17 Easy Fall Party Food Recipes To Feed A Crowd

Fall Party Food

Fall sure does bring on the cooler weather, but it also provides the perfect excuse to gather ‘round with friends and family in the coziest way (farewell, sweaty patio parties of summer). Of course, any fall party requires some epic fall party food – think baked brie, seasonal salads, and bite-sized pinwheels. Our list of fall party food ideas has all of that and more. These dishes are simple to whip up, yet impressive enough to totally ‘wow’ your guests, making hosting effortless this season. Dig in below!

Ron Lach / PEXELS

Easy Baked Brie

Baked brie is a no-fail fan favorite when it comes to fall party food. Let it get real melty in the oven, spread some sweet jam over top, then serve with some toasted bread or crackers. Easy peasy! Searching for a vegan alternative? We've got a recipe for that! (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

One Pot Cheesy Pumpkin Pecan Pasta

Hosting is all fun and games until you have to whip out a million pots and pans to get the party grub going. This fall-themed recipe eliminates any need for that, using just one pot to yield some super delicious (and cheesy) pasta! (via Brit + Co)

Sarah Anderson

Easy Butternut Squash Salad

For a fresh and crunchy side dish, this squash salad comes to the rescue. Plus, it provides a tasty break from pumpkin if your guests have had their fill of the seasonal fruit. (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Sarah Anderson

Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's not a proper party without something sweet to end the event! These adorable pumpkin-shaped cookies will definitely leave an impression on your guests, and not just because they look cute. Thank us later! (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Sarah Anderson

Apple-Cider Glazed Pumpkin Cake

After a single whiff of this cake, everyone's gonna want a slice. It features a moist pumpkin cake layer that's topped off with an apple cider glaze, so it's perfectly seasonal! (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

The Real Food Dietitians

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Any sort of dip will win your fall party food spread, but this jalapeño popper-inspired one is especially wonderful. One batch can serve 12-16 people, which is very impressive considering how easy it is to make with just 7 ingredients! (via The Real Food Dietitians)

Vikalinka

Chorizo Sausage Rolls

"Sausage rolls" is all we needed to hear. These savory pockets require 2 ingredients total: puff pastry and chorizo sausage. From there, you just package each one up, bake 'em, and serve. Feel free to get creative with an additional dipping sauce, too – we recommend beer cheese or onion dip! (via Vikalinka)

Averie Cooks

5-Minute Dill Pickle Chex Mix

For the snackiest of snackers, this dilly Chex Mix is sure to please. Each bite (or, let's be real, handful) is delightfully crunchy and salty, thanks to the added dill pickle juice, fresh dill, and dry ranch seasoning. (via Averie Cooks)

Completely Delicious

Spinach & Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes

For a perfect fall party food, use small potatoes to craft this recipe. Baked potatoes are the epitome of fall cuisine, so shrinking them down into party-sized bites is just genius. (via Completely Delicious)

The Original Dish

Orzo Salad with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette & Burrata

A nice medley of veggies sits atop a hearty bed of orzo in this healthy appetizer that everyone can easily scoop up. The best part is the fresh burrata that goes on top! (via The Original Dish)

Whole and Heavenly Oven

Pesto Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers

This sweeter take on pepper poppers highlights pesto and Parmesan as the main flavor components, and boy, are they tasty! Using various colored peppers will also help you step up your snack table spread at your next party! (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)

Vanilla and Bean

Sweet & Spicy Maple-Roasted Rosemary Cashews

Maple is truly a staple flavor when it comes to fall party food, and just fall food in general. Incorporate its unmatched sweetness into this cashew snack that also leverages spice for an addictive bite! (via Vanilla and Bean)

This Wife Cooks

Vegan Veggie Pinwheels

Make sure your vegan pals are taken care of by whipping up these easy, veggie-packed pinwheels! Make-ahead recipe, anyone? The prep should only take you 10-15 minutes before you chill 'em in the fridge for about an hour. (via This Wife Cooks)

Pink Owl Kitchen

Sweet & Spicy BBQ Chicken Puff Pastry Cups

It feels like puff pastry makes anything possible. Individual portions of chipotle BBQ chicken are stuffed into these little pastry cups alongside cheddar cheese, red onion, and cilantro. Excuse us as we chow down on way too many of these bites! (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

Kathryn's Kitchen

Mini Cannoli Bites

For a post-party sweet treat, these mini cannoli bites are the cutest favor to leave your guests with. The fresh filling and chocolate chips are a must! (via Kathryn's Kitchen)

Two Peas & Their Pod

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

Brown butter... pumpkin... chocolate... It's safe to say we're absolutely swooning over these sweet bars! (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Feel Good Foodie

Mini Pumpkin Pies

In the vein of finger foods, these tiny pumpkin pies spark so much joy, and even more cravings! (via Feel Good Foodie)

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When I was working barista shifts at Starbucks over the winter, we'd get Medicine Ball orders every single hour. And not going to lie, I really hated them. Let me get this straight — I didn't hate the drink, but I more so disliked the fact that the customers ordering them almost always demanded their tea between a swarm of thick coughs and countless small sniffles. Yuck.

It truly felt like I was on the fence of getting sick pretty much every time someone stepped up to the register. But, I remained strong and I did what I had to do as a service worker, which in this case, was to pour the peachy-citrus tea into a pool of honey syrup, then top it with steamed lemonade. Coughs and sniffles aside, I often questioned why someone would order the Medicine Ball, based on the cost of the drink alone (up to $6, and that gets expensive when you're ordering it all the time).

Popular during sick season, the Starbucks Medicine Ball (AKA the Honey Citrus Mint Tea) may be good, but it's not good enough to cure you of that semi-flu, or whatever other pathogens might have been floating around in my café. It's also not worth putting someone else's health in jeopardy. Turns out, you can make the Medicine Ball at home — which saves money and effort (and spares others' safety) in the long run.

Scroll on to find out how simple making the Starbucks Medicine Ball really is!

@k.ard Medicine Ball for only $1.69 each! #medicineball#fluseason#coldseason#starbucksdupe#budgettok#SephoraConcealers#DrPepperTuitionContest#halloween#fall2022♬ Halloween - KenZie DarkStar

TikTok always makes recipes look effortless. So, I took this trusty tutorial into our own hands to compare how good an at-home Medicine Ball could really be against the real one from Starbucks.

Ingredients for the Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink

Starbucks

How can I make a Medicine Ball at home?

Anna Pou / PEXELS

Making a Starbucks Medicine Ball at home is pretty straightforward:
  1. Heat 1 cup of lemonade in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.
  2. Add 1 cup of hot water and stir in 1 tablespoon honey.
  3. Add one bag of Peach Tranquility and one bag of Jade Citrus Mint, then steep for a few minutes.
  4. Enjoy your Medicine Ball!

How I Made The Starbucks Medicine Ball At Home

Meredith Holser

First, I embarked on an ever-iconic Target run to gather my copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe ingredients. Since they were out of the exact Teavana teas I needed to replicate the TikTok recipe, I picked up two similar ones: first, the Good & Gather Organic Peach Honey Tea, and the Good & Gather Organic Mint Tea. I also picked up a jug of lemonade, and planned to use the honey I already had at home. All together, the three ingredients I needed ended up costing me about $9.50.

Step 1: Heat Lemonade

Tara Winstead / PEXELS

I measured a cup of lemonade, and just popped my Starbucks mug in the microwave for a minute.

Step 2: Add Water and Honey

Roman Odinstov / PEXELS

While the lemonade was in the microwave, I set some water on in my electric kettle. Once both liquids were heated up, I measured a cup of water and combined it in the mug with a tablespoon of honey. Yum!

Step 3: Steep Tea Bags

Anna Pou / PEXELS

Then, I put the two teabags in the mixture to steep. The tea wasn't overly hot either, and I steeped them for about 3 minutes before giving my homemade Medicine Ball recipe a lil' sip.

Is the homemade version of the Medicine Ball as good as the one from Starbucks?

Meredith Holser

To my surprise, my homemade Medicine Ball recipe was extremely delicious, and it mimicked the Starbucks one so closely. Before tasting, I gave my tea a sniff, and the smell was pretty much identical to the drink made in stores. The flavor hit the exact same mark.

Overall, I rate my homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball a 4.7/5.

The only detracting factors are the temperature of the drink – Starbucks steams their lemonade to make the drink super hot, and mine wasn't nearly as piping. Of course, this is just personal preference, and next time, I can heat the lemonade for a longer duration, or reheat the drink altogether. Another reason for the minimal point deduction is the drink wasn't as sweet as I expected it to be. Again, this is a personal preference, and you can add as little or as much sweetener you desire!

All of this goes to say, that a homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball is just as yummy as the one you can get at a Starbucks cafe. By following the steps above, you can make a copycat recipe that's going to satisfy your hankering for a citrusy, hot tea!

Looking for more at-home copycat recipes like this Medicine Ball from Starbucks? Browse our site for more DIYs!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

My best friends mean the world to me, and though I wish I could give them the world, this year, I just want to get them gifts that are as special as our friendship. Whether it’s a personalized pendant, a cute skincare set, or the lip shade they simply can’t stop talking about, I want them to know just how much I care about their companionship! Thus, I’ve curated the ultimate list of gifts for best friends to help you gift your besties something they’ll truly love, especially if it comes from you. These gifts are so good, I really want them for myself, too.

Our 40 favorite gifts for best friends:

Scroll on to see the absolute best gifts for best friends to give in 2024!

Amazon

1. Scent Beauty by Sabrina Carpenter Cherry Baby Eau de Parfum

Leave it to Sabrina Carpenter to influence my list of gifts for best friends. Her "Cherry Baby" scent carries sultry notes of vanilla, peony, cherries, and chocolate, which is the perfect aroma for a night out with the girls.

Summer Fridays

2. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

This lip balm is viral for a reason. Your besties' lips deserve all the instant moisture, color, and shine this tube provides. This brown sugar shade looks decadent AF, but you can also snag it in other fun 'flavors' like iced coffee and mint.

Urban Outfitters

3. Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital Camera

For the one that's always documenting the friend group's antics, they'll enjoy taking this unique, screen-free digicam on nights out, weekend trips, and cozy nights in! It captures film-style photos (without the time-consuming film photography process), and it can be used over and over again since it's rechargeable.

SeaVees

4. SeaVees Hayward Platform Shoes

Moccasin-style shoes are super popular this winter. I love how comfortable SeaVees' shoes are, so I might just have to share the love with my besties this holiday season... and snag a pair for myself so we can match, of course!

Dieux

5. Dieux Angel Face Cleanser + Moisturizer Bundle

Dieux is one of my go-to skincare brands for effective products that still take it easy on my sensitive skin. Their Baptism cleanser, part of this giftable duo, provides a nice clean without stripping any moisture from my skin. I also use their Instant Angel moisturizer religiously in the wintertime since things tend to get real dry. I'd say you can confidently gift this set to besties of any skin type.

Anthropologie

6. By Anthropologie Monogram Heart Locket Necklace

Personalized gifts will always feel special. Kick this gift idea up a notch by inserting a little pic of you and your BFF in the locket before wrapping and handing it over!

Urban Outfitters

7. Baggu Mini Nylon Shoulder Bag

I carry this Baggu bag just about everywhere I go. It's perfect for happy hours or dinners since it's small and not too much of a hassle to tow along, but don't let its size fool you: this baby can fit a lot. Your most stylish best friend will be wearing it the moment they open their gift!

Target

8. Jingle & Mingle 5 Days of Rosé Wine Set

You can never go wrong with rosé, baby! This gift set carries 5 personal-sized bottles of different varieties for them to sip on around the holidays.

Kulfi Beauty

9. Kulfi Beauty All Night Out Eye Set

This eye makeup set is complete with a bold eyeliner shade and a shimmery pot of eyeshadow. You get to choose the exact shades of each before purchasing, so this is truly one of the most fun personalized gift ideas. The set also comes with a funky pair of mismatched hair clips – so cute!

Dame

10. Dame Massage Oil Candle

This soothing candle melts down into a sweet-smelling massage oil that's easily dispensable, thanks to the pointed spout on the glass. This is a great gift for your single and partnered pals alike, whether they're using it to wind down themselves or for sexy time with their S.O.!

Life is Good

11. Life is Good 'I Deserve A Little Treat' Boxy Crusher Tee

Everyone deserves a little treat. Wrap up this awesome (and comfy!) tee alongside your bestie's favorite snack, sweet treat, or freshly-baked dessert to totally nail their gift this year!

Compartés

12. Compartés Pistachio Sea Salt Chocolate Truffles

These aesthetically-pleasing truffles could be the perfect sweet treat in question!

Nordstrom

13. OSEA Super Glow Body Set

I know anyone in my close friends circle would be happy to be gifted some nice skincare goodies. This luxe set from OSEA comes with a body wash, oil, and serum to keep skin looking and feeling happy!

Subscribe to our newsletter for even more holiday gift ideas!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Have you figured out your Thanksgiving menu yet? Whether you're serving up a turkey, vegan options, or all of the above, you probably want some super delicious sides and appetizers to complement your other Thanksgiving recipes! These bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes are so versatile, you can serve them before your meal, on the side, or even for breakfast on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. Delicious and Paleo-approved, they really have no downsides. Plus, bacon!

Get the recipe for bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes below!

Ingredients for Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potatoes

Sarah Anderson

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
  • 20 slices of bacon
  • 1/4 teaspoon pink salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions for Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Potatoes

Sarah Anderson

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper.
  3. Cut your sweet potatoes into thick-cut wedges or fry shapes.
  4. Wrap each sweet potato piece with a slice of bacon, slightly overlapping the bacon on itself as it goes around the sweet potato.
  5. Place the sweet potatoes in a single layer onto the baking sheet, leaving an inch or two in between each one. Do this in two batches, if needed. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top before baking.
  6. Bake the bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes for 35 minutes. The potatoes should be tender and the bacon should be crispy.
  7. Serve the wedges with your choice of ketchup, ranch, or aioli – or all of the above! Enjoy!

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Recipe by Sarah Anderson.

This post has been updated.

Our favorite dancing queens (Meryl Streep included) might be returning to the big screen for a third encore of Mamma Mia! and we’re already rewatching the first two movie musicals in preparation.

In an interview with Deadline in May of 2023, Mamma Mia! franchise creator and producer Judy Craymer said a third movie musical is in "earliest stages." She also shared that she has come up with a way to bring Meryl Streep back again.

"I don't want to over-egg it," she said of the unofficial news, "but I know there's a trilogy there…and I do think Meryl should come back, and if the script is right, she would, I think, because she really loved playing Donna."

"Of course I want to do it," Streep said during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (via Deadline). Sounds promising to us!

Is Mamma Mia 3 happening?

Universal Pictures

Yes, Mamma Mia 3 is in its early planning stages! Christine Baranski just told The Hollywood Reporter that she's met with producer Judy Kramer, and that Kramer has plans for the third movie. "She gave me the narrative plotline of how it’s going to happen," Baranski says. "That’s all I can say! But, it’s not like, 'Oh, I wish it could happen!' Judy Kramer makes things happen. She made number two happen, and it was a phenomenal hit. I wouldn’t put it past Judy Kramer to get everybody back together."

Universal Pictures

A third installation was first mentioned way back in 2020, during a Collider interview with Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried said she was on board — and at the time, she thought the rest of the star-studded cast would be too.

"Listen, every single person in that movie would say yes in a heartbeat because we want to hang out with each other," Seyfried told Collider at the time. "That's what we talked about last time, like did we ever think that we'd end up here again on an Island in Croatia?"

When will Mamma Mia 3 come out?

Universal Pictures

We don't have an official answer about when to expect this highly anticipated sequel. The project is in the "earliest stages," according to creator and producer, Judy Craymer. Cher also revealed to Entertainment Weekly that everyone is "talking about it," but she doesn't "know when they're going to do it."

Has casting information been shared about Mamma Mia 3?

Jonathan Prime/Universal Studios

While nothing's been made official, Amanda Seyfried just said something that made my heart skip a beat. She told ABC News she loves Sabrina Carpenter's music and dropped this admission: "If Sabrina Carpenter wants to play my daughter, I’ll make it happen."

But before she admitted that, the actress said something else that made me raise my eyebrows. "Everybody says it’s gonna happen, but I mean, I haven’t seen a script."

Cher is also eager to return to the beloved franchise and is rooting for Meryl to make an appearance again. "I keep saying, 'Meryl, you've got to come back,'" she said (via Entertainment Weekly). She also said she's told her, "'It'll be fun. You'll have a good time. You'll be able to sing.'"

I don't know what it'll take, but hope someone gets a script in Amanda Seyfried, Cher, and Meryl Streep's hands ASAP!

What is the first Mamma Mia about?

Universal Pictures

The first film follows Donna (Streep) and Sophie (Seyfried) as mother and daughter living on a remote Greek island. When Sophie is about to marry Sky (Dominic Cooper), she sets out to learn who her real father is after discovering it could be one of three men (played by Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth).

Who does the second Mamma Mia follow?

Universal Pictures / NBCUniversal

Mamma Mia 2takes viewers back to 1979, where young Donna (Lily James) embarks on a series of adventures throughout Europe following her Oxford University graduation. On her journeys, she makes the acquaintances of Harry, Bill and Sam – the latter whom she falls in love with. In the present day, pregnant Sophie dreams of renovating a taverna while reuniting with her mother's old friends and boyfriends on a Greek island island.

TBH, we’re pretty happy that Mamma Mia! is far from over, and we can’t wait to see what the franchise has in store for us next. Stay updated on all the latest entertainment news with Brit + Co.

This post has been updated.

There's nothing ~normal~ about how much we love Normal People's Paul Mescal & Daisy Edgar-Jones. While it turns out we're not getting a Normal People season 2 (yet), the two actors are starring in some of 2024's biggest blockbusters (Twisters and Gladiator II, namely), and we've been soaking up their presences ever since.

Paul recently exhibited his ongoing friendship with Daisy at the Gladiator II premiere in Los Angeles. While he approached Brittany Broski on the red carpet for an interview, he recognized her from her recent 'Royal Court' interview with Daisy:

"You were with Daisy!" he chimed in excitingly. We just love this power duo!

Enda Bowe/Hulu

Daisy Edgar-Jones also revealed that she's remained incredibly close to Paul Mescal after their time on Hulu's Normal People. "Paul is one of my lifetime best friends," she says. "He’s an incredibly grounded person and I am too, I think, so it’s nice to be able to have those touchstones and those people you can laugh about it with and be lighthearted with. We met when I was 20 and Paul was 22; I’m so excited to see where we’ll be at 32, 42, and what life will bring us."

But the coolest thing is that not only is Normal People special for Paul and Daisy, but they've also been able to see the effect of the show on its fans.

"The thing I love people saying the most is, 'It made me contact my ex,'" Daisy continues. "Especially when much older people say, 'I just wanted to reach out to the person I was with when I was 17 just to say you were a big part of my history and thanks for being part of who I am, the tapestry of my life.' And that I really love, because I’m a massive romantic."

Daisy recently revealed they bonded over their training for Twisters and Gladiator II.

"I did running lessons — isn’t that crazy?" she told Variety. "Actually, Paul [Mescal] and I were laughing about it, because he was training for 'Gladiator II' and I was training for 'Twisters,' and obviously he had to be huge and I was like, 'Don’t worry, I’m going to be right up there with you.'"

Let us know your favorite Normal People moment in the comments and check out 5 Leading Ladies We'd Love To See In A Paul Mescal Rom-Com.

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.