7 Cocktails That Will Make Halloween Celebrations Even More Spirited
Halloween is just on the horizon, and in addition to deciding what costumes to wear this year and just how scary it will be to leave the house, there’s the question of what to drink. Whether your perfect holiday is spent watching horror flicks at home or going all out for an epic costume party, or taking the lead behind the bar, every celebration will benefit from one of these tasty libations. The inclusion of pumpkin and baking spices or dark, moody fruits like blackberries and dragon fruit, are what make these Halloween cocktails embody the spirit of the season.
Pumpkin Patch
There are few flavors that welcome fall better than apple, cinnamon and pumpkin, which all marry wonderfully in this tall, festive libation. “This cocktail brings out the aromas of Zacapa's stone fruit notes, which the apple and cinnamon compliment,” Lynnette Marrero, NYC mixologist and founder of Speed Rack, says. “The pumpkin adds body and a vegetal note.”
2 oz. Zacapa 23
2 oz. apple cider
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
.75 oz. cinnamon syrup (instructions follow)
2 barspoons pumpkin butter
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
Cinnamon Syrup
Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a pan. Bring it to a simmer for 5 minutes. When the syrup is cool, strain and discard the solids. Keep the syrup refrigerated.
Good Omens
This two-ingredient drink couldn’t be simpler to make, and its rich flavor will impress any guest coming through for spooky celebrations. “Hecate (pronounced Heh-kuh-tee) is the Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft and potions,” Bently Heritage Estate Distillery says. “Our Hecate Cacao Liqueur draws inspiration from her potion-making prowess by delicately extracting the aromatic essence from the finest sustainably sourced, raw ingredients.”
1.5 oz. Source One Single Estate Vodka, Rested in Oak Sherry Casks
.75 oz. Hecate Cacao Liqueur
Blood orange wheel, to garnish
Add ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, and stir until chilled. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a blood orange wheel.
Murderer’s Row
Full-bodied and fruity, Fonseca BIN 27 Reserve Port has a rich ruby color that gives this drink a deep, brooding hue. The port’s dark fruit notes pair perfectly with bourbon’s vanilla and oak flavors, while pear and lemon juice give it brightness and zing. Cue up a scary movie marathon and pair this cocktail with something decadent and chocolatey.
2 oz. Fonseca Bin 27 Reserve Port
.75 oz. bourbon
1 oz. fresh pear juice
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
.25 oz. agave syrup
4 blackberries, divided
In a shaker tin, muddle two blackberries with the agave syrup and lemon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients along with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with the remaining blackberries.
Red Dragon
Don Papa 10 Rum spends three years aging in re-charred, ex-bourbon casks, which gives it a bold flavor with notes of dried fruits and cacao. "Although it's a simple take on a classic Daiquiri, this cocktail’s depth of color represents the darker side of the Don in raw form,” Tomas Delos Reyes, mixologist at Standard Hotel Bar and Jeepney, says.
2 oz. Don Papa 10
.75 oz. red dragon fruit puree
.75 oz. fresh lime juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
Red dragon fruit cube, to garnish
Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a cube or two of red dragon fruit.
Tootsie Roll photo credit Elm & Good
Tootsie Roll
If you’re feeling nostalgic for trick or treating, this dessert libation puts a drinkable spin on a classic candy. “The cocktail tastes just like a Tootsie Roll, but with a boozy punch,” David Esquibel, GM at Elm & Good in Dallas’ The Pittman Hotel, says. “It’s perfect for adults looking for a fun, festive way to celebrate.”
1.5 oz. crème de cacao
1.5 oz. Stoli Vanilla
.75 oz. Banane du Brésil
1 dash cardamom bitters
1 dash dark cherry bitters
1 barspoon amarena cherry syrup
Chocolate syrup, for drizzling
Lemon twist, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Swirl chocolate syrup into a coup or martini glass. Strain cocktail from the shaker tin into the glass. Finish with a lemon twist or pigtail.
The Almond of Dr. Moreau
This cocktail is somewhat of a cross between a Margarita and shaken Piña Colada, and the coconut milk brings to mind another beloved Halloween candy. “If you’re in the mood for something refreshing that still hits a little on the sweeter side, our Almond Joy-inspired cocktail is just the thing,” Darwin Manahan and Pascal Shin of Punch + Co, say. “An unusually refreshing combination of coconut milk, lime juice, pineapple juice and Mezcal El Silencio Espadin, it will help you revisit a favorite childhood candy without all the coconut in your teeth.”
1.5 oz. Mezcal El Silencio Espadin
2 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut milk
.75 oz. lime juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
Lime zest, to garnish
Place all the ingredients, save for the garnish, in a shaker tin. Dry shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Fill the shaker tin with ice and shake vigorously for another 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lime zest.
Glühberry
“As temperatures begin to drop, the Glühberry is a perfect warming cocktail to keep you cozy on those chilly fall nights,” Marili Hellmund, mixologist and recipe developer, says. “A twist on a traditional German Glühwein, the drink is a tasty combination of Heimat New York Cranberry liqueur, hot apple cider and rum.” Use this cocktail to kick-off your Halloween festivities, and enjoy it into the November and December holidays.
2 oz. Heimat New York Cranberry
4 oz. Fresh apple cider
2 oz. dark rum
.5 oz. lemon juice
Sliced apples, to garnish
Fresh cranberries, to garnish
Mix all ingredients, including your favorite whole baking spices, into a saucepan, and heat until just before boiling. Garnish with a skewer of apples and cranberries.