Coming up with fun Halloween treats that actually look spooky can be trickier than you’d think. Sure, you can throw some orange sprinkles on regular brownies and call it a day, but where’s the excitement in that? Plus, when you’re trying to impress trick-or-treaters or bring something memorable to the school Halloween party, you need desserts that really grab attention.

That’s where these Melted Halloween Jack O’ Lantern Brownies come in clutch: they’re rich and fudgy like any good brownie should be, surprisingly easy to decorate with that “melting” jack-o’-lantern effect, and guaranteed to be the hit of any Halloween gathering.

Why You’ll Love These Halloween Jack O’ Lantern Brownies

Perfect Halloween treat – These adorable jack o’ lantern brownies are guaranteed to be the hit of any Halloween party or trick-or-treat gathering.
Fun family activity – Kids will love helping you decorate these spooky brownies, making it a great way to spend time together during Halloween season.
Simple ingredients – You probably already have most of these basic baking staples in your pantry, with just a few special Halloween touches like orange candy melts.
Fudgy brownie base – Underneath all that cute Halloween decoration is a rich, chocolatey brownie that tastes just as good as it looks.
Make-ahead friendly – You can bake the brownies ahead of time and decorate them later, making party prep much easier.

What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?

For these brownies, you’ll want to stick with unsweetened cocoa powder, which gives you that rich chocolate flavor without adding extra sweetness that could throw off the balance. You can use either natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder – both will work great in this recipe. Natural cocoa powder tends to have a slightly more intense, fruity chocolate flavor, while Dutch-processed is a bit milder and smoother. If you only have sweetened cocoa powder (like the kind used for hot chocolate), I’d skip it since it will make your brownies way too sweet and mess with the texture.

Options for Substitutions

These spooky brownies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can try:

Orange candy melts: If you can’t find orange candy melts, you can use white chocolate chips mixed with orange food coloring. Melt the white chocolate first, then add a few drops of orange coloring until you get the right shade.
Semi-sweet chocolate chunks and chips: Feel free to use whatever chocolate you have on hand – milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate chips will work. You can also chop up a chocolate bar into chunks if that’s what you’ve got.
Large marshmallows: Mini marshmallows work too – just use about 1 cup of them instead of the 9 large ones. You can also skip the marshmallows entirely if you prefer a denser brownie.
Butter: You can substitute with vegetable oil (use 1/3 cup) or melted coconut oil for a slightly different flavor. Both will give you fudgy brownies.
All-purpose flour: For gluten-free brownies, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture might be slightly different but they’ll still taste great.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with brownies is overbaking them, which turns your fudgy treats into dry, cake-like squares – pull them out when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

When melting your orange candy melts for the jack-o’-lantern topping, avoid overheating them in the microwave by using 30-second intervals and stirring between each one, as burnt candy melts will seize up and become unusable.

Don’t skip letting the brownies cool completely before adding the melted orange coating, or the heat will cause your candy melts to run off the sides instead of creating that perfect pumpkin look.

For the cleanest marshmallow stems, lightly dust your scissors with powdered sugar before cutting them, and press the chocolate chip faces into the orange coating while it’s still slightly warm so they stick properly.

What to Serve With Halloween Jack O’ Lantern Brownies?

These spooky brownies are pretty rich and sweet on their own, so they pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or some vanilla ice cream to balance out all that chocolatey goodness. If you’re hosting a Halloween party, try serving them alongside other fall treats like caramel apples or pumpkin cookies to create a fun dessert spread. For adults, a cup of black coffee or hot chocolate with a splash of bourbon makes a great companion to these festive brownies. You could even crumble them up and use them as a topping for vanilla ice cream sundaes – the orange candy melts add such a fun pop of color!

Storage Instructions

Store: These spooky brownies keep their Halloween charm when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Just place some parchment paper between layers if you’re stacking them to prevent the candy melts from sticking together.

Freeze: You can freeze these jack o’ lantern brownies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. The candy coating might look a little cloudy when thawed, but they’ll still taste great. I like to make these ahead for Halloween parties since they actually cut cleaner when they’ve been frozen and thawed.

Serve: Let frozen brownies thaw at room temperature for about 2 hours before serving. If you want to refresh the look of the orange coating, you can gently warm them in a 200°F oven for just a few minutes to bring back that glossy finish.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	30-60 minutes
Total Time	45-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

Calories: 2700-3000
Protein: 25-30 g
Fat: 120-135 g
Carbohydrates: 380-420 g

Ingredients

For the brownies:

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

For the decoration:

1 package (12 oz) orange candy melts
9 large marshmallows
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, separated

Step 1: Prepare Baking Pan and Dry Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease an 8×8-inch square pan and set it aside for later.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined.

Step 2: Make Brownie Batter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
dry mixture from Step 1
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

In a large bowl, combine the melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter with the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.

Gently fold the dry ingredients from Step 1 into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Add the semi-sweet chocolate chunks and stir to incorporate evenly.

Spread the batter into your prepared baking pan.

Step 3: Bake and Cool the Brownies

Bake the brownie batter in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing them into 9 even squares.

Set the brownie pieces aside.

Step 4: Prepare Brownies with Marshmallow Pumpkins

brownie squares from Step 3
1 package (12 oz) orange candy melts
9 large marshmallows

Line your countertop with parchment paper and arrange the cooled brownie squares on it, leaving some space between each.

Melt the orange candy melts according to the package directions.

Using dipping forks or toothpicks, dip one marshmallow into the melted orange candy coating—do not shake off excess coating—then quickly set it on the center of a brownie square.

Gently tap the brownie on the countertop to allow the excess coating to smooth out and flow down onto the brownie.

If needed, add more coating on top of the marshmallow before tapping.

As a personal touch, I always make sure to use a bit extra orange coating for a more dramatic pumpkin ‘drip’ effect.

Step 5: Decorate with Chocolate Chip Stems

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, separated (use just enough for 9 chips in this step)

Quickly, before the orange candy coating sets, place a semisweet chocolate chip on top of each marshmallow to create the ‘stem’ of your jack-o-lantern.

Repeat until all brownies are topped.

Allow the candy coating to harden completely, which should take about 30 minutes.

Step 6: Pipe Chocolate Jack-o-Lantern Faces

remaining semisweet chocolate chips from Step 5

In a small bowl, melt the remaining semisweet chocolate chips according to package directions.

Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or use a plastic baggie with a small tip cut off.

Pipe jack-o-lantern faces onto the orange marshmallow-topped brownies.

Let the chocolate harden, about 15 minutes.

I like to have fun with different expressions for each pumpkin – it’s a great chance to get creative!