Spooky season is upon us, and Food Network Star finalist Jason Goldstein has a few tricks to create the perfect treats for children and adults alike.

Goldstein’s Chop Happy blog focuses on creating and sharing “simple recipes for happy, busy people,” and the six Halloween-themed recipes he's shared with us are just that. Easy to make, these snacks perfect to prepare with kids.

See also: 4 Festive Fall Recipes from Celebrity Caterer Andrea Correale

To kick off the party, try Goldstein’s Brain Cheese Dip. Made with cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, dill and chives, this dish is best served with tomato sauce and crackers. Next, try the Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers carved to look like Halloween pumpkins and stuffed with one of Jason’s favorite pasta dishes: chorizo carbonara.

Jason’s Candy Apple Bites, the No-bake Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough, and the Pumpkin Spice Halloween Chocolate Bark topped with candy eyes are three easy and amusing dessert options. The Halloween Eyeball Cocktail is made with lemon-lime soda, grenadine, lime juice and orange vodka, topped with lychee and blueberry eyeballs.

While candy is often the holiday's main focus, elevate this year’s festivities with six recipes guaranteed to make this year’s Halloween the start of a new tradition.

Halloween Brain Cheese Dip

Serves: 10 people
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours (to set in fridge)
Equipment: Brain mold (or shape by hand)

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup of crumbled feta
• 2 garlic cloves (grated)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 handful dill (chopped)
• 2 tbsp chives (chopped)
• 1 lemon (juice)

Extra items:

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup tomato sauce, for serving
• Crackers

Directions:

1. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, feta, grated garlic, salt, pepper, dill, chives and lemon juice in a bowl and mix to combine.
2. Spray your brain mold with cooking spray and spoon in the cheese mixture. Firmly press it down into the mold. If you don’t have a mold, place on parchment paper-lined sheet tray and shape using your spatula and hands into a brain-like shape. Lightly cover with plastic wrap.
3. Place mold in fridge for at least 12 hours (can do overnight) for it to set.
4. When ready to serve, take out of the mold and place your cheesy brain on a plate. Stick a knife into the middle of your brain cheese and pour tomato sauce around brain.
5. Serve with your choice of crackers.

Jack o’ Lantern Stuffed Peppers

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 orange peppers
• 5-ingredient chorizo carbonara pasta
• 1 pound Mexican chorizo
• 1 handful cilantro (chopped)
• 1 pound pasta
• 1 cup pasta water (reserve from cooking below)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the top off the pepper about ½” down to create a "lid" and keep the stem intact.
2. Clean out the core and seeds.
3. Using a knife, carefully cut out two triangles for eyes, a triangle nose, and a mouth.
4. Fill with the cooked pasta recipe below, or your choice of filling! Using the pasta filling below, the pepper stays raw as a fun edible serving dish, but you can bake the whole pepper if you like and it’ll keep its shape!

Filling Directions: (5 Ingredient Chorizo Carbonara Pasta)

1. Cook pasta to 1 minute less then package instructions and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Combine eggs, black pepper and parm cheese in a bowl. Mix well and set aside for later. On medium high, add extra virgin olive oil and chorizo.
3. Break up chorizo using a potato masher, cook 2 minutes without touching, then turn and cook 1 minute more.
4. Mix in pasta and pasta water, and stir for 1 minute to let chorizo juices be soaked into the pasta.
5. Turn off the heat and add the cheesy egg mixture. Stir immediately to combine pasta with cheese sauce.
6. Add the cilantro and enjoy!

Tip: Using spaghetti makes it look a little more Halloween worm-like, but feel free to swap out whatever pasta type you prefer or have on hand.

Swap It Out: You can use your favorite stuffed pepper recipe, an awesome rice dish or even a fun Halloween dip!

Candy Apple Bites

Serves: 1
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, cut into slices. Use a crispy type like Honeycrisp, Fuji or Granny Smith
• Fresh lemon, cut in half
• 1 jar hazelnut cocoa spread (can replace with peanut butter, melted chocolate, caramel, etc.)
• 1 bag jelly beans (can replace or also use sprinkles, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, etc.)

Directions:

1. Slice your apple into medium size slivers (remove core). If increasing the recipe size, slice all pieces first.
2. Toss the pieces in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice. This will keep them from browning.
3. Smear each slice with about 2 tsp of hazelnut cocoa spread. You can also use peanut butter, melted chocolate, or caramel (or rotate different types). Put the spread on one half of the apple slice only, so you can easily pick it up from the other end, mess-free.
4. Immediately add jelly beans or your choice of topping to each piece, so they stick to the spread. You can also use sprinkles, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, or other types of candy or nuts (or rotate through different options).
5. Repeat until all slices are covered. Candy apples are delicious, but they’re often too big and sweet to eat all at once, and too sticky and messy to save for later! These bite-size versions are the perfect answer, and great for parties.

Tip: Replace the jelly beans with any candy you like, or that represents the season or holiday!

See also: 10 Festive Fall Cocktails To Celebrate the Season

No-Bake Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1½ cups brown sugar (light or dark)
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 sticks butter (room temperature)
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions

1. Place all the above ingredients in the bowl except the chocolate chips.
2. Mix everything until all ingredients are fully combined.
3. Mix in the chocolate chips.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. If desired, roll by hand into bite-sized balls, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes to further set.
6. Enjoy your no-bake dessert!

Recipe Note: Make sure to soften the butter before mixing. Just leave the butter at room temperature for 15 minutes. This will make the mixing much easier, and the butter will easily fuse with the rest of the ingredients.

Swap It Out: Make it your own. If you don’t like pumpkin spice, replace the pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice with 2 tablespoons of milk and your favorite crushed candy.

Pumpkin Spice Halloween Chocolate Bark

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 11 ounces white chocolate chips
• ½ tsp pumpkin spice
• 7-10 drops orange food coloring
• Small pinch salt
• 15-20 candy eyes

Instructions:

• Melt chocolate in microwave for 30 second intervals until melted.
• Mix in rest of ingredients and pour onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
• Spread chocolate out and add the candy eye balls on top.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes and then break into pieces and enjoy!

Tip: Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Melt the chocolate for 30 second intervals until melted. No need for a double boiler, and it’s less work and less clean up!

Halloween Eyeball Cocktail

Serves: 4 drinks
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

Eyeballs:

• 1 can lychee
• ½ cup blueberries

Cocktail:

• 2 cans lemon lime soda
• 6 ounces vodka
• ½ cup grenadine
• ½ lime (juice)
• 1 cup ice

Instructions:

Eyeballs

• Take a blueberry and place in hole of lychee.
• Continue so you have 2 eyeballs per glass.

Cocktail

• Fill a glass with ice (almost to the top).
• Pour lemon lime soda about ⅔ of the glass.
• Add a serving of vodka (1½ ounces per drink), a squeeze of lime juice, and enough grenadine to make the cocktail red. Adjust proportions to your taste.
• Add lychee eyeballs on top and repeat for rest of cocktails. Cheers to Halloween!

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