Cocktails and wiggly worms: Halloween recipes for your trick or treat bash

It's nearly Halloween, and chances are good that you've finished hanging creepy things in the trees, carving pumpkins and adding other last-minute spooky details.

Still decorating? Godspeed.

Whatever your degree of readiness, it's time to consider what you're going to eat and drink this weekend. If you're thinking sweet and slightly spooky, we've got you covered.

You could try this recipe for marshmallow mummy pops. It's adorable and perfect if you have kids, even though I have it on good authority that adults also like marshmallows dressed up like ghouls. 

Speaking of kid-friendly fare, these monster mouths are just the ticket if you have little ones at home. Kids will have tons of fun putting these together, and they'd also make a perfect lunchbox treat. If you need to go nut-free, you could use sunflower seed butter.

These "Boo-nies," or ghost-topped brownies, will be a hit with sweets-lovers of any age. Created by a New Orleans-based pastry chef, these brownies are full of surprises beyond the cute little ghost garnish.

These spider cookies look like they're just for kids but, with the addition of chocolate truffles and earthy peanut butter, they're surprisingly adult-friendly. But trust me — kids will snap them up, too.

These creepy-looking wiggly worms are made with flavored gelatin and molded using basic plastic straws. Serve them in a bowl and freak people out a bit. You could even add Oreo cookie crumbs for "soil."

Hosting an adult party? The recipe shows you how to spike your worms with a few shots of vodka. You're welcome. 

Looking for more cocktails? Here's a curated list of what you might whip up this weekend in the realm of boozy drinks.

Have a drink 

Good Witch: This cocktail uses Strega, which means “witch” in Italian. It's also the name of an Italian herbal liqueur. Here, it's paired with Scotch, honey simple syrup and lemon. Get the recipe here. (For the honey simple syrup, mix equal parts warm water and honey.)

Bad Witch: This Good Witch variation also uses honey simple syrup. But instead of Scotch, it's made with bourbon, plus yellow Chartreuse and lime. Get the recipe here.

Mulled wine: This is more of a holiday classic, but works just fine for a blustery Halloween evening. It's an easy drink for a small crowd. Just dump everything in your slow cooker and simmer over low heat for a few hours. Get the recipe here.

The Alchemist Cocktail: Fall means apples, and this Scotch creation, made with a touch of apple butter, really screams "fall." Restaurateur and former Southern Kitchen cocktail columnist Jerry Slater created this spiced apple cocktail to sip on crisp autumn evenings. Get the recipe here.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

-Mackensy Lunsford

Reach me: mlunsford@southernkitchen.com