Halloween is no longer just for kids: this is how adults have turned it into their sweetest and most gourmet holiday
For decades, Halloween was a holiday designed for the little ones: impromptu costumes, bags full of candy and neighborhoods lit up with pumpkins. But in 2025, the map has changed. Data from the U.S. market (where record spending of nearly $4 billion on candy alone is forecast) reveal a deeper transformation: Halloween no longer belongs to children alone. More and more adults are actively participating in the celebration, whether by dressing up in costumes, organizing themed dinners or sharing sophisticated gastronomic experiences.
From children's sweets to adult pairing
Perhaps the most symbolic example of this evolution is the transition from children's candy to adult tasting. In social networks, the trend of combining artisan cheeses with Halloween treats has gone viral, an idea that started as a game in networks and ended up becoming a gourmet trend.
On TikTok and Instagram, where tags like #cheeseandcandyboard accumulate millions of views, videos proliferate showing cheese and Halloween candy boards with unusual combinations: cured cheddar with M&M's, brie with Skittles or mimolette with candy corn. A game of contrasts that summarizes the new adult way of enjoying sweets.
The idea breaks with the childish nostalgia of trick-or-treating and moves it into the realm of the appetizer, where the pairing replaces the bag of candy. The message is clear: Halloween can also be adult, refined and palate-friendly.
Industry joins the game
In the United States homes, adults are stocking up on candy for trick-or-treating, getting out their costumes and decorating their homes, but outside the hotel and catering industry is taking advantage of the date to reinvent itself. In cities and towns, Halloween-themed menus are filled with pumpkin, sweet potato and mushrooms, with a staging that mixes the spooky with the theatrical.
In signature bars, cocktails are dyed black with charcoal or red with grenadine and chili, while pastry shops feature raspberry blood-frosted cakes, pumpkin macarons and skull-shaped desserts.
The key is not just aesthetics. Halloween has become an autumn economic engine: according to SweetPress magazine, this campaign represents up to 10% of the annual turnover of some Spanish confectionery companies. In addition, many brands take advantage of the date to launch limited edition products, linked to nostalgia and adult fun.
Sweets for adults: sophistication, contrasts and new rules of pleasure
The Halloween candy universe has also matured. What was once (almost) exclusively a children's treat has been transformed into a celebration of taste, a chosen and increasingly sophisticated pleasure. The big brands have stopped focusing solely on children to launch candies designed for more demanding palates: chocolates with sea salt or chili pepper, "swicy" candies (a mixture of sweet and spicy) or limited edition gummies with freeze-dried textures.
What about you?
Halloween is no longer just for children. Adults have made it, in part, their own and celebrate it with intense flavors, terrifying recipes and a touch of provocation. Are you one of those who toast with a spooky cocktail or do you join the trend of pairing cheese and jelly beans?
Patricia González
Comments