Skull & Bones Spooky Spread (Print Version)

A festive creamy spread arranged with veggies into a spooky skull and crossbones design for Halloween fun.

# What You'll Need:

→ Creamy Spread

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
05 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Skull Features & Decoration

06 - 1 small cucumber, sliced into rounds
07 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
08 - 2 large black olives, halved
09 - 1 small carrot, sliced into rounds and cut for teeth and nose
10 - 2 to 4 long celery sticks or breadsticks
11 - Fresh parsley or chives (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; mix until smooth and uniform.
02 - Transfer mixture onto a large serving platter and shape into an oval resembling a skull, smoothing the surface evenly.
03 - Place celery sticks or breadsticks crossing beneath the lower section of the skull shape to simulate crossbones.
04 - Position black olive halves as eyes, arrange a small piece of carrot or olive for the nose, then use red bell pepper strips and carrot rounds to depict mouth and teeth.
05 - Adorn the skull with cucumber slices and additional vegetable pieces to complete features and add visual interest.
06 - Optionally garnish with parsley or chives and serve chilled accompanied by crackers or vegetable dippers.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It requires zero cooking and comes together in minutes, which means you can spend your party actually enjoying guests instead of sweating in the kitchen
  • Kids and adults alike become mesmerized by the skull design, making it the conversation starter that steals the show
  • The creamy, garlicky spread paired with fresh vegetables creates a genuinely delicious dip that doesn't taste like a Halloween prop
02 -
  • The cream cheese must be genuinely soft, or it will be impossible to shape smoothly and will tear apart when you try to spread it—this is the one thing that frustrated me until I learned to let it sit at room temperature
  • Don't press vegetables too hard into the spread or they'll sink and look disheveled; they should rest gently on top, allowing guests to easily pick them up without destroying your design
03 -
  • Make the cream cheese spread the day before and store it covered in the fridge—the flavors deepen and meld, tasting even better when you assemble it fresh
  • Use a piping bag if you want to be precise with the spread shape, but honestly, the rustic sculpted look is more charming and forgiving of imperfections
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