Happy Halloween
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 9:23 PM 
Photos by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images, Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP Images
The President and First Lady were joined by Mrs. Marian Robinson to greet trick-or-treaters outside the White House this afternoon. The lucky kiddos included elementary students from local schools, children from the Boys and Girls Club of America, as well as children from military families. A box of White House M&Ms, White House Sweet Dough Butter Cookies (recipe below) and a serving of dried fruit comprised this year's treats.
While not in costume, Mrs. O wore a Halloween appropriate dress, the ASOS Midi Body-Conscious Dress in Metallic Stripe, available here. A Sonia Rykiel coat, seen during the 2009 inauguration here, completed the look.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Halloween! And now, for the cookies ...
The White House Sweet Dough Butter Cookie Recipe
1 lb Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla
2 lbs Butter 1 tsp Salt
3 Eggs 3 lbs All Purpose Flour
Mix the butter and sugar till soft and well beaten. Then add eggs, vanilla, salt and half the flour. Beat on slow speed till mixed, then add the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated.
Push flat onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight. Roll out to one quarter inch thick and cut out cookie shapes with cookie cutter.
Bake at 350F for 14 minutes and then allow to cool.
P.S. For those who want more Halloween at the White House, click here.
Update: Marian Robinson also wears ASOS, the ASOS Sweater with Bouncing Bunnies, available here.
ASOS, Sonia Rykiel
Reader Comments (27)
I love this family so much and I heard someone say, "It makes me so happy when I wake up and Barack Obama is President!" That's how I feel. Mrs. O looks beautiful and so cozy warm for the lucky trick or treaters and the Prez, as always, looking dapper. And how much do we love our First Gramma! love the bunny ears, Mrs. Robinson! Happy Halloween Obama Family!
Get it Diva!! Love that dress and coat. Would a hat be too much?
I agree Missann. Very fashionista! Love this family.
Is the Cookie Recipe correct? I would like to try it, though It seems like just a little bit of vanilla.
Rather chic ensemble, but I'll always remember Mrs. O's first Hallowe'en get-up in 2009, which was fabulously playful.
Katherine, I think it would be easy to try it out and then add a bit more vanilla if you think it needs more. Two pounds of butter! That's my kind of cookies!
@katherine, the recipe was released by the White House press office, and I've copied and pasted it directly. Let me know how it goes if you make them!
Alisa we are >>><<<<. I feel really privileged and honoured to have lived through and experienced the Obama's in the White House.
I love Mrs Obama's dress and the price is right up my street but that dress is not very forgiving and although I have lost some weight recently, I know that my tummy will be poking right out in it. It is nice though and only Mrs Obama can wear such striking colours with confidence.
It's funny I saw a picture of her indoors without the coat and I thought "rhythmic gymnast!"
(Here's the pic: http://yfrog.com/esah0gj )
Nope.
Just a cute dress.
Mrs. O was recently gifted a vintage silver and black Swarovski Pave beaded bracelet by Soccer Sisters United. The jeweler, local artist and designer Yvette Crocker of Tsion Rocks, makes one-of-a-kind pieces. Not certain, but one of the bracelets (looking at different angles from today's Washington Post) looks like the one gifted to Mrs. O by the soccer team. In a press release on the soccersistersunited.org website it was confirmed that the bracelet was gifted to Mrs. O as well as two powder pink faceted agate with Swarovski crystal pave beaded bracelets to Malia & Sasha. It's hard to tell among the lovely sea of bracelets Mrs. O is wearing, but we have been on the lookout.
Last year I tried the White House Honey Cupcakes and they were delicious. I did tweak the recipe a bit when I made them for the second time.
The sweater that our First Granny is wearing is rather snazzy for Halloween. I like how she committed to the bunny theme with her whiskers......too cute! I looked on ASOS' website and sure enough the dress is almost sold out. Our FLOTUS has that magic touch! And speaking of gold, she looks golden in that dress! Now this is some kind of a First Lady!
Gorgeous diagonal pattern. Mrs. O looks amazing!
I love that coat!
I have always loved this jacket on Mrs.O. She wears it well. This lady is taking fashion to another level. Keep the flag flying Mrs.O. In addition, i like Mr. O's jacket too. It is so "cool" and sophisticated. All he needs is a scarf to complete the look. :). I wish the Obama's a blessed week ahead.
Mrs. O=Very Chic. Mr. President looks dandy as well. Granny too!
I have red all your posts and how you love the diagonal stripe dress. I just don't get it. Looks like she missed the mark this time.
I just noticed the cat stripes on Mrs. Robinson's cheeks - very festive!
VERY VERY NICE!! I watched the video first and I didn't even notice that it was a dress, LOL! I love that coat as well. Ladies and gents watch the video. I promise it is a treat. I just love to see POTUS and FLOTUS interacting with children. And the first Grandma was snazzy as well. I LOVE IT!!!
@ cleo plahet - there is no need to be so serious about something that is intended to be fun...........the dress is ideally suited to the occasion AND she does look absolutely gorgeous.
Well this frock certainly will leave you feeling body conscious lol! Ive seen this dress on asos website before but oddly enough it didnt look familiar when i saw these pics on another website the other day. She wears it quite well though. And the beautiful coat just completes the look. Cant tell if she's wearing thigh high boots or black dress shoes with opaque black tights. Either way she looks warm and chic at the same time. Oh yes and the President and First Grandma look festive for the occasion as well :-)
Great dress for the occasion. And I see that it's sold out!
The First Lady will be in my town tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mrs. O is New Orleans bound!
Love Mrs. Robinson's sweater. It made a perfect Halloween costume.
Does anyone remember Princess Diana's sweater (jumper is the English word) with sheep
on it? It became an instant hit, here and in England.
@Mrs. T., Huffington Post says the dress is DVF and gave this link: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/F2011RTW-DVFURSTE?event=show2262&designer=design_house34&trend=&iphoto=5#slide=5 Mrs. O's dress looks more like the ASOS, which is almost the same, but not quite. (The bateau neckline is one difference.) How does this work? Is ASOS a knockoff brand or are they licensed to produce the DVF design?
@a MI Mom, I'm intrigued! I've dedicated a new post to the discussion. Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention.
Char, are you talking about the jumper that had all white sheep and one lone black sheep ? I remember when Princess Diana wore that jumper, I loved it.
Jestina...that's the one!! Good memory. That jumper spread all over England and then to the U.S.
I loved it, too.