If there's one day a year that you can guarantee your drinks to be gaudy and over-the-top, it's October 31, because there's nothing like a Halloween cocktail. They run the gamut from chic spiderweb martinis to seriously gross-looking (but tasty) fake-blood-infused tonics. Whether you're having a sophisticated and spooky Halloween dinner party or you're going crazy with a big Halloween bash, these cocktails are *exactly* what you need to keep your beverages on-theme.
When you're not entertaining yourself with fall baking or trying on your Halloween costume, play mixologist and try out one of these ghoulish drinks! Put on a classic horror film (or your go-to comfort TV show), and scroll your way through the goriest, spookiest, and most delicious cocktail recipes we have. Happy boo-zing!
@thespritzeffect
Very few combos scream "Halloween" like purple and glitter. This Halloween cocktail is totally magical, and it's so pretty, it's basically party decor! (via @thespritzeffectfor Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
This is one Halloween cocktail that tastes good *and* looks good. Add it to all your spooky get-togethers to totally freak out your guests. Bonus points if you're dressing up as a vampire for Halloween! (via Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
Did you know that black vodka exists? Well, thankfully, it does, and it goes effortlessly into this sparkling cranberry drink. (via Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
It's a Halloween party, so there has to be some orange and black on the menu. This delicious rum punch is a welcome change from all of those pumpkin drinks out there. (via Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
This campy cocktail is something your guests will be talking about all night. Prep your Jello bones ahead of time using some molds, and there's no need for any other garnish. Unless, of course, you want blood bags for the drinks. (via Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
Turn your cocktail a ghoulish hue by mixing red and green food coloring together with Chambord. Dry ice added before serving makes the drink smoke like a spooky potion. (via Brit + Co)
Brit + Co
This spin on the classic Sidecar cocktail is like the grown up (and tastier) version of bobbing for apples. You can serve this Halloween cocktail hot or cold, depending on your preference. (via Brit + Co)
A Couple Cooks
This delicious drink uses rum for a fruity, tropical finish that will remind you of summer – even on Hallow's Eve. (via A Couple Cooks)
Half Baked Harvest
Put your fall stock of apple butter to good use in this Old Fashioned recipe. The tart-sweet apple flavor mellows out bourbon's fiery bite for smooth sipping all night long. (via Half Baked Harvest)
Chattavore
Tangy cranberry and sweet orange set this Prosecco punch apart, giving it a festive harvest flair. Change up the cranberry and orange ratio until you find a mix that you like the best. (via Chattavore)
Sprinkles & Sprouts
Make your guests squirm with this ingenious Halloween hack. Stuff some Spanish olives into cocktail onions, and they look just like eyeballs – ready to grace your glass with gross. (via Sprinkles & Sprouts)
Madelynne Boykin of @BitesandBevsMedia
YoCo Vodka’s Monster Halloween Cocktail
To make this spooky sip, add 1 ½ oz YoCo Vodka, ¾ oz Lemon Juice, 1 oz Black Raspberry Liqueur, ½ oz Simple Syrup, and ½ tsp Activated Charcoal to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with regular ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass, add 1 pea-sized Dry Ice Chip on top, and watch your "monster" come alive! (via YoCo Vodka)
Half Baked Harvest
This moody take on the Negroni is the drink your Harry Potter-themed party craves. (via Half Baked Harvest)
The Seasoned Mom
Here's a sweet sangria to add to your spooktacular holiday list! It's made with Cabernet Sauvignon, sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur, and club soda. Easy! (via The Seasoned Mom)
Culinary Hill
This tasty fruit punch gets a spooky upgrade when you swap the fruit garnishes for faux spiders. Serve in small glasses or go big with fancy goblets that would make Dracula proud. (via Culinary Hill)
Boulder Locavore
If you're into the blood and gore of The Walking Dead or 28 Days Later, this bright concoction may be right up your alley. While it's not quite as eerie as a brain hemorrhage shot (eek!), this whole drink glows in the dark thanks to the tonic water, so serve it when the lights go out. (via Boulder Locavore)
Mi Campo Tequila
Natali Villarruel, National Tequila Ambassador for Mi Campo crafted this stellar cocktail inspired by Halloween candy. “This drink is a throwback to my childhood growing up in Mexico and the Pulparindo candy we’d get on Halloween," she said. To make it, shake 1.5 oz Mi Campo Reposado, .5 oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur, and .5 oz lime juice with ice before straining into a glass. Top it with some Jarritos Tamarindo, and get ready to gulp! (via Mi Campo Tequila)
Half Baked Harvest
A mysterious rustling noise in the orchard... a mist creeping in between the trees... it sounds like after your apple picking adventure, you could use a drink! (via Half Baked Harvest)
The Cookie Rookie
Impress your friends with an alcoholic magic trick by playing magician mixologist at your party. Pour shaken grape juice and vanilla vodka over cotton candy, and watch it dissolve into a delicious syrup to sweeten your Halloween cocktail. (via The Cookie Rookie)
Elvie's
Craving a Hallowen cocktail that's a bit more elevated? This recipe from Elvie's in Jackson, Mississippi infuses edible glitter into your holiday elixir. To make it, combine 1.5 oz black sesame-infused scotch, 0.5 oz Cathead Hoodoo Chicory liqueur,0.5 oz Cocchi sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes blood orange bitters with some edible glitter! (via Elvie's)
How Sweet Eats
Start your Halloween celebration early by serving up these pomegranate cider mimosas. Of course, it wouldn't be trick-or-treating season without adding some candy to the mix with the salted caramel rim. (via How Sweet Eats)
Grand Marnier
This Halloween cocktail boasts a haunting blood red color, perfect for spooking your friends with. To make it, shake 1.5 oz Espolon Blanco tequila, 0.75 oz Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, 0.75 oz orange juice, 0.5 oz lime juice, and 0.5 oz beet syrup over ice. Strain the mix into an iced glass and garnish with an orange slice! (via Grand Marnier)
Clonakiilty Distillery
This drink pays homage to Ireland's myths and legends through the essence of Samhain, which is, essentially, the ancient Celtic version of Halloween! To make it, mix together 1.75 oz Clonakilty Port Cask Whiskey, .5 oz orange juice, a splash of ginger ale, and garnish it all with an orange slice. (via Clonakiilty Distillery)
Sprinkles & Sprouts
Use regular or black vodka to make this eerie cocktail. The recipe *also* includes a special hack for rimming the glasses with colorful sugar. It's scary good! (via Sprinkles & Sprouts)
Boulder Locavore
This creepy cocktail mixes bourbon, hard cider, and ginger ale for a drink that will make even the scariest of demons disappear. (via Boulder Locavore)
The Girl On Bloor
What makes these cocktails *so* delightfully sour? Homemade margarita mix, shaken with freshly squeezed limes. Oh, and that's not real blood on the rim — just a little corn syrup and red food coloring. (via The Girl On Bloor)
Best Friends for Frosting
You wouldn't think that a drink with such a poisonous name would be good for you. With ingredients like carrot, lime, and orange juices, this cocktail is more likely to extend your life... rather than end it. (via Best Friends for Frosting)
A Beautiful Mess
Give the *illusion* of a spider's web, without having to deal with the real thing (or having to clean up a party prop!). This Halloween cocktail is bright and colorful, which is perfect for anyone who's not a huge fan of darker decor this time of year. (via A Beautiful Mess)
Half Baked Harvest
If vampires had access to these boozy milkshake-inspired cocktails, maybe they wouldn't be thirsting for blood all the time. Yum! (via Half Baked Harvest)
Ilegal Mezcal
This spookily strong Halloween drink is powered by mezcal. To make it, add 2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven, 1 oz agave syrup, and 0.5 oz pomegranate juice to a shaker, shaking well until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, garnish with pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel, and you're set to sip! (via Illegal Mezcal)
Boulder Locavore
It's always a nice gesture to make a special drink for guests who don't consume alcohol. Simmer this mocktail punch in the slow cooker so they can help themselves whenever they get thirsty — it'll also make your house smell deliciously like cinnamon. (via Boulder Locavore)
Best Friends for Frosting
Sure, a black widow sounds scarier, but this white widow will knock you out with one swing (or swig, ha!). Garnish the top with a black gel icing web that will catch all of your Halloweentime prey. (via Best Friends for Frosting)
Pizzazzerie
You certainly wouldn't catch any self-respecting witch with a single beer. She would most definitely be drinking a fabulous purple cocktail, complete with a glitter spider garnish. (via Pizzazzerie)
Growing Up Gabel
Pumpkin juice (like they drink in Harry Potter) is mixed with pumpkin beer for a brunch drink that's truly autumnal. (via Growing Up Gabel)
Kitchen Treaty
Didn't think the all-time best Halloween candy (we know it's an unpopular opinion, but still, the right one) could get any better? This infused vodka will make you think again. (via Kitchen Treaty)
Diplomatico Rum
To craft this delicious Halloween negroni, stir 1 part Diplomatico Mantuano with 1 part sweet vermouth and 1 part of a bitter Italian aperitif over ice to chill. Strain into a rocks glass with a big block of ice, then garnish with grapefruit peel! (via Diplomatico Rum)
Crowded Kitchen
These spookily sour cocktails emulate everything you love about a margarita and make it Halloween-friendly. (via Crowded Kitchen)
Clean Cuisine
The season's favorite ingredient gets blended into a frozen sip that'll leave you with the spooks all Halloween long. (via Clean Cuisine)
A Spicy Perspective
Love a Halloween cocktail, but aren't a huge fan of spooky drink accessories? This sip is equal parts sweet and smokey, and features one of our favorite ingredients: orange blossom water. (via A Spicy Perspective)
The Edgy Veg
You can create an icy 'severed hand' using a glove for this big ol' bowl of spooks. (via The Edgy Veg)
Follow us on Pinterest for more wickedly delicious Halloween cocktail recipes, and check out these Halloween Drink Recipes For Any Age!
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Additional reporting by Paige Johnson and Meredith Holser.
This post has been updated.
