Haunting Halloween Cocktails

By Yelena Jenkins

Creepy CocktailsCreepy Cocktails
This Halloween, treat your friends and family to a haunting cocktail party. Serve up spooky spirits with ghoulish garnishes that will have your guests howling in delight. Just don't forget to dish up plenty of appealing appetizers to round out your frightful fetê.

 

Spooky Spirits

The Basics:

The most important part of a cocktail party is, of course, the drinks themselves! For this party you'll want to have a number of pre-mixed cocktails ready upon the guests' arrival. When you pre-mix drinks for a cocktail party, always try to include a wide variety of alcohols in your selection. A wide selection will ensure that all your guests can find something they'll enjoy for the evening.

For example, include:

  • A vodka-based cocktail
  • A gin-based cocktail
  • A tequila or rum-based cocktail
  • A mild cocktail with lower-proof alcohol for those who don't like strong drinks

More Fun Halloween Ideas:

Haunted Recipes:

There are two ways you can approach a Haunted Halloween Cocktail Party. You can either create drinks that already exist and simply give them a ghoulish nickname for the evening, or you can put your own twist on existing recipes for delicious drinks that are unique to your party. Here is our list of Top Five Halloween Cocktails (recipes below):


1. Pumpkin Punch:

This is the perfect mild cocktail to serve your guests. The bright orange color is super-festive for Halloween.

How to Serve It:

Serve in a martini glass and garnish with a black licorice straw or black and white peppermint stick.


2. Green Goblin Shot:

Similar to a good-old Jell-O shot, but with a spooky twist! Make sure to use a green-colored Jell-O flavor such as Apple or Lime. Also, with this drink you can use any hard alcohol you'd like. We suggest pairing the lime flavor with tequila and the apple flavor with vodka.

EyeballMore Garish Garnish Ideas:

  • Place a candy eyeball in a martini glass for a creepy-looking (pun intended!) cocktail.
  • Place the Pumpkin Punch in a black cauldron for serving. Float a ghostly-looking face and hands in the cauldron by freezing ice cubes in the mold of a mask (cover the eye and mouth hole with aluminum before adding water) and gloves (freeze the water inside the gloves).

How to Serve It:

Shot glasses look best, but mini paper cups can be turned inside out for easier consumption. Garnish by placing a sour jelly worm resting halfway outside the shot glass before refrigerating. When the jello hardens, the worm will be suspended in the drink.


3. Garish Ghost-ini:

This playful take on a martini is delicious yet surprisingly strong. Its milky white color makes it the perfect ghoul for Halloween.

How to Serve It:

In a Martini glass or very narrow tall glass. Garnish by using a black sword toothpick to pierce the center of two chocolate pumpkins for a sweet finish.


4. Red Zombie:

This drink is a play on the traditional Gin Fizz. It's far more original than using a Bloody Mary for a gruesome red drink. Surprise your guests with this delicious cocktail.

How to Serve It:

In a zombie glass, of course! Garnish with a red zombie eye by de-stemming a maraschino cherry and placing a chocolate chip (pointed side down) into the hole. Fabulously creepy!

Pumpkin Punch

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 2 cups chilled sparkling water
  • 1/2 cup maraschino liqueur
  • 1/4 cup limoncello
  • Ice
  • Black licorice or a black and white peppermint stick, for garnish


Preparation:

  1. Combine all the ingredients, except the licorice, in a pitcher.
  2. Stir to mix.
  3. Pour into glasses and garnish as you please.


Recipe courtesy of the Food Network

Green Goblin Shots

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces Lime or Apple flavored Jello (large package)
  • 16 ounces Water (boiling)
  • 6 ounces Water (cold)
  • 10 ounces Vodka


Preparation:

  1. Mix the jello mix with the boiling water until the powder is fully dissolved.
  2. Add the cold water and alcohol.
  3. Pour the cooling mixture into either shot glasses or paper cups. Shot glasses are more attractive, but drinker can turn the paper cups inside-out to more easily eat the alcoholic jello.


Recipe Courtesy of Drink Street

Garish Ghost-ini

Ingredients:

  • 1 Shot Russian Standard Vodka
  • 0.5 Shot Disaronno Amaretto
  • 1 Shot De Kuyper Crème De Cacao - White
  • 1 Shot De Kuyper Crème De Bananas
  • 2 Shots Cream
  • Half a Banana


Preparation:

  1. Add all ingredients in a martini shaker.
  2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
  3. Pour into a chilled martini glass and enjoy.

Red Zombie

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz gin
  • Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
  • 1 tsp powdered sugar
  • Carbonated water


Preparation:

  1. Shake gin, juice of lemon, and powdered sugar with ice.
  2. Strain into a highball (zombie!) glass over two ice cubes.
  3. Fill with carbonated water, stir, and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Drinks Mixer

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