11 pumpkin carving ideas: easy and scary designs to try for Halloween 2025 - including cat, zombie and vampire
Pumpkin carving is a much beloved Halloween tradition that many of us take part in every year - although it can sometimes be difficult thinking up creative designs to make your pumpkin stand out.
These are 10 of the best Halloween pumpkin carving designs to get to you started.
The classic pumpkin
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the classic pumpkin design, with it’s crooked smile, triangle nose and eyes.
Vomiting pumpkin
By using the innards of the pumpkin, like the seeds and other goop you scoop out, you can create a pumpkin that looks like it’s throwing up.
Vampire pumpkin
If you have a spare pair of vampire teeth lying around as part of your Halloween costume, you can make a cute little vampire pumpkin.
Ghost pumpkin
Instead of turning your pumpkin into a character, why not use it to design a scene, like these spooky looking ghosts.
Witch pumpkin
Sometimes less is more when it comes to pumpkin carving, and you can create artistic designs like this witchy looking pumpkin.
Cat pumpkin
Black cats and Halloween go together hand in hand, so why not combine the two in your pumpkin design?
Halloween cottage pumpkin
By not going all the way through the pumpkin rind, you can create this translucent effect with your design, which allows you to create silhouettes and scenes, like this Halloween cottage.
Toothy pumpkin
Again, by not cutting all the way through the pumpkin rind, you can create this layered effect that you can use to make things like teeth, eyes and more, and take your pumpkin carving up to the next level.
Pumpkin inside a pumpkin
If you have a really small pumpkin, as well as your regular sized pumpkin, you can make it look like your big pumpkin is eating the small one.
Jack Skellington pumpkin
Take inspiration from your favourite Halloween movies, like the Nightmare Before Christmas with this Jack Skellington pumpkin.
Zombie pumpkin
Turn your pumpkin into the undead with this simple design. Or, if you want to be a bit more creative, you can dye the pumpkin to make it a real stand-out zombie.