Planning to host a Halloween party this year? Well, you're in luck; we've compiled a list of 13 different Halloween cocktails for the adults to imbibe while the kiddies are out trick-or-treating (or are in the midst of a sugar coma). Punch, sangria, cocktail, shot--pick your poison and drink up!
Halloween Spiced Apple Sangria
The best part about spiced apple sangria is that it's a wonderful, delicious drink for the entire fall season--not just for Halloween. You can enjoy it all the way from the beginning of September to the end of November, and it certainly wouldn't seem out of place at a Thanksgiving meal.
- 1 bottle of white wine
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 1/2 cups spiced apple cider
- Juice of one orange
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 apples, diced
- 1 pear, diced
- 1 orange, sliced
- Club soda, for serving
Combine all the ingredients in a large pitcher, let chill overnight, and serve mixed with club soda for a little added fizz. Makes six servings.
Zombie Punch
Careful: if you guzzle down too much of this notoriously strong drink, you'll probably wind up shuffling around and moaning like an ACTUAL zombie when your hangover kicks in the next morning! The following recipe is for a single glass of the stuff, but you can always multiply it in order to make multiple servings...or a big bowl!
- 1 1/2 ounces Jamaican rum
- 1 1/2 ounces gold Puerto Rican rum
- 1 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon syrup
- 2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
- 3/4 ounce lime juice (fresh-squeezed)
- 1/2 ounce falernum
- A dash of Angostura Bitters
- 6 drops Herbsaint or Pernod
- 1 teaspoon grenadine
Serve this red or pink cocktail to your party guests in a normal cup to be enjoyed "on the rocks," or blend small amounts of it with ice to create a slushy texture. If you opt for the latter, be sure to serve it in a festive, skull-shaped glass...or a 100% pure copper Moscow Mule mug to keep it chilled.
Halloween Sangria
Unlike the spiced apple sangria cocktail we mentioned earlier, THIS sangria definitely belongs in the "Halloween Drinks" category! Its deep, blood-red color is key to making it seem creepy, but you can always toss in some spooky accessories like gummy worms, gummy bugs, and even candy eyeballs to really "wow" (or gross-out) your party guests.
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 orange, washed and cut into wedges
- 1 lemon, washed and cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups ginger ale or club soda, chilled
- Optional: 1 dash grenadine (to enhance the color)
- Optional: gummy worms, gummy bugs, candy eyeballs, etc.
Pour the wine into a pitcher, squeeze the juice from the fruit wedges to combine it with the wine, and then toss in the fruit wedges themselves and the sugar. Stir well (until the sugar is dissolved), then let the mixture chill overnight. Add the ginger ale/club soda, grenadine, and spooky accessories just prior to serving. Makes 12 glasses.
Halloween Margaritas
Margaritas are already pale green, so you may be able to pass off a "regular" margarita by simply adding a few drops of green food coloring and rimming the glass with black-colored sugar or salt. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, though, you can also give these variations a try:
Pumpkin Spice Margarita:
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 tablespoon 100% pumpkin puree
- 1 splash Cointreau or triple sec
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of pumpkin pie spice
- Optional: splash of Grand Marnier
Blood-Red Pomegranate Margarita:
- 1 ounce silver tequila, chilled
- 1/2 ounce triple sec, chilled
- 1 ounce pomegranate juice, chilled
- 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, chilled
- Club soda, chilled
Candy Orange "Hallow-rita"
- 1 ounce grand marnier
- 1 ounce tequila
- 6 ounces orange soda
- A small handful of your favorite gummy candy (Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, etc.)
Note: you can easily whip up a non-alcoholic, kid-friendly version of this cocktail by nixing the alcohol and adding vanilla ice cream to create a "float." Just make sure you brush your teeth before you go to bed!
Witch's Brew
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!" Something wicked delicious, that is! The term "witch's brew" can actually refer to a handful of different Halloween cocktails; do a Google search for the term, and you'll find several recipes with nothing in common but their name--and the fact that they're boozy. This recipe yields an ethereal, dark blue cocktail, and you can add black sanding sugar to the rim of the cup to make it extra special:
- 1 ounce vodka
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce blue curaçao
- Juice of one lime
Note: some folks also like to add a small piece of dry ice to the glass so that it'll "smoke" like an actual cauldron. If you are able to find food-grade dry ice, you're welcome to try this. However, PLEASE be extremely careful handling dry ice; if you aren't sure how to do so safely, DO NOT USE IT! Instead, simply keep the drink cold with a barrel-shaped, 100% copper mug.
Halloween Cocktail Shooters
They're not "mini"--they're "fun-size!" Halloween shots let guests sample a wide variety of mixed drinks without having to commit to a full beverage. They're also easy to down quickly, so folks can get back to dancing, snacking, or socializing ASAP! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Candy Corn shot - Layer equal amounts of orange curaçao, galliano, and cream, so that the shot is orange, yellow, and white like a piece of candy corn.
- "Bloody" Shirley Temple - Combine cranberry vodka (or plain cranberry juice for a non-alcoholic variation) with lemon-lime soda to taste, and serve it in a shot syringe.
- Glowing Jell-o Shot - These are ideal when you know that your venue will be illuminated by black light; the glow of the shot will be pretty and spooky all in one! The secret is to combine Jell-o mix with tonic water to make it glow, and throw in sweet vodka to take the edge off the flavor of the tonic water.
- Suicide Shot - Pour a shot of spiced rum and then add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. There's nothing really "scary" about the cocktail itself, but the taste is certainly not for the faint of heart!
- Black Cat - Mix equal amounts of vodka and cherry brandy or liqueur, then add a splash of cranberry juice. To convert it to a full-sized cocktail, prepare it in a regular glass and fill the rest of the cup with cola.
- Zombie Brain - This one is a little trickier to pull off, but if you can make it work, your guests should be delighted. Combine 2/3 part peach schnapps with a dash of creme de menthe, then, using the back side of a spoon, carefully pour 1/4 part Baileys Irish Cream into the cup so that it fans out all over the schnapps and creme de menthe instead of simply sitting on top. After a few seconds, the Baileys should "curdle" into thick ropes and clumps (that are still safe to drink, even if they look disgusting). Add a few dashes of grenadine to really sell the bloody brains look, and you're done!
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We hope we've inspired you with our list of Halloween recipes! Drinks for Halloween often walk the line between fun and frightening, marvelous and macabre, and--of course--sweet and scary. Just remember to please drink responsibly, and never forget that a beverage's vessel can elevate it from "ordinary" to "extraordinary!"
