Jack O' Lantern cheese quesadillas

Are you looking for a fun, simple, and kid-friendly Halloween meal? Look no further than these cheese-filled quesadillas! 

These Jack O' Lantern cheese quesadillas have become a Halloween staple in our house. I generally make these on Halloween evening since they are simple and fun. 

You simply "carve" your Jack O' Lantern face into a tortilla, fill it with cheese, and pop it in the oven. These will be a hit for a quick Halloween dinner or lunch for kids and all Halloween lovers (like me)!

Place a tortilla on a cutting board. Use a small sharp knife to "carve" in your face. You can make whatever face you want, of course. Spooky faces, happy faces, and silly faces are all fun, just like a regular Jack O' Lantern.

Then pull out the loose pieces and discard. Alternatively, you can bake up the scraps in the oven until they are crisped up a bit and then use them to dip into salsa.

Take a whole tortilla and place it on a baking sheet. Spread your cheese mixture evenly over the tortilla and then top it with your face tortilla. 

 

Feel free to add a layer of re-fried beans onto the bottom tortilla before topping with the cheese. You can also sprinkle in some cooked, shredded chicken as well.

 

The below recipe is per quesadilla. You can make as many as you need or want for your family. I can fit two quesadillas on a standard baking sheet and bake two trays at a time in the oven. The longest part of this meal prep is making your Jack O' Lantern faces. 

You can use whatever cheeses you like best, but try to use some orange if you want the Halloween color. I like to grate the cheese myself rather than buy the pre-shredded for this recipe because I find that it melts much better and you want that gooey cheesy pull in these quesadillas.  

I use a mix of sharp or extra sharp orange cheddar cheese (for color and flavor) and mozzarella (because it melts well and gives it the "gooey" factor). Colby and Colby Jack are also good choices for an orange color cheese that melts well. You can also use some Pepper Jack for a kick.

I serve these quesadillas with a side of salsa and sour cream or guacamole as well as some fresh vegetables because you can use slices of green bell pepper (or an avocado) to give your pumpkin a stem. 

They also go well with a bowl of tomato soup which is perfect if it's going to be a chilly Halloween or a chilly evening when you have them.

Yield: 1 quesadilla

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Jack O' Lantern Cheese Quesadillas

Are you looking for a fun, simple, and kid-friendly Halloween meal? Look no further than these cheese-filled quesadillas!

Ingredients

• 2 flour tortillas (I use 6-inch size; sometimes labeled "fajita" size)
• about 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use a mix of orange cheddar and mozzarella)
• sliced green bell pepper, for the stem

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place one tortilla on a cutting board and carve the "face" using the sharp point of a paring knife. Don't worry if it's not perfect, but do try not to tear the tortilla. Pull out the cut-out pieces and set aside.
3. Place a whole tortilla on a baking sheet. Spread the cheese evenly on top of the tortilla and then cover with the "face" tortilla.
4. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, until the tortillas are turning golden and the cheese is melted. I also like to turn on the broiler for another 1-2 minutes (watching closely to prevent burning) to crisp up the top tortilla a bit more.
5. Remove from the oven and insert a slice of bell pepper between the two tortillas at the top for the stem.
6. Serve hot with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. as desired. These also go well with tomato soup.

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I hope you give these Jack O' Lantern Cheese Quesadillas a try! Let me know in the comments below.

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This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated in 2022 with a recipe card, new text, and more to improve reader experience. 

Check out these other Halloween recipes: 

Spider & Monster Face Halloween Pizza

Halloween Mini Bat Taco Cheese Balls

Cinnamon & Sugar Soft Pretzel Bones 

Sheet Pan Halloween Confetti Cookie Bars