I just love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday, it comes during my favorite time of year and the decorations and food/treats are just the best. Plus, the COSTUMES! I love the costumes! For example, here’s Tim Burton (yes, that Tim Burton) in a Halloween costume his mother made for him. Do you see a little bit of Jack Skellington?

Ugh. That reminds me, I love the movies, too. My absolute favorite Halloween movies are the old Universal Studios horror films, Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein being tops. I do love me some Tim Burton, of course, as well as Halloween. But the treats.. and the tricks… now those are really, really fun.

It’s just all-around awesome, don’t you think?

I had this idea a while back when I made that pink hot chocolate for Valentine’s Day. I thought it would be awesome to do a Halloween version; I was thinking of Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his laboratory, with all kinds of things bubbling. I just never got around to it. But then I realized I had these awesome vintage Pyrex beakers and stirrers… and well, you know. Mad scientist. Laboratory. Beakers. It all just made sense.

I’ve been a Halloween freak since birth. I love all things that go bump in the night- except I am not a fan of those haunted houses they have that pop up all over the place this time of year. I like my scares to be from a good distance. Not in my face.

Anyway, the basis for this is overly easy. Stupidly simple. It’s white hot cocoa with some green food coloring. That’s it. You can either make your own or buy white hot chocolate mix. That is absolutely all it is.

It’s brainless, really. Like a zombie.

MAD SCIENTIST’S MOCKTAIL (aka green hot cocoa)

MAKES ABOUT 3 – 3 1/2 CUPS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate
• 2 cups light cream or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring (I used a teeny bit of Wilton gel color in Leaf Green)
• whipped cream & sprinkles for topping (*OPTIONAL)

Directions:

1. Combine milk/cream, vanilla and white chocolate in a medium saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon as you cook over medium-low heat.
2. When it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and give it a whisk.
3. Add food coloring and whisk again. Pour into beakers, heatproof glasses or mugs and top with whipped cream and eyeballs, and enjoy!

For adults, you can add a bit of Schnapps to it, if you like. Mint would be best, but I guess anything works! Even a little flavored vodka.

Not everyone has laboratory beakers, I know. So really you can use anything you want. Halloween mugs, heatproof glasses, etc. It doesn’t matter the vessel if you dress it up. I kept it simple, but some whipped cream and candy eyeballs or fingers on top would be sweet. I would suggest using a clear mug if possible, only so it can be seen, but if you don’t have one that’s fine. Anything goes- it’s Halloween!

And I would totally suggest you serve it with these monster cookies. But that’s just me.

Suggestions for use: Make it any color you want! Or divide it and make it in different colors, top with whipped cream and candy eyeballs, candy fingers, candy spiders, you name it.

Soundtrack: Halloween on TV.

Sources & Credits: Pyrex 250mL laboratory beakers & stirrers; vintage (but you can get some at sciencecompany.com), spiderweb tablecloth was a gift.