Just like the best Halloween costumes, Halloween cocktails tend to be creative, fun and visually arresting, not to mention delicious. Here are eight that we like for 2023 (which all happen to be either red or black, or reddish black). Plus don’t forget about these five Halloween recipes, as well as our holiday drink roundup from last year.
A Vampire’s Kiss
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Koloa Kaua’i Gold rum
- 4 oz. Tart cherry juice
- ½ oz. Lime juice
- ½ oz. Simple syrup
- 4 oz. Sparkling water
Instructions
- Add ingredients (except soda water) into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 20 seconds until shaker is frosty.
- Strain into a glass with ice.
- Top with soda water and stir.
- Garnish with dry ice (optional).
Notes
The mixologists at Koloa created this recipe.
Monster
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. YoCo vodka
- ¾ oz. Lemon juice
- 1 oz. Black raspberry liqueur
- ½ oz. Simple syrup
- ½ tsp. Activated charcoal
- 1 pea-sized Dry ice chip
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except dry ice to a shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake vigorously.
- Stain into glass, add the dry ice on top.
Notes
The mixologists at YoCo created this recipe.
Sleepy Hallow
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Tequila
- 1 oz. Oloroso cream sherry
- 1 oz. Cherry cider syrup
- ¾ oz. Lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake.
- Strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with burnt rosemary.
Notes
Audrey Angui, bar manager at Paradisaea in Bird Rock, San Diego, created this recipe.
It’s Freakin’ Bats
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Cutwater Tequila Blanco
- ¾ oz. Beet juice
- ½ oz. Blood orange juice
- ¾ oz. Strawberry syrup
- ½ oz. Pomegranate juice
- ¼ oz. Port
- ¼ oz. Aperol
- ¾ oz. Lemon
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail tin.
- Add pebble ice and shake briefly.
- Pour into a wine glass and top with more pebble ice.
- Garnish with a paper bat.
Notes
The mixologists at Cutwater Spirits created this recipe.
Pumpkin To Talk About
Ingredients
- ¾ oz. Grenadine
- 1 ½ oz. Papa’s Pilar dark rum
- 1 oz. Heavy cream
- 1 ¼ oz. Whistlepig maple syrup
- Pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into shaker.
- Shake and pour into goblet.
- Garnish with whipped cream, colored sugar on top.
Notes
The mixologists at Area 31 in Downtown Miami, FL, created this recipe.
The Lingering Spirit
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Fords Gin
- ¾ oz. Garden syrup
- ¾ oz. Lime juice
- 1 vial of Coconut charcoal
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into shaker.
- Shake and strain into double Old Fashioned glass over large cube.
- Garnish with black spider.
Notes
The mixologists at Agents Only at the Hotel Dena in Pasadena, CA, created this recipe.
Sweet Venom
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Vodka
- ½ oz. Crème de cassis
- ½ oz. Grenadine
- ½ oz. Lemon juice
- ½ oz. Cranberry juice
- ¼ oz. Simple syrup
- 3 Blackberries
- 2 Raspberries
- 2 dashes Orange bitters
Instructions
- Combine vodka, cassis, lemon juice, cranberry juice and shake on ice.
- Add grenadine, simple syrup and shake.
- Strain into a glass, and top with blackberries, raspberries and orange bitters.
- Garnish with a black sugar rim and dried blood orange.
Notes
Executive Chef John Angelo Cole at Pacci Italian Kitchen + Bar in The Kimpton Brice, Savannah, GA, created this recipe.
Bunnicula’s Brew
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Charbay R5 Lot 5 Whiskey
- 1 oz. Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
- ½ oz. The Perfect Purée Blackberry Puree thawed
- 1 oz. Long Meadow Ranch carrot juice
- ½ oz. Caraway-infused Long Meadow Ranch honey
- ¼ oz. Lemon juice
- ¼ oz. Lime juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker.
- Fill halfway with ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into coupe glass.
- Garnish with a carrot twist.
Notes
Casey Bruce of Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch created this recipe.
