Laura the Gastronaut > Recipes > Halloween > Beetlejuice-inspired Breadstick Hand with Meatball Eyeballs

Beetlejuice-inspired Breadstick Hand with Meatball Eyeballs

October 27, 2020 | Updated August 18, 2022 | Laura

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This Halloween recipe was inspired by Adam from Beetlejuice when he sticks eyeballs on the end of each of his fingers! The hand is made from a simple and tasty breadstick dough. The eyes are homemade meatballs covered in a white sauce, and the pupils are black olive slices. This Beetlejuice recipe is so delicious and makes for the perfect snack for the Halloween season or a Beetlejuice movie night!

Absolutely delicious and spooky appetizer

I love the movie Beetlejuice so when I set out on the Halloween Recipe Challenge, I knew that I wanted to create something from the movie.

One scene that has really stuck with me my whole life is when Adam has eyeballs on each on of his fingers. So silly but, as a child, a little freaky.

My first breadstick hand recipe was a complete fail, but then I got it down! I made some simple meatballs that would serve as the eyeballs. I whipped up Julia Child's white sauce to coat the meatballs and topped them with sliced black olives.

These hands turned out to be very tasty, so much fun, and captured the freakiness of that scene from Beetlejuice perfectly! A spooky and tasty Halloween treat that would be the perfect finger food for your next Halloween party!

Breadstick Hand with Meatball Eyeballs Recipe: Ingredients

*Some of these ingredient links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

✽ Warm water: About 110°F (43°C) to activate the yeast. If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast, and you will need to start over with new yeast.

✽ Yeast: We'll use active dry yeast for this recipe.

✽ Honey: Adds great flavor to the dough and feeds the yeast. Honey can also create a golden crust!

✽ Olive oil: Adds flavor and makes dough soft.

✽ Flour: I use all-purpose flour for these breadstick hands.

✽ Breadstick Seasonings: salt, garlic powder, & Italian seasoning

✽ Ground Pork + Beef: While you can just use one type of meat for these meatballs, I prefer the flavor when both pork and beef are combined in a 50:50 ratio. You could also use frozen meatballs or pre-made meatballs for this recipe, but I much rather make my own meatballs. They have so much more flavor and are pretty simple to whip together!

✽ Breadcrumbs + Milk + Egg: Breadcrumbs and egg act as binding agents keep the meatballs' shape. This combination also adds moisture to the meatballs and prevent the meatballs from shrinking too much during the cooking process.

✽ Flavorings for Meatballs: Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, & pepper

✽ Oil: For pan-frying the meatballs, I use vegetable oil.

✽ Béchamel sauce: Consists of basic ingredients- butter, flour, milk, salt, & white pepper

✽ Black olives: We'll be using sliced black olives so they look like pupils on top of the meatballs!

How to Make this Beetlejuice Recipe

① First thing, let's talk about the breadstick hands! The dough is a very basic breadstick dough. In a large bowl, activate 1 teaspoon active dry yeast in 3/4 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon honey or sugar. *If using an electric mixer, use the mixer's bowl.

Your yeast should get frothy after about 5 minutes. If it doesn't then your yeast is probably dead, and you will need to start over with new yeast.

② Next, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl with the yeast.

③ In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Slowly stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until all is well blended. *If using an electric mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using the dough hook on low speed until it all comes together.

④ On a well floured surface, knead the dough with floured hands for about 4-6 minutes until it becomes a smooth and elastic ball. You can add more flour by the tablespoon if the dough is too stick to knead, but make sure not to add too much flour. If the dough is still slightly sticky, that's okay! *If using an electric mixer, knead with the dough hook on medium-low speed for 4-6 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

⑤ The dough is then placed in an oiled bowl, covered, and placed in a warm spot for about an hour or until it doubles in size. *You can create a warm space by placing the covered bowl with the dough in a TURNED OFF oven with another bowl that's full of warm tap water.

⑥ Pre-heat oven to 400°F. After it has risen, punch the dough down, place on a lightly floured surface, and split it in two. Now to start shaping the dough into a palm-like shapes!

Start shaping out the fingers by pushing out the dough.

Keep rolling out the fingers until they are long and the appropriate size.

Next, make foil tents to place under the fingers so the hand looks like it is gripping something and won't be completely flat. Start with a piece of foil shaped like below.

Now, fold the foil in half long-wise.

Start to roll the foil and shape so it will lift up the fingers like below. Place hand on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place foil tents underneath the fingers.

⑦ Bake the breadstick hand in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, remove the breadstick hand and pinch the tips of the fingers. This will make putting on the meatballs so much easier.

Put the breadstick hand back into the oven and continue baking for 12-15 minutes until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.

⑧ For the meatballs, in a small bowl, pour 1/4 cup milk over 1/2 cup bread crumbs and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground beef, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the prepared breadcrumb/milk mixture. Do not overwork the meatball mixture.

⑨ Now form the meatball mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. You will end up with more meatball than you have fingers. I like to serve the extra meatballs on the main dish!

⑩ In a large skillet, pour a thin layer of vegetable oil and place over medium heat. Once heated, set meatballs in the oil (don't allow any meatballs to touch each other- you may need to do more than one batch!). Cook meatballs 10-15 minutes or until cooked through (165°F), flipping once or twice for even cooking. When done, remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue process until all meatballs are cooked.

⑪ For the white sauce (béchamel), heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan to a boil, stirring frequently. Keep an eye on your milk! You do not want it to boil over or scorch!

⑫ In another small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and cook for 2 minutes.

⑬ Remove from heat and pour in boiling milk slowly while whisking the entire time. Once fully combined, put saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for one minute, continuing to whisk constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste and correct seasonings, if necessary.

⑭ Time to assemble! Cut a small hole or slit in each of the meatballs with a small paring knife (this is where they will go onto each finger). Cover meatballs in white sauce, and slide onto the ends each breadstick finger. Lastly, place a sliced black olive on top of each meatball!

What to Serve with Beetlejuice Hands Recipe

✽ Drunken Shrimp Cocktail; To stay with the Beetlejuice theme make this delicious drunken shrimp cocktail. The butter sauteed shrimp are dipped into the tomato cocktail then the liquid can be drank like a Bloody Mary. This recipe was inspired by the scene where they are all singing Day-O and the shrimp cocktail comes to life! With these breadstick hands with meatball eyes and this drunken shrimp cocktail, you are sure to have an amazing Beetlejuice movie night!

✽ Marinara; Both the meatballs and the bread taste great dipped in some marinara sauce!

✽ Ranch Dressing; If you are a ranch dressing lover, then you'll love dipping these breadstick fingers into a big bowl of delicious homemade ranch dressing!

Looking for more Halloween food ideas?

→ Check out all of my favorite Halloween recipes!

31 Days of Halloween

This Beetlejuice breadstick hand with meatball eyes is a part of my 31 Days of Halloween. For each day in October, I come up with a cocktail recipe and snack recipe that perfectly matches a scary movie, Halloween movie, or a fun spooky activity. Check it out for all of your Halloween snack and drinking desires!

Beetlejuice-inspired Breadstick Hand with Meatball Eyes

By Laura | Laura the Gastronaut
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Resting Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 2 Breadstick Hands + Extra Meatball Eyeballs

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This Halloween recipe was inspired by Adam from Beetlejuice when he sticks eyeballs on the end of each of his fingers! The hand is made from a simple and tasty breadstick dough. The eyes are homemade meatballs covered in a white sauce, and the pupils are black olive slices. This Beetlejuice recipe is so delicious and makes for the perfect Halloween appetizer for a Beetlejuice movie night!

*Some of these ingredient links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

**Please read entire recipe, step-by-step how-to above the recipe, and the Notes below the recipe prior to cooking for best results.**

Ingredients

For the Breadstick Hands:

• 3/4 cup (180 mL) water, warmed to 110°F (43°C)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey, or sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

For the Meatballs:

• 1/2 cup (60 grams) breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) milk
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup (240 mL) milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

For the Decoration:

• Sliced black olives

Instructions

*See Notes below for electric mixer instructions.
① Make the dough: In a large bowl, add in warm water and sprinkle yeast over the water. Stir in honey. Let rest for 5 minutes or until frothy. If your yeast does not get frothy, start over with new yeast.
② Stir olive oil into the bowl of water/yeast.
③ In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
④ Slowly stir dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until ingredients are well combined.
⑤ Knead the dough: Place the dough on a well floured surface, and knead with floured hands for about 4-6 minutes or until the dough is a smooth and elastic ball. During the kneading process, you may need to add more flour by the tablespoon, but be careful not too add too much flour. You still want the dough to be slightly sticky!
⑥ Rise the dough: Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, roll dough around in bowl to coat all over with oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
⑦ Preheat oven to 400°F.
⑧ Form the hand: Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two parts. Shape out the dough to a palm-like shape, and, by rolling the dough between your two hands, slowly work it out to make 5 fingers. See the pictures above for guidance. Using foil, make stands to rest the dough fingers on while they bake so you get a grip-like look (pictures above). Repeat the hand-making process with the other part of the dough.
⑨ Bake the hand: Place the dough hand on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Put the foil stands underneath the fingers so the fingers drape over the foil. After the bread has been in the oven for 6 minutes, take out and pinch the ends of all the fingers. This step is important as it allows the meatballs to slide onto the fingers. Continue baking for an additional 12-14 minutes until the hand is lightly browned and cooked through.
⑩ Make the meatballs: In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and set aside.
⑪ In a separate large bowl, mix together the pork, beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with your hands or wooden spoon. Do not overwork. Add in the prepared breadcrumb/milk mixture and stir to combine.
⑫ Form the meatball mixture into about 1 1/2 inch balls. You will have more meatballs than fingers*.
⑬ Heat a small layer of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches so the pan is not crowded. Cook about 10-15 minutes, flipping once or twice until the meatballs are cooked through (165°F). Once done cooking, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue until all meatballs have been cooked.
⑭ Make the white sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the milk to a boil. Keep a close eye on it so it does not scorch or boil over.
⑮ Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour, and cook for a couple minutes, whisking constantly.
⑯ Remove flour mixture from heat, and slowly pour in the boiling milk, whisking the entire time. Continue beating vigorously with a whisk until well blended.
⑰ Set saucepan over moderate-high heat, and whisk continuously until boiling. Boil for 1 minute, while whisking.
⑱ Remove from heat, and whisk in white pepper and salt. Taste, and adjust seasoning, if necessary
⑲ Complete the eyeball hand: Gently make one slit into 10 meatballs with a small knife, and then cover the meatballs with the white sauce. Carefully push a meatball onto each finger of the bread hands. Top each meatball with a slice of black olive. Serve the extra meatball eyeballs alongside the breadstick hands!

Notes

✽ Electric Mixer: You can also use an electric mixer to make the breadstick dough. Use the electric mixer's bowl as your large bowl in step 1. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using the dough hook on low speed until it all comes together. Knead with the dough hook on medium-low speed for 4-6 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. You may have to add more flour so the dough is not too sticky.

✽ Extra Meatballs: Since you will have more meatballs than fingers, you can make them into eyeballs as well and display them in a bowl or surround the breadstick hands with them.

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✽ Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment below and sharing on Instagram. Tag @laurathegastronaut and hashtag it #laurathegastronaut.

Category: Halloween, Appetizers & Snacks, Pork, Beef Cuisine: American
Keywords: halloween meatball eyeballs recipe, halloween dinner and a movie, beetlejuice food, beetlejuice recipes, halloween meatballs recipe, halloween recipes, halloween party food ideas, meatball eyes recipe

More Halloween Recipes:

✽ Spooky Spider Pizza Rolls (filled with all the delicious pizza toppings, pricked with green bell pepper legs, and topped with olives for eyes; they make for a very fun Halloween treat for kids and adults)
✽ Halloween Roaches (not actual roaches even though they are pretty realistic!; they are goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in prosciutto)
✽ Halloween Pumpkin Hand Pies (so cute and topped with browned butter cinnamon glaze)
→ Check out all of my Halloween recipes!

Bon appétit!

October 27, 2020 by Laura Ehlers

*This Beetlejuice Breadstick Hand with Meatball Eyeballs blog post and recipe may contain some Amazon affiliate links. These link to products that I personally use and recommend. If you purchase anything using my links, it will not cost you anything. It will though give laurathegastronaut.com some financial support which helps me keep this blog running. Thank you for reading my blogs and your continued support.