There are two types of people in this world—those who treat all of October like Halloween, and those that prefer to suck the joy out of life. Arguably, the best part about Halloween is watching some freaky flicks with your friends (preferably with a drink in hand, like a festive brew or a cocktail concoction). We all know narrowing down what movie to watch is the hardest part, so I helped you out. Here’s a comprehensive list of UNCW students’ favorite Halloween flicks and what super spooky snack recipe you should eat while watching.
1. Halloweentown
When I polled current UNCW students on their favorite Halloween movie, Halloweentown won by a landslide—and it’s not hard to guess why. Halloweentown is an October classic and just about everyone has seen it. So what better treat to eat alongside this flick than the caramel apple? Just like it’s movie partner, the caramel apple is a classic that everyone and their mom has tried at least once. Check out this Candy Caramel Apple recipe that will work great with your leftover candy after Halloween as well.
2. Hocus Pocus
This 1993 fan-favorite probably created the image that your mind conjures up when you hear the word “witch.” Hocus Pocus is sweet and slightly spooky, so these adorable No-Bake Witches Hats are the perfect treat to make while you watch Winifred, Sarah, and Mary cast their spells. The best part is that these cookies require minimal effort, so you don’t even need to leave the couch to assemble them.
3. Twitches
If you spent any time on Disney Channel as a kid, you have without a doubt seen the 2005 movie Twitches, starring Tia and Tamera Mowry. The movie follows the stories of two twin sisters who don’t know the other sister exists, or that they are both secretly powerful witches named after the Greek gods Apollo and Artemis. The movie is cute, a little cliché, and great for kids (of all ages), which is why these Magic Wands are a great snack to enjoy while watching it.
4. Monster House
Wondering what white chocolate covered strawberries have to do with a haunted house? Monster House is a story about an evil house that eats people, but in the end you discover the sad love story that led to the house being haunted. So, these tiny treats are a perfect pair for Monster House because like the house, these Strawberry Ghosts are spooky on the outside but sweet on the inside.
5. Casper
These Ghost Pretzels are definitely too cute to be spooky, and making them the perfect snack to munch on while you’re watching Casper. One might even argue that these googly-eyed pretzels share a striking resemblance with the friendly ghost himself. Chocolate covered pretzels have been around forever (likely since 1544), and while Casper came out in 1994, it seems these two were made for each other.
6. Nightmare Before Christmas
Is the cake pop trend dead? Maybe in this case they are. The best part is that these cake pops aren’t a huge time killer and the tutorial provides a detailed step-by-step guide to executing cake pops to perfection. Burton fans beware, these Jack Skellington Cake Pops may be bone-chillingly accurate, but don’t expect them to sing to you.
7. Coraline
If you’ve seen Coraline, you know why these eyes truffles are the perfect spooky sweet to eat while you watch this Tim Burton stop-motion. If you haven’t seen it, Coraline is about a girl who moves into a new home and enters a dark parallel universe in which her parallel parents are kinder than her real ones. She becomes absorbed into this world until her parallel mother tries to steal her eyes and replace them with buttons. It’s creepy and irresistible, just like these Red Velvet Eyeball Oreo Truffles.
8. It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Although not technically a movie, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a short TV special that just recently celebrated it’s 50th anniversary last year. Trader Joe’s also celebrated their 50th anniversary in August of this year, so this Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Cookie Butter Rice Krispies recipe is a match made in heaven.
Whether you’re handing out candy or playing Halloween drinking games with your friends this year, these treats are the perfect pairing for whichever Halloween movie you plan to watch. So sink your teeth into these spooky snacks and get the Halloween festivities started.