Halloween Puff Pastry Intestines with a Gutsy Filling
Are you looking for a Halloween dish that’s both delicious and unsettlingly creepy? These puff pastry intestines are the perfect way to add fright to the dinner table, potluck, or work party.
Flaky golden pastry twists and turns into a realistic intestine shape. At the same time, the flavorful meat (or your favorite filling) inside will satisfy even the hungriest of ghouls. As you pull apart this spooky appetizer, filling oozes out, giving a disturbingly realistic touch to the intestine-like shape.
Prepare it ahead of time and customize with your favorite fillings. This eerie creation will have everyone squirming and coming back for seconds!
Ingredients and Supplies Needed to Make Puff Pastry Intestines
Ingredients
- 1 box (2 sheets) of puff pastry sheets
- Filling of choice
- Egg wash
PRO TIP: Save your sanity and use the pre-made Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets. You can find these at most grocery stores in the frozen pie area. One box includes two sheets, which is perfect for one baking sheet.
Supplies
Delicious filling ideas for puff pastry intestines:
- Our popular Homemade Manwich Sloppy Joe recipe.
- BBQ Pulled Pork
- Italian sausage with sauteed bell peppers and onions.
- Spinach and feta with garlic and herbs
- Roasted vegetables- zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplant with a marinara sauce
Or make this a dessert pastry! Try sweet combinations such as:
- Mixed berries and cream cheese
- Pumpkin pie filling
- Apples seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar
- Nutella and marshmallows
How to Make Edible Intestines for Halloween
Step 1: Prepare the puff pastry
Thaw the puff pastry according to the instructions on the packaging. Roll out each sheet to about 11 x 14 inches. Cut each sheet into four strips or three strips lengthwise. The length of the strips doesn’t matter as much as the width; make sure each strip is about 2 inches wide.
Step 2: Make a long intestine strip
Connect your dough strips to make one long strip. Use your finger to dab a little water on the edge of the dough so it sticks to the next strip. If you don’t have the counter space for 1-2 long strips, you can fill each strip separately and arrange them on the baking sheet to look connected and intertwined.
Step 3: Fill the dough
Spread your filling mixture along the middle of the dough. Be careful not to overfill it; leave room on the outer edges to connect the dough. Pinch the dough around the filling, using water along the edges of the dough, if needed, so it sticks together easily.
The goal is to create a long tube of stuffed dough that you can wind around on a baking pan to look like intestines.
Step 4: Create an intestine shape
Place one end of the dough strip on a baking sheet in a way that reminds you of the bottom of intestines, with the pinched side down. Wrap the dough around the baking sheet, keeping it tight together. It could also resemble a snake slither; it will be creepy either way. 👻
Step 5: Add the egg wash and bake
Put the edible intestines in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to chill. Brush on the egg wash and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. To add a creepy detail, you could top the dough with food coloring before baking.
Halloween is such a fun holiday to eat unique and creative food. Dip your icky intestine bread in your favorite dipping sauce for a fun finger food dish at your next Halloween dinner or potluck. Only once a year do you get to eat bloody guts! 🎃
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I add more gore to the intestines?
Before baking, you could add red and blue food coloring to resemble blood. Use a toothpick or knife to make crevices and markings throughout the intestines.
Depending on what you use for filling you could splatter the intestines with ketchup, marinara sauce, or this delicious meatball glaze when serving.
With a sweet filling, you could top it with red fruit chunks, such as strawberries or raspberries. You could also dye an icing red and drizzle it over the top.
Get as creative and gross as you want!
Can I use a different dough besides puff pastry sheets?
Puff pastry sheets roll out easily and twist without breaking. But there are so many other doughs that can do the same thing! Try making Halloween intestines with:
- Pizza dough
- Biscuit dough
- Crescent roll dough
Can I make this ahead of time for a potluck?
If you want to meal prep the night before or the morning of the dinner or event, keep in mind that unbaked puff pastry dough and crescent roll dough may become soggy if they sit in the refrigerator all night. Pizza dough will hold up the best for meal prep. While it is best to serve right after baking, you can also bake the night before.
If you want to prep this ahead of time, try a few of these tips:
- Drain excess moisture from the filling to avoid soggy dough.
- Ensure the filling is cool so it doesn’t create condensation in the dough.
- Before filling the dough, use a light layer of egg wash or butter to create a barrier between the filling and the dough.
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If you are baking ahead of time, you can store the intestines in the refrigerator once they’re cool. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave so the dough has a crispy texture and is heated evenly.
See more of our deliciously creepy Halloween recipes:
- Zombie Meatloaf
- Meatball Mummies
- Nutella Crescent Roll Mummies Recipe for Halloween
- Air Fryer Hocus Pocus Buns
- Ooey Gooey Monster Cookies with Eyes
- Pumpkin Cuties
- Witches Hats and Broomsticks
- Halloween Veggie Skeleton Recipe
Halloween Puff Pastry Intestines Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza Cutter
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 box frozen Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets includes 2 sheets
- 3-3 ½ cups filling of your choice I like Sloppy Joe Mix
- 1 egg with a splash of water beaten
- edible fake blood optional
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry sheets according to the directions on the package. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each of the two puff pastry sheets to be about 11 x 14 inches each. Cut each sheet into 3 strips lengthwise, or 4 strips width-wise (either way works). Brush a small amount of water on the short end of a strip of dough to help it to stick the short end of the next strip. Continue to create two long strips with all of the dough.
- Spoon the filling evenly down the center of each strip of dough. Bring the sides of the dough up and around the filling, and pinch together to close.
- Start with one end of dough and arrange it winding around the pan in a way that reminds you of an intestine. Use the next long piece of dough to finish the creation.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, or the freezer for 5 minutes, to chill the dough. Then brush egg wash over the dough.
- Before baking, you can use a toothpick to add additional crevices and markings. You can also mix several drops of red food coloring and 1-2 drops of blue food coloring, then use a small paint brush to paint it onto the dough in the cracks and crevices to look like blood.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until dough is golden brown.
- After baking, you can splatter on ketchup (for savory filling), fruit topping (for sweet), or some other red sauce-like ingredient for the bloody effect.
That husband just didn’t have the guts to eat it! Ha.
Ha ha. Yep.
Oh, I’m going to try this at the Halloween pot-luck my workplace is planning! I’ve mostly seen sweet versions of this online, but this savoury option looks yummy!
Dumb question, probably… but is the sloppy joe meat cooked beforehand? Or is that dealt with by the baking time for the pastry?
Thanks!
Fun! The sloppy joe meat is fully cooked and ready to go before I put it in the pastry dough. Hope it turns out awesome for you, Chrissy!
I definitely want to make this for my next Halloween party and wanted to ask if I can prepare the intestines (fill the dough and shape it) ahead of time. Can I do this early in the day and bake it right before the party? Or is it better to bake it ahead and re-heat in the evening?
Thanks for your great instructions and pics!
I think it will work out great to prepare it in advance and cook later. Just be sure to cover it with plastic wrap or something similar to keep it from drying out in the refrigerator. I would pull it out of the fridge and let it come close to room temp before baking too.
You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting!
Did you end up making this? If so, did you make it ahead of time and then bake it? How did it come out?
Could you make this the day before you are going to cook it, or would that mess up the puff pastry (on the bottom)? I am having a party and this looks great, but I try to do as much the day before as possible. This is a great Halloween party food!! Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t done this myself, but I think it will work to prepare it in advance and cook the next day. I would cover it with plastic wrap or something similar to keep it from drying out in the refrigerator, then let it come close to room temp before baking. I know for sure that you can make the filling in advance though! I hope it works out well for you! Let us know how it goes! Thanks, Lisa!
Hey Lisa, I have the same question. Did you try this? How did it work?
How are these the next day? These will be perfect for my work Halloween potluck. I have a way to warm them when I get there but I’d like to bake them at home the night before?
Hey Everyone! I am having a huge Halloween Party and was looking to make 6 of these. What are your thoughts on making these the night before or the morning of? That way I can just toss in the oven once a new one is needed. I worry the meat will make the dough wet or the dough will dry out. I just don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen stuffing intestines
I would think the morning of would be just fine (if you take Melanie’s advice and cover it with plastic wrap). Not sure about the night before though. I also worry about the dough getting soggy. Please come back and let us know what you end up doing!
I have made this many years in a row – I usually prep them the morning of, and then pop them in the oven right before the party. They come out fabulous. We usually do more of a taco meat and cheese filling in ours.
Thanks, Jen!
Could I assemble this in the morning and put it in the fridge until I bake it at lunch?
I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it will work to assemble it in advance. I would cover it with plastic wrap or something similar to keep it from drying out in the refrigerator, then let it come close to room temp before baking. Let us know how it goes, Megan!
Did you cook your sloppy Joe meat before putting it your “intestines “?
Yes
I made these for my Zombie Tidal Wave party and it was a huge hit. 1/2 spinach & 1/2 sloppy joe. I would use this to make other shapes for other events. ❤️
Awesome! Sounds delicious. Thank you for your comment and review, Alysia!
Not sure I have a way to warm it up for Halloween work potluck other than microwave and it looks to be pretty big. Any suggestions on recipe ideas if I were to have to reheat and/or bake morning of then put in work fridge and put out without having to reheat. This looks like alot of fun and I am bringing it to a medical clinic potluck, even better!
Hi Laura! So fun that you’re bringing this to a medical clinic potluck! 🙂 But YES… this wouldn’t reheat in a microwave, unless you formed it into smaller portions of intestines. Here are some no-bake Halloween ideas:
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/healthy-halloween-treat-banana-ghosts/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/adorable-bat-treats-halloween/
More Halloween ideas: https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/holiday-occasion/halloween/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/candy-corn-sugar-cookies/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/meatball-mummies-recipe/ (these are smaller and might be easier to heat up in microwave)
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/nutella-mummies-recipe/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/monster-cookies/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/pumpkin-cuties/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/halloween-party-treats-witches-hats-and-broom-sticks/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/halloween-veggie-skeleton-recipe/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/candy-corn-rice-crispy-treats-recipe/
Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing!
This is a great idea for the halloween-themed brunch contest at work. Since we have some vegetarians, I’m thinking half eggs, veggie & cheese and the other half eggs, meat & cheese. If I cook in the morning before work and transfer to my crockpot, I’m thinking that it would stay warm without getting soggy. Thoughts?
Hi, Stacie. I don’t think the puff pastry part of it would transfer to a Crock-Pot very well. I like your filling ideas! I might just try covering it with foil to keep it warm, as long as the brunch isn’t too long after it is baked. I hope your find a way that will work out well for you!
I made this at about noon for a 7 pm party and it came out perfectly. I covered it with 2 pieces of foil and kept it in the refrigerator until I was ready to bake it. I also waited to do the egg wash until 7:00. The filling I used was a beef sloppy joe, and I added red food coloring to the egg wash, which came out great!
Awesome! Thank you for leaving a review and sharing how it worked out for you to prep the Halloween intestines in advance and bake later, Lisa!
I would like to make this for work but I go in at 5:30am and the potluck won’t start until 11:30am. Since I won’t have the option to bake this at work I thought I would make a buffalo chicken filling with some cream cheese. Any thoughts on how that might come out to sit out that long and eat cold?
Oh man, that would be iffy. That’s a long time for something baked and with cream cheese to be sitting out. I haven’t tried it myself though, so I’m not sure!
Here are some no-bake Halloween ideas if you decide you want to try something else:
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/healthy-halloween-treat-banana-ghosts/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/adorable-bat-treats-halloween/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/halloween-veggie-skeleton-recipe/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/pumpkin-cuties/
More Halloween ideas:
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/holiday-occasion/halloween/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/candy-corn-sugar-cookies/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/nutella-mummies-recipe/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/monster-cookies/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/halloween-party-treats-witches-hats-and-broom-sticks/
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/candy-corn-rice-crispy-treats-recipe/
Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing!