It’s getting very close to Halloween and we are having so much fun decorating and celebrating! Since learning some basic concrete pouring techniques, we have been trying to do a few projects to really get the hang of it.

When we spotted these plastic pumpkins at Walmart (for $1 each!) we were struck with the idea of turning them into concrete pumpkins.
We made 5 regular pumpkins and one concrete pumpkin bowl – which is the perfect candle holder or candy bowl and make a wonderful gift!
Here’s how to make your own DIY Concrete Pumpkins.
DIY Concrete Pumpkins
What you need:
- Concrete mix
- Water
- Bucket to mix concrete in
- Stir stick
- Pumpkin candy bowl mold
- Small jar or cup the size of the bowl within the pumpkin

See our whole spooky porch setup here!
What you do:
Mix your concrete according to the package directions. Add the concrete to the pumpkin mold.
Spray a cup or jar with cooking non-stick spray and insert into your mold to create the bowl.
*Note – we created 5 regular, solid pumpkins for decor and one candle holder/bowl pumpkin for our boo kit. This step is optional*
To make a pumpkin into a candle holder, you will want to spray a jar with cooking spray and insert that into the pumpkin.
Add some concrete first, then add your jar, then fill it the rest of the way up. If the jar touches the bottom, the hole will go all the way through the pumpkin!
You can see in the image below we put our jar in a ziplock bag. DON’T do that. It was very hard to get out. Use cooking spray instead.
Allow to cure – we let ours dry for one week.
You can leave them outside in the sun to help them dry quicker!
Use a knife to carefully cut the plastic mold away from the concrete.
This mold is unfortunately not reusable after this since you have to cut it up into bits.
Get spooky because your concrete pumpkin is ready to go!
I suggest letting your pumpkin dry without being handled too much just over night or so. Sometimes it can be slightly damp as you can see the one above still was.
They dry pretty light in color.
Love this? Check out our DIY plastic pumpkin porch decor and pumpkin topiaries!
Let’s do Some Friendly Neighborhood BOO’ing!
BOO’ing is a fun way to get in the Halloween spirit. Our concrete pumpkin candleholder is the perfect gift.
When you aren’t using the pumpkin as a candle holder, it makes a fantastic candy bowl.
We picked up all of our goodies at our local Walmart.

How to make concrete pumpkins
Check out this super simple tutorial for how to make concrete pumpkin Halloween decor!
Materials
- Concrete mix
- Water
- Pumpkin candy bowl mold
Tools
- Bucket to mix concrete in
- Stir stick
Instructions
- Mix concrete and water according to instructions on the bag. We like to go for the consistency of wet peanut butter.
- Pour concrete into your pumpkin candy bowl.
- Allow to fully cure for several days.
- Carefully cut the plastic bowl away from the mold.
- Enjoy!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Janelle Spies
Friday 16th of October 2020
Exactly what kind of type of concrete did you use. I have used a couple of different kinds and they don't turn out as smooth as yours?
Morgan
Saturday 17th of October 2020
This was Quikrete's countertop mix. No stones because counters have to be super smooth.
Halloween 2020: Over 500 Games, Snacks, and Fun Ideas! | Life Between the Dishes
Tuesday 6th of October 2020
[…] 2. Concrete Pumpkins: Use plastic pumpkins as a mold to make concrete pumpkins. Use these for decorations or create a hole in the center for an awesome candy bowl. Be on the lookout after Halloween. These buckets can be found for as little as a penny a piece! […]
Ivory
Thursday 1st of October 2020
Absolutely fabulous. Will be making this diy project this weekend. Thanks for sharing
Ivory
Thursday 1st of October 2020
This looks like a simple, cute, fun diy, and I will be making this over this weekend. Thank you for sharing. Stay safe.
Debra Pipkin
Monday 14th of September 2020
Love this idea, am thinking about using black and orange spray paint on the finished product!
Morgan
Monday 14th of September 2020
That's fun! They also sell concrete dyes!