Skull Bones Spooky Spread (Printable Version)

A creamy spread molded into a spooky skull with crunchy vegetable accents for a fun, festive gathering.

# What You Need:

→ Creamy Spread

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 2 tbsp sour cream
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp 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, for garnish)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully incorporated.
02 - Transfer the mixture onto a large platter and mold into an oval to resemble a skull, smoothing the surface evenly.
03 - Arrange celery sticks or breadsticks crossed beneath the bottom edge of the skull to simulate crossbones.
04 - Place halved black olives for eyes, position a small carrot piece or olive slice for the nose, and use red bell pepper strips and carrot rounds to craft the mouth and teeth.
05 - Decorate with cucumber slices and assorted vegetable pieces to enhance features and add visual contrast.
06 - Garnish with parsley or chives if preferred. Serve chilled alongside crackers or assorted vegetable dippers.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that takes barely 20 minutes, so you can actually enjoy your party instead of hiding in the kitchen
  • Kids and adults both reach for it—there's something magical about eating a skull made of vegetables and cream cheese
  • Everything is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, which means fewer worried conversations with guests about dietary needs
  • It's creamy, it's crunchy, and it looks like you spent way more effort than you actually did
02 -
  • Softened cream cheese is absolutely essential—don't skip this step by trying to work with cold cream cheese. It will crack, refuse to shape properly, and you'll regret it. Take the two extra minutes and let it sit on the counter.
  • Arrange all your vegetables before you start assembling. There's nothing worse than realizing halfway through that you don't have enough of something or that something's in an awkward spot.
03 -
  • Make this on a platter you don't mind having at the table for the whole party—it's so visually interesting that people will gather around it, and that's exactly what you want
  • The secret to a skull that actually looks like a skull is making sure the oval is wider at the top and narrower toward the bottom. This creates natural eye sockets and makes the whole thing read immediately as a face
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