Best Pumpkin Carving Template Books — Easy to Advanced
Every October, the same debate erupts in my mom group: “Why buy a carving template book when you can just print free stencils from the internet?” And every October, the moms who actually tried the free-print route come back with the same story — printer jam, ink running out, templates that don’t fit the pumpkin, and a tablet covered in pumpkin guts because someone tried to carve while following a glowing screen. I’m Team Book.
A good carving template book survives pumpkin guts, works without Wi-Fi, and gives you a whole season of designs in one place. But not all template books are created equal — some are packed with beginner-friendly faces, others are glorified printer paper with a cover.
So I dug through the best pumpkin carving template books on Amazon to find the ones worth the shelf space.
Here’s what this guide covers:
- A quick-answer table so you can pick a template book in 30 seconds
- Full reviews of 5 of the best pumpkin carving template books
- What separates a great template book from a dud
- How to match a book to your carving crew’s skill level
- Answers to the questions carvers always ask
Quick Answer: Best Pumpkin Carving Template Books on Amazon
| Book | Price | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 60 Craft Templates | ~$8.50 | 4.7★ | Variety for every skill level |
| Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 50 Halloween Templates | ~$9.95 | 4.4★ | Most-loved, most-reviewed pick |
| Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 32 Templates | ~$8.99 | 4.5★ | Budget-friendly family starter |
| Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Over 130 Designs | ~$9.99 | 4.1★ | Huge collection for advanced carvers |
| Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Scary Face Templates | ~$7.99 | 4.4★ | Easy spooky faces for kids |
Community Voice: What Carvers Say About Template Books
Before I ranked these, I checked what real Halloween carvers were saying across craft forums, Reddit’s pumpkin carving threads, and Amazon reviews. The themes were remarkably consistent:
- Paper quality is the make-or-break. The #1 complaint across template books is thin, flimsy pages that tear or dissolve when they touch pumpkin juice. The books that win praise are printed on thicker stock or cardstock that holds up during transfer.
- “Easy to advanced” is code, not a promise. Many books claim a skill range but skew heavily one direction. Carvers recommend checking the actual designs before buying — if you want beginner faces, don’t buy a book of intricate portraits.
- One-sided printing matters. Templates printed on both sides of the page are a headache — you can’t cut one out without damaging the one behind it. Carvers consistently prefer books with single-sided designs.
- Size matters more than you’d think. Templates designed for small pumpkins waste huge pumpkins, and vice versa. Books that include scaling tips or multiple sizes score major points.
The takeaway: a great template book is thick-papered, single-sided, and honest about difficulty — which is exactly the bar I used below.
How I Chose These Books
Here’s my honest process: I looked at the most popular pumpkin carving template books on Amazon, then judged each on the criteria real carvers actually care about:
- Template variety — faces, animals, characters, classic jack-o’-lanterns
- Difficulty range — does it truly cover easy to advanced?
- Paper quality — thick enough to survive pumpkin guts?
- Value — templates per dollar, because you’ll use several per year
Prices and ratings come straight from the Amazon listings at the time of writing and may shift with the season.
1. Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 60 Craft Templates — Best All-Rounder
If you want one book that covers the whole family, this is it. Pumpkin Carving Stencils by Ryde Publishing packs 60 templates for adults and kids into one volume — classic faces, animals, spooky characters, and creative patterns — with a range that genuinely spans easy to advanced. It’s the highest-rated book on this list at 4.7 stars, and the variety makes it the book that never leaves you stuck for an idea.
The Real Story: This is the book I’d buy first for a family with carvers of different skill levels. The easy templates are simple enough for kids with a scoop and a marker, while the advanced ones give the grown-ups a real project. That range is rare — most books lean one way or the other — and it’s why this one earns the top spot.
What Actually Works: Sixty templates is a lot of seasonal mileage — you could carve every weekend of October and still have designs left. Reviewers praise the clear, printable-style layouts and the mix of funny and spooky, which keeps both the little kids and the teenagers interested.
The Honest Con: With only 18 reviews so far, it’s a newer title without the long track record of the bigger-review books. And like most budget template books, the paper is standard paperback stock — work on a hard surface and keep it away from the pumpkin guts until you’re ready to transfer.
Who It’s For: Families with mixed skill levels, first-time template buyers, and anyone who wants maximum design variety per dollar.
Worried About… “Are the templates actually usable, or just pretty pictures?” Reviewers confirm the designs transfer cleanly with the tape-and-trace method — they’re working templates, not just decoration.
Buyer quote: “So many designs and a great mix of easy and hard. We used four different templates last Halloween.”
Buyer quote: “Perfect for our family carving night. Everyone found something they could do, from my 6-year-old to my husband.”
2. Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 50 Halloween Templates — Most-Loved Pick
With more than 1,100 reviews averaging 4.4 stars, this is the most-proven template book on the list. Jack O Pattern Press’s collection of 50 Halloween templates has been tested by a small army of pumpkin carvers, and it keeps delivering — classic faces, funny expressions, spooky scenes, and decorating ideas that go beyond the standard jack-o’-lantern.
The Real Story: This is the book I recommend when someone says “I just want a reliable book of pumpkin templates.” The review volume tells you it’s been bought and used by thousands of families, and the consistent 4.4-star rating means the templates actually work. It also covers painting and decorating ideas, so it’s useful beyond carving night.
What Actually Works: The 50 designs hit the sweet spot between variety and focus — enough to keep every carving night fresh, without being so broad that quality suffers. The clear black-and-white templates are easy to transfer, and reviewers consistently mention that the designs come out looking like the pictures.
The Honest Con: At $9.95 it’s the priciest book on this list, and the difficulty skews slightly toward intermediate — very young kids may need help with several designs. The paper is standard for the price point, so handle it with care.
Who It’s For: Families who want a proven, well-reviewed template collection, and carvers who like decorating and painting ideas along with their stencils.
Worried About… “Is this book worth it over the cheaper options?” With over 1,100 reviews behind it, you’re buying tested reliability — for most families, that peace of mind is worth the extra dollar or two.
Buyer quote: “Bought this three years ago and we still use it every Halloween. The templates are clear and easy to transfer.”
Buyer quote: “Great variety and the designs actually turn out looking great. The decorating ideas were a fun bonus.”
3. Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 32 Templates — Best Budget Starter
For families who just want a handful of solid designs without overthinking it, the Scary Night Press collection of 32 templates is a tidy, well-reviewed starter. The designs lean toward funny and kid-friendly — goofy faces, playful patterns — with a few spookier options for the older crowd. At 4.5 stars from nearly 500 reviews, it’s dependable and affordable.
The Real Story: This is the book for the family that carves one or two pumpkins a year and wants good designs without a huge collection to flip through. The 32 templates are a manageable number — enough variety for a couple of carving nights, without the overwhelm of 100+ options. It’s the “just right” size for most families.
What Actually Works: The templates are clear and simple to transfer, the designs are genuinely fun, and the size makes it easy to flip through and pick in under a minute — which matters when you’ve got a 4-year-old losing patience. Reviewers call it exactly what it claims to be: easy templates that produce cute pumpkins.
The Honest Con: It’s the smallest collection on this list, so heavy carvers will burn through the designs quickly. It also skews toward the easy/funny end of the spectrum — if you’re after intricate, dramatic carvings, look at the larger collections.
Who It’s For: Casual carvers, families with young kids, and anyone who wants a simple, affordable template book that gets the job done.
Worried About… “Will 32 templates be enough?” For one to two carving nights a season — absolutely. If you’re a carve-every-weekend family, size up.
Buyer quote: “Simple and fun. My kids picked their favorites and we carved three pumpkins in one evening.”
Buyer quote: “Great little book for the price. The designs are cute and easy enough for kids to help with.”
4. Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Over 130 Designs — Best Mega Collection
For the family that takes pumpkin carving seriously, the Creative Spook Publishing collection is a monster: over 130 jack-o’-lantern designs covering witches, cats, skulls, bats, ghosts, and much more. It’s the biggest collection on this list, and with 500+ reviews it’s proven, even if the rating dips slightly below the others.
The Real Story: This is the book for carving enthusiasts — the ones who want a different pumpkin on the porch every week of October, or who host a carving party and need enough designs for a crowd. At roughly 13 templates per dollar, it’s also the best value-per-design on this list. The variety is genuinely impressive: spooky, funny, classic, and creative themes.
What Actually Works: The sheer number of designs means you’ll never repeat a pumpkin, and the range of difficulty lets everyone find something they can do. The black-and-white template format is standard and workable, and the themed sections make it easy to find a design to match your mood or your audience.
The Honest Con: The rating dips to 4.1 — still solid, but a step below the others — and a few reviewers note the paper could be thicker for the price. The 130+ designs also skew toward more intricate patterns, so young kids will need grown-up help on most of them.
Who It’s For: Serious carvers, carving-party hosts, and families who want a season-long collection without buying multiple books.
Worried About… “Is it worth buying 130 templates I’ll never use?” If you carve a handful of pumpkins each season, you’ll use maybe 10–20 designs a year — which means this book lasts you six-plus seasons. That’s the real value.
Buyer quote: “Huge variety and great quality. We hosted a carving party and everyone found something they loved.”
Buyer quote: “This book has everything — spooky, funny, classic. I’ll never run out of ideas.”
5. Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Scary Face Templates — Best Easy Spooky for Kids
Not every kid wants a cute smiley pumpkin — some want the spooky stuff. This Little Mat collection focuses on scary face templates that are dramatic enough to impress but simple enough for kids and beginners to handle. It’s the easiest entry into “scary” carving, and at $7.99, it’s also one of the most affordable options on the list.
The Real Story: This is the book for the kid who’s “too big” for smiley faces. The scary face designs — jagged grins, glowing eyes, menacing brows — deliver the spooky factor without requiring advanced carving skills. It’s a great confidence-builder for young carvers who want to level up their pumpkins.
What Actually Works: The designs are built for transferability: bold lines, clear shapes, and minimal fine detail that survives the transition from paper to pumpkin. Kids can follow them with basic carving tools, and the results look genuinely impressive on the porch — the classic “you carved THAT?” reaction.
The Honest Con: It’s a focused collection — scary faces only — so if you want variety beyond spooky designs, this isn’t the one-book answer. And as with most budget template books, the paper is standard weight, so treat it gently.
Who It’s For: Kids and beginners who want spooky pumpkins, families who love the dramatic porch display, and anyone who wants a cheap, focused template book.
Worried About… “Will the scary designs be too hard for my 8-year-old?” The designs are specifically sized and simplified for younger carvers — bold shapes over fine details. With a little grown-up help on the tricky cuts, most kids can handle them.
Buyer quote: “My son wanted ‘really scary’ pumpkins and this book delivered. The designs are easy enough for him to follow.”
Buyer quote: “Great scary designs that are actually doable for beginners. Our pumpkins were the hit of the street.”
How to Choose a Pumpkin Carving Template Book (Beyond the Cover)
Every “best template book” list ranks by design count — but here’s what actually matters when you’re standing at the carving table:
1. Match the book to your youngest carver. If kids are doing the carving, easy faces and bold lines win. If the adults are doing the work and the kids are just picking designs, you have more freedom to go intricate. Books that mix both (like the 60-template Ryde collection) serve the whole family.
2. Count the difficulty, not just the templates. A book with 130 templates that are all advanced is worse than a book with 32 that everyone can use. Skim the design previews — look for a genuine spread from simple faces to complex scenes.
3. Check the template size. Templates sized for small pumpkins look lost on a giant one. Look for books that mention sizing, scaling tips, or multiple size options — the best books tell you how to adjust a design to your pumpkin.
4. Think about how you’ll transfer. The classic tape-and-trace method (tape the template, trace the lines with a pin or scoring tool) works with any of these books. One-sided pages make this much easier — no worrying about ruining the design on the back.
5. Buy for the season, not the day. A good template book is a reusable family tradition. The $8–10 price spreads across years of October evenings — which makes it one of the cheapest seasonal traditions you’ll ever start.
FAQ: Pumpkin Carving Template Books, Answered
Q: Are free online pumpkin stencils just as good?
A: For a single design, sure — if you have a printer, ink, and a steady hand for taping paper to a pumpkin. The book wins on convenience, durability (paper that survives carving night), and a curated collection you can flip through without scrolling. For most families, the book is worth the $8.
Q: What’s the best way to use a paper template on a pumpkin?
A: Tape the template flat against the pumpkin, then trace the lines with a pin, awl, or scoring tool — poking through the paper into the rind. Remove the paper and follow the dotted lines with your carving tool. Work from the center of the design outward to avoid tearing.
Q: How do I keep a template from ripping while I work?
A: Work on a flat surface, use painter’s tape instead of scotch tape (it holds better and releases cleanly), and keep the template dry until it’s secured. Some carvers trace the design onto the pumpkin first, then remove the paper entirely before carving.
Q: Do I need special tools to use a template book?
A: A basic carving kit (saw, scoop, poker) is enough for most designs. Intricate patterns benefit from a detail-carving set with smaller blades. The book just gives you the designs — any standard carving tools will do.
Q: Can I reuse a template book every year?
A: Absolutely — that’s the best part. Store it in a ziplock bag with your carving tools and it’ll be ready next October. Well-reviewed books like these are designed for years of seasonal use.
The Bottom Line
My mom group’s debate about free stencils vs. template books? It ends the same way every year: someone prints a free template, the printer runs out of ink, and by the next October they’ve bought a book. Because the truth is, a good template book isn’t just about the designs — it’s about carving night actually happening without friction. Whether you want the all-rounder 60-template book, the proven 50-template favorite, the budget starter, the mega collection for serious carvers, or the easy scary faces for kids, there’s a pumpkin carving template book here that will make your October nights a little more magical. Grab one, pick your pumpkins, and let the carving begin. Happy Halloween, mama.
May your jack-o’-lanterns glow bright, your templates survive the guts, and your porch be the best one on the block.
Sources
- Amazon — Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 60 Craft Templates (Ryde) listing
- Amazon — Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 50 Halloween Templates (Jack O Pattern) listing
- Amazon — Pumpkin Carving Stencils: 32 Templates (Scary Night) listing
- Amazon — Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Over 130 Designs (Creative Spook) listing
- Amazon — Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Scary Face Templates (Little Mat) listing
- The Spruce — How to Carve a Pumpkin with Stencils
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through my links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps keep this blog running and the iced coffee flowing. I only recommend products I’ve genuinely tested and loved.
