It’s the season of goblins and ghouls, witches and warlocks, and Halloween parties! Whether you’re serving brain pasta, tombstone cookies, or eyeball chocolates, you need some Halloween themed cocktails to complete your menu and ensure your guests are sufficiently creeped out.
RELATED: How to Plan a Visit to France’s Wine Country >>>
Here are 4 spooky cocktails to serve at your Halloween party
The Black Manhattan
The Black Manhattan is a spin on a historic classic, offering a richer flavour and deeper colour. This drink is a nice option for your guests who prefer a more classic cocktail while still joining in on the fun. For the party-goers whose clever Halloween costumes warrant a novella of explanation, this drink is sure to be a hit.
Black Manhattan Recipe:
- 1.5oz Rye
- 0.75oz Averna Amaro
- Dash Angostura bitters
- Dash orange bitters
- Luxardo cherry for garnish (or sub in a scary option, such as an eyeball gummy)
Carrot Juice Sour
A carrot juice sour is the perfect Halloween party cocktail. Serve it in a coup and you’ve got individual-sized, pumpkin-shaped drinks for all of your guests to enjoy, and to pose with. If you’re using egg whites in your sour, make sure to dry shake first, add ice, shake again, and then pour!
Carrot Juice Sour Recipe:
- 1.5-2oz of any spirit of your choice (vodka, rye, rum, bourbon etc.)
- 1.25oz carrot juice
- 0.5oz lemon juice
- 0.5oz simple syrup (again you can get creative here; maybe make a cinnamon simple syrup, maple syrup, or orgeat)
- 1oz egg whites (optional, but adds a nice frothy texture and a cool visual)
Pumpkin Spiced Whisky Apple Cider
If you’re feeling extra festive, Spicebox makes a Pumpkin Spiced Whisky, which can be found at the LCBO. You could keep it simple and just serve shots of this seasonal spirit, or you could spice things up and spike some warm apple cider. There’s no real recipe for this one, but the results are guaranteed to be delicious. Fire up your crock pot, pour in the apple cider, and let it warm up. For extra flavour, add in a spice bag filled with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, or any spices your heart desires. Once it’s warm and perfectly mulled, add two ounces of pumpkin spiced whisky to your favourite festive mug and top with cider. It’s easy to make, and this seasonal, toasty drink is sure to impress your guests.
Bloody Sangria
Bloody Sangria! Sounds terrifying, right? You can’t really go wrong with Sangria, but for the holiday and the theme, red wine works best. Start with a dry, medium bodied red, such as a Merlot, and then add a spirit (I like to use spiced rum). Chop up whatever fruits you like, maybe some apple and cranberry to keep it seasonal, and let the fruit and the alcohol marinate overnight. Before serving, top up your fruity wine concoction with juices (my favourite is a blend of blueberry pomegranate, and just a splash of lemon juice). Top with soda water or ginger ale for some added fizz, and you’re good to go. For the bloody part, you can keep it simple and roll your glasses in grenadine, or whip up some corn syrup blood.
The best part about making Halloween cocktails is that you get to play mad scientist. Get weird and have fun with your witchy concoctions, and see what you brew up. You can serve your themed drinks in skull shaped glasses or mini witch’s cauldrons, and garnish with candy corn or other Halloween candies. It’s like trick-or-treating, just for adults.
