Apple Monsters

These Apple Monsters are one of the cutest, easiest Halloween snacks to make with kids all season long. Apple slices with a peanut butter mouth, strawberry tongues, marshmallow bit teeth, and candy eyeballs that look like the cutest little monsters ever.

These Apple Monsters Are the Easiest Halloween Snack Ever!

Apple Monsters are the kind of Halloween snack that turns an ordinary afternoon into a fun kitchen activity for the whole family. We’re talking apple slices with a hollow “mouth” filled with peanut butter, strawberry tongues sticking out, marshmallow teeth, and candy eyeballs on top. Kid-approved, parent-approved, and honestly Instagram-worthy without any effort.

This activity is best for kids ages 4 and up, though younger kids can definitely help with parts of it. Adults handle the cutting, sharp knife, small wedges are tricky, and kids take over for all the fun assembly: spreading the peanut butter, pressing the marshmallow teeth in, sticking on the strawberry tongue, and my personal favorite, adding the googly candy eyes. Kids also love this because they get to eat a healthy snack that looks like a monster, which is a rare parenting win.

Make these for Halloween parties, class treats, after-school snacks in October, Halloween movie nights, fall picnic lunches, or just because. They come together in about 20 minutes and are best assembled right before eating so the apples stay crisp. If you’re serving them at a party, set up an assembly station and let each kid build their own. Guaranteed to be the hit of the day.

What Are Apple Monsters?

Apple monsters are a cute Halloween snack that is a nutritious alternative to the classic, sugary Halloween treats. I have also heard them called Apple Monster Mouths or Halloween Apple Mouths, but Apple Monsters is my household favorite.

This affordable snack is made from apple quarters cut open to look like a mouth, peanut butter, marshmallow bit teeth and a strawberry slice tongue with candy eyeballs to finish it off. Apple monsters are a no-bake Halloween treat that is part snack and part food art! I love to set out all of the components and let the kids get creative.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Apple monsters are made with 6 pantry staples, nothing out of the ordinary that you’ll be searching for in the store.
• Monster snacks are the cutest, silliest Halloween snack out there and kids love to help put these together all season long whether after school or for a class party! They can really practice their creativity making different faces.
• These monster apple smiles are a nutritious snack to add in amongst all of the sugary treats during spooky season.

Why This Is A Great Activity For Kids

• Spreading, pressing, and arranging are great ways to practice fine motor skills.
• Encourages creativity through personalized monster designs.
• Introduces kids to a fun food-as-art concept.
• Sneaks in a healthy snack (apple, peanut butter, fruit) disguised as a sweet treat.
• Builds confidence in the kitchen with age-appropriate steps.
• Creates a fun photo memory for the family Halloween scrapbook.

Key Ingredients

• Granny Smith apples – Granny Smiths are firm, tart and hold their shape really well when they’ve been cut into the mouth shape. If your kids prefer a sweet apple instead, I recommend Pink Lady or Honeycrisp. Soft or mushy apples are to be avoided!
• Lemon juice – This will help to keep the apple pieces from browning. I use bottled lemon juice when I don’t have fresh lemons on hand.
• Peanut butter – Feel free to use whichever nut butter is already on hand in your pantry. For a nut-free, school friendly alternative, try Wow Butter.
• Strawberries – Fresh, not frozen, slice to make a perfect red tongue. If strawberries are out of season or not available to you at the moment, red fruit leather, watermelon slices, mango strips, sliced grapes or red bell pepper strips all work.
• Marshmallow bits – These are smaller and sturdier than regular mini marshmallows, so they will work best. Plus they look more like actual teeth!
• Candy eyeballs – The icing on the cake of these fun monster apples! In a pinch, use brown M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces.

Find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Variations

• Bloody monsters. Drizzle a little strawberry jam over the mouth for a “just ate something” scary look.
• Add fangs. Use sliver-shaped almonds as fangs for vampire monsters.
• Dairy free. Use vegan marshmallow bits (some contain gelatin), or use small pieces of white candy for teeth.
• Add a curly pretzel tail. Stick a pretzel stick out the bottom of each monster.
• Give them hair. Use shredded coconut or a piece of black licorice on top.

How To Make Apple Monsters

1. Slice apples. Cut apples into quarters, and carefully slice a small wedge from the skin side of each quarter to create an open mouth. This is a job for a grown up!
2. Mix lemon and water. Stir together 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 cup cold water in a medium bowl, then dip the cut sides of each apple piece into the lemon water for a few seconds to help slow browning. Pat the apples dry with paper towels.
3. Prepare strawberries. Slice strawberries into thin, tongue-shaped pieces, making at least 16 slices total.
4. Apply nut butter. Spread about 1 ½ teaspoons creamy peanut butter inside each “mouth”, keeping most of it tucked into the opening.
5. Add tongue and teeth. Press 1 strawberry slice into the bottom of each peanut butter-filled mouth so it looks like a little tongue. Press marshmallow bits firmly into the top edge of each mouth to look like teeth.
6. Apply eyeballs. Dab a tiny amount of the remaining peanut butter onto the back of the edible candy eyeballs and press the eyeballs onto the top skin side of each apple.
7. Serve. Arrange the Apple Monsters on a platter and serve right away.

For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below.

Storage

Monster apples are best prepared and served right away. If you are making them ahead of time for a party, store them covered loosely with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 hours.

Serving Suggestions

Apple monster mouths are a great after school or Halloween party snack that will go great with just about anything! I love to serve up quick and easy Cinnamon Roll Bites, Peanut Butter Banana Muffins and veggies with Dill Dip to round out the table when my kids have friends over.

Pro Tips

• The peanut butter will not stick to the apples if you skip patting them dry.
• The trickiest part of this activity is cutting out the mouth. Use a sharp paring knife and slice the wedge about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide and taper to a point about 1/2 inch into the apple to avoid it falling apart.
• Only place the peanut butter inside the mouth, not across the whole face.

More Great After School Snacks

• Great for on the go, Monster Energy Bites will give everyone that mid-day pick me up they need. Loaded with oats, peanut butter and M&Ms, I always try to keep them on hand!
• Adorable Pumpkin Shaped Rice Krispie Treats never last long! They are fun to make and even more fun to eat.
• Salty and sweet Halloween Snack Mix covers all of the bases. It is so easy to make and seriously addictive, so double up the batch!
• Put any extra candy eyeballs to use and make Mummy Pretzel Rods! Kids love to help prepare these almost as much as they love to eat them!