6 Perfect Recipes To Pair With Your Fave '90s Flicks

The ‘90s brought us the grunge look, (good) Madonna, and one long list of cult-classic moviegoing experiences. It also gave us a decade of perfect teen-angst melodrama that you are still reliving with your friends 20 years later. This weekend, call up your best bud, put on your favorite flannel, pop in the VHS, and munch on our '90s-inspired fare.

Movie: “Empire Records” (1995)
Drink: Bourbon-Cranberry Shrub (above)
Your '90s-movie marathon will not be complete without a musical ode to the Cranberries. We’re pretty sure Dolores O'Riordan’s voice carried us through our mood rings and tattoo sketch chokers.
…
Movie: “Ghost” (1990)
Snack: Ghost Cupcakes
Snack on this ghoulish cupcake during this Swayze/Moore lovefest!

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, for tins
All-purpose flour, for tins
Devil’s Food Cake Batter
Thick Ghostly Chocolate Frosting
18 large marshmallows, halved lengthwise
72 ounces white fondant
Cornstarch, for surface
24 chocolate-candy-coated sunflower seeds, for eyes
Royal Icing and Fleurs-de-lis, optional

How-To:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cups of a jumbo-muffin tin (each 1-cup capacity) with extra-large cupcake liners. Butter and flour 12 cups of a mini-muffin tin, and tap out excess flour.

2. Divide batter among muffin tins, filling each cup ½ full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted in centers come out clean, 8 to 9 minutes for mini cupcakes, and 40 to 45 minutes for large cupcakes. Let cool in pans on wire racks. (Cupcakes can be wrapped in plastic, and frozen for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature before frosting.)

3. Remove cupcake liners from large cupcakes, trim tops of each cupcake to create a flat surface, and reserve tops for another use. Flip cupcakes over. Spread 1 teaspoon frosting on top of each cupcake. Arrange 3 marshmallow halves on top of each (pictured right), cut sides down, pressing them into frosting. Spread 1 teaspoon frosting over each marshmallow trio.

4. Trim tops of each mini cupcake to create a flat surface, and reserve tops for another use. Press 1 mini cupcake, cut side down, onto frosting-topped marshmallows.

5. Spread ¼ cup frosting over each cupcake stack to create a crumb coat, leaving a ¼-inch unfrosted rim around bottom. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

6. Divide fondant into 12 equal pieces. On a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, roll a piece of fondant into a ¼-inch-thick, 10-inch-wide circle. Center fondant over top of 1 frosted cupcake, smoothing downward and creating ruffles around the bottom. Press candy-coated seeds into soft fondant for eyes, remove, dot with royal icing to secure if desired, and then press seeds into icing. Repeat with remaining fondant, cupcakes, and seeds. Let fondant harden slightly at room temperature before serving.
…

Movie: “Jurassic Park” (1993)
Snack: Fossil Cookies
These cookies are easy to make using any kind of food-safe figurine. The best part: You’ll know they didn’t come from an amber rock producing clones of dinosaurs! Happy chomping!
…

Movie: “The Craft” (1996)
Snack: I Scream Sandwitches
Instead of trying to play Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board with your guests, indulge in a safer and far more witchy ice cream treat.

Ingredients:
2 large egg whites
1 cup superfine sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
Mini candy-coated chocolates, for hats
Green mint-chocolate-chip ice cream

How-To:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix 30 seconds. Mix in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix in butter, cream, and vanilla; mix 30 seconds.

2. Bake cookies: Using plastic lids or heavy card stock, cut out 1 circle (2 ¾ inches in diameter) and 1 half circle (4 ½ inches long). Using the outlines as stencils, spread dough on a Silpat baking mat with an offset spatula to make 4 circles and 2 half circles. Transfer mat to a baking sheet; bake cookies until starting to set, 6 to 7 minutes.

3. Shape cones: Remove half circles with an offset spatula while still hot. With straight sides of cookies facing up, quickly bring edges together to form cones, holding until set. Repeat three more times with remaining dough.

4. Make sandwitches: Dip cones in melted chocolate to coat ¼ inch of rims. Place cones on 8 whole cookies; press 1 candy onto band of each hat. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Brush remaining 8 whole cookies on one side with melted chocolate. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Cut ice cream using technique described above. Place on coated cookies; top with hats.
…

Movie: “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” (1997)
Drink: Raspberry-Lemonade Punch
You can’t have friends over without punch! Throw on your metallic scrunchies and rock this party just like Romy and Michele’s prom – you know Michele, right? The inventor of Post-It notes.
…

Movie: “Clueless” (1995)
Drink: DIY Cold-Brew
Pull a Mr. Hall and offer the wallflower you’ve been eyeing a flavorful coffee.

Ingredients:
1 pound light roast coffee beans (preferably African), ground for French press or coarser
Milk, for serving (optional)

How-To:
1. Combine ½ pound coffee grounds with 6 cups cold water in a large pitcher or glass jar. Let stand 5 minutes.

2. Add remaining coffee grounds and 3 cups cold water, making sure all the grounds are wet. Cover, and let steep, at room temperature for 12 hours or in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

3. Pass mixture through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl; discard coffee grounds. Line sieve with a standard coffee filter and pass mixture through again; discarding any remaining sediment. Pour coffee concentrate into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

4. To serve, dilute concentrate with an equal proportion of water or milk.

Need more 90s-inspired recipes? 

More from Martha Stewart:
20 Classic Comfort Food Recipes from Martha Stewart
36 Dinners You Can Make in Just 15 Minutes!
42 Slow-Cooker Recipes Worth the Wait
DIY Dried Fruit Granola Bites
Very Green Cucumber and Pear Juice