Halloween food is getting more playful, more textured, and more central to the season. Haunted attractions, though, are still treating food like an afterthought.

That gap looks bigger in 2026. Mars said in its 2026 Tricks, Treats and Trends report, released July 23, that 71% of U.S. adults want texture in their treats and nearly 60% want extreme flavors. The report also found that 57% of adults now see Halloween as a full season, not a single day. For haunted attractions that already build themed environments, those numbers point to an easy food and drink opening that many still are not using.

The data says guests want more than candy

The Mars report was based on a Morning Consult survey of 3,001 U.S. adults fielded June 1 through June 5, 2026, according to Haunted Attraction Network’s review of the report and Mars’s own announcement. The headline finding for food is straightforward: guests want novelty, texture, and seasonal specificity, not just sugar in a generic package. Mars said 76% of adults see sweet treats as a small daily pleasure, while younger shoppers are especially likely to seek seasonal flavors, colors, and shapes.

That matters because haunted attractions already trade on atmosphere. A named dessert, a limited spooky mocktail, or one savory item built around the event’s story can do more work than a basic concession counter. Haunted Attraction Network argued that the better read on the Mars data is not “more candy,” but more themed food experiences that feel tied to October and to the attraction itself.

The same piece pointed to a striking supply gap in the haunt business. Fewer than 10% of haunted attractions incorporate food at all, according to the 2022 Haunt Industry Benchmark Survey cited by Haunted Attraction Network. HauntPay’s 2024 Haunt Industry Report, as cited in that coverage, found only 3.9% of operators call food a major revenue source, while 65% charge less than $30 for general admission. That helps explain why the food category remains easy upside rather than a crowded battlefield.

A few operators are already showing what works

Some attractions are already treating food as part of the product instead of a side sale. Haunted Attraction Network reported that Scarehouse Windsor sells an immersive dinner package priced at $125 per guest. Co-owner Shawn Lippert said that includes about $45 for the meal and $55 for a Fast Pass, and described the dinner as a way to attract people who might not otherwise try a haunted house.

Larger operators are also expanding food for a different reason, dwell time. According to Haunted Attraction Network, SCREAM-A-GEDDON spent $2.5 million rebuilding its midway into a 50,000 square foot environment that adds four new food trucks, fire pits with s’mores, and an expanded beer garden with local wine and craft beer. At Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights, director Erin Davis said the addition of bars, a beer garden, vendors, and s’mores lets guests come for history, pizza, and drinks even if a traditional haunt is not their main draw.

Universal is taking a more menu-driven approach. Haunted Attraction Network reported that Universal Horror Unleashed built food around themed items such as pickled eggs, bloody egg cake pops, truffled deviled eggs, a Feaster-tini, and a Blood Bunny Mocktail. That approach treats food as part of the story. It also fits with what Mars found: consumers are responding to seasonal identity and sensory detail, not just heat or novelty for its own sake.

Why this is such an easy win for haunted attractions

The simplest reason is that the competitive baseline is low. If fewer than 10% of haunts offer food at all, then a single well-executed item can stand out. Haunted Attraction Network’s advice was practical: not more food, just one item that is unmistakably tied to the attraction and unmistakably tied to the Halloween season.

There is also a timing benefit. Mars found that Halloween is stretching earlier and wider, with 57% of adults treating it like a season. Haunted Attraction Network noted that major events are opening in August, including Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on August 7 and Oogie Boogie Bash on August 18, while Starbucks set the return of Pumpkin Spice Latte for August 25. That means some of the country’s biggest Halloween experiences are opening before one of fall’s most recognizable seasonal drinks is back.

For home cooks and food businesses watching Halloween trends, the lesson is clear. People are ready to buy food that feels specific to the season, especially when it is visual, textural, and limited. Haunted attractions already know how to build a world. In 2026, the operators who extend that world onto the plate may have one of the cleanest growth opportunities in Halloween food.

Halloween candy shopping is getting more adventurous. Mars says U.S. shoppers still love chocolate, but many are now looking for texture and bold flavor twists, not just straight sweetness.

Mars says texture and extreme flavors are shaping Halloween candy picks

Mars released its 2026 “Mars Tricks, Treats and Trends” report on July 23, 2026, tying the findings to the 100-day countdown to Halloween. According to the company, the report draws on a Morning Consult survey of 3,001 U.S. adults age 18 and older who said they plan to celebrate Halloween. The survey was conducted online in English from June 1 through June 5, 2026, and Mars said the full results carry a margin of error of 2%.

The clearest takeaway for candy shoppers is that novelty matters. Mars said 71% of surveyed adults want texture in their treats, while nearly 60% are looking for what it called “extreme” flavors. That helps explain why the company is highlighting products with crunchy or seasonal elements as part of its 2026 Halloween lineup.

Mars connected those taste preferences to specific products already heading to stores. The company said new items include TWIX Skulls, SNICKERS Pumpkins Fun Size and SKITTLES POP’D Creepy Crunch, alongside returning products such as SNICKERS Ghoulish Green and M&M’S Halloween Blend. In a separate 2026 seasonal announcement, Mars described SKITTLES POP’D Creepy Crunch as a freeze-dried candy with a crunchy, airy texture.

Halloween shopping is stretching into a longer season

Mars said Halloween is no longer acting like a one-night event for many shoppers. In its 2026 report, 57% of U.S. adults said Halloween is now a full season rather than a single day. Two-thirds of Americans said they wish they could buy their favorite Halloween candy year-round, and that figure rose to 76% among Gen Z, according to the company.

Mars also said nearly 60% of Gen Z consumers are either aware of or have taken part in Summerween, the early-season Halloween trend that pushes spooky snacks and decor into summer. Tim LeBel, chief Halloween officer and chief customer officer at Mars Snacking North America, said in the company’s announcement that “culture, not the calendar” is shaping the season and that earlier celebrations are gaining momentum.

For shoppers, that longer window matters because it changes when seasonal products start appearing. Mars said its 2026 Halloween portfolio is hitting shelves nationwide now, beginning in July. That means families planning classroom treats, party candy bowls or early fall gatherings may see more seasonal options well before October.

Social media inspires the list, but shoppers still buy candy in stores

Mars said younger shoppers often discover Halloween candy trends online first. Among Gen Z respondents, 53% said they spot trends on TikTok, followed by 49% on YouTube and 48% on Instagram. Even so, Mars said the final purchase still usually happens in person.

According to the report, 43% of Gen Z shoppers buy Halloween treats at large-format retailers and 41% buy them at grocery stores. That suggests social media may help shape the shopping list, but the candy aisle still closes the sale. For supermarkets, that is a reminder that seasonal displays still matter even as discovery moves onto phones.

Mars also framed candy as part of hosting and neighborhood identity. The company said 75% of U.S. adults agree a shared candy bowl builds community, and 71% believe the candy they hand out says something about them. Regional preferences also showed up in the report: Mars said the West had the strongest preference for Halloween-themed treats at 48%, while the South showed the strongest preference for gummies at 46%.

Halloween candy debates usually end in stalemate. This year, the numbers tell a sharper story.

One candy managed to dominate across the broader market, but millennials broke from the pack in a way that says a lot about how Americans actually snack.

M&M’s still owns Halloween at the register

If the question is which candy truly “won” Halloween in 2026, M&M’s has the strongest case. CandyStore.com’s updated national sales map, built from 18 years of Halloween-season data and distributor information, ranks M&M’s as the most popular Halloween candy in America for 2026. It held onto the top overall sales spot and tied Sour Patch Kids for the most states won, with 10 each. That matters because Halloween is less about niche fandom than repeat, mass purchase behavior.

M&M’s also benefits from the kind of versatility retailers love. It fits mixed candy bowls, office treat stations, school events, and party packs without requiring a strong brand preference from the person handing it out. In practical terms, that makes it the safest all-ages buy. A household may argue over peanut butter cups, candy corn, or sour candy, but very few people reject a handful of M&M’s.

That market strength lines up with broader Halloween spending patterns. The National Confectioners Association said in September 2026 that 81% of Americans planned to celebrate Halloween, while 85% said they would share treats with trick-or-treaters. The same survey noted that more than one-quarter of shoppers buy Halloween treats before October even begins, reinforcing how early and how broadly candy purchasing now happens. In a season driven by convenience and scale, M&M’s remains the cleanest consensus pick.

Why one brand can win sales and still lose the popularity vote

Sales leadership, however, is not the same thing as emotional preference. CandyStore.com’s 2026 best-Halloween-candy survey found that Snickers, not M&M’s, finished No. 1 among candies people said they liked best. M&M’s came in fourth, even while staying first in national sales. That split is one of the most revealing details in the Halloween candy business: people often buy one candy in bulk and personally crave another.

The reasons are intuitive. M&M’s is highly shareable, portion-friendly, and easy to distribute. Snickers is richer, messier, and more indulgent, which makes it feel more like a personal reward than a bowl filler. In other words, M&M’s wins because it is universally acceptable; Snickers wins because it feels like a treat people actively want to keep for themselves.

CandyStore.com even highlighted that contradiction directly, noting that people say Snickers is the best, then go buy M&M’s and Sour Patch Kids. That pattern mirrors a larger retail truth: checkout behavior often reflects budget, convenience, and group appeal, while survey responses reveal identity and nostalgia. Halloween candy is one of the clearest examples of that split because shoppers are often buying for others while mentally ranking for themselves.

Millennials are the generation that veers off script

That is where millennials become especially interesting. The broad market story favors M&M’s as the dependable cross-generational winner, but millennials are more likely to elevate Snickers-style satisfaction over neutral crowd-pleasing appeal. It fits a generation that came of age during the rise of personality-driven snacking, brand nostalgia, and the idea that even familiar treats should feel a little more specific, a little more premium, and a little more worth stealing from the kids’ haul.

Industry data supports the idea that millennials occupy a distinct Halloween role. The National Confectioners Association has previously noted that millennials are especially active in family-centered Halloween traditions, often as the adults walking neighborhoods with their own children. That puts them in a dual role: bulk buyer for the bowl, selective curator for personal favorites. M&M’s makes sense for the first job. Snickers makes sense for the second.

So the cleanest conclusion is this: M&M’s won Halloween where it counts most in volume, reach, and broad acceptability. But millennials went a different way, favoring the candy bar that feels more like an earned indulgence than a default purchase. In the annual battle between what America buys and what it secretly loves, M&M’s took the season, and Snickers took the millennial vote.

Halloween candy is showing up earlier than ever, and a new Mars survey suggests plenty of shoppers are fine with that. In fact, most Americans surveyed said they want Halloween candy available all year, with Gen Z even more sold on the idea.

What the Mars survey found

Mars released its 2026 Tricks, Treats and Trends report on July 23, 2026, as part of the company’s 100-day countdown to Halloween. According to Mars, two-thirds of Americans wish they could buy their favorite Halloween candy year-round. Among Gen Z, that share rises to 76%.

The company said the findings come from a Morning Consult survey of 3,001 U.S. adults age 18 and older who said they planned to celebrate Halloween. The survey was conducted online in English from June 1 through June 5, 2026, and Mars said the results carry a margin of error of 2%.

Mars also reported that 57% of U.S. adults now see Halloween as a full season rather than a single day. That broader view helps explain why seasonal candy has become a longer-running retail event, not just a late-October push.

In the company statement, Tim LeBel, Chief Halloween Officer and Chief Customer Officer at Mars Snacking North America, said, “Culture, not the calendar, is defining the seasons and our strategy.” He added that Halloween is becoming “America’s longest retail season,” shaped by Summerween gatherings, early decorating, and themed snacking.

Why Gen Z is helping stretch the season

Mars tied the year-round candy appetite to the rise of Summerween, a trend the company said nearly 60% of Gen Z either knows about or has taken part in. In other words, younger shoppers are not just accepting early Halloween displays, they are helping push the season forward.

The report also points to a shopping pattern that blends social media discovery with in-store buying. Mars said 53% of Gen Z discovers Halloween trends on TikTok, followed by YouTube at 49% and Instagram at 48%. Even so, the final purchase still tends to happen in person.

According to Mars, 43% of Gen Z shops for Halloween treats at large-format retailers, while 41% buys them at grocery stores. For home cooks and party planners, that means seasonal candy is not just an impulse checkout buy. It’s increasingly part of earlier party planning, candy bowl stocking, and themed baking.

Mars also found that 75% of U.S. adults agree a shared candy bowl builds community, and 71% believe the candy they hand out says something about them. That helps explain why seasonal assortments now feel tied to hosting and entertaining, not just trick-or-treat night.

The products Mars is putting on shelves now

Mars said its 2026 Halloween lineup is already rolling out nationwide this month to meet that early demand. New items named in the release include TWIX Skulls, SNICKERS Pumpkins Fun Size, and SKITTLES POP’D Creepy Crunch.

The company is also bringing back returning seasonal products including SNICKERS Ghoulish Green and M&M’S Halloween Blend. Mars said M&M’S ranked as the No. 1 Halloween candy brand among those surveyed.

The report added that 71% of consumers want texture in their treats, while nearly 60% are looking for “extreme” flavors. Mars said those preferences are helping shape products such as SKITTLES POP’D Creepy Crunch and seasonal flavors like M&M’S Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie.

For shoppers, the big takeaway is simple: early Halloween candy appears to be matching real consumer demand, not just retailer enthusiasm. If this survey is any guide, spooky candy season is no longer confined to October, and younger shoppers are a big reason it may keep expanding.

Starbucks is bringing a Halloween drink to select U.S. coffeehouses on October 22. The Black Cat Frappuccino blended beverage leans hard into the costume theme, but its flavor is chocolate cake, not pumpkin, apple, or another classic fall profile.

What Starbucks confirmed about the Halloween drink

According to Starbucks, the Black Cat Frappuccino blended beverage and the Venti Black Night Cookie will both arrive at select U.S. coffeehouses beginning October 22. The company announced the launch on September 14, 2026, and described both items as limited-time Halloween treats. That timing matters for shoppers planning a late-October Starbucks run, because the drink is not part of the chain’s earlier fall menu.

Starbucks says the Black Cat Frappuccino is a chocolate cake-flavored Crème Frappuccino drink topped with whipped cream and chocolate shaped like cat ears. That detail is the real twist. Seasonal coffeehouse drinks often signal pumpkin, spice, caramel, or apple before the first sip, but this one goes in a more dessert-like direction.

The visual is clearly built for Halloween. Starbucks’ own announcement centers the black cat look, and outside coverage from Delish echoed the same design details and launch date. For customers, the practical takeaway is simple: this is a themed crème drink first, with a costume-ready topping that makes it read as a novelty order for parties, school pickup treats, or a quick holiday photo.

The flavor is the surprise, and there is a cookie too

The headline feature may be the cat ears, but the more unexpected part is the flavor choice. Starbucks did not position the drink as pumpkin-forward or coffee-forward. Instead, the company called it a chocolate cake-flavored Crème Frappuccino, which puts it closer to a cold dessert than a traditional fall latte.

That matters because Halloween limited-time offers usually rely on familiar seasonal signals. In this case, Starbucks is betting on texture and visual appeal, with whipped cream and molded chocolate, while giving the drink a bakery-style profile. For families and home cooks who track seasonal menu trends, it is another sign that Halloween food launches are leaning more theatrical and dessert-inspired, not just spice-driven.

Starbucks is also pairing the launch with the Venti Black Night Cookie. The company describes it as a large, shareable black cocoa cookie with caramel fudge pieces and chunks of caramelized white chocolate. If you are stopping in for the Halloween release, that is the only food item Starbucks confirmed alongside the drink in its September 14 announcement.

Where it will be sold and what else is part of the drop

Availability is narrower than a broad national promise. Starbucks said the Black Cat Frappuccino and cookie are coming to select U.S. coffeehouses, so customers should expect participation to vary by store. The company did not give a posted end date in its announcement, only that the treats are limited-time offerings beginning October 22.

There is also a separate Halloween merchandise rollout tied to the launch window. Starbucks said select coffeehouses would begin carrying seasonal merch on September 15, while supplies last. That collection includes a pumpkin-shaped black cat mug priced at $19.95, a 14-ounce cauldron mug priced at $16.95, a glow-in-the-dark black cat stainless steel cold cup priced at $29.95, and a Black Cat Bearista Plush Bag Charm priced at $14.95.

For Starbucks customers, the main thing to know is that the drink is not available yet as of Friday, October 16, 2026. The official launch date Starbucks gave is Wednesday, October 22, 2026, and the release is limited to select U.S. coffeehouses. If the appeal is the look as much as the taste, earlier visits for the merch drop may make sense, since Starbucks says those items are available only while supplies last.

Tim Hortons U.S. has a new Halloween lineup, and the standout is a monster-themed donut with a playful center. The chain’s 2026 seasonal menu launched on September 30 at participating U.S. restaurants, according to the company announcement distributed by PR Newswire.

The Frankenstein Donut puts the filling front and center

The most distinctive item in the release is the Frankenstein Donut. Tim Hortons describes it as a fluffy yeast donut topped with chocolate and vanilla flavored icings and filled with vanilla flavored fluff. That filling is what separates it from a simple decorated holiday donut, turning it into a dessert-style limited-time item instead of just a themed glaze.

The company said the donut is hand-decorated to create the Frankenstein face, which gives the item some visual personality at the bakery case. Bake Magazine’s coverage matches those details, also describing it as a yeast donut with vanilla-flavored fluff and chocolate and vanilla-flavored icings. That alignment matters, because it confirms the product details beyond the original promotional copy.

For shoppers deciding what is actually new here, the filling is the biggest hook. Seasonal donuts often lean on colored icing alone, but this one adds a soft vanilla center that makes it closer to a cream-filled treat. If you like bakery items that feel a little more substantial with coffee, this is the one to notice first on the Halloween menu.

The rest of the Halloween menu leans on Oreo and TWIX

The Frankenstein Donut is not alone. Tim Hortons U.S. also introduced a Mummy Donut, described in the company release as a chocolate cake donut ring topped with vanilla flavored icing in a mummy design. That gives the lineup both a yeast option and a cake donut option, which is useful for customers with strong donut preferences.

The menu also includes the Spookies n’ Screams Croissant. According to Sporked’s source text and the Tim Hortons release cited by trade coverage, the croissant is sliced and filled with Oreo crumbs, chocolate dip, and sweet whipped topping, then topped with powdered sugar, more chocolate dip, and additional Oreo crumbs. It reads more like a dessert pastry than a breakfast croissant, and it is one of the richer items in the collection.

On the beverage side, Tim Hortons added the TWIX N’ Treat Iced Capp and the TWIX N’ Treat Hot Chocolate. The iced drink combines the chain’s Iced Capp base and cream with caramel and chocolate flavors and TWIX pieces, then gets whipped topping, chocolate drizzle, and more candy pieces on top. The hot chocolate version uses the same candy theme, with whipped topping, chocolate drizzle, and crunchy TWIX pieces.

Where it is available and what home cooks should know

Tim Hortons said the Halloween menu started September 30 and is available at participating restaurants across the United States. The company announcement frames the launch as beginning that day, not as a preview or future drop, so U.S. customers looking for the Frankenstein Donut should check current participating locations rather than wait for a later release.

One detail worth keeping straight is geography. Sporked reported the items would arrive at locations across the United States beginning September 30, and the official Tim Hortons U.S. announcement says the menu is available at participating U.S. restaurants. That means the safest wording is participating U.S. locations, not every restaurant.

For home bakers, the menu also points to a flavor combination that is easy to borrow this season: chocolate icing, vanilla filling, and playful decoration. But as a chain menu story, the real draw is simple. Tim Hortons has turned a Halloween donut into a filled treat, and the vanilla fluff center is the part that makes it more than a spooky face in the display case.

A leaked Dunkin Halloween menu got fans talking about Starbucks, and now the broad outline of that leak has been confirmed by Dunkin itself. The chain launched the first part of its Halloween drink menu on September 30, 2026, then added a second wave on October 14, 2026, with donuts, a glow-in-the-dark MUNCHKINS bucket, and another purple refresher.

What Dunkin officially launched after the leak

The early online buzz came from a leaked menu described by The Takeout, which said Dunkin was planning a two-phase Halloween rollout built around specialty drinks and later donut items. Dunkin’s own newsroom posts now confirm that timing was largely correct, with a drink launch on September 30 followed by more Halloween items on October 14.

In the first phase, Dunkin introduced Green Apple Dunkin’ Zero and Purple Marshmallow Cold Foam nationwide for a limited time at participating restaurants. The company said those two items form the base of the early Halloween lineup, which includes Green Apple Dunkin’ Zero, Midnight Apple Dunkin’ Zero, Candy Kiss Dunkin’ Zero, and Orchard Twist Dunkin’ Zero.

Dunkin also confirmed several purple-topped and coffee-focused drinks that matched the leak’s general direction, including Sour Apple Energy, Dark Spell Daydream Refresher, Terror-misu Cloud Latte, Franki Matcha, Creepy Crawler Coffee Chiller, Midnight Potion Refresher, Werewolf Punch Refresher, and Nutty Nightmare Iced Coffee. The company described Purple Marshmallow Cold Foam as a Halloween spin on its marshmallow cold foam and said the launch marked the first time a Dunkin’ Zero beverage could be topped with cold foam.

Why fans focused on apple instead of pumpkin

The Takeout reported that fan chatter around the leak centered especially on apple drinks, with some online commenters framing the lineup as a stronger seasonal move than what they had seen from Starbucks. That reaction matters because it helps explain why this menu caught attention before it was official, even though pumpkin usually dominates fall coffee coverage.

Dunkin’s confirmed menu gives that reaction some context. Rather than leaning only on pumpkin, the chain built much of the first wave around tart green apple, berry clementine, blueberry, tiramisu, toasted almond, and vanilla. That mix gives the menu a more Halloween-coded color and flavor palette than a standard early fall release.

The official items also show that the rivalry talk was not really about one pumpkin drink beating another. It was about novelty. Purple cold foam, green apple energy drinks, a tiramisu latte with hot chocolate powder, and a matcha drink finished in Halloween colors gave fans plenty to compare against rival coffee chains, even before Dunkin confirmed the menu.

What arrived in the second wave and what shoppers should know

Dunkin’s second Halloween release began October 14, 2026. According to the company, that drop brought back the Spider Donut nationwide for a limited time, introduced the Berry Battie Daydream Refresher, and added a purple glow-in-the-dark Halloween MUNCHKINS Bucket filled with a random 50-count assortment of MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treats, including new sprinkle-covered Halloween MUNCHKINS.

The Spider Donut is a purple-frosted donut topped with a Chocolate Glazed MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treat at the center, with chocolate icing legs and vanilla-flavored icing eyes. Dunkin also said its frosted donuts switched to a seasonal sprinkle blend of purple, chocolate, and white, and that Chocolate Glazed MUNCHKINS got the same Halloween mix.

For shoppers deciding whether to make a special trip, the key detail is that Dunkin says these items are available nationwide at participating locations for a limited time, while supplies last. The company also attached a few extras to the rollout, including a free limited-edition Bat Cup Sleeve on October 16 with purchase of a Berry Battie Daydream Refresher, while supplies last, plus Spider Donut collectibles and merch sold separately.

Mashed potatoes are simple, but they punish small mistakes. A cold splash of milk or a few extra turns of the masher can be the difference between velvety and gluey.

The overlooked move is not exotic or chefy. It is simply warming the butter and dairy before adding them, then folding them in with a light hand.

Why temperature matters more than most cooks realize

Hot potatoes absorb fat and liquid more willingly than cooling ones, which is why so many tested recipes call for warm milk, cream, or both. Epicurious and Food52 each recommend heating the dairy before mixing, not for drama, but because warm liquid blends in more easily and helps the potatoes stay hot from the first scoop to the table.

That matters because mashed potatoes change quickly as they lose heat. Warm dairy does not magically alter the chemistry in an instant, but it does keep the mash at a workable temperature, so you need less force to combine everything smoothly. Less force means less chance of pushing the texture toward sticky.

There is also a sequencing benefit. Epicurious has long advised adding butter before the milk or cream in more refined potato purée methods, a technique cooks value because the butterfat can coat the potato particles before more liquid goes in. In practice, that helps create a smoother, richer texture, especially when the potatoes are still steaming.

The result is not just creamier potatoes, but more control. Instead of chasing lumps with aggressive stirring after a cold pour, you get a mash that loosens gradually and evenly, which is exactly what “silky” is supposed to feel like.

The potato and tool choices that support a silky mash

Even the best temperature control cannot rescue the wrong potato or the wrong tool. Bon Appétit notes that russets are high in starch and turn especially light and fluffy, while Yukon Golds bring a naturally richer, creamier character. Both can make excellent mashed potatoes, but they reward slightly different goals.

If you want cloudlike mash, russets are a classic pick. If you prefer a denser, more buttery spoonful, Yukon Golds are an easy favorite. Bon Appétit has also pointed out that Yukon Golds absorb less water than many other varieties, which helps explain why they often deliver a creamy mash with less risk of turning waterlogged.

Tools matter just as much. Epicurious recommends a potato ricer or food mill because both break down the potatoes quickly and evenly without excessive agitation. That is crucial, since overworking mashed potatoes releases starch in a way that makes them gluey rather than smooth.

A hand masher can still work well if you stop early. What does not help is a blender or food processor. Serious mashed potato guidance across food publications is remarkably consistent on this point: the more violently you process the potatoes, the greater the chance you trade silkiness for paste.

How to put the technique into practice at home

Start by cooking the potatoes until fully tender, then draining them thoroughly. Several expert recipes also call for returning the drained potatoes to the warm pot for a minute or two, which helps excess moisture evaporate. Dry potatoes are better able to take on butter and dairy without turning soupy.

While the potatoes finish, warm the milk, cream, or half-and-half gently in a small saucepan. It does not need to boil. Food52 specifically suggests heating milk to just below a simmer, and Epicurious recipes repeatedly use warmed dairy or milk-butter mixtures before mixing them into the potatoes.

Next, add the butter first if you can, then the warm dairy in stages. That gradual addition lets you stop at the exact texture you want, whether that is fluffy, spoonable, or almost restaurant-style purée. The key is to stir just until combined, not until every last molecule looks whipped into submission.

If there is one rule to remember, it is this: silky mashed potatoes are built through restraint. Warm the dairy, add it thoughtfully, and stop mixing the moment the mash turns smooth. That one small move works best not because it is flashy, but because it keeps every other part of the process on your side.

Some holiday candies never really disappeared; they just stopped being everywhere. In small towns, though, they still show up in pharmacy aisles, church bazaars, and tins on grandma’s buffet like time never moved on.

The candies that defined a quieter kind of Christmas

Ribbon candy may be the purest example of holiday nostalgia: all shine, curves, and fragility, usually displayed more than eaten. Its roots go back to European confection traditions, and even now it remains tied almost exclusively to Christmas, the sort of candy people remember from a formal dish in the living room rather than a checkout rack. Hammond’s still sells an old-fashioned Christmas mix with mini ribbon candy, art candy, and peppermint straws, a sign that the category survives largely on memory and ritual.

Then there is cut rock candy and satin-finish hard candy, the sturdy, jewel-toned mix that once filled paper sacks in old general stores. Claeys, a company with a history stretching back to 1919, still trades on that old-fashioned style, which helps explain why these candies remain strongest in places where the holiday candy bowl is still a household institution. They are not flashy, but they hold flavor well and fit the slow, all-day grazing of winter gatherings.

Peppermint Christmas nougats belong on this list too. Brach’s still makes them seasonally, with the familiar peppermint-centered squares joined by wintergreen and cinnamon variations in some assortments. In many small towns, those candies were a December marker as reliable as the tree lot, often bought at local five-and-dime stores or neighborhood grocers rather than from specialty candy shops.

The regional sweets that never fully left

Divinity is less a mass-market candy than a regional holiday language. The airy confection, made from whipped egg whites and hot syrup, has long been associated with Southern kitchens, where humidity and technique are part of the lore as much as sugar and pecans. That is exactly why it survives in small towns: it depends on handed-down knowledge, church cookbooks, and someone in the family who still knows when the weather is right.

Chicken Bones are even more specific. Ganong, established in 1873 and still based in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, says its candy maker Frank Sparhawk invented Chicken Bones in 1885: a spicy cinnamon shell with bittersweet chocolate inside. It is one of the clearest examples of a holiday candy kept alive by regional devotion, the kind of sweet outsiders find odd and locals defend fiercely every December.

Chocolate-covered cherries also belong to the old-school holiday set, especially the boxed cordials that seemed to appear only in winter. Tootsie notes that Cella’s joined the company portfolio decades ago and still sells both milk and dark chocolate versions. In small towns, these candies endure because they feel gift-like without being expensive, a practical luxury that fits holiday traditions built around modest abundance.

Why these 10 candies still matter in small-town America

Add orange slices, peppermint sticks, old-fashioned Christmas hard candy mixes, and butter rum drops, and the full picture comes into focus. These are not necessarily the trendiest sweets, but they are durable symbols of a holiday style built on repetition and familiarity. According to the National Confectioners Association, winter holidays are the top-selling seasonal confectionery moment, and mint remains one of the defining flavors of the season, which helps explain why so many remembered candies lean peppermint or spice.

What small towns preserve especially well is context. A candy cane is just a candy cane in a big-box store, but in a small town it may still come from the local pharmacy, be tucked into a church pageant bag, or sit beside homemade fudge at the volunteer fire hall sale. Even mass-produced candy feels personal when it is tied to a place and a ritual.

That is why these 10 old-school holiday candies still resonate. They are edible memory markers: part décor, part gift, part family argument over texture, freshness, and who gets the last piece. In an era of novelty flavors and limited drops, their staying power says something important. Holiday candy does not have to be new to feel special; sometimes it just has to taste like the town you grew up in.

Tini Younger built a big online audience by making cooking feel doable, and now she is bringing that same approach to a cookbook. Her first major book, Today We Are Cooking: Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef, is scheduled for release on November 3, 2026, according to Elle and The Washington Post.

What the book is and when it arrives

Younger is best known to many home cooks as Chef Tini, the creator behind viral cooking videos that focus on practical technique and clear instruction. According to The Washington Post, the cookbook is titled Today We Are Cooking…, while Elle gives the full title as Today We Are Cooking: Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef. Both reports describe it as her first major cookbook.

Elle reported in June 2026 that the book would be published on November 3. That timing matters for readers who follow food media closely, because this is not an older title being newly promoted. It is a forthcoming release tied to the next phase of Younger’s career as she moves from short-form video into long-form teaching.

The book’s pitch lines up with the teaching identity that made her popular online. The Washington Post reported that Younger said the book is focused on fundamentals and is meant for people who may not feel fully comfortable in the kitchen yet. Elle similarly described the project as a more formal extension of the lessons she has already been sharing in videos for years.

How her kitchen philosophy translates from video to page

What sets Younger apart is that she does not just show finished dishes. Her appeal is rooted in explaining process, technique, and decision-making in a way that feels accessible. Elle reported that she sees teaching others to cook as a way of paying it forward, and the subtitle itself, “Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef,” points to that goal directly.

That framing matters for home cooks because a cookbook built around thinking, not just following, can be more useful over time. According to The Washington Post, Younger said the book is for readers who need help with the basics, which suggests it is designed to build confidence rather than simply collect viral recipes. That is a different promise from many creator cookbooks, which often lean more heavily on personality or aesthetics.

Elle also reported that Younger described the cookbook as “me in a book,” but more organized and on the page. That description helps explain the project’s likely appeal. Fans who enjoy the energy of her videos may find a more structured version of the same instruction, while newer cooks may get a reference they can return to without scrubbing through clips.

Why this matters for home cooks and cookbook shelves

Creator cookbooks are now a familiar part of publishing, but Younger’s book arrives at a moment when editors and readers are paying closer attention to whether an online following translates into usable recipes and solid kitchen guidance. The Washington Post noted that the creator cookbook market is active, with publishers looking for personalities who can turn audience trust into practical books people will actually cook from.

For shoppers, the main question is simple: will this help in a real kitchen on a weeknight. Based on the available reporting, Younger’s debut is being positioned as a fundamentals-forward cookbook that aims to teach technique and build comfort. That may make it especially attractive to beginners, younger cooks, and anyone who learns best from a friendly voice instead of rigid culinary language.

There are still details that have not been widely reported, including a full table of contents or broad preview of the recipe list. But the core facts are clear: Younger, already a familiar face on social media, is moving into print with a first major cookbook centered on confidence, fundamentals, and learning how to cook with a chef’s mindset.