Still wondering what this year's Halloween Frappuccino will be? The answer might be across the Pacific.
Since 2014, Starbucks has been celebrating Halloween with spine-chilling Frappuccino flavors. (You might remember the Franken Frappuccino and the Frappula Frappuccino.) Last year, after weeks of persistent rumors, the coffee chain rolled out a horrifying Zombie Frappuccino. Remember all the suspense leading up to that big reveal?
The Zombie Frappuccino was a ghastly green beverage made with Frappuccino Crème and infused with flavors of tart apple and caramel, topped with pink whipped cream “brains.” But Starbucks has kept spookily silent about 2018’s limited-edition Halloween Frappuccinos.
Here’s what’s maddening: Japan and Korea already have Halloween Frappuccinos!
Check out the costumed Fraps in Japan
Last week, Starbucks Japan unveiled a pair of limited-edition Halloween Frappuccinos, which will, no doubt, duel for the souls of their customers:
Halloween Witch: blends a Frappuccino base with a bright red apple compote and a caramel-flavored cookie, topped with whipped cream, and dripped spookily with thick gooey dark chocolate sauce
Halloween Princess: blends a Frappuccino base with the apple compote, white mocha sauce and whipped cream, but finished off with a sprinkling of tiny sugar pearls in pink and blue
Starbucks Korea also introduced two limited-edition Halloween drinks, which remind us of a Halloween party or a monster mash:
Vampire Frappuccino: a sweet strawberry Frappuccino with ice and milk, dripping with a ghoulish strawberry sauce and topped with whipped cream and chocolate bats
It’s hard to say what Halloween drink will appear at Starbucks in the United States. Last year’s Zombie Frap was only available October 26-31, so the coffee chain is running out of time. It’s freaking us out!
I think the best thing about this recipe is that you can make it hours ahead of time so you can spend more time with your guests. And you can keep it warm on the stovetop or in a slow cooker throughout the party. —Mary Price, Youngstown, Ohio
Our home economists concocted this "potion" with kitchen staples such as juice concentrate, soft drink mix, soda and sherbet. It appeals to kids of all ages! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Chocolate pudding mix is the convenient start to this clever cocoa mix. Kids of all ages get a kick out of the marshmallow ghost floating on top. —Ruby Gibson, Newton, North Carolina
Who doesn't love the flavors of caramel, apples, and vanilla ice cream together? If I'm feeling fancy, I drizzle caramel syrup around the inside of my glass before adding the apple cider and ginger ale. —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
My son loved this festive milkshake growing up—it's nicely spiced and tastes like pumpkin pie. I like cutting off both ends of a licorice twist and serving it as a straw.—Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Stir up some Halloween beverages that are as bewitching as the rest of your menu. Omit the vodka for a nonalcoholic version so the kids can have some, too! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Grown-up treats that feature canned pumpkin and butterscotch schnapps will lure guests back for more. The gelatin shots are made ahead, so they're a great party starter. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
If you're going to hang with vampires, you're going to need a strong drink. This spicy vodka martini, with a blood-red beet garnish, does the trick. A little garlic helps, too! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Gummy worms crawling out of the punch bowl will have your guests howling as they ladle out cups of this festive orange cooler. The punch recipe is super-easy, and its color fits in perfectly with other foods and decorations for my theme party. —Vicki Schlechter, Davis, California
Surprise the ghouls and goblins at your Halloween party with these thirst-quenching martinis. Cranberry juice and sour apple liqueur makes them tart yet terrific! —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Each winter in early February my friends and I gather for an outdoor show called Mittenfest. We skip the Bloody Marys and fill our thermoses with these hot cocoas instead.
My bright orange sipper fits right in with October fun. To serve it in a festive way, I often put the punch bowl inside a hollowed-out-pumpkin. —Sue Thomas, Casa Grande, Arizona
At a Halloween party, the more creepy the food, the better! I like to tuck gummy worms into an ice ring when I make this great green punch.
— Michelle Thomas, Bangor, Maine
Spiced with cinnamon sticks, allspice and caramel, this warm-you-up sipper will chase away winter's chill. Serve brimming mugs alongside a platter of festive cookies at your next holiday gathering. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
As soon as there is a hint of fall in the air, I think of pumpkins and my mother. She served pumpkin pie with real hot chocolate. This recipe brings those two amazing scents, and her, back to life for me. To turn your hot chocolate into creamy pumpkin mocha, stir 2 teaspoons of instant coffee into the hot chocolate before adding whipped cream. It's a great way to warm up after some chilly trick-or-treating! —J. Morand, Maitland, ON
This slushy punch requires no ice ring to keep it cold. It's not too sweet, so it appeals to everyone. Use this refreshing beverage for any celebration. —Susan Johnson, Lyons, Kansas
A smash is a fruity and chilled cocktail—very refreshing. It's a great use for those apples you bought from the orchard plus some sparking cider. —Moffat Frazier, New York, New York
My hot fruit punch has been a family fave since 1993—hard to believe that we’ve loved it for 20 years! Adding clove-studded orange wedges makes it look especially festive. —Anita Bell, Hermitage, Tennessee
There's no reason the adults can't get in on Halloween fun, too! You can make the simple syrup and chill the champagne and gelatin mixture in advance, so you'll have time for other party prep work. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The winter holidays are my favorite time of year, and this spiced pumpkin drink is one reason I love the season so much. If you don't have a coffee maker, it's OK to use instant coffee—just make it stronger. —Kathie Perez, East Peoria, Illinois
There's no last-minute rush before the party when you slowly simmer this punch. It has all the tantalizing flavors of fall. —Alpha Wilson, Roswell, New Mexico
Dried apricots give this comforting cider a marvelous twist. Add cranberries, cinnamon, allspice and cloves for the perfect hot drink to sip on cool nights. —Ginnie Busam, Pewee Valley, Kentucky
My friends start requesting this cocktail in the fall and continue to ask for it throughout the holidays. Every delectable sip is like a taste of pumpkin pie! —Cathleen Bushman, Geneva, IL
Lauren Cahn is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared regularly in The Huffington Post as well as a variety of other publications since 2008 on such topics as life and style, popular culture, law, religion, health, fitness, yoga, entertaining and entertainment. She is also a writer of crime fiction; her first full-length manuscript, The Trust Game, was short-listed for the 2017 CLUE Award for emerging talent in the genre of suspense fiction.