The Halloween cocktail has become a popular part of Halloween celebrations and parties all over the world. Let’s face it, every themed celebration needs a cocktail, right! It’s no surprise that the Halloween cocktail has grown in popularity as people look for new ways to celebrate beyond costumes and candy. It adds a grown-up twist to the fun.
What is Halloween?
We celebrate this event every year but how many of us know the origins of Halloween? Its origins date way back to the Celts. They had a festival of Samhain to mark the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. The Celts believed that at this time of year, the barrier between the living and the dead became, well, a little murky. If there was ever a time of year to see a ghost then this was it. They took to wearing costumes in the belief that it would ward off ghosts and spirits.
Now of course it is a muti-million dollar creative industry focusing not only on costumes, but also decorations, festivals, events and specialty foods. Kids and adults alike don their scariest costumes, roam the local neighborhood, knocking on doors and welcoming their treats… or in some case their tricks. On the 31st October every year people fall into three categories: You are either dressed up in costume to go trick or treating, waiting for a knock on the door to hand out treats or tricks… or holed up inside your home with the blinds shut, TV turned off, pretending you are not home!
Why Drink Cocktails at Halloween?
Do you really need an excuse to drink Cocktails? No of course not! Cocktails are all about creativity and Halloween gives us another opportunity to play around with our ingredients and come up with interesting concoctions. Cocktails are very adaptable to themes and Halloween is no exception. A good Halloween cocktail exudes fun and mystery!
In your Halloween cocktail you want to have a visually striking drink. Think spooky vibes, dark ambiance and powerful flavors.
Here is a list of ingredients to choose from when creating your own Halloween cocktail:
Popular Halloween Cocktail Ingredients
| INGREDIENTS GROUP | EXAMPLE |
| Dark Liquors | Bourbon, Black Sambuca and Black Vodka will add a moody and mysterious vibe |
| Bright and Eerie Colors | Blood red Grenadine, purple Butterfly Pea Gin and blue Curacao |
| Glowing Green Liqueurs | Midori, Crème de Menthe, Absinthe and green Chartreuse all give a glowing effect. Combine different green liqueurs in a Witches Brew! |
| Spooky Garnishes | Blackberries, edible flowers and blood orange slices |
| Spices | Cinamon and Nutmeg to add warmth, dry ice and activated charcoal to bring a ghostly, smoky touch |
| Non -Alcoholic Ingredients | To create drinks and mocktails for kids or non-drinkers. Think green tea, mint and apple juice. |
Halloween Cocktail Ideas
Of course you can go all out and create your own unique Halloween Cocktail (don’t forget to give it a name with our Cocktail Name Generator!). You can also tweak the classics to give them a fresh, spooky twist. An example is a Blood Orange Margarita. Just mix in a some blood orange juice to your classic Margarita recipe to give it a vampire inspired look.
Special Guest Recipe – Vampire Kiss by Christine Bartender
I asked experienced cocktail maker Christine Bartender to give me her favorite Halloween cocktail recipe.
It is the Vampire Kiss! Its bold red colour gives the perfect spooky, bloody Halloween vibe. Also the sugar rim, the sweetness of the strawberry syrup and the tartness of the lemon make it a good all round party drink. Here is the recipe so you can try it yourself. Thanks Christine! For more of Christine Bartender’s recipes, tips and tricks you can follow her on Youtube, facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
Vampire Kiss Ingredients
- Ice
- Vodka 45 ml
- Chambord 30 ml
- Grenadine 15 ml
- Lemon juice 15 ml
- Strawberry syrup and sugar for rimming
- Lemon twist for garnish
How To Make A Vampire Kiss
Strain into a glass and garnish with lemon twist.
Combine vodka, chambord, grenadine and lemon juice in the cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.
Rim cocktail glass with strawberry syrup and dip in sugar.
Creating A Spooky Feel For Your Halloween Party
If you are hosting a Halloween Party here are some tips to make the event spectacular, fun and memorable:
- Create a Haunted Bar vibe for your home or venue. Think spray on cobwebs, plenty of black candles (lit), eerie coloured lighting and create a spooky music playlist for the night.
- Get some vintage style bottles to and give them creepy labels like “Love potion” or “Wizard Poison”. Display them around your room or venue.
- Organise your Halloween Cocktail menu of spooky drinks. Keep it simple, three or four options will be plenty.
- You could even set up a “Witches Brew” station with the Halloween Cocktail ingredients list above. Invite guests to mix their own cocktails and give a prize for the most creative one.
- Organise a prize for the most creative Halloween costume.
Food Ideas To Pair With Your Halloween Cocktail
Try whipping up these ghostly snacks to serve with your Halloween cocktail:
- Deviled eggs styled with “spider” garnishes or black food coloring.
- Sliders with red ketchup “blood” and mini pickle “eyes.”
- Dark chocolate fondue with fruits like strawberries for a “bloody” dessert.
Cocktails Tricks Are Your Halloween Treat
Creating a Halloween Cocktail is a fun experience, whether you are creating one on your own at home or sharing with friends and family. We have given you plenty of ideas above for you to create your own masterpiece! Experiment with eerie colors, bold flavors and ghostly garnishes. Create a creepy and chilling atmosphere, whip up some spooky looking snacks, put on your scary music play list and enjoy those Halloween cocktails.