My 7 Favorite Mexican Candles, Coffee, and More to Enjoy Every Fall

The marigold, or cempasúchil, is an icon of Mexican culture — especially when it comes to Día de los Muertos. Although I have nearly 70 houseplants, I always make space for a potted marigold once the fall rolls around so I can feel connected to my culture, my wedding day, and to my loved ones who have passed.

Creating my own cocktail recipes was one of my handful of hobbies during the lockdowns of 2020, and in that time I discovered this little bottle of Aztec Chocolate Bitters. It’s a perfect addition to a Mezcal Old Fashioned, Mezcal Negroni, or any other fall favorite Mexican-inspired cocktails for a touch of spice, sweet, and smoke.

Decorating my ofrenda for Día de los Muertos is the most special part of the fall season for me. While framed photos, food, and candles are a must for any ofrenda (the place on the altar where you leave an offering for loved ones who have passed), extra decorations like this charming papel picado add a colorful touch. I also like hanging this up in one of the archways in my apartment.

Traditional café de olla is a Mexican spiced coffee made with ground coffee, cinnamon, and piloncillo (a raw brown sugar) in an earthen clay pot. I love La Monarca Bakery’s ready-to-brew café de olla that tastes delicious iced or hot, and is also the ultimate pairing for my favorite cinnamon cookies.

Canelitas have been my favorite cookies since childhood, and they always remind me of having coffee with my family in Mexico. These thin butter cookies are dusted with cinnamon sugar, which I love dunking into a cup of coffee or Mexican hot chocolate.

Autumn usually brings about nostalgic memories of past holidays and family moments. Bonita Fierce’s Abuela’s Bakery Candle encapsulates that feeling with its delectable notes of saffron, caramelized sugar, coconut, rum, amber, vanilla, maple, and more. As a bonus, you can plant the seed paper dust cover to grow an array of wildflowers for next spring.

For the times I’m craving savory snacks over sweet ones during the fall, I opt for these spiced and zesty cactus sticks from Nemi. The combination of guajillo peppers, Mexican oregano, ground black pepper, and organic turmeric is reminiscent of the spice section in a Latin supermarket.