Cheesy Polenta Skulls: An Easy Halloween Recipe

I love the idea of making creepy, fun Halloween food, but most of the recipes I find are painstakingly detailed, with lots of little parts to attend to. What’s a Pinterest mom to do?

Create a 3-ingredient baked polenta skull recipe, of course!

Pin for later!

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. Thanks for supporting Bloom in the Black!

The idea came to me when I was browsing Amazon and came across these silicone skull molds:

These are usually used to mold candy or wax, but I make polenta a lot and what I’ve seen over the years is how well it molds to a container as it cools.

So I gave it a shot! I whipped up a small batch of cheesy polenta while I made breakfast one morning (it’s so fast, less than 5 minutes), then spooned polenta into each mold and popped the trays into the refrigerator to set.

I sprayed non-stick cooking spray into every skull but one to test for release, and it turns out you don’t need the spray at all. Permission to skip it — they all released easily and fully intact, including the skull that did have the spray.

I love the flexibility of a recipe like this because you can quickly make the skulls whenever you have a few minutes and then leave them waiting in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them. That makes these the perfect Halloween party food (though you could of course experiment with different shapes for different occasions).

We just had them for lunch, but a fun shape makes any meal a party, right?

I served these baked polenta bites on a bed of our favorite Rao’s Marinara sauce, but they’re also amazing dipped in truffle mayonnaise or in a salad.

I hope you give these cheesy polenta skulls a try to add a little fun to your spooky season!

Want more easy recipes like this? Check out my full collection of simple family favorites.

Cheesy Polenta Skulls

Yield: 16 skulls

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

These baked polenta nuggets are the perfect easy Halloween appetizer. They can be prepped in minutes and stored in the fridge until ready to bake.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup quick cooking polenta
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• Pat of butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil.
2. Reduce to a strong simmer and slowly whisk in the polenta. If it starts bubbling too much, take it off the heat.
3. Continue whisking until no lumps remain, and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese until fully incorporated.
5. Spoon polenta into your skull molds, filling completely. Press down to be sure the polenta fills all the details.
6. Refrigerate for an hour or until ready to use.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Gently release the polenta from the mold.
9. Place skulls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
10. Serve hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Serve on a bed of jarred marinara for a gory but yummy presentation.

These skulls also make a hearty substitute for croutons in a salad.

I also love these dipped in truffle mayo. Yum!

Sprinkle with grated parmesan before baking to add an extra dimension of cheesiness and crunch.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  200 Pcs Unbleached Parchment Paper Baking Sheets, 12 x 16 Inch, Precut Non-Stick Parchment Sheets for Baking, Cooking, Grilling, Air Fryer and Steaming - Unbleached, Fit for Half Sheet Pans
• 
  BELLINO Polenta Instant, 17.6 oz
• 
  Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce, 24 oz, All Purpose Tomato Sauce, Pasta Sauce, Carb Conscious, Keto Friendly, All Natural, Premium Quality, With Italian Tomatoes & Olive Oil
• 
  Halloween Silicone Molds Chocolate Skull Mold Halloween Skull Gummy Molds for Candy, Jelly, Ice Cube, Crayon Pack of 2

Like this recipe?

Be sure to save it for later on Pinterest!