5 At-Home Fall Girls’ Night Ideas

In need of some fun, fall-inspired night ideas to try out with the girls? We’ve got you covered!

Now that summer is over and you’ve had plenty of fun in the sun, fall is the time to wind down, hang out and invest your time in friendships.

Recently, my close group of girlfriends and I were discussing fall time and shared what we enjoyed doing the most during this season. Fun arts & crafts classes at school, baking our favorite fall treats and having ourselves one too many cocktail-making nights were all mentioned. Then we started to talk about how it might be kinda fun to do all these activities again now that we’re adults (or trying to be adults.)

So here’s a roundup of some of the best ideas to create that perfect fall-inspired girls’ night in. You can even mix and match some of these ideas into one fun, jam-packed night!

1. Fall Baking

What’s the best way to create memories and enjoy friendships? Well, we all know that the way to anyone’s heart is through food. Fall is the best season for baking, they practically go hand-in-hand.

As soon as fall arrives, it’s sweet potato all the way. A baked Japanese sweet potato is particularly known for its crispy, flaky outside and sweet, smooth filling. Every fall, I look forward to baking my all-time favorite, Japanese sweet potato pie. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot cup of tea or coffee- it’s an absolute winner!

Japanese sweet potato pie recipe

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Place 1 sheet of frozen pastry on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Put the other pastry sheet onto a different sheet of parchment paper. Defrost for 10 minutes at room temperature.
2. Using scissors, cut the pastry sheets in half so that you have 4 rectangular sheets. Make a few slits on 2 of these sheets that will go on top of the pie.
3. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into small chunks.
4. Place the sweet potato into a pot, cover it with water, and bring it to a boil for about 12-15 minutes. It is ready when a skewer goes through the potatoes smoothly.
5. Drain the water and transfer the potatoes into a large bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the sweet potato. Add the sugar and butter and mix well.
6. Add the egg yolk and heavy whipping cream and continue to mix.
7. Put the sweet potato mixture on the bottom sheets leaving half an inch of space around the rim. Then cover with the top sheet.
8. Using a fork, pinch the edges.
9. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the top of the pastry so it will turn a nice golden brown. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Serve it warm.

Savvy Tip: To store, freeze the pies using aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag. To serve, reheat the pie at 350ºF (180ºC) for 10-15 minutes, until crisp and flaky.

2. Fall Cocktail Making Night

Another way to get into the fall spirit is with spirits (sorry for the pun.) I mean, what’s a girl’s night without an alcoholic beverage?

My go-to drink for a fall party is the blackberry sake bramble. But for those who prefer a whiskey-based drink, try the Japanese apple cider whiskey. Neither will leave you disappointed. Let the happy hour begin!

Blackberry sake bramble

Ingredients:

Recipe:

1. To make the blackberry syrup, combine the ingredients in a saucepan over medium/high heat. Bring to a boil, mash the blackberries and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, strain.
2. Pour the blackberry syrup at the bottom of the glass and add ice.
3. Add the lemon juice.
4. Carefully layer the Mio sparkling sake (add to your taste).
5. Add the blackberry and rosemary sprig for garnish.

Japanese apple cider whiskey

Ingredients:

Recipe:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake and strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.
3. Dust the top with fresh cinnamon.
4. Add the apple slices and cinnamon stick for garnish.

3. Fall Arts & Crafts

Sometimes it’s good to let your inner child out. And a great way of doing this is by getting creative! My friends and I agree that arts & crafts classes were one of the best things about going to school. All that coloring in, painting and making things with clay brings back so many fun, nostalgic memories.

During the fall season, we prefer painting pumpkins rather than carving them, as it’s a lot easier and less of a mess!

You could also try going outside to pick up leaves and use them to make homemade wreaths. You and the girls can definitely make a fun evening out of it!

4. Fall Home Foliage

Missed out on seeing the foliage this year? No problem. Have yourself at-home fall foliage instead! This one ties in nicely with the fall arts & crafts idea. Once you’re done making decorations, set up your living room with some pillows, blankets and candles to give it a cozy feel. Share some scary Japanese ghost stories while sipping on pumpkin spiced lattes.

5. Fall Pampering and Makeover

Who doesn’t love a good pampering session? After having fun playing around with makeup, try a DIY face mask. I don’t know about you but my skin always seems to act up at the start of a new season. Something about the sudden weather change. This is when I tend to up my vitamin C game to help bring my skin back to life. My friends and I love a good pampering session and during the fall, we like to use the DIY persimmon honey vitamin C mask. It has a great citrusy smell, is super lightweight on the skin and leaves your skin feeling nourished. You’ll also notice your skin brighten after using this mask!

Persimmon honey vitamin C mask

Ingredients:

You will need:

Recipe:

1. Wash the persimmons.
2. Take off the skin of the persimmons as much as possible. You will be using the inside of the fruit to make the mask.
3. Slice the fruit and place it in a bowl.
4. Add one tablespoon of honey to the bowl and mix it together to form a paste.
5. Apply a generous layer to cleanse the skin.
6. Leave it on for 15-20 mins.
7. Wash the mask off with water.

Have you got any girls’ night plans this fall? If you’re celebrating at home, we would love to hear what you get up to. Let us know in the comments below! We hope you enjoy your well-deserved catch-up time.