Startling costumes, a mountain of treats, scary moments, and parties galore. Halloween is sanctioned playtime for adults. Halloween is almost here and now is the time to get ready for the witches, ghosts, and goblins that will be descending upon your house. Here’s a few ghoulish potions to enhance your festivities and ward off any evil by consuming these creepy, bone-chilling Halloween cocktails.
Bloody Maria Shots
"Shot syringes are filled with Bloody Maria shots (a Bloody Mary made with tequila instead of vodka) for a spicy addition to the festivities. A simple prop makes all the difference for Halloween fun!"
6 ounces Blanco Tequila
1 5.5-ounce can tomato juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
8 dashes Worcestershire sauce
8 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon horseradish cream
pinch smoked salt
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker and shake it all up. Place the tip of each shot syringe into the concoction, drawing it up into the tube by pulling on the plunger. Leave the syringes at room temperature for the full “blood” effect. Or pre-chill the tomato juice and tequila, if you want your serum chilly. Then display the syringes jabbed into a bowl of crushed ice.
Frankenstein’s Margarita
"Add more drama by swiping the rim of the glass with a wedge of lemon and dipping it in black salt. "
2 ounces silver tequila
1½ ounces pineapple juice
¾ ounce blue Curaçao
¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
½ ounce agave
Pour all those luscious parts into a shaker with ice and let them mix as wildly as a werewolf’s howl. Strain into a margarita glass.
Satan’s Whiskers
"The Satan’s Whiskers cocktail puts a fruity spin on a perfect gin martini. The additional mix of orange juice and liqueur flavors create a perfect Halloween treat."
1 ounce gin
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/2 ounce orange liqueur (Grand Marnier for a more robust, cognac-based flavor or orange curaçao for something a bit drier)
1 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 dash orange bitters
In a cocktail shaker filled about half full of ice, add all the ingredients and shake like you’re trying to rid your arm of spiders. Strain into a cocktail glass. No garnish needed, but we like to add a blood-red cherry, preferably on a pointed, wooden toothpick.
Witch’s Blood Cocktail
"The Witch’s Blood Cocktail is perfect for a Halloween party or gathering with friends and family. Bourbon, blood orange liqueur, and pomegranate juice is an amazing cocktail."
1 ½ ounces bourbon
1 ounce blood orange liqueur
1 ounce POM Pomegranate Juice
½ ounce lemon juice
ginger beer, chilled
Fill that shaker with ice and pour in everything but the ginger beer. Hum “Monster Mash” for a full minute while you shake the bejeezus out of it. Strain into a glass as cold as a ghost’s breath (add ice, if you like) and top with ginger beer.
Purple People Eater
"Named after the iconic Halloween party song, this mesmerizing brew also makes for a spectacular punch. For bubbly fizz and more bite, stick with the lemon-lime soda. For more sweetness, use lemonade instead."
1½ ounces vodka
½ ounce blue Curacao
½ ounce grenadine (or 2 drops red food coloring for less sweetness)
4 ounces lemon-lime soda
Whether a cocktail or a punch, mix the vodka, Curacao, and grenadine (or food coloring) first, then pour in the soda or lemonade to taste. Pour over ice-filled glasses. For the punch, make a floating ice ring and throw in a few ping-pong ball eyeballs.
Halloween Bloody Mary
"The name screams Halloween. This version with its roasted jalapeno muddled with cilantro would make vampires bypass the real thing for a glassful."
3 ounces vodka
6 ounces tomato juice
1 ½ teaspoon horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1 teaspoon peppercorn
¼ teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce, we used Whoop Ass Bacon Hot Sauce
2 sprigs of cilantro
1 jalapeno
celery stalk, bacon slice, olive, pickles, lemon, for garnish if desired
Place jalapeno onto a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes. Pop in 1 or 2 slices of the roasted jalapeno and the cilantro into a shaker and muddle. Don’t skip this. It releases flavors you’ve previously unknown. Load the shaker with ice for that all important chill, like a full morgue. Add in everything else that’s not a garnish. Now shake like you’re facing a horde of zombies, then strain into a garnished, ice-filled glass. We prefer a chilled skull.
Pumpkin Martini
"No spookiness here. This one’s all about the treats. A creamy dessert cocktail laden with fall spices, real pumpkin, and a trifecta of infectious spirits."
1 ounce dark rum or RumChata
2 ounces vodka, pumpkin spice vodka, or vanilla vodka
½ ounce Baileys Irish Cream
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 ounce maple syrup
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of pumpkin pie spice, optional
Should be served as cold as a witch’s bum, so load your cocktail shaker with ice and use a chilled martini glass. Pour in everything but the Baileys. Shake it like you just touched a cursed grave until the shaker feels truly chilled. Stir in the Baileys (you can use half-and-half for less of a kick) and strain into your glass. Garnish with anything from a cinnamon stick to whipped cream and nutmeg.