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Wholesome Mini Pumpkin Charcuterie Cones for Kids

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These adorable mini pumpkin charcuterie cones are filled with cheese, fruit, pretzels, and pumpkin seeds, making snack time a fun and healthy adventure. Perfect for Halloween, fall parties, or lunchboxes, they come together in under 15 minutes with no oven required.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–6 mini pumpkins (sugar or pie pumpkins)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt (optional)
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls
  • 1 cup red and green apple slices (tossed in lemon juice)
  • 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup mini pretzel twists
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
  • 4–6 small waffle cones or sugar cones

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Wash the mini pumpkins. Using a small sharp knife, cut off the top quarter of each pumpkin. Set tops aside. Use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Rinse inside and pat dry.
  3. Lightly brush the outside (and inside if desired) of each pumpkin with olive oil. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt over the outside.
  4. Place hollowed pumpkins and tops on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly softened but still holding shape. Let cool completely.
  5. While pumpkins cool, prepare fillings: cube cheddar cheese, slice apples and toss in lemon juice, halve grapes, and measure out pretzels, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries into separate bowls.
  6. Once pumpkins are cool, place each on a small plate. Gently press a waffle cone into the opening of each pumpkin, angled to one side like a handle.
  7. Layer fillings into the pumpkin around the cone: start with cheese cubes, then apple slices and grapes, and finish with pretzels, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries on top. Do not overpack.
  8. Serve immediately. Place pumpkin tops next to cones as garnish or let kids use them as lids.

Notes

Do not fill pumpkins too far in advance; moisture from fruit can make cones soggy after 30 minutes. For make-ahead, bake pumpkins and prep fillings up to 2 days ahead, then assemble just before serving. If pumpkins are too tough, use sugar or pie pumpkins. For nut-free version, swap pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: mini pumpkin charcuterie cones, kids snack, Halloween snack, fall party snack, healthy snack, charcuterie for kids, pumpkin snack

Find it online: https://tastytuck.com/wholesome-mini-pumpkin-charcuterie-cones-for-kids/