Hair-raising Halloween-themed snacks to serve this season

If you’re not attending one of the many Halloween-tastic parties and events planned in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, but still want to channel a creepy vibe at home, consider picking up some of these spooky but scrumptious goodies — strictly for the kids who come trick-or-treating, of course.

Depachika

The various vendors at this food hall in Nakheel Mall are offering themed goodies all month long. Head to The Lime Tree Cafe for Halloween cookies shaped like ghosts, witches and pumpkins (from Dh18) or SugarMoo for a black velvet web cake, spooky cakesickles, and friendly ghost cookies (from Dh50). Elsewhere, Grizzly Sweets is giving away a free Halloween bucket upon every purchase of three items, while Koala Picks is stocking healthy snacks such as spooky crackers, creepy cookies, and pumpkin muffins (from Dh17).

Until October 31; 10am-10pm (Sunday to Thursday), 10am-midnight (Friday and Saturday); various prices; Palm Jumeirah; www.depachika.ae

SugarMoo x Deliveroo

Fancy cakes are par for the course these days, but this hyper-realistic edible “brain” will leave even the most steady hands shaken. SugarMoo’s Choco Loco mousse cake has been given a cerebral Dahmer-inspired makeover, complete with the four lobes distinguishable in all their ribbed glory with fake blood oozing out. The 15-centimetre cake is good for up to eight people.

October 28 to 31; Dh385; available exclusively via Deliveroo

M&S

M&S food stores across the UAE will stock a range of eerie goodies. Pick up Fruit Creepy Carnivals (Dh22), for a taste of jelly skulls; Zombie Eyeballs (aka milk chocolate bombs; Dh22); Omball Chocopops (Dh14), Creepy Chocolate Lollipops (Dh22) and Chocolate Monstrous Critters (Dh18). The coolest-looking of them all is the glow-in-the-dark All Butter Biscuit Light Up House (Dh65).

Until October 31; various prices; select M&S Food stores or the M&S Food app

Le Gourmet

The in-house bakery at Galeries Lafayette has whipped up an assortment of spooky macarons, cupcakes and cookies in inky black and burnt orange. Choose your shape from among friendly ghosts, grinning monsters, scary spiders, eerie witches, bewitched pumpkins and even Frankenstein.

Until October 31; 10am-11pm (Monday-Thursday); 10am-midnight (Friday to Sunday); from Dh17; The Dubai Mall; 04 339 9933

The Cake Boutique

The online bakery launched by cake artist Beth Lauren in partnership with the Waldorf Astoria DIFC has concocted a range of spooky and silly cakes and bakes this Halloween. Choose from cakesickles (Dh325 for eight) shaped to resemble spider webs, mummies, Frankenstein, pumpkins, Casper and Lucifer, as well as a creepy-treats-filled jack-o'-lantern Valrhona chocolate pinata (Dh70) and a Black Widow cake (Dh650) with sugar skull candies and chocolate spiders. The cakesicles are available in flavours such as white chocolate and raspberry, Lotus Biscoff and cocoa.

Until October 31; various prices; place orders in advance at www.thecakeboutiquedifc.com

Sugargram

A special spooky sleeve for its cupcake boxes (Dh135 for 25 pieces) aside, Sugargram has also created a new flavour of the month. Bearied Alive is a bite-sized cupcake with a triple chocolate cake base topped with cookie crumbs and a little gummy bear buried in chocolate icing. Also new for Halloween is the brand’s Everyone Loves a Basic Witch mini candy box (Dh50), filled with assorted gummies in spooky cherry, orange pumpkin season and bat blue crazy raspberry flavours, and shaped to resemble skulls, pumpkins and bats accordingly.

Until October 31; various prices; orders can be placed via Talabat, Deliveroo or Chatfood

Slaw

The home-grown burger joint will serve a limited-edition black chicken burger for three days leading up to Halloween at its original Al Hudaiba road outpost. Those ordering the sandwich will be greeted by Mr Slaw decked up in Halloween attire, while one best-dressed customer heading to the Jumeirah joint on October 29 will win Dh1,000.

October 29-31; 11am-2am; Dh60; Jumeirah 1; 04 547 6777