Make a ghoulish graveyard dessert: A layered treat with gelatin, whipped topping and cookies (1994)
Ingredients for the graveyard dessert for Halloween
2-1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, divided
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 (1 stick) margarine, melted [or butter]
1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia brand cream cheese, softened
1 tub (12 ounces) Cool Whip topping, thawed
2 cups boiling water
1 package (8-serving size) or 2 packages (4 serving size) Jell-O orange gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
Ice cubes
Decorations: Assorted rectangle-shaped [oblong] sandwich cookies, decorator icing, candy corn and candy pumpkins
Directions
Mix 2 cups of the cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and margarine in 13×9-inch pan; press onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate.
Beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in bowl until smooth. Stir in half the Cool Whip. Spread over crust.
Stir boiling water into gelatin in bowl for 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Mix cold water and ice to make 1-1/2 cups. Stir into gelatin until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining ice. Spoon gelatin over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.
Before serving, spread remaining whipped topping over gelatin. Sprinkle with remaining Oreo cookie crumbs. Decorate sandwich cookies with icing to make “tombstones.” Stand tombstones on top of the dessert with candy pumpkins to resemble a graveyard. Cut into squares.
Store leftover dessert in the refrigerator. Makes 15 to 18 servings.
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Bonus: How to make creepy jigglers (1998)
Jello Creepy Jigglers are creatures that move in the night, and disappear in the day. Get in on the fun by ordering your mold today… and give everyone the chills. Happy Jelloween!
[Editor’s notes: Since this mold offer is from 20 years ago, check out these Halloween-themed candy molds instead. Also: The Jello mixture listed below uses much less water than typical gelatin recipes, to result in a firm “jiggler.”]
Creepy jigglers recipe
2-1/2 cups boiling water
3 packages (4-serving size) grape gelatin
1 package (4-serving size) orange gelatin
Instructions
Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl, and stir for 3 minutes or until completely dissolved. [The combined gelatin flavors make a blackish color.]
Recipe for using without molds
Pour into 13-by-9-inch pan.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm. Dip bottom of pan in warm water about 15 seconds. Cut into Halloween shapes (bats and witches are particularly good) all the way through gelatin.
To cut Halloween shapes without cookie cutters, place paper or cardboard patterns on gelatin. Cut around patterns with a sharp knife.
Lift individual jigglers from pan.
Makes 24
ALSO TRY: Halloween Jello recipes: Pumpkin Parfaits, Moon Medleys & Grape Frosts (1985)
