. The vibrant red hummus delivers both color and flavor, while the “tombstone” chips rising out of each cup create a creepy cemetery vibe. Healthy, striking, and packed with flavor — these little cups prove that spooky can also be sophisticated.
Here’s how to create these graveyard-inspired hummus cups that will wow your guests:
Bloody Beet Hummus Cups
Ingredients:
2 medium beets, roasted & peeled
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper, to taste
Pita chips or tortilla chips (for “tombstones”)
Fresh parsley sprigs (for garnish)
Small cups or ramekins for serving
Instructions:
Blend roasted beets, chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth. Season with salt & pepper.
Spoon hummus into small cups or ramekins.
Insert a chip upright into each cup to resemble a tombstone.
Garnish with parsley sprigs for a fresh, creepy detail.
Retroverse Tip: Serve on a tray sprinkled with black napkins or edible “dirt” made of crushed black tortilla chips for maximum haunted graveyard effect.
8. Bat Wing Chicken Drumettes
These Bat Wing Chicken Drumettes are the ultimate crowd-pleaser on our Halloween hors d’oeuvres list: juicy wings coated in a glossy soy-molasses glaze that gives them a wickedly dark sheen. The sesame and scallion garnish adds a retro party flair, while the rich, savory-sweet flavor keeps guests coming back for more. Perfect for a finger-licking Halloween spread!
Here’s how to make these wickedly delicious wings take flight:
Bat Wing Chicken Drumettes
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken drumettes (or wings)
½ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp molasses (or honey for lighter sweetness)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
Sesame seeds & sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, molasses, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and sesame oil. Simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until glaze thickens.
Arrange drumettes on the baking sheet, brush with glaze, and bake for 30–35 minutes, basting halfway through.
Once cooked, brush with extra glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
Retroverse Tip: Serve on a starburst platter with plastic bats tucked around the edges for a show-stopping presentation.
9. Ghoulish Cheese Fondue
Turn your retro fondue pot into a bubbling cauldron of green goo! This spooky twist on a classic party dip combines gooey cheese with a little food coloring magic to create a slime-like effect your guests will love. Perfect for dipping bread cubes, veggies, or even pretzels, it’s the ultimate interactive snack for your Halloween bash.
Here’s how to summon your slime dip:
Ghoulish Cheese Fondue
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp flour
1 cup dry white wine (or non-alcoholic apple cider)
1 clove garlic, halved
1 tsp lemon juice
2–3 drops green food coloring
Bread cubes, veggies, or pretzels for dipping
Instructions:
Rub the inside of your fondue pot with the cut garlic. Discard garlic.
Toss shredded cheeses with flour in a bowl.
Heat wine (or cider) in the fondue pot until steaming.
Gradually add cheese mixture, stirring until smooth.
Stir in lemon juice and a few drops of green food coloring until you get that “slime” effect.
Keep warm over low heat and serve with dippable sides.
Retroverse Tip: Add a few olive “eyeballs” floating on top for extra spook factor.
10. Candy Corn Fruit Skewers – My Favorite Halloween Hors d’Oeuvre!
Bring a touch of sweet nostalgia to your spooky soirée with these candy corn–inspired fruit skewers! By layering juicy pineapple, vibrant cantaloupe, and fluffy marshmallows, you’ll mimic the festive stripes of the classic Halloween candy in a fresh and fruity way. Easy to assemble and even easier to enjoy, these colorful treats add a pop of retro flair to your party table. Serve them on a vintage platter and watch guests smile as they reach for this whimsical, guilt-free nod to everyone’s favorite fall candy.
Ready to skewer some spooky sweetness? Here’s how to bring these candy corn cuties to life!
Candy Corn Fruit Skewers
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (yellow layer)
1 cup fresh cantaloupe chunks (orange layer)
1 cup mini marshmallows (white layer)
Wooden skewers
Instructions:
Wash and prepare the fruit, cutting into bite-sized chunks.
Thread one marshmallow onto the skewer first (top/white layer).
Add a cantaloupe chunk (middle/orange layer).
Finish with a pineapple chunk (bottom/yellow layer).
Arrange on a platter for a candy corn–colored display.
Retroverse Tip: For extra retro flair, serve these skewers in a hollowed-out pumpkin or a vintage milk glass vase to really make the candy-corn colors pop on your party table. 🎃✨
With these ten spooky hors d’oeuvres, your retro Halloween party spread is sure to be a frightfully fun hit! From playful candy corn fruit skewers to cheesy little pumpkins, each bite brings a touch of midcentury kitsch and ghoulish charm to your table. Mix and match a few favorites or go all out with the full lineup — either way, your guests will be talking about your party long after the last ghost has gone home.
Note: The illustrations in this post are retro-style artist representations meant to inspire your creativity. Your own party snacks may look a little different — and that’s part of the fun!
Retroverse Pairing Suggestions:
No retro party is complete without the perfect sip. Pair these Halloween hors d’oeuvres with our Top 10 Atomic-Age Cocktails for the ultimate Halloween bash in true Retroverse style. Cheers! 🥂👻
We love browsing VintageHalloween.com for inspiration and finds when planning our own retro-themed Halloween events — it’s like stepping right back into the Atomic Age of spooky style.
