As the sun and the moon trade spots in the sky on Halloween, many streets and neighborhoods teem with adorably-costumed, candy-seeking kids; teens eager for sweets (but less inclined to don a costume); and parents, many of whom relish escorting their kids on the annual candy rounds.
If you don’t have trick or treating-age kids, don’t worry. Head on out! For adults, Halloween is turning into a progressive party of sorts—the last chance for house-to-house visits before snow and cold separates neighbors until the spring thaw.
If you’re feeling Halloween hospitality vibes, our goody-loving editorial team pulled together some sweet treats and beverages for you to offer your neighbors. Set up an outdoor food and beverage table, fire up a portable fire pit (safely, of course), and take a seat on your driveway or yard for a front row view of Halloween 2020.
Monster Cupcakes
(Contributed by Beth Hill of Woodbury and adapted from Ghoulish Goodies: Creature Feature Cupcakes, Monster Eyeballs, Bat Wings, Funny Bones, Witches’ Knuckles, and Much More! by Sharon Bowers)
Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients for assembly:
- 1 container cream cheese frosting, colored with green paste food coloring
- 18 large marshmallows
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 18 pretzel sticks
- Chocolate sprinkles or other candy for faces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin pan cups with paper liners.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice into a medium bowl, and set aside. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Blend in pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and blend until combined. Spoon the batter into liners. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
Cool and assemble.
Boo Cups
(Contributed by Beth Hill of Woodbury)
- 3 ¼ cups cold milk
- 2 packages (4 serving size each) JELL-O chocolate flavor instant pudding
- 8 oz. Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed and divided
- 20 Oreo cookies, crushed and divided
- 30 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pour milk into a large bowl, and add dry pudding mixes. Beat with a whisk for two minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in half each of the whipped topping and cookie crumbs. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of remaining cookie crumbs into each of 15 (6 oz.) paper or plastic cups. Cover evenly with layers of pudding mixture and remaining cookie crumbs. Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonsful onto desserts to resemble ghosts. Add chocolate chips for eyes.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Zombtini
(Contributed by Cindy Erickson of Woodbury)
- 1 oz. white rum
- 2 oz. melon liqueur
- 1 oz. 100 percent pineapple juice
- ½ oz. Sprite
- Grenadine
- Ice
- Plastic eyeball for garnish
Combine ice, rum, melon liqueur and juice in a martini shaker, and shake well. Pour into a martini glass (2/3 full), and add Sprite. Drizzle grenadine over the top with a spoon. Add (but don’t eat!) the eyeball.
Caramel Apple Bites
(Kowalski’s Markets)
- Knudsen’s Hand-wrapped caramels, sliced into fourths
- 2 apples, cored and cubed
Skewer several apple cubes with a piece of caramel on four-inch bamboo skewers or party picks. Serve immediately.
Salted Nut Rolls
(Contributed by Renée Stewart-Hester)
Center
- 2 lbs. powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup corn syrup
- 2/3 cup butter, melted
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Caramel
- 12 oz. peanut butter chips
- 2/3 cup corn syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ¼ cup butter
Coating
- Peanuts, blanched and salted
Mix center ingredients, and kneed well. Roll into balls or small logs, and place in the freezer. Melt the caramel ingredients together, and dip the frozen balls/logs into the caramel. Roll them in salted, blanched peanuts. Place on waxed paper to set.
Salted Nut Roll Shot
(Pinterest)
For guests who’d rather have a sip, try this nod to a classic Minnesota candy bar.
- 3/4 part RumChata liqueur
- 1/4 part butterscotch schnapps
- Salt
Dip the top of a shot glass with salt or sprinkle some in the glass, and add in the liqueur and schnapps.
Spooky Spiked Halloween Punch
- 1 cup orange soda
- 1/3 cup pinot grigio
- 1 scoop vanilla bean ice cream
Combine the wine and ice cream in a glass. Add orange soda, and stir together.
