I know everyone gets into playful “I’m a bigger fan than you are” spats over cult classics, but I really feel like I have a leg up here… I have been a huge Hocus Pocus fan since the movie first came out in theaters in the summer of 1993.
I was 8 years old at the time, and after multiple times watching in theaters, that Halloween my siblings and I ROCKED our costumes as the Sanderson Sisters and Billy Butcherson.
See this picture here? That’s little 8 year old me as Winifred Sanderson! (Aren’t I deliciously beautiful child? Makes me SICK!)
Anyhow, watching Hocus Pocus is a Halloween tradition in our home, as is cooking through Halloween and autumn themed cookbooks. We had plans to spend most of our Halloween cookery on the Necronomnomnom Cookbook, but then I discovered… The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook that just came out this September 2021. Say whaaaaat?!
Before I dive into my experience with these recipes and potions, here’s a quick look-see at the Amazon description (CLICK HERE to view/buy!):
“Join the Sanderson sisters just in time for Halloween with this USA Today bestselling cookbook that is sure to put a spell on you!
Since its debut in 1993, the movie Hocus Pocus has achieved cult-classic fame, with both children and adults as a loyal fanbase. Fans fall in love with the delightful, demonic and diva-esque Sanderson Sisters and the sleepy New England town they torment. Now you can conjure up your own spooky treats and bewitching drinks to celebrate Halloween, whether you’re attending a surprise rave in town, or just spending “a quiet evening at home.”
The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook is filled with over 60 recipes for fare inspired by everyone’s favorite witches and their spells, potions, and schemes. It is the ultimate must-have for fans of all ages—but don’t worry, no children were harmed in the test of these recipes. Inside you’ll find frightfully delicious recipes for: Burning Rain of Death Punch, William’s Wormy Grave Tombstone Cake, Dead Man’s Toes Sausage Appetizers, Baked Witch Casserole, “Way to Go, Virgin” mocktails, And much more!”
My Halloween Obsessed Take on This Cookbook
As stated above, I am a HUGE Hocus Pocus fan and I am also an absolute sucker for themed cookbooks. I have SHELVES of well-loved and food spattered cookbooks ranging from Disney recipes to location specific recipes inspired from our travels, to movie and book inspired “unofficial” guides. For Halloween and autumn ALONE I have about half a dozen books I feverishly cook through each year.
So with that said, this cookbook is filled primarily with standard recipes you would find in most Halloween and Autumn classic cookbooks, but with a fun and engaging Hocus Pocus movie reference preface before each recipe. The recipes definitely slant more toward Halloween foods and there are PLENTY of gorgeous photos of the spooky foods and Pinterest worthy foodie flatlays.
If you are looking for some classic autumn and Halloween foods and you are a fan of the movie, then it goes without saying that the Hocus Pocus twist will make Halloween cooking that much more fun!
I will say, out of the 4 recipes I’ve had a chance to cook in the last few weeks, the Pumpkin Pancakes came out WAY too thick and I needed to add a significant amount of milk to thin them out. They tasted amazing and it was an easy fix for anyone comfortable in a kitchen.
Also, the Cinnamon Bread Loaf came out nothing like the picture in the book, which showed a standard small loaf level with the loaf pan lip, while mine rose to double the size of the pan… BUT it was seriously the most delicious autumn themed breakfast bread loaf I have made in YEARS and I will definitely be making this one again!
The 2 out of 4 recipes I’ve made with slight inconsistencies (in the photo of the finished product in one and the batter consistency in the other), leads me to suspect that some of these recipes might be in need of slight adjustments and might suffer from lack of a pre-publication recipe tester. But none of the recipes in this cookbook appear to be complex or unusual (as I said, it’s all fall favorites and classics) so if you are comfortable in a kitchen, it should be easy to work around or tweak any recipes as needed.
Overall, I would recommend this cookbook to any Hocus Pocus fan that likes to cook. It’s kind of a no-brained that this would be the next coveted booooooook. 😉
This cookbook sounds so fun and this movie is such a classic, and the photo I love it!! Which one is you?
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
I’m in the middle! <3
Such a cute photo! This cookbook seems really interesting.
Thanks! And yeah, the book is def a new fall favorite!
I need this cookbook! It sounds like so much fun!
It really is!!!
These look gorgeous, can’t wait to try.
swifferstore – https://www.swifferstore.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Seems like an interesting cookbook! Pancakes look good 🙂
Pumpkin pancakes are THE BEST!!!
It will be fun trying out the recipes. The pancakes sound delicious.
Yeah, I am sucker for fall flavors!
Going to try this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing! Hocus Pocus is the best too 🙂
http://www.christinacenci.com
Hocus Pocus is the ultimate litmus test for fall lovers, haha!
First time I heard a cookbook like that. The recipes/food must be fun,
and the taste should be good for it to be included in a cookbook, right?
Ann
https://roomsofinspiration.blogspot.com/
Thats the hope anyway! lol!
from your write-up, this cookbook seems like so much fun. lovely pancake picture and now i crave them…
Glowyshoe’s blog
Go get some gurl!!! lol!