By Melissa Pette

It’s that spooky time of year again,  Halloween season!


Even though here in Costa Rica it’s not exactly a traditional holiday, you can totally feel the vibes. Restaurants, hotels, and shops all jump on board with themed goodies and creepy-cool decorations.


I’ll be honest,  I love Halloween. It’s playful, creative, and gives everyone an excuse to dress up, eat candy, and let their inner kid loose.


And for those of us living abroad (like me here in the pura vida paradise with my husband and our two teens), keeping little traditions like this helps us stay connected to home. It’s comforting, fun, and honestly makes expat life so much more colorful.


Let’s kick off my mini-series of easy spooky recipes. This one is a crowd-pleaser: Jack-o’-lantern pudding cups. They’re cute, funny, and dangerously delicious. Perfect for a Halloween party or just a cozy night with friends.

So, let’s get cookin’!

Here’s what you need, serve about 8 friends, and you can grab all of this at any Costa Rican supermarket:

• 8 mandarins (the bigger ones work best).

• 2 packs of chocolate pudding or mousse mix (I go for Jell-O).

• 4 cups of cold milk.

• A few sprigs of fresh mint (or cilantro if that’s what you’ve got).

• Black gel food coloring.

First, slice off the top ½ inch and scoop out the insides with a small spoon or melon baller. Don’t toss that fruit; use it later for juice, salad, or jam!

In a bowl, mix your pudding powder with the cold milk. Whisk for about 3 minutes, then pop it in the fridge for 5. It’ll look a little thin at first, don’t panic, it thickens up as it chills.

Stick a spoon into the pudding after a few minutes. If it stands up on its own, you’re good to go. If not, give it a little more fridge time.

Spoon that rich, chocolatey pudding into your hollow mandarins. Refrigerate for another 5 minutes.

Use a toothpick or tiny paintbrush to draw Jack-o’-lantern faces on the dry mandarin skin with black gel food coloring. Make sure the skin’s dry or the color will bleed!

Stick a couple of mint leaves in the top hole to make a cute little “stem.”

These little guys are adorable, and honestly, once you have one, you’ll be tempted to eat three more. Sweet, spooky, and totally irresistible, they’ll light up your Halloween table!

Have a "pura vida" Halloween!

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Feel free to share your own recipes by emailing a horizontal photo of your dish to food@amcostarica.com. You can find more tasty Costa Rican recipes over on the AM Costa Rica Food page.

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