We hope you have your costume ready to go, because Halloween is around the corner! Whether you’re going as a goblin or a ghoul, Kylo Ren or Ken Bone, our list of delicious Halloween cocktails is sure to have the right accessory to complete your night!

2016 Halloween Drink Guide

Boo! It’s that time of year to delight in all things that go bump in the night! To celebrate the twisted fun and laughing screams that Halloween season brings, we have some specialty Halloween cocktails to help make your celebrations extra spooktacular.

Halloween Cocktails

Ancho Gimlet

Recipe and image courtesy of Ancho Reyes Verde and Hendricks Gin.

• 1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
• 1 part Hendricks Gin
• 1 part Lime
• ½ part Rich simple syrup 2:1 Sugar:Water
• Slice of cucumber

Add all ingredients to shaker, add ice and shake hard to chill and dilute.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail coupe, garnish with a cucumber wheel.

Autumn Seelbach

Created by Dominic Venegas (NYC). Recipe and image courtesy of Baker’s® Bourbon.

Prefer a higher proof cocktail? The Baker’s Autumn Seelbach cocktail mixes fresh pressed apple cider, baked apple bitters and cinnamon, adding a sweet seasonal touch to the robust, 107-proof bourbon.

• 1 part Baker’s® Bourbon
• 1/2 part JDK & Sons™ O3
• 1/2 part Fresh Pressed Apple Cider
• 5 dashes Baked Apple Bitters
• 5 dashes Tiki Bitters
• Hard Cider

Combine Baker’s® Bourbon, JDK & Sons™ O3, fresh pressed apple cider, and bitters in a mixing glass over ice and stir. Strain into a coupe glass and top with hard cider. Garnish with a long apple twist.

Bat Magic

Designed to be a worthy indulgence for adults this Halloween – try this dark rum and dark beer concoction from BACARDÍ for a toasted, roasted cocktail that’s a major upgrade from sipping a stout on its own.  The BACARDÍ Bat Magic plays up signature autumn flavors for an on-trend cocktail – combining dark beer, Orange bitters, and BACARDÍ Black, it’s a well-balanced cocktail to serve for any Halloween or fall get together.  Make Halloween entertaining easy with this simple, five ingredient cocktail that will be sure to impress your guests.

The Recipe uses BACARDÍ Black, a medium bodied black rum expertly blended by the Maestros de Ron, who use rum developed in heavily charred oak barrels to achieve buttery caramel and vanilla notes.  The Bat Magic cocktail is inspired by the iconic BACARDÍ logo, the bat, making it perfect for the frightful nighttime holiday.

Recipe and image courtesy of BACARDÍ Black.

• 1.5 parts BACARDÍ Black
• 0.5 part Fresh Lime Juice
• 0.5 part Simple Syrup
• Dark Beer
• 2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Combine BACARDÍ Black, lime juice, simple syrup and bitters in a shaker filled with ice, shake, strain into an ice filled pint glass, then fill with dark beer. Garnish with an Orange Slice.

Black Widow

Recipe and image courtesy of Crystal Head Vodka.

• 2 oz. Crystal Head Vodka
• 1 oz. *Blackberry shrub
• .75 oz. lemon juice
• .75 oz. **molasses simple syrup

Pour all of the ingredients in a shaker. Add ice. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. Use cocktail strainer and pour cocktail in a hurricane glass. Fill glass with crushed ice. Garnish to your liking, have fun!  ENJOY.

*Blackberry Shrub

(Makes about 4 cups)

• 2 3/4 cups of blackberries
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 3/4 cup of aged balsamic vinegar

Put the blackberries and sugar to a medium saucepan. Mix and crush the berries with a muddler to release the juices.  Add water and cook on low heat until the berries are soft (about 10 – 15 minutes).  Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and keep lightly mashing the berries each time you stir.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh basket strainer and return to the saucepan.  You may discard the solids.  Add the aged balsamic vinegar.   Increase the heat to medium-low and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Take the mixture off of the heat and let cool. Transfer to a pitcher or bottle.  Chill shrub in the refrigerator before using.

Molasses simple syrup

• 2 cups of granulated white sugar
• 1 cup of very hot water
• 2 tbsp of molasses.

Stir and let cool (makes about 3 cups)

Blood Orange Connection

Between candy, ghosts and goblins, it’s easy to forget that adults can celebrate Halloween too with a cocktail in hand! EFFEN Vodka’s newest flavor, Blood Orange, is zesty, citrusy and smooth, making it easy to sip over ice or to shake up in a sweet and festive Halloween cocktail, like the EFFEN Blood Orange Connection. The vibrant orange color of this cocktail looks great next to your decorative pumpkins and is sure to kick off any costume party with a spooky splash.

Recipe and image courtesy of EFFEN® Blood Orange Vodka.

• 1 1/4 parts EFFEN® Blood Orange Vodka
• 3/4 part Courvoisier® VS Cognac
• 1/2 part Simple Syrup
• 1/2 part Fresh Lemon Juice
• Orange Twist, for Garnish

Combine ingredients in Boston Shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini cocktail glass with sugared rum. Garnish with orange twist.

Blood Orange Sipper

Recipe and image courtesy of Ruffino Moscato d’Asti.

• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz gin
• 4 oz Ruffino Moscato d’Asti

Add the Campari, vermouth, and gin to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Pour into a champagne flute. Top off with the Moscato d’Asti. Garnish with the orange peel.

Brown Sugar

Recipe courtesy of Jose Cuervo®.

• .5 shot Cuervo Especial Silver
• .75 shot St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 1 shot Ruby grapefruit juice
• Top up with Brut champagne

Shake first three ingredients together with ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Top with champagne and a grapefruit zest twist.

Dance with the Devil

Recipe and image courtesy of SVEDKA Clementine.

• 1 part SVEDKA Clementine
• 1 part Sweet Vermouth
• 1 Part Campari

Combine all ingredients, stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Dark as Night

If you’re more of a rum fan, the Cruzan Dark as Night is a sweet treat that combines the sweet, smooth flavor of Cruzan Black Strap Rum with the refreshingly crisp taste of cider.

Recipe and image courtesy of Cruzan® Black Strap Rum.

• 1 part Cruzan® Black Strap Rum
• 1/4 part Falernum Syrup
• 1/2 part Fresh Lime Juice
• 6 parts Cider

Combine Black Strap, falernum syrup and fresh lime juice in a mixing glass. Pour cider into a rocks glass and slowly float mixture over top of the cider. Finish with fresh grated nutmeg and a lime or orange peel.

The Dead Flower

Recipe courtesy of Jose Cuervo®.

• 2.5 Jose Cuervo® Especial Silver
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Brown sugar for garnish

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel after expressing the natural oils over the drink and rubbing the peel around the rim of the glass.

Halloween Sugar Cookie Shooter

Created by Skyler Bouchard of @NYCDining. Recipe courtesy of Baileys Irish Cream.

• 2 oz Baileys Original
• 1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 oz Milk

Rim shooter glass with honey and sugar cookie sprinkles. Combine Baileys Original, vanilla ice cream and milk into blender. Blend well. Pour contents into shooter glass and serve with Halloween sugar cookies.

Jerry The Icelandic Sailor

Recipe and image courtesy of Reyka Vodka and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

• 1 part Reyka Vodka
• 1 part Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• ½ part Lemon Juice
• ½ part Peach Juice or Nectar Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients into cocktail shaker except bitters. Shake, double strain, and serve over crushed ice. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.

The Late Night

Recipe courtesy of Jose Cuervo®.

• 1 shot Jose Cuervo® Especial Silver
• 1 shot triple sec
• 2 shots of fresh orange juice
• .5 shot fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Mischief Night

Recipe and image courtesy of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

• 2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• ½ part fresh lemon juice
• 1 part Grade-A Vermont maple syrup
• 1 ½ parts fresh orange juice
• Seasonal pilsner (to taste)

Build ingredients in empty shaker, add ice, shake and strain into chilled pint glass or desired beer mug (no ice).  Top with a seasonal pilsner of your choosing.

Poblano Ghostkiller

Created by our friend Gil Bouhana. Recipe courtesy of 1905 Lounge at HGU New York

• 1.5 oz VIVA XXXII Reposado
• 0.5 oz Coconut Cream
• 0.5 oz Ancho Reyes Chile
• 1.0 oz Orange Juice
• .25 oz Lime Juice
• GARNISH:
• Ancho Chile

Dry, Shake and pour into a high ball or martini glass

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Created by NYC Mixologist Sarah Morrissey. Recipe courtesy of Baileys Pumpkin Spice.

• 1 oz Baileys Pumpkin Spice
• 1 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
• 1 1/2 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
• Cola to Top
• Mint Sprig for Garnish

Combine Baileys Pumpkin Spice, Captain Morgan and vanilla ice cream in a highball glass. Top with cola and stir. Garnish with mint sprig.  

The Ramble

The earthy flavor and sweet potato notes of the Hudson Maple Cask Rye really evoke the flavors of autumn in this fall cocktail.

Recipe and image courtesy of Hudson Maple Cask Rye.

• 2 parts Hudson Maple Cask Rye
• ½ part Cynar
• ½  part dry vermouth
• 1 bar spoon Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters

Stir ingredients over ice to chill, then strain into rocks glass over one large cube. Flame a sprig of rosemary for aroma and garnish.

Rye & Orange Tumbler

Created by Chef Michael Symon. Recipe and image courtesy of Knob Creek® Rye.

Indulge in the big, full flavor of Knob Creek with the Knob Creek Rye & Orange Tumbler. Featuring ingredients that are already in your pantry, this cocktail is easy to make and brings the deliciously rich and savory notes of rye to life with a cocktail that offers smooth spice in every sip.

• 1½ parts Knob Creek® Rye
• 1 part Club Soda
• ½ part Sugar
• ½ Orange
• ½ Rosemary Sprig

Muddle the orange, rosemary and sugar thoroughly in the bottom of a shaker. Combine with Knob Creek® Rye, add ice and shake vigorously. Strain over ice and float with club soda.

Southern Cornucopia

Kitchen 320 recently opened its doors inside the newly remodeled B Historic hotel in Savannah, GA. The neighborhood restaurant and bar is serving up southern tradition with modern techniques by local chef, William Herrington. As part of the opening, I have included below a signature recipe compliments of the bar master, Andre Carter, inspired be the historic towns most popular season and holiday, Halloween.

Created by bar master Andre Carter. Recipe courtesy of Kitchen 320.

• 2 oz Cognac
• 1 oz Pumpkin Butter
• .5 oz Cardamaro
• .5 oz Pecan Simple Syrup
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Cinnamon Stick
• Hollowed Small Pumpkin

Combine Bourbon, pumpkin butter, Cardamaro, simple syrup and lemon juice in a shaker. Shake. Pour into hollow pumpkin. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon stick. Serve.

Smoked Pumpkin

Created by Drew Sweeney, Beverage Director at the TAO group. Recipe courtesy of The Rickey at Dream Midtown.

• 1 oz Ketel One Orange
• 1 oz Illegal Mezcal
• .25 oz Lime Juice
• 2 heaping barspoons of Pumpkin Butter
• 2 dashes of Orange Bitters
• Long orange, twist and a sprinkle of Flaked Smoked Salt

In tin add Ketel, mezcal, lime juice, pumpkin butter and bitters. Add ice, shake, strain into rocks glass with cubed ice

Spellbound Smash

Created by Stephen Cole (Chicago, IL). Recipe and image courtesy of Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon.

The Basil Hayden’s Spellbound Smash is a unique twist on the classic Whiskey Smash cocktail. With the addition of fresh blackberries and orange bitters, the dark red color of this cocktail makes it a perfect spooky sipper for the occasion.

• 2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
• ¾ part Demerara Syrup*
• 2 dashes Angostura® Bitters
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• Half of a Lemon
• 5 Fresh Blackberries
• 3 Sage Leaves (2 for garnish)
• 1 sprig of Thyme (for garnish)

Place half of a lemon and the blackberries into a cocktail shaker and lightly press with the back of a bar spoon. Add remaining ingredients, including one sage leaf, to cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with remaining two sage leaves and a sprig of thyme.

*Demerara Syrup can be purchased, or homemade by combining a 1:1 ratio of Demerara sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

The Underdog

It’s a fact of life. When out trick or treating, someone always gets a rock. Drown any potential Halloween sorrows with this cocktail.

Recipe and image courtesy of Drambuie.

• ¾ part Drambuie
• ¾ part Dry vermouth
• ½ part Amaro
• ¼ part Hendrick’s Gin

Build and stir in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Vampire Bite

Recipe and image courtesy of SVEDKA Vodka and SERPENT’S BITE Whisky.

• 1 part SVEDKA Vodka
• ½ part Rum Cream Liqueur
• ½ part SERPENT’S BITE Whisky

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a shot glass. Top with cinnamon sugar.

Halloween Punches

Halloween parties with friends can be tons of fun, but if you are always stuck on designated bartender duty, it can get old really quick. Unchain yourself from the bar and serve up one of these festive Halloween punch recipes so that you can participate in the seasonal merriment as well.

Apple Ginger Punch

Recipe and image courtesy of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

• 1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• 2 parts sour mix
• 1 part apple juice
• 1 part ginger syrup
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

Add ingredients into mixing glass, add ice, shake, strain over ice into a rocks glass and garnish with an apple slice and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Wicked Black Forest Punch

Created by Willy Shine, Brand Meister.

Serves 15ppl

• 15 oz Jägermeister
• 5 oz Kirschwasser
• 2.5 oz velvet falernum
• 5 oz Hibiscus tea syrup agave syrup
• 5 oz Fresh Lemon juice
• 2.5 oz Passionfruit juice
• 2.5 oz Fresh Orange juice
• 7.5 oz Fresh pineapple juice
• 10 oz filtered water
• 10 dashes Angostura bitters
• 20 oz Ginger beer

Combine all ingredients into a gallon container except the ginger beer and refrigerate. When time to serve pour into a punch bowl with big ice cube garnish with orange wheels lemon wheels & hibiscus flowers couple of chips of food grade dry ice.

Wicked Red Punch

The fourth annual limited edition Wicked Red Blend bottle is wrapped with an intricately designed sugar skull design. The blend is fruit-forward with hints of oak, blackberries, mocha and an eerily smooth finish. A great budget friendly offering for any Halloween gathering and equally good when mixed into the Wicked Red Punch!

Recipe courtesy of HobNob Wicked Red.

15 servings

• 1 750-ml bottle of HobNob Wicked Red
• 1½ cups spiced rum
• 3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 oranges, zested
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup
• 1 lime, zested 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and let sit, refrigerated for at least an hour before. Coat glass rims with sugar and garnish with an orange slice. If available, add one large block of ice to the bowl. Stir well before serving.

Wicked Witches Brew

Recipe and image courtesy of Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice.

• (2) 32 oz. bottles Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice
• (1) 32 oz. bottle sparkling water (Lime, orange, black cherry flavors are great options)
• (1) 32 oz. cherry-flavored vodka (Grey Goose Cherry Noir or Pinnacle Cherry Vodka)
• Ice
• (3-5) wax vampire fangs

Put Cheribundi ice cubes or frozen shapes into a large punch bowl. Add both bottles of Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice. Add the vodka. Add the sparkling water. 

Quick Tips:

*Be sure to have extra ingredients on hand to replenish the bowl. The proportions are easy to maintain a delicious punch straight through the witching hour!

*The key to a great punch is the ice; using traditional ice leads to a punch that is watered-down and bland tasting. Using frozen Cheribundi gives your punch that extra flavor to keep things fun until all your guests go home.

Witches Cauldron

Recipe and image courtesy of SVEDKA Vodka.

• 1 part SVEDKA Cherry
• 1 part apple juice
• ¼ part amaretto liqueur
• ¾ part fresh lemon juice
• Dash Angostura bitters
• Soda water

Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl over ice.  Garnish with star anise, cranberries and orange wheels. Add a splash of soda water when serving.  

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Standard Disclosure: The “A History of Drinking” team received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, we only recommend products or services that we either personally like or believe to be of interest to our readers. If a product sucks, we will tell you in no uncertain terms. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

More Halloween entertaining articles across the web:

• Eyeball Highball Cocktail for Halloween
• Halloweekend Pub Crawl Newport Beach
• 21 Halloween Baking Recipes for This Year’s Spooktacular Bash

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