Spirit of Spritz cocktail
Some may say that Halloween is the best holiday. It’s filled with delicious treats and snacks. (And it’s as perfectly acceptable to buy those treats from the store as it is to make them from scratch.) It’s a great excuse to get a little lax in housecleaning because, hey, those cobwebs are part of our Halloween decorations now. There are loads of seasonal activities from corn mazes to pumpkin patches to apple picking. In no other season would it seem as exciting to go look at squash. It’s an excuse to watch Hocus Pocus for the 10th time. And the best part of all is seeing adorable trick-or- treaters, especially those in hilarious superhero costumes that make it look like a 4-year-old has giant muscles. (Full disclosure: We are those people who think Halloween is the best holiday.)
The only problem with Halloween is that it’s a smidge kid-centric. Don’t get us wrong, all of the activities with the littles is what makes so Halloween fun, but we like fun too. Adult fun. We need a treat too. Nay, we deserve a treat. That dinosaur Halloween costume didn’t just hot glue itself together. We’ve compiled a list of adult treats in the form of Halloween-themed cocktails that we downright deserve after a day of painting faces or consoling a child over a lost plastic spider ring. These are drinks to prep for parties, sip while handing out candy, or knock back before taking the kiddos trick-or-treating.
Garnished with dabs of fake blood, sugary sprinkles and a DIY edible eyeball, these drinks add some grown-up whimsy to Halloween celebrations and perfectly pair with a handful of candy. Grabbed a Snickers? Try it paired with a Grave Digger. Snagged a Twizzler? It’s the perfect chaser for a Spider Bite. (Bonus points for those who use the Twizzler as a straw.)
Spirit of Spritz
This spirited cocktail (get it!?) is as refreshing as it is festive. The sparkling water and cider adds a fun fizz.
Get the recipe here.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Cocktail
Don't worry, this drink does not contain actual beetles. It does contain actual juice (and lots of rum). For those who don't want to use two types of rum, replace the light rum with more Malibu.
Get the recipe here.
Zombie Brains Halloween Cocktail
Muddled raspberries and pomegranate juice are the elements that give this drink its gory appearance. They also it give it a great taste along with vodka, Chambord, orange juice, and ginger ale.
Get the recipe here.
Beetlejuice Cocktail
This drink shares some ingredients with the previous Beetlejuice cocktail, like blue curaçao and sweet and sour mix. But the fruit flavors in this drink make it completely different. It combines melon, raspberry, and cranberry flavors, which give it a more "fall" taste, than that of a fruity island drink.
Get the recipe here.
Purple People Eater Color-Changing Halloween Cocktail
This is a gin-based drink that changes color. That fact alone would be enough to make it the perfect Halloween cocktail, but it doesn't stop there. The true piece de resistance is the eyeball garnish made from lychee and a cherry.
Get the recipe here.
The Goblet of Fire
The Goblet of Fire is the perfect cocktail for vodka-lovers or any aspiring magicians. Sprinkle on some cinnamon, chant "incendio" and light the drink on fire!
Get the recipe here.
Sour Frankenstein Cocktail
A margarita by any other name would still be delicious, as is this cucumber marg disguised as a Halloween specialty. The added fake blood made of corn syrup and food coloring is optional.
Get the recipe here.
Vampire's Kiss
What would a vampire-themed drink be without blood orange vodka? Well, whatever it is we don't want to know. In addition to blood orange vodka, this drink also has Midori, pineapple juice, cream, and grenadine.
Get the recipe here.
Halloween Vampire Cocktail
This vodka and amaretto concoction is delicious on its own, even without the special flavor injection. The sweetened raspberry puree is injected right into the drink or onto any other Halloween-y treat.
Get the recipe here.
Jack-O-Lantern Cream Cocktail
Rum, Triple Sec, and orange soda round out this cocktail. While it sounds refreshing enough to be a summertime drink, the garnish of an orange and lime slice makes it look like a drinkable pumpkin.
Get the recipe here.
Caramel Appletini
Party like it's 1999 with an appletini, specifically these caramel-drizzled appletinis. It's a lot more fun than bobbing for apples and the bright green color is perfect for any Halloween shindig.
Get the recipe here.
Crypt Keeper Cocktail
Cranberry juice, blue curaçao liqueur, and vodka make up this murky purple cocktail. The real showstopper is the sprinkle-rimmed glass, which calls for squeezing a tube of icing around the rim before the sprinkle application. Yum!
Get the recipe here.
The Poisoned Apple
What makes this apple cider-based drink extra special isn't the tequila, it's the dry ice used to make this drink smoke. It's dangerous to drink the dry ice before it melts, so it's best to sip this drink with a straw.
Get the recipe here.
Zombie Brain Shot
While this drink is more of a shot than a cocktail, it was too spooky to not include. The added Baileys looks like brains when poured in to the drink.
Get the recipe here.
The Witch's Heart
Blackberry shimmery liqueur — which is easy to make at home — gives this witch's brew its beautiful color. It also has an apple flavor, perfect for fall — and any wicked witch poison apple references one might want to make.
Get the recipe here.
Phantom Potion
The vibrant color in this drink comes from Kool-Aid. There are only three ingredients in this drink, making it super easy to make a large batch for a punch bowl.
Get the recipe here.
The Grave Digger
The Gravedigger is full of delicious fall flavors: whiskey, apple, and ginger. Booze lovers rejoice, the drink's apple cider used is actually hard apple cider.
Get the recipe here.
Halloween Wine Cocktail
The cocktail is mainly rose wine. Rose usually feels like a summertime beverage, but this cocktail will make it an autumn staple.
Get the recipe here.
Pumpkin Head
The Pumpkin Head puts its money where its mouth is with literal pumpkin puree in the recipe. Added brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup makes it feel like a dessert.
Get the recipe here.
Spider Bite
This boozy brew has lots of delicious fruity flavors. And like a spider, it will sneak up on those who aren't paying attention.
Get the recipe here.
