Spooky season started at precisely 12:01 am on October 1, which means it’s time to fully immerse yourself in the witchiest time of year. Pumpkins, caramel apples and a whole lot of candy are crucial, and don’t forget to whip up a fittingly festive cocktail to really embrace that Halloween spirit.
Whether you’re hosting an eerie October 31 soirée, want to get into the trick-or-treat mood with a few pals, or just feel like sipping on a devilishly delightful beverage at home, a grown-up ghoulish drink is the perfect way to complete your Halloween spread.
There are elaborate smoking beverages and drinks with intricate designs, but you don’t have to be an expert mixologist to whip up a quality Halloween concoction—anything can be a Witches Brew! You can go all-in on the campy atmosphere with a bright orange, pumpkin-oriented cocktail, or opt for a more subtly spooky aperitif. For those that want to put in minimal effort, just pour your go-to cocktail into an appropriately frightening glass, perhaps in the shape of a ghost or skull, though you could always keep it classic with a pumpkin-shaped vessel.
Below, see the scary and sweet Halloween cocktails for the ultimate grown-up trick-or-treat.
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Eye Of The Spider
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Cutwater Spirits vodka
1 oz NOLA coffee liqueur
.5 oz creme de cacao
Whipped topping (4 oz whipped cream, 1 oz cinnamon syrup)
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail stirring glass. Add ice and stir until ice begins to melt and cocktail is diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Add heavy cream and cinnamon syrup to cocktail shaker. Shake (without ice) until cream turns light and airy. Float whipped cream on top of cocktail and (optional!) garnish with a hand-drawn spider web and sugar eyeball.
The Sexton Blood Moon
Ingredients:
1.5 oz The Sexton Whiskey
1 oz fresh beet juice
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
2 dashes orange bitters
Blood orange peel for garnish
Directions:
Add ingredients to a cocktail shake with ice; stir vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with blood orange peel.
Ingredients:
2 oz Casa Del Sol Reposado or Blanco
1 oz premium espresso
.75 oz pumpkin spice syrup
.5 oz coconut milk or oat milk
Cinnamon for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice; shake well for 10 seconds. Strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with grated cinnamon or cinnamon stick.
Tanteo Morgue-rita
Ingredients:
2 oz Tanteo Jalapeño Tequila
3/4 oz agave nectar
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp activated charcoal powder
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake well; pour into a salt-rimmed, ice-filled coupe glass.
Screaming Banshee
Created by Black Lagoon co-founders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage
1.5 oz Botanist Gin
.5 oz Giffard L’Abricot
1 oz pineapple syrup
.33 oz greek yogurt
.75 oz lime
2 dashes Angostura
2 oz seltzer
Mint for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for garnish, to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously; strain into a clear glass (a skull glass is perfect for the spooky holiday) and top with crushed ice and mint.
Whisky Mac-Beth
Ingredients:
2 oz Royal Brackla
1 oz oloroso
.25 oz simple syrup
3 dashes aromatic bitters
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker; add ice and shake vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the maraschino cherry.
Witching Hour
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Cutwater Barrel Rested Gin
.5 oz Amaro Nonino
1 oz valerian root tea
.75 oz falernum
.75 oz lemon
1 dash absinthe
Directions:
Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice; shake. Pour over a glitter ice sphere in a rocks glass; garnish with flamed rosemary and cinnamon wrapped in twine.
Poison Apple Daiquiri
Ingredients:
1.5 oz SelvaRey White Rum
1 oz apple cider
.75 honey syrup (to make, use 3:1
.5 oz fresh lime juice
Apple slice, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled; strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with apple slice.
Backwards Ghost For Hire
Created by The Resident Mixologist
Ingredients:
.5 oz bourbon
.5 oz scotch infused with butterfly pea flower
.5 oz Campari
.5 oz rosemary simple syrup
3 oz Babe Red with Bubbles
Directions:
Add all ingredients except for the sparkling red wine into a shaker with ice; shake briefly and strain into a champagne flute. Top with the sparkling red wine; garnish with rosemary.
Pumpkin Spice Lebowski
Ingredients:
2 parts Reyka Vodka
1 part coffee liqueur
1 part heavy cream
.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Combine heavy cream and pumpkin pie spice into a cocktail shaker. Shake; add vodka and coffee liqueur and shake wit ice. Serve on the rocks.
Diplomático Mantuano Devilish Don
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Diplomático Mantuano
1.5 oz fresh blood orange juice
.5 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
Roasted marshmallow
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake and strain over crushed ice. Serve in a coupe glass with a heavy stem, garnish with toasted marshmallow on a skewer.
Hexes for your Exes
Created by Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage
Ingredients:
1 oz Lot 40
.5 oz Cocchi
.5 oz chareau or honeydew cordial
.75 oz pineapple syrup
.25 oz citric acid
1 bar spoon 10 percent saline
4 drops green food coloring
1 lemon
Directions:
Add ingredients into a cocktail glass. Top with soda; mix with a bar spoon. Add cubed ice, garnish with lemon twist.
Necromancer
Created by Javelle Taft, head bartender at Death & Co. New York.
Ingredients:
1 oz Del Amigo Mezcal
.25 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa
.25 oz Cyril Zangs Apple Eau de Vie
.75 oz cardamaro
.5 oz Zucca Rabarbaro Amaro
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a cocktail mixer with ice; stir. Strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube and garnish with an apple slice.
Black Blood Sour
1.25 oz Filmland Spirits’ Moonlight Mayhem! Bourbon
1 oz amaretto
.5 oz lemon juice
.25 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/8 tsp activated charcoal (or squid ink)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a tin with ice and shake. Double strain and then serve in a double walled martini or coupe glass. Place a small cube of dry ice in the cocktail.
Mystic Moon
Ingredients:
1 oz Whiskeysmith Chocolate
1 oz Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey
1 oz cold brew
.5 oz brown sugar simple syrup (1:1
2 dashes angostura bitters
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir for 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe with an ice ball. Garnish with orange oil.
Devil’s Margarita
Ingredients:
1.5 ounces Volcán Tequila Blanco
1 oz fresh lime juice
2/3 oz simple syrup
2/3 oz fruity red wine
Directions:
Pour tequila, lime juice and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake vigorously. Strain into a glass
Witches Brew
Ingredients:
8 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
8 oz Grey Goose La Poire
6 oz cucumber-mint Juice
2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz absinthe
16 oz sparkling wine
Dehydrated pear, mint crown, borage and grated nutmeg for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients (this makes eight servings) into a large mixing vessel and stir. Add ice and garnish.
