How to Make Sweet-Filled Paper Pumpkins for Halloween

Looking for a fun crafting idea to keep the kids entertained, or a unique way to hand out treats this spooky season? Follow our easy step-by-step guide to making DIY paper pumpkin decorations filled with sweets!

A hand holding the completed paper pumpkin decoration with autumn leaves and pine cones in the background

You will need:

- Orange tissues, crepe paper or tissue paper (or any soft paper that you can colour or paint orange)

- Pencil

- Bowl (diameter approx. 20cm)

- Scissors

- Sweets of your choice (a few per pumpkin)

- Green tape (or tape of a different colour that you can colour or paint green)

A wooden bowl, green paint, orange tissue paper, sweets, scissors, tape and a pencil to create the pumpkins.

1. Draw a circle

Drawing a circle around an upside down wooden bowl onto orange tissue paper

Start off by drawing a circle on 1-2 layers of orange tissue or paper. How much you use here will depend on the thickness of the paper, and you may need to use more if your paper is really thin.

To help draw a perfect circle, find any circular object, such as a bowl, large candle, or a small flower pot etc. Flip it upside down, and draw around the object.

2. Cut the circle out

Scissors cutting out a circle on orange tissue paper

Next, cut out the circle you have drawn using scissors. If you want to make more than one pumpkin, you can try to cut more than one sheet at a time by stacking the sheets of tissue or paper.

3. Add your sweets

Filling a circle of orange tissue paper with 5 sweets

Now you’ve cut out your circle, place your choice of sweets in the centre of the circle. For this, it’s recommended to use only 4 or 5 sweets (depending on the size of them) so the pumpkin will still have a circular shape once formed.

4. Fold together

A hand folding orange tissue paper into a pumpkin shape

Then, join the ends together to form a nice pumpkin shape by pulling the edges into a point. You should now have a rounded base with a ‘pumpkin stem’ looking top.

5. Tape it closed

A hand taping the stem of an orange paper pumpkin

Finally, cover the tip with your green tape to seal it up, and your pumpkin is ready. However, if you chose to use a different coloured tape, all you need to do is paint it green.

Painting a paper pumpkin stem with green paint

And voila!

Your pumpkin treats are ready! Include these around your home as Autumn decor, or give them out as treats on Halloween.

With over 35 years of floristry experience, David Denyer is a renowned master in his field. His talent and artistic vision have earned him numerous accolades and awards, establishing him as one of the industry's leading figures. David has captivated audiences worldwide, showcasing his passion for floristry in Europe, China, Australia, and America. His captivating demonstrations have left a lasting impression on floral enthusiasts globally. In 2023, David made a memorable appearance on the prestigious television show, Gardeners World, further solidifying his reputation as an exceptional florist. David's journey to success began in 1996 when he was named Interflora "Florist of the Year." Since then, he has represented the United Kingdom in the "Europa Cup" and achieved consecutive Chelsea Gold Medals and Best in Show titles at the renowned Chelsea Flower Show from 2000 to 2003. In July 2004, David was once again named Interflora "Florist of the Year" and led his team to victory at the Interflora World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. He continued to impress with another Chelsea Gold Medal in 2005 and received a Gold Medal in 2011 for his floral installation titled "A Sense of Perspective." David's Accolades: July 1996: Interflora "Florist of the Year"; September 1999: Represented the UK in the "Europa Cup" in Austria; May 2000-2005: 6x Consecutive Chelsea Gold Medal and Best in Show - Professional Floristry; July 2004: Interflora "Florist of the Year"; September 2004: Interflora World Cup Winners in Melbourne, Australia; 2011: Chelsea Gold Medal for "A Sense of Perspective" floral installation; 2023: Appeared on Gardeners World in 2023; David's vast experience and expertise now benefits Eflorist customers. Understanding the emotional power of flowers, he ensures that every customer receives the utmost delight when enjoying their thoughtfully sent bouquet.