Halloween Guacamole

Before sending trick-or-treaters out to collect a year’s worth of candy, serve up a healthy, savory dish of Halloween guacamole. Like other simple side dishes, guacamole for Halloween doesn’t take a lot of effort. The cute presentation will make the evening that much more fun for the kids, and the few ingredients will mean not too much work for you.

Chips, sour cream, black olives and black beans create the spooky, totally edible Frankenstein guacamole face. Perfect for Halloween party food or as a festive side for a family dinner, this dish helps keep things healthy. As with all our favorite avocado recipes, it’s rich in omega fats, potassium and fiber.

Halloween Guacamole Ingredients

• Avocados: Make sure to have ripe avocados on hand for Frankenstein guacamole. The fruits should be dark green and yield to a gentle squeeze. If you can find only rock-hard avocados at the store, you can make avocados ripen faster by putting them in a paper bag with an apple or a banana.
• Onion: Minced onion brightens up the smooth creaminess of the avocado, adding a touch of texture and sharp flavor. Use red or white onion, whichever you prefer.
• Cilantro: We like to fresh cilantro in our guacamole for Halloween. You can’t beat the zippy fragrance and flavor. You can sub in dried cilantro in a pinch, or omit it if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap.
• Lime juice: A squeeze of fresh lime lifts the rich avocado flavor.
• Salt: You don’t need much salt to flavor guacamole, especially if you’re serving it with salty tortilla chips. Use fine salt or another type of salt, such as sea salt or pink salt.
• Tortilla chips: We like dark-colored tortilla chips because they add a funky looking “hairdo” to the Frankenstein’s guacamole. However, you can use your favorite brand of tortilla chips or even flavored chips like Doritos.
• Decorations: All the decorations on this guacamole for Halloween are edible. Bits of sour cream dotted with refried black beans make for spooky eyes, and the refried beans can trace a mouth, scars, moles and more. Black olives make a nice nose and can act as the screws in Frankenstein’s neck.

Directions

Step 1: Mash the avocados and add seasoning

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In a small bowl, mash the avocados with a fork. You can go very smooth or leave it a bit chunky.

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Stir in the onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

Step 2: Form a rectangle

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Spoon the guacamole onto a serving platter or plate. With a spoon or a spatula, smooth and shape the guacamole into a rectangle.

Step 3: Arrange the chips

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Place the chips near the top of the rectangle face. Arrange them to resemble spiky hair or whatever hairstyle you want.

Step 4: Decorate a spooky face

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Make a spooky face on the guacamole using sour cream, refried black beans and olives. (Find more ideas for decorations below.)

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Halloween Guacamole Variations

• Play with decorations: You can decorate the Frankenstein guacamole with any number of toppings. Chopped bell peppers in any color you like work well—maybe a slice of red pepper for the mouth and chopped yellow peppers for eyes. Cherry tomatoes, capers, yogurt, salsa, hot sauce, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, chopped mango, corn kernels or whole beans are great too.
• Add seasonings: This guacamole for Halloween recipe is fairly basic. Jazz it up by stirring in minced garlic (fresh or roasted), chopped jalapeno, or seasonings like cumin, chile powder, cayenne pepper or a taco seasoning mix.
• Make creamy guacamole: Stir a dollop of mayonnaise or yogurt into the guacamole for the ultimate smooth dip.

How to Store Halloween Guacamole

Store leftover guacamole in a tightly sealed, airtight container in the fridge. Avocado has a tendency to turn brown as it sits. It will still taste OK and is safe to eat, but it will not be such a spectacular centerpiece. (Frankenstein guacamole isn’t the best make-ahead Halloween recipe.)

How long does Halloween guacamole last?

In the fridge, guacamole will keep for three to four days. To keep the avocado from turning brown, set storage wrap directly over the surface of the guacamole.

Halloween Guacamole Tips

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How do you know when an avocado is ripe?

A perfectly ripe avocado will have wrinkled, very dark green skin. The flesh will be soft enough to “give” with the pressure of a gentle squeeze. (Don’t press too hard, or you might bruise the fruit!) If an avocado is quite hard or bright green, it’s probably not ripe. If it’s nearly black and is pitted and soft, it’s overripe and will probably be bruised and bitter.

What can you serve with Halloween guacamole?

Guacamole for a Halloween potluck is one of the easiest appetizers or side dishes. Serve it with plenty of tortilla chips (bonus points if they’re homemade tortilla chips) or an array of sliced crudites, like carrots, peppers and celery. No need to wait for a party, though—put this yummy dish together as a special treat for taco Tuesdays all through October. It’s also delicious with a big batch of homemade chili. For the ultimate party, don’t skip the Halloween desserts.

Can you make Halloween guacamole with store-bought guacamole?

While we think homemade guacamole is the most tasty, you can absolutely use store-bought guac if you’re pinched for time. We even did a taste test to find the best guacamole brands. Just open the package and skip to Step 2—spread it onto a platter and decorate.