How To Setup a Spooky Halloween Buffet • Craving Some Creativity

This Halloween Buffet is full of Halloween mantle décor, tricky treats, and tons of ideas. I’m showing how I got ready for our party while taking you step by step through building the ultimate Halloween buffet table including ideas for décor, drinks, food, and dessert.

Spooky Halloween mantle with dessert buffet in front. Decorations include ravens, gravestones, a clock, and candles.

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“Once Upon a midnight dreary…” No need to be ominous if you are setting up a Halloween buffet for a party or gathering. The options are endless!

So, gather your tricks and treats—and invite all your favorite spooks —for a feast of party foods with a unique Halloween spin! Not only did I create a fun Halloween party scene, but I’m also taking you step by step through building the ultimate Halloween buffet table including ideas for décor, drinks, appetizers and dessert.

Pick a Theme

Let’s talk a little about this soiree. Don’t you just love the mystery and sinister spookiness of Halloween? It’s not strictly necessary to have a theme, but this will be a good jumping off point. These Halloween party ideas can be perfectly tailored for both adults and kids.

Edgar Allen Poe: For my buffet, I used lots of white candles and a few diy decorated candles (tutorial), as well as raven statues, old books, mercury spheres, and garland.

Zombie Apocalypse: Food shaped like brains is pretty much required, but other great ideas include skulls, body parts, a graveyard, and biohazard signs.

Mad Scientist: It’s alive! Test tube drinks or filled with candy, graduated beakers like these, an old chalk board, heads in jars for “specimens”, and maybe a toy microscope.

Potions & Brews: One of my personal favorites. Old steampunk décor along with jars full of apothecary labels, witch decorations, and black cats. This one lends itself well with a Harry Potter themed party.

Black & White: A classic and sophisticated creepy vibe. Make it even more bold with a bit of red such as blood-spattered Oreos, or syringe drinks.

Hocus Pocus: Colorful hues of orange, purple, neon green, and lots of black make this party theme come to life. Add some witch hats and a few broom sticks, and you may get a visit from the Sanderson Sisters.

Decorating Tip: Buffet tables are always best when you vary the heights of the items on the table. Add a tiered serving tray with cupcakes, signs, or put Styrofoam blocks under a tablecloth to vary the height.

Halloween Buffet Décor Ideas

Shop items around your house to create the perfect ambiance. Here are some ideas of free things that you can use:

Mercury Glass
Old Books
Lots of candles in different shapes and sizes
Yard items such as dead leaves, twigs, and foliage
Scarves or a Black table cloth
Apothecary Bottles – baby food jars, vases, and random bottles
Picture frames for signs
Pumpkins
Classic Figures you already have. Witches’ hats, ravens, body parts, bats, and skulls.

Or check out this post for more inspiration – Halloween Mantel Decorating Ideas

Halloween buffet table with layered decorations and a trick or treat banner. Table has candy corn buckets and apples on it.

Looking for more Halloween decorations? Step right up!

Tip: For an immersive effect, layer accessories. In our mantle, I used lots of candles and then layered garland in front of it, and then put a dresser in front of that for a full, layered look.

Halloween Themed Foods

When it comes to party foods, there are two rules. 1. It needs to be things that people actually eat (ask guests about diet restrictions to be sure), and 2. It’s gotta’ be fun!

I don’t think that every dish on a Halloween buffet needs to be themed but sprinkling in a few will delight all your goblin friends. Below is some of my favorite ideas for the scary-best Halloween horderves!

Collage of Halloween appetizers for a party including spider taco dip, a Halloween charcuterie, and colorful popcorn mix.

Here are a few of my favorite appetizers to add to your buffet:

Skull Burritos
Puking Pumpkins Taco Bar
Pizzas with Jack o’ lantern faces, olive spiders, or fresh mozzarella ghosts.
Spider Web Seven Layer Taco Dip
Colorful Halloween Party Mix
Hallo ween Snack Board
Cheeseball Cauldron
Sweet and Sour Bat Wings
Spooky Charcuterie Board

Halloween Treat Table Desserts

It’s not a party without some festive sugary treats! These spooky treats will be the highlight of your fete:

Collage of halloween party desserts including chocolate dipped apples, witch cupcakes, candy bars, and a dessert snack board.

Halloween Party Cocktails

These creepy concoctions are the perfect complement to the witching hour, with a host of easy and impressive ‘boo’-zy recipes.

Collage of Halloween cocktails including apple cider, purple people eater martini, and pomegranate punch.

This list of devilishly delicious brews will make your party one to remember:

Red Death Cocktail – Cherry Rum and Cola for the “spookiest” of Halloween cocktails that is layered.
Zombie Brains Cocktail – A deep ruby color and much fruitier and more delicious than the name implies.
Purple People Eater Cocktail – Glowing Purple Martini that looks sophisticated and dangerous.
Poisoned Orchard Cocktail – Bursting with apple flavor, with a spice that screams with Halloween spirit.
Black Sangria – Blackberry flavored sangria, like a dark heart.
Wit ch’s Brew Shimmering Cocktail – Lime green, light, and glittery.
Sleepy Hollow Cocktail – Pomegranate and cinnamon for a delightful fall combination.
Caramel Apple Sangria – Sweet and bursting with apple flavor, this one is all the best flavors of fall.

Top Tip: Dry ice makes everything spookier! It is actually so cold (-110F!) that it’s dangerous to touch it with your bare skin. Always use tongs when handling dry ice and if you use it in drinks, serve with a straw. The ‘smoky’ effect will last for 5-10 minutes.

Non-alcoholic Halloween Party Drinks

Witch’s Brew Punch – A sparkling lime punch.
Hocus Pocus Potion Float – A bedazzling explosion of colorful ice cream in a float.
Polyjuice Potion – Lime sherbet punch perfectly suited for Harry Potter.
Bloodshot Halloween Drink – A sparkling juice with a shot of fun!
The Violent Vampire – Frightfully fun Kool-Aid punch.

Halloween decorations on a white mantle and treat table for entertaining guests in front and full of treats like candy, popcorn, and dipped apples.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Weekend DIY project. A pegboard organizer in the craft room above the desk workspace.

More Halloween Fun

Collage of porches decorated for Halloween.. — Best Halloween Front Porches

Halloween Decor Stamping on Candles using tissue paper transfer technique — Best Halloween Front Porches

PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag #cravingcreative on Instagram! You can also stay in touch with me through following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and subscribing to the newsletter!