9 Spooky Black Light Party Recipes for Your Next Glow in the Dark Party

Halloween is quickly approaching, and you have one last thing left on your October bucket list: host the most spooktacular event ever! What better way to do that than by throwing your own glow-in-the-dark party?

Should you turn your home into a totally lit haunted house, host a galactic paint party, or test your friends’ Halloween know-how with a black light trivia night? Whatever haunt you choose, glow-in-the-dark food and drinks are a must! But how do you make food glow in the dark? Prepare for a little kitchen witchcraft with these glow-in-the-dark recipes.

1. Glow in the Dark Ice Cubes

Where there’s glowing food, there must be glowing beverages. Give your drinks a glow-up by serving all your beverages over glow-in-the-dark ice! Simply mix 1 part tonic water to 1 part water and freeze into ice cubes — guests can enjoy glow-in-the-dark fall drinks all night long.

2. Witch’s Brew

This Witch’s Brew is a spooky spinoff of Marilyn Monroe’s favorite cocktail (great Halloween costume idea, by the way)! It includes champagne for a little bubble bubble toil and trouble and apple brandy for a nod to the season. The grenadine makes this cocktail a bright pinkish-orange when the lights are on and a glowing white under a black light.

Makes 2

• 8 oz champagne
• 2 oz apple brandy
• ½ oz grenadine
• ¼ oz tonic water
• Maraschino cherries to garnish

Stir the grenadine and apple brandy together in a highball glass or champagne flute. Top with tonic water and then champagne. Garnish with two maraschino cherries on a skewer.

Pro tip: Mix by the glass or conjure up a cauldron. (No, really—get a punch bowl shaped like a cauldron!) Stage a smoke machine behind it for an extra spooky effect.

3. Eerie Shirley Temple

For a non-alcoholic glow-in-the-dark drink, look to another leading lady: Shirley Temple. The best part? — you still get the bubbles and fall flavors!

Makes 2

• 10 oz ginger ale
• 2 oz grenadine
• 1 oz lime juice
• ½ oz tonic water
• Maraschino cherries to garnish

Stir the grenadine and lime juice together in a highball glass. Top with tonic water, then ginger ale. Garnish with two maraschino cherries on a skewer.

4. Candy Corn Jell-O Cups

This treat is a nod to the iconic Halloween candy! Tonic water glows fluorescent-green under a black light to make them a perfect glow-in-the-dark party food.

Servings: approx 8

• 2 c tonic water, divided
• 1 c water, divided
• 1 c vodka, divided (double the water for a non-alcoholic option)
• 1 package lemon Jell-O
• 1 package orange Jell-O

Pour 1 cup tonic water into a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the lemon Jell-O mix. Whisk until the mix has dissolved, then pour in ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vodka. Stir to combine. Let cool slightly.

Fill plastic wine glasses about ¼ full with the lemon Jell-O mixture. Place in the refrigerator to chill until set, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Repeat the process to make the orange Jell-O. Pour on top of the yellow mixture, filling each glass to ¾ full. Refrigerate to set the Jello-O, about 2 to 3 hours. Top with whipped cream for complete candy corn colors!

5. Vampire Cupcakes

Even Dracula couldn’t resist this bloody good dessert! Make a batch of red velvet cupcakes from your favorite box mix, or try a recipe from scratch. Whip up the vanilla buttercream frosting recipe below (with added tonic water to give it that eerie glow!). Lastly, dip a toothpick into cherry or strawberry jam and use it to create “bloody bite marks.”

• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• 3 c powdered sugar
• 2 T tonic water
• 1 T milk or heavy cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ c cherry or strawberry jam

Whip softened butter in a stand mixer. Add powdered sugar by about a ½ cup, alternating with tonic water and milk. Mix in the vanilla. Use a piping bag to frost your cupcakes.

6. Mummy Cookies

White chocolate glows under black lights on its own, but a little tonic water will take these glow-in-the-dark cookies to the next level.

• 12 oz + 4 oz white baking chocolate
• 2 tsp + ½ tsp tonic water
• 12-oz package Oreos
• 1 tube of black decorating gel or icing

Prepare a place for your cookies to cool by laying a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Melt 12 oz of white chocolate over lowest heat in a saucepan. Stir constantly. When chocolate is mostly melted (just a few lumps left), remove from heat and slowly add 2 tsp of tonic water while stirring to combine. Keep stirring until the chocolate is completely smooth.

Using two forks, dip each cookie into the chocolate to coat and place on the parchment paper to cool. Pop the coated cookies into the fridge to speed up the process.

When cookies are cool, it’s time to wrap your mummies! Place the cookies on a wire cooling rack with a sheet of parchment paper or paper towels under it. Melt the remaining 4 oz of white chocolate, adding ½ tsp of tonic water to smooth. Then, drizzle back and forth across each cookie. Add two dots of the black decorating gel for the eyes.

You’ve created your mummies! Feel like Dr. Frankenstein? Let them cool and set before serving.

7. Zombie Treats

Rice Krispies and marshmallows both naturally glow under black light, making Rice Krispie treats the perfect edible glow-in-the-dark food for your Halloween party. Start with the original Rice Krispies recipe and add for a monster mash-up!

Servings: approx 12

• 3 T unsalted butter
• 1 10-oz package marshmallows (or 4 c mini marshmallows)
• 6 c Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal
• ½ c glow in the dark edible sprinkles or 1 c Ghoul’s Mix M&M’s

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies cereal and stir until completely coated. Mix in sprinkles or M&M’s.

Spray a 13×9-in glass baking dish with cooking spray. Use a spatula or parchment paper to evenly press mixture into the pan. Let cool, then serve!

Note: If you really want to glow crazy (couldn’t resist) with glow-in-the-dark food ideas, add a few drops of neon food coloring to the butter-marshmallow mixture before adding the cereal.

8. The Classics: Chips & Dips

Just like classic horror movies, there are classic party dips too: guacamole, salsa, and queso! This favorite trio always comes with tortilla chips, which reflect black light and appear bright blue or purple — spooky!

• 1/2 lb ground beef or chorizo
• ½ c black beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 8 oz Velveeta Queso Blanco, cubed
• 1 14.5-oz can Rotel, partially drained
• 1 8-oz can green chilies

Put cheese, Rotel, and green chilies in a crockpot, then set to the preferred setting. Let cook, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, cook the meat in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Drain excess liquids. Turn heat to low and add beans, cooking until warmed throughout.

When the cheese has melted, add in meat and beans. Reduce crockpot to warm setting before serving to your ghoulish guests.

9. Veggie Monster Platter

Mix up a yummy dip to serve with crudités and watch the yogurt glow yellow under the blacklight!

• 1 c plain yogurt
• 1 T mayonnaise
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T fresh dill, minced
• ½ T fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp salt

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Serve with a platter of sliced bell peppers (which also give off a glow), coined cucumbers, baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, and any other vegetables you desire to dip.

Throw Spooktacular Events with Painting with a Twist

Now that you know how to make food glow in the dark, are you ready to throw the spookiest glow-in-the-dark blacklight event ever? Whether you’re decorating at home, looking for a creative activity, or just want to avoid planning the event altogether, Painting with a Twist can make your spooktacular event a breeze

From Blacklight and private events to Twist at Home Paint Kits, there’s something for everyone at our studios this season. Visit your local Painting with a Twist today!