The Magic of Bonfire Night: Traditions and Treats
Guy Fawkes Night — or Bonfire Night, as it’s more recently called to make it a more inclusive event —is a lot of fun!
Long before we had electricity, we had fire. Studies have shown that watching flickering flames relaxes the brain by gently stimulating the amygdala — the part that processes emotion — helping us feel calm, connected, and safe. It’s no wonder that sitting by a fire still brings such comfort.
Fun fact: In England, until 1959, it was actually illegal not to have a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night.
Whether you’re attending a local bonfire or creating a little fun at home, here are a few ways to celebrate the season.
1. Bake a Sticky Ginger Skillet Parkin
A traditional Bonfire Night bake — sweet, spiced, and best served warm straight from the oven. The treacle and golden syrup give it that rich, sticky texture, while the ginger adds just enough warmth for a crisp autumn evening.
Ingredients
200 g salted butter
85 g light brown sugar
85 g treacle
185 g golden syrup
250 g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
100 g porridge oats
2 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
2 balls stem ginger, chopped
2 Tbsp syrup from the ginger jar
Method
- Heat the oven to 150 °C (130 °C fan / Gas 2). In an ovenproof frying pan or skillet, melt the butter, sugar, treacle, and syrup together over a low heat. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Sieve in the flour, spices, and oats. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, stem ginger, and ginger syrup, then fold this mixture into the butter base to form a thick batter.
- Bake in the skillet for 45–50 minutes until firm and risen. Serve warm, scooped straight from the pan, with extra ginger syrup and custard or ice cream.
Best enjoyed wrapped up warm, watching the fireworks.
Adapted from BBC Good Food.
Hot handling tip: If you enjoy cooking with a skillet, you’ll love our knitted skillet handle covers. Explore our Hot Handling Collection.
2. Make Bonfire Night Hot Chocolate
There’s nothing like a steaming cup of hot chocolate to warm your hands while you watch fireworks crackle in the night sky. This cosy classic is rich, creamy, and easy to make — perfect for sharing around the bonfire.
Ingredients
2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of sea salt
1 oz dark chocolate (about 67%), chopped
1 oz semisweet chocolate (about 46%), chopped
Whipped cream or marshmallows for topping
Method
- Warm the milk, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a small pot over low heat, whisking until smooth.
- Remove from the heat, add both chocolates, and whisk until melted and silky.
- Pour into mugs and top with cream, chocolate shavings, or marshmallows.
If you are having trouble with stubborn bits of chocolate not melting, give it whirl with the immersion blender before
Top tip: Since hot chocolate is best made fresh, mini dish covers are perfect for separating ingredients ahead of time — one for marshmallows, one for chopped chocolate.
Serve while the night is cool and the fire glows.
Adapted from Delish.
3. Light Some Sparklers
Simple, nostalgic, and always fun for children and adults (some of us decided not to grow up 😉). Keep a bucket of sand or water nearby, bundle up, and enjoy the glow of sparklers lighting up the evening sky.
4. Attend a Bonfire
If there’s a local event near you, bring along a thermos of hot chocolate or a few homemade treats covered with a SpaZa Dish Cover to share.