How to Make a CharBOOterie Board (Plus Easy Halloween Treats You Can Make Solo)
A CharBOOterie board is a Halloween dessert board loaded with spooky, silly treats: think candy eyes on everything. Mine has mummies, owls, bats, ghosts, and marshmallow skeletons. Every single thing on it is no-bake and starts with store-bought ingredients.
The best part is that you don’t need to make the whole board. Every treat below works perfectly well on its own. Make one batch of Oreo bats for a classroom party, or meringue ghosts for movie night, and you’ve still got a festive Halloween snack with almost no effort. Here’s how to make each one, and how to pull them all together if you’re feeling ambitious.
What You Need for a Halloween Dessert Board
The shopping list:
- Candy eyes (I like to buy a variety of sizes)
- White chocolate or white candy melts
- Oreos, regular and mini
- Graham crackers (Trader Joe’s makes some thick cinnamon ones I love)
- Store-bought meringue cookies (again, Trader Joes)
- Large marshmallows and paper straws
- Chocolate-covered and yogurt-covered pretzels
- Chocolate Oval cookies (belVita Chocolate Breakfast Biscuits work great)
- Popcorn
- Black decorating icing or an edible marker
- Filler candies: chocolate- and yogurt-covered raisins or candies
- A black tray or board (black makes the white treats pop!)
Easy Halloween Treats for Your CharBOOterie Board
Oreo Bats
Twist apart a few Oreos and cut the halves into wing shapes. Tuck two wings into the cream of a whole Oreo, then add candy eyes and two little white icing fangs. These are the most-requested treat on the board, and they’re great for kids to assemble.
Meringue Ghosts
This is the easiest Halloween treat there is. Use store-bought meringue cookies and dot on eyes and a mouth with black icing or an edible marker. Give each ghost a slightly different expression for the most charm.
Graham Cracker Mummies
Dip graham cracker rectangles in melted white chocolate and let them set. Drizzle more chocolate back and forth for the bandages, and press on candy eyes before it hardens.
Ghost Cookies
Schmear a swipe of vanilla frosting on oval cookies, such as belVita biscuits or Milanos. Pipe on black eyes and an “oooo” mouth.
Marshmallow Skeleton Pops
Push a paper straw into a large marshmallow. Draw skeleton faces with an edible marker. Black-and-white striped straws make them look extra polished. You can also dip the marshmallows in white chocolate if you’re feeling extra.
Owl Pretzels
Add candy eyes to chocolate-covered pretzels, with triangle-cut vanilla and chocolate wafer beaks. Yogurt-covered pretzels with eyes make goofy little monsters.
How to Arrange a CharBOOterie Board
- Start with the big pieces. Place your largest treats first, like the mummies and ghost cookies, in a few blocks around the board.
- Group by color. Alternating sections of white treats and dark chocolate treats gives you that graphic black-and-white look.
- Fill the gaps. Use pretzels, popcorn, and small candies to cover every bit of tray.
- Add height last. Stand the marshmallow pops up so they lean out over the edge of the board.
- Style the table. A plaid tablecloth, white mini pumpkins, and a plastic spider in a vase of white hydrangeas finish the scene.
Make-Ahead Tips
Most of these treats keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature. That means you can make them this week and pull them out whenever Halloween sneaks up on you. Store meringues in a dry spot, since humidity makes them sticky. Assemble the board the day you serve it.
Halloween Dessert Board FAQ
What is a CharBOOterie board?
It’s a Halloween twist on a charcuterie board: a platter of spooky snacks and treats arranged for grazing.
Do I need to bake anything?
No. Everything on this board starts with store-bought cookies, candy, and melted white chocolate.
How far ahead can I make a Halloween snack board?
You can make the individual treats up to several days ahead. Arrange the board just before serving.
Is this a good Halloween treat for kids to make?
Yes. Oreo bats, meringue ghosts, and candy-eye pretzels are all easy for little hands, especially the part where they stick on the eyes.
