Step 1: Prepare the Fruit Shapes

This initial prep work is the key to an easy and enjoyable assembly experience.

• Melons & Pineapple: Cut the melons in half and remove the seeds. Use a melon baller to scoop out perfect spheres for monster heads. For the remaining melon and the pineapple, slice them into 1-inch thick slabs and then cut them into cubes or use small cookie cutters to create fun shapes like stars or circles.

• Kiwis: Peel the kiwis and slice them into thick 1/2-inch rounds. These vibrant green circles make excellent monster faces.

• Strawberries: Wash and hull the strawberries (remove the green leafy tops). Leave them whole. Their pointed shape is naturally monstrous!

• Grapes & Blackberries: Wash the grapes and remove them from their stems. Gently rinse and dry the blackberries.

• Mandarin Oranges: Peel and carefully separate into individual segments.

Step 2: Create the Monster Faces

It’s much easier to decorate the “head” pieces of fruit before you thread them onto the skewers.

• Choose your “glue.” If using chocolate, melt it in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.

• Take a melon ball, kiwi slice, or the wide end of a strawberry. Using a toothpick, dab a tiny speck of your edible “glue” onto the back of a candy eyeball.

• Gently press the eyeball onto the surface of the fruit. Patting the fruit with a paper towel to ensure it’s dry will help the eyes stick much better.

• Get creative! Give some monsters one eye, some three. Use mini chocolate chips for pupils or to make smaller, beady-eyed creatures. Let them look silly, surprised, or spooky.

Step 3: Build Your Skewers

Now it’s time to bring your creations together. There is no right or wrong way to do this, so mix and match to your heart’s content.

• Start with an Anchor: Thread a sturdy piece of fruit, like a grape or a melon cube, onto the skewer first. Push it down so it’s about an inch from the bottom. This will prevent the rest of the fruit from sliding off.

• Alternate and Layer: Create a visually exciting skewer by alternating colors and shapes. Follow a green grape with a bright orange mandarin segment, then a dark blackberry.

• Position the Monsters: Place your decorated monster “heads” at the top of the skewer as the main event, or nestle them in the middle, peeking out from between other fruits.

• Add Toppers and Hair: A blackberry or a small cluster of black grapes placed directly on top of a melon ball makes for fantastic, textured monster hair. A pineapple star can be a fun topper.

• Fill It Up: Continue threading fruit onto the skewer until you have 1-2 inches of space left at the bottom to serve as a handle.

Step 4: Chill and Display

• As you complete each skewer, lay it carefully on a large platter or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Place the finished skewers in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before serving. This helps the “glue” set firmly and makes the fruit extra crisp and refreshing.