Make a Halloween Mocha Mudslide with Spider Marshmallow Straws

Halloween is just around the corner! If you're planning a spooky celebration, we have the perfect treat: a tasty mocha mudslide recipe. You can enjoy this recipe hot or iced - whatever takes your fancy. Add some creepy-crawly fun with chocolate spiderweb marshmallow stir straws, complete with dangling yarn tassel spiders. Read on for the how to!

Supplies

Craft materials:

• Colorful yarn
• Straws
• Chocolate melts
• Halloween-themed ice cube tray (We found this spider one in the Target $1 bin.)
• Marshmallows
• Tacky spray

Mocha Mudslide ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup instant espresso
• 1 cup half-and-half (half cream, half full-fat milk)
• 3 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Make the Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

Step 1

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or by using a double broiler. Fill ice cube mold half way with chocolate.

Step 2

Let the chocolate harden slightly and insert the marshmallow. Stick in the freezer to let the chocolate fully cool and harden.

Step 3

When the bottom layer of chocolate has hardened, add more chocolate to fill the mold and cover the marshmallow.

Step 4

Stick the chocolate in the freezer for an hour or two. When the chocolate has solidified, pop them out of the ice cube mold.

2. Make the Yarn Tassel Spider

Step 1

If you're a tassel making pro, skip to step 5. If this is your first time, don't worry, it's easy! Start by wrapping the yarn around your hand a few times. If you want to get technical, you can count to make sure the spider has eight legs!

Step 2

Pull the yarn off your hand and cut a small length of yarn.

Step 3

Tie a knot at the top of the tassel with the small piece of yarn. Cut the excess yarn and also cut the ends of the tassel.

Step 4

Loop another piece of yarn through the top of the tassel.

Step 5

Spray tassel ends from underneath with tacky spray. Use your fingers to spread out the spider 'legs'. Let the tacky spray dry.

Step 6

Wrap the spider's yarn string around the top of the straw and stick the straw into the marshmallow. The marshmallow will hold the yarn in place, letting the spider dangle from its web.

Step 7

Stick the other end of the straw into another marshmallow to give it some support.

3. Make the Mocha Mudslide

Step 1

Combine half a cup of unsweetened cocoa, half a cup of sugar, an eighth of a cup of instant espresso and one cup half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves. Then whisk in three cups of milk and continue stirring for three to five minutes or until mixture is very hot. But be careful to not let the milk boil or the drink will acquire a bitter taste. Whisk in two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Serve immediately for a hot mocha or let mixture cool and serve over ice. Makes five cups.

Step 2

To take your mudslide up a notch, omit the espresso and instead stir in a quarter of a cup of Kahlua, a quarter of a cup of Baileys Irish Cream and one eighth of a cup of vodka into the hot milk mixture along with the vanilla extract.

Enjoy Your Spooky Drink on October 31

Hot or cold, this yummy drink will make your Halloween a real treat! You can experiment with other mold shapes and craft materials for another themed drink - how about a ghost or a skeleton dangling from a tombstone chocolate straw?

Do you have any crafty plans for Halloween? We'd love to hear your ideas!