These Halloween Caprese Skewers are a fun and spooky snack that everyone will love! This recipe combines all the traditional Caprese ingredients of tomato, mozzarella and basil with a creepy twist. This is perfect for your Halloween party and are totally #SquadGHOULS.
Fall is right around the corner! That means Halloween is ALMOST here. While you get ready to BOO-gie down here's one of my favorite appetizers. These Halloween Caprese Skewers are simple, delicious with a frightening twist. They are only 7 ingredients and two of them are salt + pepper! These spook-tacular appetizers will impress all your guests and ghouls!
We make three changes to make these caprese skewers Halloween ready! First, we use a silicone mold and soften mozzarella cheese to create mini skull-shaped mozzarellas. Second, we use purple basil instead of regular basil to play with color. Finally, we use a pipette/dropper to fill the eye socket on the skulls with dark balsamic glaze which gives them a truly creepy twist.
If you're looking for the most adorable Halloween desserts you have to check out my Halloween Nutella Devil Entremets or Ghost Rice Krispie Treats.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Easy to assemble
- Perfect finger food for parties
- Only 7 ingredients ( 2 are salt + pepper!)
- Creepily cool and delicious
- A spooky twist on a classic recipe
Ingredients
- Mozzarella: For this recipe, I used fresh mozzarella balls (not in water). These can be found in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. For my sized mold I used the ciliegine sized (cherry size, ⅓ ounce) mozzarella balls.
- Tomatoes: Use grape or cherry tomatoes. Also, I used rainbow mix variety because I love how colorful they are.
- Basil: I love the taste of fresh basil for this recipe. I used purple basil for the unusual color but green basil works too!
- Olive Oil: I always suggest getting the best olive oil you can! You won’t regret it.
- Balsamic Glaze: It adds a bit of sweet and tangy flavor to each bite. Also the sticky sauce enhances the presentation, as well as the deliciousness, of the appetizer. You can make your own or use a store bought version. I personally love the flavor of Alessi Premium Balsamic Reduction, Traditional Balsamic but found that the De Nigris Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena was super thick and dark which is what I used in the photos.
- Salt + Pepper: to season to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. While oven is preheating, put several sheets of paper towel on a large plate. Then, spread out the mozzarella balls and place several more sheets of paper towel on top of the mozzarella. Finally, place a large book or cast iron skillet on top, to act as a weight and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Once oven is pre-heated, take a small ceramic baking pan and add in 8 pieces of mozzarella to the pan. Bake in the oven for about 6-7 minutes.
- Remove pan when the cheese if softened and some of the liquid is released/slightly melted but not completely melted or cooked! Place pan on a cooling rack.
- Using a spoon(s) or mini tongs, carefully pick up one piece of mozzarella at a time and add it to the mold. Then, using the back of one spoon press down on the mozzarella for 20-30 seconds until it molds more to skull. Repeat with remaining mozzarella. If the mozzarella isn't taking to the mold. Put back mozzarella back into the pan and place back into the oven for a few more minutes and try again. Once all the mozzarella is pressed in the molds, place the molds in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Pop mozzarella skulls out of the mold and into a bowl or airtight container if storing for later. Keep in the fridge. Rinse and dry our molds and pan and repeat steps 2-5 until you have used all your mozzarella. (I had to do this a total of 3 times = 24 mozzarella skulls total)
- On a small 3.5 inch skewer, carefully skewer through a mozzarella skull, then piece of basil, then cherry or grape tomato. Repeat until used all ingredients are used. If you want to make them stand read my Recipe FAQs.
- Then, drizzle olive oil, and top with salt and pepper. Either fill the eyes of the mozzarella skull with balsamic glaze using a dropper or pipette or drizzle on. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use the freshest ingredients you can and make sure that the tomatoes are ripe for the best tasting caprese skewers.
- Spookify your guests with this extra step! Black gushing eyes on your mozzarella skulls are a creepy twist to these skewers. I used a pipette/dropper to carefully insert the balsamic balsamic glaze in. If you have a really steady hand you can try using the bottle to pour directly in. When your guests pick them up or if you make them stand, the balsamic will drip down creating a truly spooky edible effect.
- Not all balsamic glazes are the same! Balsamic glazes are a reduction of balsamic vinegar and usually some sort of sweetener like sugar or honey. However, how long you reduce will greatly impact the overall thickness and taste of your How reduced they are will effect how quickly they drip out of the eyes if you are using the above tip.
- If you have big basil leaves, fold them over and then skewer them.
- Feeling saucy!: Serve a small bowl of extra balsamic glaze on the side for you and your guests to dip into if you love the taste of balsamic.
Recipe FAQ
You can make the mozzarella skulls a day in advance but the rest of the skewers only should take 5-10 minutes. If you make the skulls in advance keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Also note, keep the faces up and not touching as they can get a bit deformed if they are squished together. However, you might also like as an extra effect when serving. I did notice that they were slightly tougher in texture since some of the water was released out of them in the oven.
If you're lucky, your neighborhood Whole Foods might carry purple basil leaves. But, you can also check places like Lowes or Home Depot or your local gardening center and see if you can pick up a purple basil plant. You could also check your local farmer's market too.
I find that after the skewers have been made, but not drizzled with olive oil or balsamic glaze, you can put a skewer on a cutting board, cut the tip off of the tomato. Make sure it can stand on a plate and repeat until all skewers can stand. Then, you can drizzle/fill the eye sockets with balsamic glaze. While the skewers are standing the glaze will slowly flow out creating a creep-etizer.
While these molds are primarily for ice they can also be used for candy making, sugar, mousse and ice cream. I reached out to the seller/manufacturer and confirmed that these molds we're safe to be in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius which equals roughly 356 degrees Fahrenheit. However, because some peoples ovens can run hot, etc. I decided it was better for me to add in a step of having the mozzarella softened in a baking pan then added to the mold.
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Halloween Caprese Skewers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mozzarella
- 24 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 24 pieces purple basil or sweet basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic glaze I personally love the flavor of Alessi Premium Balsamic Reduction, Traditional Balsamic but found that the De Nigris Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena was super thick and dark which is what I used in the photos.
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. While oven is preheating, put several sheets of paper towel on a large plate. Then, spread out the mozzarella balls and place several more sheets of paper towel on top of the mozzarella. Finally, place a large book or cast iron skillet on top, to act as a weight and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Once oven is pre-heated, take a small ceramic baking pan and add in 8 pieces of mozzarella to the pan. Bake in the oven for about 6-7 minutes.
- Remove pan when the cheese if softened and some of the liquid is released/slightly melted but not completely melted or cooked! Place pan on a cooling rack.
- Using a spoon(s) or mini tongs, carefully pick up one piece of mozzarella at a time and add it to the mold. Then, using the back of one spoon press down on the mozzarella for 20-30 seconds until it molds more to skull. Repeat with remaining mozzarella. If the mozzarella isn't taking to the mold. Put back mozzarella back into the pan and place back into the oven for a few more minutes and try again. Once all the mozzarella is pressed in the molds, place the molds in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Pop mozzarella skulls out of the mold and into a bowl or airtight container if storing for later. Keep in the fridge. Rinse and dry our molds and pan and repeat steps 2-5 until you have used all your mozzarella. (I had to do this a total of 3 times = 24 mozzarella skulls total)
- On a small 3.5 inch skewer, carefully skewer through a mozzarella skull, then piece of basil, then cherry or grape tomato. Repeat until used all ingredients are used. If you want to make them stand read my Recipe FAQs or look at the last point on my notes.
- Then, drizzle olive oil, and top with salt and pepper. Either fill the eyes of the mozzarella skull with balsamic glaze using a dropper or pipette or drizzle on. Serve and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!