Your Next Halloween Party Needs These SpOoOoOky Cocktails
Spooky season is officially upon us (yes, we've declared that it starts as soon as the clock strikes September), and you’ve taken on the role of hosting the most important function of the year—the Halloween party. A big responsibility, yes, but we know you can do it. Here’s why: You’ve already come to the right place for hosting the ultimate spooky soiree.
Planning a big, boo-tiful (sry, had to) bash can be well, a little terrifying at first, but once you realize all you need are some scary good decorations, a killer costume or two, and some devilishly delicious food and dranks (no pressure at all, right?) the party is already half-planned. Lucky for you, we’ve already taken care of a portion of that planning, and a very important portion, at that: enter le Halloween cocktails.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most fun, festive potions for Halloween 2022—and honestly, they’re all pretty damn easy. We're talking a lot of “combine” and “pour over ice” situations using ingredients you may already have on your bar cart (although if you wanna go all out and get some dry ice, be our guest). We’ve also included a large variety of recipes, so you’ll be sure to put a spell on (in a good way) anyone at the party, from sweet and smoky old fashioneds to light and bubbly, toil and trouble-inspired spritzes. And with that, we’ll leave you to peruse with just one recommendation, and that is to go heavy on the boo-ze with these Halloween cocktails. (Pro-tip: If you don’t want to be parked at the bar all night, just make some big batches of your faves and have your guests serve and decorate their glasses themselves.)
1. Drunken Peanut Butter Cups
In a mason jar, combine 1 cup vodka and 1/2 cup Reese’s pieces. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and shake. Refrigerate overnight, then strain. The next day: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then pour over 3 oz strained Reese's-infused vodka, 3 oz milk, and 2 oz chocolate liqueur. Shake until chilled. Put 1/4 cup peanut butter on one small plate and 1/2 cup crushed Reese's Pieces on another. Dunk tops of two cocktail glasses in peanut butter then roll in crushed Reese's Pieces. Drizzle about a tablespoon of chocolate syrup into each glass. Divide cocktail mixture between glasses and garnish each with a large Reese's peanut butter cup.
Recipe from Delish
2. Apple Cider Doughnut Slushie
Pour 3 cups apple cider, 2 oz vodka or whiskey, juice from one lemon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a loaf pan, whisking to combine. Freeze for 1 hour. Remove the cider mixture from the freezer and use a fork to scrape the slushy mixture, so it doesn't turn into a giant ice cube. Once fully scraped and stirred, return it to the freezer for 1 hour more. Remove the cider mixture from the freezer once again, using a fork to scrape and stir it into a consistency like shaved ice. If it's not frozen enough for your taste, pop it back in the freezer for another 45 minutes. Otherwise, spoon into 2 glasses and garnish each rim with a mini cinnamon sugar doughnut.
Recipe from Delish
3. Hocus Pocus Jello Shots
Into three separate bowls or measuring cups, add 1 package orange Jell-O, 1 package purple Jell-O, and 1 package green Jell-O. Into each bowl add 1 cup boiling water plus 1 cup vodka and whisk until Jell-O mixture is fully dissolved. Pour into plastic cups and place in the refrigerator to harden, 3 to 4 hours. Meanwhile, make witch's hats. Make sure all cream is removed from 15 Oreo cookies and place smooth side down. Take 30 unwrapped Hershey Kisses and dip in 1 cup Cool Whip, and then into the orange, purple, and green sanding sugar of your choice. Press chocolate Kiss in the center of the cookie to join the two. When Jell-O is hardened, top with Cool Whip and a witch hat cookie. Serve.
Recipe from Delish
4. Nightmare on Bourbon Street
Rim a cocktail glass with cinnamon sugar. Fill with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 1/2 oz bourbon, 1/4 cup apple cider, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and shake to combine. Strain into the prepared glass. Top with 5 oz sparkling hard Honeycrisp apple cider. Serve with cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and apple slices, if desired.
Recipe from Half-Baked Harvest
5. Apple Cider Mimosas
On a small plate, combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Dip champagne flutes in water to wet the rims, then dip in cinnamon sugar mixture. Fill champagne flutes 1/4 full with 1 cup apple cider, then top off with 1 bottle champagne or prosecco.
Recipe from Delish
6. Grilled Orange Old-Fashioned
Heat a grill or griddle pan to medium-high. Grill one sliced navel orange, turning occasionally, just until charred, 2 to 4 minutes. In a pitcher, muddle oranges, 4 dashes Angastura bitters, and 4 maraschino cherries in a pitcher until fruit is slightly mashed. Stir in 8 oz bourbon or rye. Thread 4 large marshmallows on skewers and grill, turning, until charred, about 1 minute. Serve drink over ice garnished with roasted marshmallows.
Recipe from Country Living
7. Apple Cinnamon Cider Cups
For each apple cup, cut off top quarter of a large apple then remove and discard core. (If apple seems unstable, cut thin slice off bottom.) Using a melon baller, scoop out center of apple, leaving a 1/4-inch rim. (Reserve apple centers for another use.) To serve, fill each cup with 1 oz of your favorite liquor (bourbon or whiskey would be great here) and then fill the rest with apple cider. Top with a star anise pod and a cinnamon stick for sipping.
Recipe from Woman's Day
8. Witches' Brew Lemonade
Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin and top with 2 oz sparkling lemonade. Very carefully and slowly pour the 2 oz curacao into the glass, letting it settle on the bottom. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Recipe from Delish
9. Creamsicle Punch
In a large bowl, combine 2 quarts orange juice, 2 cups vodka, 1 liter ginger ale, and 1 bottle prosecco. Carefully scoop 1 quart vanilla ice cream and add one orange, sliced. Ladle into glasses and serve.
Recipe from Delish
10. Poison Apple Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker, combine 1/3 cup apple cider, 1/3 cup cranberry juice, 2 oz Fireball, 1 oz grenadine, and 1/4 teaspoon edible gold glitter, and then fill shaker with ice. Shake until contents are mixed and shaker is cold, about 30 seconds. Pour into glass and serve.
Recipe from Delish
11. Apricot Bourbon Brew
Combine 1 ½ oz (3 tablespoons) bourbon, 6 oz Apricot nectar or tropical fruit juice, and a dash of bitters. Pour over ice.
Recipe from Good Housekeeping
12. Tart Cherry Eyeball Punch
Drain 2 15-oz cans of lychees, reserving 1 ½ cups of lychee syrup. Carefully stuff blackberries from a 6 oz container in each lychee; chill. In a large pitcher, stir together reserved lychee syrup, 4 cups tart cherry juice, 1 cup fresh orange juice, and 1 ½ cups vodka or light rum; chill. Add stuffed lychees and 3 12-oz cans chilled sparkling water to punch. Serve over ice.
Recipe from Country Living
13. Cider Sidecar
Place 2 oz fresh apple cider, 2 oz cognac, 1 oz Cointreau, and 1 oz lemon juice in a cocktail shaker; top with ice. Shake until the shaker starts to frost and feels very cold to the touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe and top with a strip of lemon zest and brandied cherries.
Recipe from Country Living
14. Sleepy Hollow Cocktail
To make the honey syrup, in a small pot, bring 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup honey, and 1 sprig fresh rosemary to a boil over high heat. Boil 2 to 3 minutes, add the zest of one orange, then remove from the heat. Let cool. The syrup can be kept in a glass jar for up to 2 weeks. To make the cocktail, rim glasses in cinnamon sugar, if desired. Combine 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, 2 oz tequila, a couple of dashes of orange bitters, a pinch of cinnamon, and 1-2 tablespoons of the honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to combine. Strain into glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary.
Recipe from Half-Baked Harvest
15. Blood Orange Sangria
Zest one blood oranges and combine it with ½ cup sugar in a small bowl. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until fragrant. Juice four more blood oranges, discarding any seeds or pith. Chop 2 more blood oranges into pieces. In a large pitcher, combine 2 bottles pinot grigio, ½ cup brandy, blood orange juice, 1 cup club soda, 1 apple, chopped, 12 oz strawberries, chopped, 1 pint raspberries, and chopped blood oranges. Stir well to combine. Place the orange sugar on a plate, then run a lemon, lime or orange slice around the rim of each glass. Dunk each glass in the sugar, coating well. Fill each glass with a few ice cubes, then add some of the fruit from the sangria. Pour the sangria into each glass and serve!
Recipe from How Sweet Eats
16. Black Widow Smash
In a cocktail shaker or glass jar, add 8 fresh blackberries, 1-2 teaspoons rosemary, juice from half a lemon and 1-2 tablespoons honey. Muddle all of the ingredients together, squishing everything to release the juices. Add 1 ½ oz tequila and a couple dashes of orange bitters. Then, add ice to your glass and strain the drink over the ice. Top the glass with a little more ice, pour a splash of sparkling water over, and gently stir to combine. Garnish with another sprig of fresh rosemary before serving.
Recipe from Half-Baked Harvest
17. Hocus Pocus Punch
In a pitcher or punch bowl, combine 6 cups apple cider, 2 cups cranberry juice, 2 (12-oz) cans orange seltzer, ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice, and 1 cup ginger ale or ginger beer. Add 2 oranges, sliced, 2 apples, sliced, and ⅓ cup maraschino cherries. Stir and serve!
Recipe from How Sweet Eats
18. Blood Moon Cocktail
In a shaker filled with ice, combine 1 ½ oz of The Sexton Single Malt, 1 oz fresh beet juice, ¾ oz fresh lemon juice, and 2 dashes orange bitters. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with blood orange peel.
Recipe from The Sexton
19. Pumpkin Cider
In an ice-filled punch bowl, combine 2 parts New Amsterdam Vodka, 1/2 part lemon sours, and 1/2 part real pumpkin syrup, then fill with equal parts apple cider and ginger beer to taste. Garnish with blood orange and apple slices.
Recipe from New Amsterdam
20. The Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker, add 1/2 part hibiscus syrup, 1 part mezcal, 1/2 part lemon juice, and shake. Place candied hibiscus flower into the bottom of a champagne flute (for that spooky effect) and top with Mumm Napa Cuveé.
Recipe from Mumm Napa
21. Blood Rising Cocktail
In an iced rocks glass, combine 1 ⅔ parts Jameson Black Barrel, 1 ⅔ parts Lillet Rouge, 1 ¼ parts berry syrup, and 1 ⅔ parts orange juice. Stir and garnish with a handful of fresh blackberries and an orange wedge.
Recipe from Jameson
22. Ghost in the Orchard Cocktail
In a glass with one large ice cube, combine 1 oz of mezcal, 1 oz of applejack, ½ oz of Benedictine, and 1 bar spoon of maple syrup. If you’d like, garnish with cinnamon or star anise.
Recipe from The Inspired Home
23. Mystic Moon Cocktail
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Then, add 2 oz of GT’s Gingerade Kombucha, 2 oz of GT’s Mystic Mango Kombucha, 2 oz of gin, 2 oz, of Thai basil simple syrup, and ½ of a lime (juiced). Then, pour in the powder from 1 capsule of active charcoal and gently shake to combine. Strain into a martini glass and enjoy.
Recipe from Crazy Inspired Life
24. Bourbon Butterbeer
For the buttered brown sugar syrup, combine 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of light brown sugar. Bring to a boil and, when cool, add 1 tsp of butter extract. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. For the Bourbon Butterbeer, combine 1.5 oz of bourbon, 1 oz of buttered brown sugar syrup, 4 oz of apple cider, and 2 oz of ginger beer in a glass. Serve with dry ice for the complete Harry Potter effect.
Recipe from Gastronom Blog
25. Spellbound Cocktail
Place 1 oz of Thai basil simple syrup in the bottom of a champagne flute. Then, fill the glass halfway with GT’s Gingerade Kombucha. Then, top off with prosecco. Gently stir, and serve.
Recipe from Crazy Inspired Life
26. Pomegranate Cider Mimosas
Coat the rim of each champagne flute with about a teaspoon of salted caramel. Add about an ounce of pomegranate juice to the bottom of the flute and add about another ounce of apple cider to that. Top with champagne and serve.
Recipe from How Sweet Eats
27. Spiked Jolly Rancher Punch
In a punch bowl, mix 3 cups pineapple juice, a 64 oz bottle of cranberry juice, 1 bottle sparkling apple cider, 1 liter bottle ginger ale, and 24 oz raspberry or passionfruit vodka. Serve with black licorice candy straws to make it even sweeter (but pace yourself when sipping this one).
Recipe from Sugar and Charm
28. Haunted Graveyard
Pour ½ cup bourbon and ⅓ cup maple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup ice, 4 orange slices, and a sprig of rosemary to the shaker and shake for at least 30 seconds. Add ice to a short whiskey glass and strain the cocktail into the glass. Finish with a sprig of torched rosemary for enhanced aromatics and flavor.
Recipe from Sprinkles and Sprouts
29. Pumpkin Spice White Russian
Mix 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 3 tablespoons of finely crushed graham crackers on a shallow plate. Wet the rim and dip glasses into the graham mixture. Pour 3 oz and 2 shots of both vodka and pumpkin spice creamer, along with 1.5 oz and 1 shot Kahlua into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until combined and cold to the touch. Pour cocktail into glasses and top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe from The Cookie Rookie
30. Monster Mash Margaritas
Combine 2 oz Silver Tequila, 4 oz blood orange juice, 1 oz lime juice, ice, and simple syrup to taste in a cocktail shaker and shake until well combined and chilled. Strain mixture over a glass of ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, slice of blood orange and lime, and a gummy eyeball stir stick for an extra Halloween effect.
Recipe from Freutcake
31. Cacao Imperial Old-Fashioned Cocktail
Pour 2 oz Ron Barceló Imperial, 2 drops Angostura bitters, 3 drops chocolate mole bitters, and ¼ oz sugar over ice, and stir. Top with shaved chocolate.
Recipe from Ron Barceló Imperial
32. Blood and Sand Cocktail With Lychee Eyeball
Combine 1½ oz orange juice, 1½ oz sweet vermouth, 1½ oz Cherry Heering, and 1½ oz blended scotch in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Make the lychee eyeball by placing a cranberry into the hole of each fruit. Slide each lychee onto a black plastic sword. Place the spooky fruit in your cocktail and enjoy.
Recipe from HelloFresh
33. Fright White Cocktail
Add 1 part Malibu Original, 1 part coconut cream, and 1½ parts apple juice to a strainer and shake with ice. Pour into a martini glass. Garnish with white cotton candy.
Recipe from Malibu Rum
34. The Apparition Cocktail
In an iced highball glass, combine ⅚ part blackberry syrup, 50 mL Jameson Black Barrel, ⅚ part lemon juice, ⅓ part orange juice, and ⅓ part sweet vermouth. Top with soda water and garnish with the zest of an orange and orange peel.
Recipe from Jameson
35. Dark and Stormy Cocktail
Combine 2 oz gin, 1 oz pomegranate juice, and ½ oz simple syrup in a large shaker. Add ice to the shaker, and shake for at least 30 seconds. Serve with a small cube of dry ice.
Recipe courtesy of Thumbtack
36. Absolut Masquerade Cocktail
In a mixing glass, add 1½ oz Absolut Vodka, 2 oz black currant juice, and ½ oz Chartreuse. Stir ingredients with ice, and strain into a chilled martini glass.
37. Winona Wallbanger Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1 oz vodka (like Loft & Bear), ½ oz Galliano, ½ oz pür•likör spice, 1 oz blood orange juice, and ½ oz Bittermens Speed Craft Grapefruit Cream Soda Syrup. Shake and strain over fresh ice in a short tumbler. Garnish with blood orange wheels.
Courtesy of E. P. and L. P. in West Hollywood, California
38. The Gravedigger Cocktail
Stir 1½ parts Cruz Reposado Tequila, ½ part mezcal, ¾ part fino sherry, and ½ part pear liqueur. Strain over a large ice cube (preferably in the shape of a skull, muahaha) in a glass. Garnish with an edible flower.
Created by Masa Urushido of Saxon + Parole
39. Sugarsnake Cocktail
Reduce 1 cup Black Raspberry Sparkling Ice with 2 Tablespoons white sugar until it forms a thick syrup. Drizzle syrup over interior and exterior of a cocktail glass. Chill with 1 part Wicked White Whiskey and 2 parts Kiwi Strawberry Sparkling Ice. Garnish with two kiwi slices.
40. Spiced Orange Pumpkin Bowl
Hollow out a medium-size pumpkin and fill halfway with ice. Depending on its size, pour in 4 to 8 bottles Crabbie’s Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer. Top with sliced oranges.
Serve with citrus ice cubes, which you can make by adding an orange zest curl and an orange quarter to each cube of your ice tray before you fill it with water and freeze. You can also decorate your glasses by dampening the rims with an orange slice, then rolling in a mixture of 2 Tablespoons cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar in the raw, and 1 Tablespoon allspice.
41. Black Cauldron Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1½ parts Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila, ¾ part fresh lemon juice, ¼ part agave syrup, ¼ part sage simple syrup, 2 dashes angostura bitters, and 1 capsule activated charcoal. Shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish with a lemon slice.
42. The Boneyard Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1 oz gin, 1 oz light rum, 1 oz silver tequila, 1 oz vodka, 1½ oz blue curaçao, and 2 oz sour mix. Shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with La Croix sparkling water.
Courtesy of Party City
43. Heat of the Moment Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 slices Fresno chili pepper, 2 oz Espolón Reposado Tequila, 1 oz Funkin’ Passion Fruit Puree, ½ oz fresh lime juice, and ½ oz agave syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into a rimmed glass with fresh ice. Rim half the glass with cinnamon sugar, Fresno chili “horns,” and a lime spiral.
Courtesy of Borracha in Las Vegas
44. Smoked Pumpkin Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 oz Ketel One Orange, ¼ oz lime juice, 1 oz Illegal Mezcal, 2 heaping bar spoons pumpkin butter, and 2 dashes orange bitters. Shake and strain into a glass with ice cubes. Garnish with an orange twist and a sprinkle of flake smoked salt.
Courtesy of The Rickey at Dream Midtown
45. Midnight’s Shadow Cocktail
Infuse Sugar Island Spiced Rum with espresso by mixing ¼ cup ground espresso with Sugar Island Spice Rum at room temperature. Let the mixture soak for 30 minutes. Strain.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 parts espresso-infused rum and ½ part fresh lime juice. Shake and strain into a collins glass. Top with ½ part ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel and candied ginger.
Created by Masa Urushido of Saxon + Parole
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