Hey, Reader!
I used to hate Halloween, but now I kind of miss it? Halloween is a big deal to many people, but it's just another day at my house. We were shocked when we moved here that there were no trick-or-treaters, and it took me a long time to figure out why...
According to my neighbor, the kids in our neighborhood think the driveways on our street are too long (they're really not), so they go to another part of the neighborhood with shorter driveways, where they can hit more houses and get more candy in less time. *grumble grumble, kids these days, grumble grumble*
Alas, my husband and I mark the day with a not-too-spooky movie and a good cozy drink. Halloween can be fun, especially if you're the costume party-throwing type. I've gathered some of my favorite Halloween recipes for you below, plus some non- or borderline-spooky stuff to enjoy the rest of the month!
this month’s mood ✨
Halloween brings with it a mix of spooky and silly, and it's a chance to really get into the drama. A few years ago I wrote about some of the cool special effects you can apply to any beverage to make it more on-brand for the holiday, from sparkling edible drink glitter to smoking dry ice.
Plus, with Halloween falling on a Saturday, there are basically two Halloween weekends this year, which means double the trouble, double the chance to try these out!
But when it's not Halloween (or if you're not the spooky type), then let October be all about the cozy, chill vibes. Savor the sweater weather on the porch. Go leaf peeping, pumpkin patching or apple picking.
And enjoy it all because the busy holiday season will be here before you know it.
cocktails to bookmark 🍸
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tootsie roll cocktail
Two ingredients, zero effort and it tastes exactly like the candy! Kahlúa and root beer are a combination I never saw coming but cannot stop making. If you’re a How I Met Your Mother fan, this one’s for you.
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poison apple halloween punch
I had so much fun developing this big-batch punch, à la the witch in Snow White (who I always thought was quite terrifying). It’s dramatic, delicious and built for a crowd.
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devil’s margarita
This one is for Taco Tuesday in October, when you want your margarita to feel a little more festive. It tastes just like the classic — it just looks delightfully sinister.
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drinks everyone will love 🍹
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halloween sangria
You can make this one with red wine or a non-alcoholic juice blend, which makes it perfect for every guest at the table. The lychee-and-cherry eyeball garnishes are my favorite part — creepy, cute and completely worth the extra five minutes.
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kiwi cucumber mocktail
This blended green drink looks spooky without a drop of food coloring — just pure kiwi and cucumber doing their thing. Naturally eerie and genuinely delicious.
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homemade apple cider
Make it on the stove or in the slow cooker, and your whole house will smell like October. It’s the coziest thing you can do on a fall afternoon.
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easy party bites 🌿
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chai muffins
October is secretly one of the best brunch months, and these muffins are proof. They work as breakfast, a snack or a reason to have people over on a Sunday.
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vodka gummy worms
A silly, boozy little party snack that also doubles as a cocktail garnish. They disappear faster than you’d think.
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kitchen sink cookies
The best thing to do with leftover Halloween candy? Throw it all in and call it a recipe. We used to make these every year after trick-or-treaters came through, and they never lasted long.
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jello shots are having a moment 🍂
Every October, my jello shot recipes start trending, and these are some of your favorites:
- Classic Jello Shots: The original party trick, and still the best place to start. Make a big batch and watch them disappear.
- Apple Cider Bourbon Jello Shots: Fall flavors in shot form — this one is very October and very good. A seasonal must-make.
- Fireball Jello Shots: Spicy, boozy and the reason everyone keeps asking who brought the shots. The cinnamon bite is the whole point.
- Chocolate Pudding Shots: Creamy, rich and dangerously easy to eat. These are the dessert and the drink all in one.
- Glow in the Dark Jello Shots: Gin and tonic flavored and genuinely glowing — the quinine in the tonic water makes it happen naturally. A little unexpected, a little eerie, completely worth it.
coming up soon... 👀
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, followed by Christmas and New Year's. I've already been working on so much fun holiday content that I can't wait to share with you. Sign up to find out about new recipes as they go up!
October always goes by fast. Save this email for ideas all month, and I hope at least one of these recipes makes it into your kitchen!
Iechyd da!*
Susannah
P.S. If you're already planning to do Dry January, I'd love to make sure you're the first to hear about what I have planned. Click here to get on the list!
*That's a toast meaning "good health" in Welsh (pronounced YEH-chid-dah).
