Skip to Content

31 Halloween Sips & Sweets To Pair With Your Spooky Movie Marathon

Sweet, scary, and everything in between.

By
chocolate cupcakes topped with white icing and red lines
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We’re not against watching our favorite Halloween movies as early as August, but once October hits? It gets a little chilly out, the spooky vibes are high, and we’re cozying up to have a movie night every night we can. While there’s nothing wrong with keeping it classic and just enjoying some popcorn and candy during the film, we think it’s even more fun to lean extra hard into the theme, and instead making some spooky-sweet treats that go perfectly with what’s on screen. Here you’ll find 31 (one for every night of the month!) sips, sweets, and snack pairings for all your favorite films—everything from Hocus Pocus Binx cat cookies to Nightmare Before Christmas fudge to vampire cupcakes (our fave is Interview With The Vampire, but you’ve got tons of vampire movie options). Let us know in the comments below what movies you’re watching this year too!

1

Dracula: Vampire Cupcakes

chocolate cupcakes topped with white icing and red lines
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

These moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with a gooey strawberry jelly “blood” center, topped with a fluffy, marshmallow-y frosting, and decorated to resemble Dracula’s iconic hairline. With a touch of red gel food color and chocolate cookie crumbs, these Halloween treats are sure to impress both the young and the young-at-heart.

Get the Vampire Cupcakes recipe.

2

Practical Magic: Frozen Margaritas

frozen margarita with a salt rim and lime wedge
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

"Eye of newt, toe of frog, wing of bat, tongue of dog.
Adder's fork and blind worm's sting,
Barbados lime is just the thing.
Fragias salt, like a sailors stubble,
Flip the switch, and let the cauldron bubble."

♪Put the lime in the coconut♪, it's midnight margaritas time! If you're short on some of the ahem, special ingredients from the original recipe, we think our frozen margs will work in a pinch. Want even more flavor? Try blending our pumpkin margaritas or our spicy apple cider margaritas next!

Get the Frozen Midnight Margaritas recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3

Nightmare Before Christmas: Sally Skellington Fudge

rainbow swirled fudge
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

A perfect Halloween (or Christmas, depending on which side of the debate you fall on) dessert, this fudge captures the essence of both holidays, just like the movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sally Skellington comes to life in the form of this sweet, chocolatey, rich confection intermingled with multicolor to represent her iconic dress.

Get the Nightmare Before Christmas Fudge recipe.

4

Friday The 13th: Campfire Mules

campfire mules with a torched marshmallow garnish
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

For this twist on a Moscow mule, we’ve replaced the vodka with some smoked bourbon or whiskey, added some maple syrup for a touch of autumn magic, kept our lemon juice and ginger beer as our old-time residents, and included an optional roasted marshmallow to garnish. Enjoy beside a roaring campfire... if you dare!

Get the Campfire Mules recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5

Hocus Pocus: S'mores Pops

chocolate pops with candy eyes
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

You'll love these even more than the Sanderson Sisters loved their booooook! Pair these with our Hocus Pocus Jell-O shots and our Binx cookies for the perfect spread.

Get the Hocus Pocus-Inspired S'mores Pops recipe.

6

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Great Bundt-kin

two pumpkin bundt cakes stacked on each other, filled with candy corn, and decorated to look like a pumpkin
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: RILEY WOFFORD

Whether you’re throwing a Halloween bash and need a show-stopping centerpiece dessert, or just really love the Peanuts gang and want your pumpkin patch to be the most sincere, this is the cake for you.

Get the It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

Beetlejuice: Color-Changing Margaritas

pink margarita with a purple ice cube with a salt rim and lime wedge
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

These color-changing margaritas not only taste incredible, but are stunning. You'll place prepared ice cubes in glasses, then pour your tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and lemonade over them. Before your eyes, the margaritas will turn into incredible pink and purple margs. Pair with black and white striped straws for a fun homage to the classic spooky film.

Get the Color-Changing Margaritas recipe.

8

Casper: Ghost S'mores Dip

s'mores dip with ghost marshmallows on top served with graham crackers
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

This s'mores-inspired dip is the perfect dessert to throw together for a last-minute Halloween movie night. It's a little spooky and a lot sweet, just like everyone's favorite friendly ghost!

Get the Ghost S'mores Dip recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9

The Black Cauldron: Black Magic Margaritas

black magic margaritas in a cup of ice
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Our classic margaritas get an eerie upgrade for the spooky holiday—your guests won't know what hit 'em. While it may look complicated, the only extra thing you need for this cocktail is food coloring, which means you can easily make this for any last-minute movie marathon. May we suggest Disney's strangest film, The Black Cauldron?

Get the Black Magic Margaritas recipe.

10

Arachnophobia: Spider Taco Ring

spider taco ring
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

"Eight legs, two fangs and an attitude." The original tagline for Arachnophobia could just as easily be about this adorable spider. If you love crescent rolls and are as obsessed with tacos as we are, this Halloween-inspired appetizer is calling your name. Created to playfully represent a spider with crescent roll legs and a crescent roll ring body stuffed with a beefy taco-spiced filling, it’s equal parts cute, creepy, and downright tasty.

Get the Spider Taco Ring recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
11

Nightmare On Elm Street: Espresso Mocha Crunch Mocktail

espresso mocha crunch mocktail in a martini glass with a whipped cream and chocolate topping and oreo garnish
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Everyone is espresso martini-crazed these days, but you don’t need to drink alcohol to avoid falling asleep and being murdered by Freddy Krueger. This coffee-filled mocktail packs a punch with an espresso base, creamy top, and tons of Oreo crunch with none of the alcohol. For the caffeine-adverse (look, this movie came out in 1984, which makes its original fans 35+—we've got early bedtimes!), this drink is still a go, as it can also be enjoyed with decaf espresso, if desired.

Get the Espresso Mocha Crunch Mocktail recipe.

12

Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark: Adraka Kozorol

a casserole dish filled with elbow macaroni, ground beef, and a creamy sauce
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

Looking for a home-cooked meal to cook to impress your local small town theater operator, but don't have any edrazeba in your pantry? May we recommend not accidentally using your mom's old spellbook as a cookbook, and making this totally safe, definitely-won't-turn-into-a-monster-or-a-love-spell creamy, crunchy, crowd-pleasing casserole instead. Feel free to crumble on some chips before serving (it worked for Elvira!).

Get the Adraka Kozorol Hamburger Casserole recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13

Halloweentown: Witches Brew Lemonade

purple and blue layered drink with rosemary
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Marnie's right, Halloween is cool, and these spooky cocktails are just the thing to make for your Halloweentown movie marathon. To get their eerie glow, we layered sparkling lemonade with Blue Curaçao and purple gin for a chilling effect. The results are just as refreshing and delicious as they are gorgeous to look at.

Get the Witches Brew Lemonade recipe.

14

Edward Scissorhands: Ambrosia Salad

ambrosia salad
Parker feierbach

We uh, noticed you have not tasted the ambrosia salad that we made especially for you? Allow us, here's a BIG spoonful. Put this out for your Edward Scissorhands watch party to show all your guests the most hospitality.

Get the Ambrosia Salad recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
15

Ghost: Ghost Purse Ravioli

ghost purse ravioli
PHOTO; LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLIST; BROOKE CAISON

Looking for something delicious that's only a little bit spooky this Halloween? Try these adorable raviolis filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and finely chopped pear, paired with watching everyone's favorite maybe-too friendly ghost, Patrick Swayze. We made these from wonton wrappers, rather than pasta dough, to make them scary easy on you too. If you've got a boo who can wrap his hands around you while you make them, we're not stopping you! 😉 You're welcOoOme.

Get the Ghost Purse Ravioli recipe.

16

Harry Potter: Pumpkin Juice

harry potter pumpkin juice
Photographer: Lucy Schaeffer, Food Styling: Francesca Zani.

In the Harry Potter books, pumpkin juice is traditionally served over ice for a refreshing drink that screams fall; however, you could also warm this up in a mug for something more cozy. Try it with some bourbon for the most Halloween-y hot toddy.

Get the Pumpkin Juice recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
17

Children Of The Corn: Loaded Cheesy Corn Bites

loaded cheesy corn bites topped with sour cream, sliced scallions, and bacon
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

What happens when you cross a corn muffin with a loaded baked potato—and then miniaturize it?! Bite-sized bliss. Packed with cheese, bacon, and three types of corn, these loaded cheesy corn bites will be the first app gone at your watch party.

Get the Loaded Cheesy Corn Bites recipe.

18

Hocus Pocus: Binx Cookies

hocus pocus binx cookies
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI

These chocolate cookies are simple, chewy, and slightly crispy. Black cocoa powder is what makes them their dark rich color, perfect to represent our favorite black cat. Pair these with our Hocus Pocus Jell-O shots and our Hocus Pocus s’mores pops for the perfect spooky spread.

Get the Hocus Pocus Binx Cookies recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19

The Halloween Tree: Pumpkin Cheese Ball

pumpkin cheese ball with crackers
Photographer: Lucy Schaeffer. Food Styling: Makinze Gore

Anyone else traumatized by the The Halloween Tree as a kid? Just us? From what we can remember, a man named Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud (okay, we did Google that) steals a kid's soul, puts it into a pumpkin (??), and says he'll only give it back if the kid's friends learn the true meaning of Halloween. Though we're pretty sure a rewatch wouldn't be quite as creepy as we remember (is this actually an educational film?), we might just keep it safe and make this pumpkin cheese ball instead of rewatching.

Get the Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe.

20

Ghostbusters: Ghost Cookies

ghost cookies
Parker feierbach

♪Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters COOKIES! We know, we know, these are almost too cute—feel free to use some green food coloring to turn some into Slimers.

Get the Ghost Cookies recipe.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below