This year, save a pumpkin and carve your spooky masterpiece into a watermelon instead. I love sharing fun, dairy-free ways to enjoy the holidays, and these Halloween melons are awesome on so many levels.
First, melons are much easier to carve than pumpkins. Second, you can actually eat the flesh – no waste! Carving pumpkins aren’t grown for good baking, but watermelons house a delicious, nutritious snack. Nutrient-rich watermelon can also be a healthy alternative to other sweet Halloween treats. It’s rich in vitamins A and C, the antioxidant lycopene, and the amino acid citrulline. And since watermelon is 92% water, it’s an effective way to stay hydrated while trick-or-treating.
Plus, I have several tips and two frighteningly good carving ideas, the Mummy Melon and Jack O’Melon.
Halloween Melons: Carving Tricks and Treats to Make with the Flesh
Before you get started, read these helpful notes and suggestions for using that delicious watermelon flesh. It will keep in an airtight container for up to two days, and can be frozen.
Halloween Melon Carving Tricks
Here are some tips straight from the watermelon experts.
- To make cutting and slicing easier, the watermelon should be at room temperate when carving.
- Cut a small, thin, flat piece from the bottom of the watermelon to provide a stable base for carving.
- Draw the design on the watermelon rind with a dry-erase marker before cutting. If you make a mistake, this can make it easier to wipe off.
- Use a sharp knife with a pointed tip for easier, cleaner cuts. Consider a paring knife with a smaller tip for ease of detail.
Here is a visual step-by-step for the Mummy Melon provided by the Watermelon Board (that’s not me in the picture!)
Treats & Eats to Make with Watermelon Flesh
Once your watermelons are carved, you’ll have some juicy watermelon for recipes.
- Whimsical Watermelon Pops
- Fire & Ice Salsa
- Watermelon Detox Smoothies
- Simple Mixed Melon Ball Salad
- Breakfast Push Pops
- Watermelon Lemonade
- Waldorf Watermelon Salad
- Big Red Smoothie
- Healthy Breakfast Trifle
- Watermelon Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- Fruity Pancake Sandwiches
But first, you have to make your Mummy Melon and Jack-o-Melon!
These Halloween Melons were shared with us by watermelon.org.
Special Diet Notes: Halloween Melons
By ingredients, these are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, paleo-friendly, and vegetarian. Plus, they are added sugar-free.
- Watermelon
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Dry-erase marker
- Paring knife
- Melon baller
- Scoop
- Vegetable peeler
- Cheesecloth or gauze
- Straight pin (optional)
- Battery-operated candle or light
- Small bowl
- Blueberries or bloody candy eyes
- Toothpicks, pins or glue
- Wash the watermelon under cool running water and pat dry.
- Place the watermelon on its side on a cutting board and use a kitchen knife to cut off ¼- to /2-inch of rind from bottom to provide sturdy base. Be careful not to cut too deep into white part of rind. Cut 1 to 2 inches from the stem end to create an opening for a bowl to be added.
- Using a dry-erase marker, draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth, along with wavy slits around carving. Use a paring knife to cut them out, and be sure to cut through to red flesh to let more light flow through.
- Use a melon baller to hollow out inside of watermelon. Reserve the watermelon balls. Use a scoop to remove the remaining watermelon.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the green skin off the outside of the watermelon, similar to peeling cucumber.
- Wrap thin strips of cheesecloth or gauze around the mummy carving and secure with a straight pin, if needed.
- Place the battery-operated candle or light inside the carving and fit a small bowl into the top of the carving. Trim away any excess rind to make bowl fit securely.
- Fill the bowl with melon balls. Attach candy eyes or blueberries using a toothpicks, pins or glue.
Jack O’Melon Option
You can make a basic melon “pumpkin” if you don’t have all the supplies for the Mummy Melon. Reserve the cut-off top to use as a lid, and skip the peeling step. Follow the other directions for hollowing, carving, and lighting your Jack-o-Melon! You can make eyeballs with the watermelon balls or try some of the Treats & Eats in the post above.
