No tricks here, this Halloween it’s all about treats!
Whether you’re spending Fright Night at a boo-tiful bash or staying in, whip up these tasty snacks, courtesy of The Real Girl’s Kitchen host Haylie Duff and Bird Bakery co-owner Elizabeth Chambers, and sip on Halloween-themed cocktails like the Candy Corntini, Hot Pumpkin Tequila Toddy, and more!
Elizabeth Chambers’ Bird Bakery Pumpkin Pecan Breakfast Loaf
5 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
6 large organic eggs
1 cup water
29 ounces organic pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups pecans, halved, plus extra chopped finely for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the oil and water. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the pumpkin, mixing well.
Pour the liquid mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Once combined, stir in the pecans.
Spray loaf tins with cooking spray and line with parchment, leaving about 2 inches of excess on either side. Pour the batter until the tin is 3/4 of the way full, smoothing the top. Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes, adding chopped pecans to the top after 1 hour (cover with foil if over-browning). Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool completely. Slice in one-inch pieces and serve. Enjoy!
Bloody Devil Cocktail
3/4 part Svedka Clementine
3/4 part sweet vermouth
3/4 part orange juice
3/4 part orange Curaçao
dash orange bitters
Fake blood:
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 to 1/4 cup water
15 drops red food coloring
1-5 drops blue food coloring
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake, and strain in to a martini glass. Garnish with orange bitters.
To make the fake blood: In a bowl, mix together the corn syrup and the corn starch. Add water until the mixture is the consistency of blood. Mix in food coloring until you achieve the desired color.
Haylie Duff’s Chocolate-Dipped Halloween Pretzels
Pretzel rods
Halloween sprinkles
Ready-to-make bags of chocolate (Available at Michaels) or a bag of semi-sweet chocolates
A cooling rack (The perfect size to stand up the pretzels to cool)
Icing bags & nozzle
In a small bowl melt chocolate for 40 seconds in the microwave – no longer as if the chocolate gets too hot, it becomes unworkable.
Tilting the bowl towards you, dip the pretzel rod all the way into the bowl, very slowly twisting it on your way out. This will give the chocolate a smoother finish.
While chocolate is still wet, decorate with your sprinkles of choice. If drizzling, drizzle across the top of the sprinkles.
Place on rack to cool.
Hot Pumpkin Tequila Toddy
2 parts Sauza Blue Reposado 100% Agave Tequila
1/2 part DeKuyper Mixologist Collection Ginger
6 parts apple cider
1/2 part real pumpkin puree
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small lemon sliced into wheels
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Dash of fresh ground nutmeg
In a non-reactive sauce pan, combine all ingredients except the whipped cream and heat just until steam rises then lower heat to keep warm. To serve, ladle into coffee mugs, top with whipped cream, and dust with fresh ground nutmeg.
Candy Corntini
1 ounce Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila
1/2 ounce Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 ounce Crème de Cacao
2 ounces fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon dark cocoa
4 pieces candy corn
Rim a martini glass with orange juice then cocoa powder. In a shaker, add tequila, butterscotch schnapps, creme de cacao, and orange juice. Add ice and shake well. Strain into prepared martini glass. Garnish with a toothpick of candy corn.
The Walking Dead‘s Cing-a-rita
1 1/2 ounces Jose Cuervo Cinge
1 ounce triple sec
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime
1/4 ounce Campari
Cinnamon sugar for rim (optional)
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
