How to Turn Your Halloween Happy Hour Into the Witching Hour

By Tasting Table

Our partner Tasting Table has the best of food and drink culture. Today, they're sharing creative recipes for a Halloween cocktail party.

It's one of the few days where kitsch is completely acceptable — nay, encouraged. It's totally OK to put on your best polyester getup, eat more mini candy bars than humanly possible, and repeat "spoooooky" in your best Count Dracula voice.

It's OK to have a little fun with your Halloween cocktail party spread, too. So we came up with one that tips its (witch's) hat to the holiday's campy spirit while satisfying monstrous appetites.

Since candy is a must, we decided to combine the greatest hits in a sweet-and-salty candy bark (see the recipe). Kit Kat bars, Peanut M&Ms, and candy corn (of course) are sprinkled into bittersweet chocolate to create a one-bite version of a stellar trick-or-treat haul.

Savory snacks should be devilishly delicious, like a twist on the classic deviled egg (see the recipe). Set them upright (a sliver off one end does the trick) and mix kimchi into the filling for kick and a festive orange hue.

Top freshly popped popcorn and nuts with a mixture of bacon grease and worcestershire sauce (see the recipe) and crisp in an oven for a smoky treat your guests will be eating like, well, candy.

Of course, no masquerade party would be complete without a cauldron of something enchantingly boozy to gather around. Make Drinks Editor Jim Meehan's Applejack-o'-Lantern your centerpiece: it's an autumnal mixture of apple brandy, pumpkin beer, maple syrup, and citrus, plus a grating of cinnamon to garnish (see the recipe).

Expecting a gaggle of ghouls? Add duck-fat Chex Mix, spicy pumpkin-seed brittle, and homemade Snickers-style bars to the mix.

String up fake cobwebs, and you've got yourself a frighteningly good time (we couldn't help ourselves).

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