Bloody Delicious: Cookbooks for Horror Lovers

Beetlejuice is a beloved classic that immediately brings to mind a certain playfully ghoulish aesthetic. You can bring that same aesthetic to your dining room with The Unofficial Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Cookbook, co-written by Hugo Award-winning fantasy writer Thea James and food writer/recipe developed Isabel Minunni. Start your day with a Post-Bio-Exorcism Smoothie. Sip on Shrunken Head Cider. Delight your sweet tooth with a Harry Belafonte-themed Banana Boat Milkshake. Each of these strange and unusual recipes is sure to please.

Gross out your dinner guests with the wonderfully gory Kitchen Overlord’s Dead Delicious Horror Cookbook. Personal chef and nerdy cookbook extraordinaire Chris-Rachael Oseland dug deep to produce these 69 blood and guts-inspired dishes. Learn to make an Edible Skinned Torso with Ribs, Heart, and Guts that’s sure to thrill, or try Bloody Banana Guts for a light snack. Who’s hungry now?

Raise a glass to getting scared out of your wits! Brothers Jon and Marc Chaiet grew up on a steady diet of ‘80s and ‘90s horror films, and in Let’s Get Monster Smashed, they channel their love for horror into 55 recipes for cocktails, shots, punches, non-alcoholic drinks, and more. With colorful retro graphic design and photographs with every recipe, it’s a treat for the eyes and the tastebuds, and it’s sure to inspire you to try a new cocktail for your next horror movie night.

Although she may not be known for horror, Agatha Christie is one of the most iconic mystery/thriller writers of all time. And in her works, food is often less about sustenance and more of a murder weapon. In Recipes for Murder, foodie and Agatha Christie superfan Karen Pierce dives deep into the culinary worlds of Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and other favorites to create one recipe for each of Christie’s 66 detective novels. Each dish comes with a reflection on the text that inspired it, its role in Christie’s life, and historical roots. You’ll also find curated menus for Agatha Christie-themed book clubs, Christmas dinners, and Halloween parties. But when it comes to poison, you’ll have to add them to the recipes yourself.

This lush, gorgeously bound tome is inspired by 29 different horror movies, from classics and modern favorites like The Shining and Midsommar to niche films with cult followings. Collected by entertainment company A24, it includes recipes for dishes and drinks from acclaimed chefs and food stylists. But it’s also much more than a cookbook; you’ll find haunting and evocative essays from food writer Sohla el-Waylly, horror author Carmen Maria Machado, and many more. If you love a scary movie marathon, you simply must have Horror Caviar to plan your next watch party menu.

For the classic Gothic literature lover, A Gothic Cookbook is the perfect guide to cooking meals inspired by some of the book world’s favorite monsters. Gothic literature expert Dr. Alessandra Pino teamed up with food writer and recipe developer Ella Buchan to bring to life some of the dishes that shaped famous horror classics. Try Mina’s Chicken Paprikash inspired by Dracula, That Very Special Gingerbread featured in Rebecca, and Acorn Bread for the famously vegetarian monster in Frankenstein. The dishes are delicious and varied, and horror lovers will appreciate the deep dive into Gothic literature accompanying each recipe.

Do you love bloody horror books and films, but prefer a blood-free diet? For vegetarians looking for a scary good meal, check out Death for Dinner Cookbook. It’s written by Zach Neil, the chef and entrepreneur behind the Tim Burton themed restaurant Beetle House, who has a passion for frightfully good food. In it, you’ll find 60 plant-based recipes for dishes and drinks like Killer Clown Caviar, The Hills Have Fries, Blood (Orange) Cheesecake Trifle, and a Never Sleep Again espresso cocktail.

Alright, I’ll admit it: This cookbook isn’t really about ghosts. At least not in your traditional horror way. But if you’re into the literary kind of ghosts that explore family history, grief, and trauma, then you’ll get what I mean here. And honestly, everyone should read this brilliant cookbook with memoir-like essays! Crystal Wilkinson is the former poet laureate of Kentucky and a fifth-generation Black Appalachian who feels the ghosts of her ancestors most strongly while cooking her family’s recipes. In Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, Wilkinson shares her family’s history along with some of their most beloved recipes, weaving together a vibrant portrait of their life in Kentucky over decades.

This fall, your kitchen can become even scarier with Peculiar Baking, a brand new cookbook by food artist and lover of all things peculiar, Nikk Alcaraz, a rising star seen on HBO’s Craftopia. Bring a sense of macabre fun to the party with dishes that look impressive but aren’t as scary to make as they seem. You’ll find recipes for Bone Scones, Tarot Focaccia, Venus Flytrap Cakes, and more.