Can you feel it? The fog rolling in. The pumpkins springing up. The signs appearing at the entrance to Universal Studios Florida. It’s my favorite time of year…time for Halloween Horror Nights (HHN)! I’m excited for the haunted houses, scare zones, and most importantly, THE FOOD AND DRINKS!
I had the amazing pleasure of speaking with Chef Luis Rivera, Chef Christian Markussen, and Chef Cheryl Figueroa Rivera from the Research and Development team about planning and creating several of the iconic and mouthwatering offerings for this year’s event. Just reading through the menu shows the team’s dedication to making dishes guests will love while still innovating comfort foods we all know and seek out.
So, let’s dive into some of the top foods to try at Halloween Horror Nights 2025!
Yum Yum Deviled “Eggs”
Have you ever attended Halloween Horror Nights and said to yourself, “I could really use some eggs after that house?” “Fallout” fans, this one is for you. Chef Cheryl admits that she didn’t know much about “Fallout” prior to watching the show, but when she saw Lucy eat the Yum Yum Deviled Eggs in one of the episodes, she knew she had to find a way to make them. “I thought, ‘how can I recreate something that is savory but make it into a dessert?’” she says.
That’s right — this is a dessert! The egg whites are coconut panna cotta, while the yolk is a pineapple whipped ganache topped with Tajin. I know Chef Cheryl had a lot of fun creating this dish, and I know I’ll have fun eating it!
Elotes
“Everyone had their hands in all the recipes, it was truly a collaborative environment,” Chef Luis explains when I ask about the creation of the elotes for Jason Universe. “Everyone had input, and they all put their signature on it.” The team thought about what they could do as a dish that would be easy for guests to walk around with but also fit the camp theme of Crystal Lake. Enter: the elote. The husk presents a natural handle so you can stand in line and still have a snack! You have your choice to top it with cotija cheese and Tajin or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, if you’re into spice.
PRO TIP: Keep the camp theme going with the Crystal Lake Coffee, a delicious Canadian whiskey cocktail featuring creme de cacao, cold brew, marshmallow syrup, and toasted marshmallow foam topping.
Cupcake
Look at this adorable cutie! Taken straight out of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is the iconic Cupcake, one of the animatronic characters from Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Chef Cheryl had the idea of creating this little treat since she saw the movie. “This was my opportunity to create him, bring him to life, and enjoy him,” she explains. Inspired by the Italian flavors of the pizzeria, the chocolate cupcake is filled with cannoli cream and topped with mascarpone buttercream icing. Get your cameras out, because this is definitely an Instagram-worthy treat!
Clown Cafe Bloody Popcorn
Chef Christian tells us that he had a lot of fun creating this “Terrifier 2”-inspired snack: “We take a deep dive into the content to try to better understand how we can bring it to life,” he says. “We want to help keep the guests immersed in the story they tell in the houses.” The marinara sauce and spiced parmesan make a tasty, bloody topping for the popcorn and popcorn chicken, and it’s perfect as a handheld snack while you’re running from Art the Clown in real time.
Huskus’ Muscle Man Slop
A hearty snack that will make you feel like you’re ready to jump in the ring and join the Wyatt Sicks. Chef Christian, a self-proclaimed super fan of wrestling, called this one of his top items for Halloween Horror Nights 2025. It’s not your typical beef sloppy joe; this sandwich has jalapeno bacon, Lay’s Dill Pickle Flavored Potato Chips, and creamy cheese sauce. But I think the most exciting thing about this sandwich is that the bun is made from the same chocolate almond bread normally found at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen! If you’ve ever had it, you’ll know its going to be one tasty bun.
Now that we’ve got you salivating, how about some drinks? I chatted with Liam Wedderburn, assistant manager of beverages, about some of the unique refreshments you will find at Halloween Horror Nights 2025.
Light the Way
As a wrestling fan, Liam was excited to work on this featured drink for WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks. “There’s little details in the drink, and if you’re a fan of wrestling, you will pick up on it,” he shares. This drink is unique and features moonshine as its main spirit as a tribute to Bray Wyatt’s wrestling character. The best part is when you grab one at the Firefly Fun House in Sting Alley, you’ll see the tonic water within it light up just like Bray Wyatt’s lantern in the blacklight.
Starry Nights Spritz
“If nothing exists, we come up with recipes and think about what fits the intellectual property,” Liam says. “We try to make them fun and exciting, and maybe a little spooky.” That was the idea behind this beverage themed to “Terrifier.” The team wanted to focus on creating a drink that people would want when standing in line in the Florida heat. Cue the refreshing combination of cranberry juice and Prosecco. This drink definitely gives off those Christmas vibes — and if you’ve seen “Terrifier 3,” you know exactly how it fits the theme.
RadAway
The bags are back! This drink is a mocktail, which Liam mentioned is a growing category in the beverage world. “There are more mocktails this year, almost every booth has a mocktail option,” he says. “And it’s not just soda, a lot of them are mocktail versions of the cocktails.” This drink combines the flavors of lemonade with chipotle pineapple and spiced brown sugar syrup. Plus, the bag is the perfect souvenir for “Fallout” lovers!
Cat’s Meow & Zazzler
Both the Cat’s Meow and the Zazzler are featured drinks in the New York scare zone, Mutations: Toxic Twenties. The bar is themed to the 1920s, during the Prohibition era, and history played a part in the recipes for the drinks. “Since it was illegal to have or distribute alcohol, bathtub gin was made and most of the spirits of that time were low quality,” Liam says. “So they used flavoring agents like grenadine, ginger, or mint to mask the flavor.” Luckily, the team uses high-quality ingredients — but they’ve added some of the flavoring agents to bring those classic twenties flavors to life.
Every year, I’m impressed by the items that the Research & Development chefs and Beverage teams come up with, and I know my tummy is thrilled to see so many options that are both savory and sweet. Honestly, no one does Halloween treats and drinks like these teams.
What items from the list are you most excited to try? Did we miss a treat that you think needs a mention? Let us know in the comments!
Must be 21 years and older with valid identification to purchase or drink alcoholic beverages.