• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Comfort Food
  • Southern
  • Tex-Mex
  • Dessert
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Comfort Food
  • Southern Recipes
  • Tex-Mex & Mexican Food
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index
  • About Kelly
  • Contact
ร—
Home ยท Recipes ยท Halloween ยท Halloween Party Food | Dead Man's Fingers and Dip Recipes

Published: Sep 30, 2017 by Kelly Anthony ยท 4 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Halloween Party Food | Dead Man's Fingers and Dip Recipes

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Halloween appetizer features little smokies cut to look like fingers and a trio of frightening Halloween dip recipes.

A white square plate with a Trio of Halloween Dip placed in the center. Surrounding the dip bowls are sausages that look like fingers. One of the dips in yellow, another is a deep purple and the last is a mixture of pickled peppers, jam and cream cheese.

HOW TO MAKE LIT'L SMOKIES LOOK LIKE FINGERS

Turning the Lil' Smokies into horrid little fingers is really much easier, and much faster work than I had originally planned for. I found the simplest way to transform them was to stand them right-side up on the cutting board, and using a small, sharp knife (e.g. a paring knife) slanted at a diagonal toward the sausage, shave about a ยฝ" worth of sausage away. This forms the fingernail. Then, lay the sausage flat and cut two slits directly under the nail, and three slits on the opposite end from the fingernail. This creates the finger and knuckle creases.

A Halloween appetizer featuring lil' smokies cut to look like fingers that are placed on a white serving dish.

A TRIO OF HALLOWEEN DIP RECIPES

To accompany your Dead Man's Fingers, try any one of these awfully delicious Halloween dip recipes, created specifically to complement the flavors of the sausage: Mummy Mush, Dracula's Bloody Stew and (my personal favorite) Lizard Leg Brew

A white bowl filled with a mayonnaise and mustard dip. Surrounding the bowl are sausages that look like fingers.

MUMMY MUSH (HOMEMADE PICKLE RELISH DIP)

Mummy Mush is a quick and simple Halloween dip recipe to whip up, with flavors very closely resembling a pickle relish. It is easy to make with the aid of a food processor and requires very little effort beyond the pushing of a button!

A close up shot of a small white bowl filled with a cranberry BBQ dip. Sitting next to the bowl are lil' smokies cut to look like fingers.

DRACULA'S BLOODY STEW (CRANBERRY BARBECUE DIPPING SAUCE)

Dracula's Bloody Stew was created to look like bloodied intestines and spilled guts (how terrible does that sound!) and begins on the stovetop with thawed cranberries and sugar. It quickly morphs into a tangy and sweet barbecue-style sauce, completely ideal for little sausage dippers.

An overhead shot of Lizard Leg Brew in a white bowl. In the background are small sausages that look like fingers.

LIZARD LEG BREW (SPICY PEPPER  JELLY SAUCE & CREAM CHEESE DIP)

Oh, and let us not forget the Lizard Leg Brew. This slimy, spicy sauce starts with a rough chop of fresh jalapeños and quickly comes together on the stop top via the addition of red pepper jelly, vinegar and the help of a few spices. It is spicy, a little tangy and a lot of delicious. Once the sauce has cooled, it is poured over room temperature cream cheese and served.

MORE HALLOWEEN APPETIZER RECIPES

I love a good variety, so all three Halloween dip recipes are right up my alley, however, if you are hosting a Halloween party, very likely you may find yourself pressed for time. Entertaining always seems to come down to the last minute, doesn't it? The last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed by to-dos as guests are walking through the door. Bonus: all of these Halloween dip recipes can be made in advance, however, just one of the three is perfectly sufficient, and will make for a gruesome (and tasty) conversation piece amongst your guests.

If you're looking for more savory Halloween recipes to serve up at your Halloween party, try this Swamp Monster Spaghetti for the main course or kid-friendly Halloween dinner. Halloween Monster Meatballs make for another gruesome looking appetizer, and for sweet Halloween treat ideas, easy and simple Halloween Pretzel Rods are great for kid-friendly parties!, Halloween Blondies with peanut butter and Butterfinger candies are guaranteed to make your guests swoon, and Cyclops Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are spooky, yet totally delicious. Happy Halloween, and please, enjoy!

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Dead Man's Fingers

A perfect Halloween appetizer featuring Lil' Smokies cut up to look like creepy fingers. Serve with your favorite spooky Halloween dip and enjoy!
Prep Time12 minutes mins
Total Time12 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Halloween Finger Food
Servings: 10
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

For Dead Man's Fingers:

  • 1 ยฝ pound (24 ounce package) Lit'l Smokies
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

For Mummy Mush Dip:

  • 5 dill pickles minced
  • โ…“ cup mayonnaise + 1 tablespoon
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 1 ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยพ teaspoon onion powder
  • Pinch of Kosher salt

To Make Dracula's Bloody Stew Dip:

  • โ…“ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ยผ cup fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed)
  • ยพ cup ketchup
  • 2 ยฝ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
  • ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
  • ยผ teaspoon garlic powder

Lizard Leg Brew Dip:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
  • ยฝ cup store-bought red pepper jelly
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ยฝ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Instructions

To Make Dead Man's Fingers:

  • Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a rimmed baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil. Pat the sausages dry with paper towels. Stand sausage right-side up on the cutting board. Using a paring knife, shave about a ยฝ" worth of sausage away. This forms the fingernail.
  • Lay the sausage flat and cut two slits directly under the nail, and three slits on the opposite end to create the finger and knuckle creases. Transfer the sausage to the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with canola oil and toss to coat. Spread apart on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm alongside dipping sauces and enjoy

To Make the Mummy Mush Dip:

  • Add half of the pickles and the remaining ingredients to the bowl of food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Process until well combined, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the reserved pickles. Makes 1 cup.

To Make Dracula's Bloody Stew Dip:

  • In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the brown sugar and cranberries. Stir until the sugar has melted, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
  • Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, serve, and enjoy. Makes 1 ยฝ cup.

To Make Lizard Leg Brew Dip:

  • Add canola oil to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and allow to come to temperature. Add the jalapeños, and sauté 4-6 minutes, or until softened. Add the red pepper jelly, cumin, smoked paprika and salt, and stir until the jelly has melted down. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 
  • Place the cream cheese in a serving dish and spoon jalapeño mixture over the top. Makes about 1 cup.

Notes

Nutrition facts for Dead Man's Fingers only.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 695mg | Potassium: 118mg | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

PInterest image of A Halloween appetizer featuring lil' smokies cut to look like fingers and a trio of frightening dipping sauces.

« Halloween Treat | Chocolate-Covered Halloween Pretzels
Halloween Meatballs | Appetizer Recipe »
  • Share
  • Tweet

Looking for more recipes?

Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

Check Out the Recipe Index

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bruce E Cole says

    October 27, 2017 at 11:58 am

    Love your website, just wish there was a recipe box where we can save the different recipts in a personal recipe box. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      October 27, 2017 at 10:11 pm

      Hey Bruce! Thank you so much ๐Ÿ™‚ That is a great idea, and I'll absolutely keep it in mind for future TAK renovations! Thanks again!!

      Reply
  2. Jenn says

    October 14, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    So fun and spooky! I love having some good appetizer recipes on hand for pre-trick-or-treating snacking and this is perfect!

    Reply
  3. Noelle Simpson says

    October 15, 2020 at 5:32 pm

    Perfect idea for some halloween treat! Can't wait to try this out ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Iโ€™m Kelly Anthony โ€” a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If youโ€™d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

Trending recipes

  • Homemade hamburger seasoning
    The Best Homemade Hamburger Seasoning
  • Turkey Sloppy Joe with potato chips and sliced pickles
    Easy Turkey Sloppy Joes (Sweet, Smoky, and So Satisfying)
  • Chicken a la king poured over biscuits with extra biscuits in the background.
    20 Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes for Quick, Delicious Dinners
  • How to Make a Spiked Arnold Palmer (John Daly Cocktail)
  • Hugo spritz cocktail
    How to Make a Hugo Spritz (The Iconic Elderflower Cocktail)
  • Elote Seasoning
    Elote Seasoning Recipe (Better than Trader Joe's)

Footer

โ†‘ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly recipes

Contact

  • Work with me
  • Contact

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
We loved this recipe!!
Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.