Halloween is upon us, which means it’s time for creepy costumes, pumpkin carving, and of course, killer cocktails. While you can never go wrong with a witch’s brew of red wine, sometimes a proper Halloween party calls for more elaborate potions and libations. We’ve gathered up some spooky-good cocktail recipes that are sure to be a hit at your next Halloween bash.

Setting the Spirited Scene

First, set the scene with some ambient lighting. Strategically placed candles, strings of lights, and lanterns create an inviting glow. Mix in Halloween décor like faux cobwebs, black cauldrons, and miniature pumpkins to add some seasonal spirit.

For glassware, stock up on potion bottles, test tubes, skull mugs, and glassware with creepy etchings. Top your potion creations with garnishes like lemon wedges, fresh berries, olives, or anything resembling eyeballs and anatomy parts. The right vessels and garnish make every elixir feel otherworldly.

Presenting the Potions

Now for the main event – some sinister sippers sure to enchant your guests!

Witches Brew

Our take on a classic starts with sweet blackberry syrup mixed with vodka, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice for a sweet yet tart concoction. Garnish with an orange slice “cauldron” and fresh mint “brooms.”

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz blackberry syrup
• 1 oz peach schnapps
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• Orange slice and mint sprig for garnish

Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add the vodka, blackberry syrup, peach schnapps and cranberry juice. Shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a floating orange slice “cauldron” and mini broom-shaped mint sprig.

Swamp Juice

This murky green mixture takes on an eerie swamp hue from melon liqueur, apple juice, and lemon-lime soda. Mint and lime lend freshness to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1⁄2 oz melon liqueur
• 1⁄2 oz triple sec
• 1⁄2 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz apple juice
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 2-4 oz lemon-lime soda
• Mint and lime wedge for garnish

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, melon liqueur, triple sec, simple syrup, apple juice, and lemon juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass over fresh ice. Top with lemon-lime soda and garnish with mint and lime.

Black Magic

This devilishly dark cocktail mixing blackberry brandy, coffee liqueur, and cola evokes its name. An orange peel twisted into a spooky face makes for a perfect finishing touch.

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 oz blackberry brandy
• 1⁄2 oz coffee liqueur
• 4 oz cola
• Orange peel twisted into garnish

Directions:
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Add the blackberry brandy and coffee liqueur and top with cola. Stir gently and garnish with the orange peel face.

Toxic Apple

The ideal balance of sweet and tart, this glowing green drink perfectly evokes a poisoned apple. Midori melon liqueur, sour apple schnapps, lemon-lime soda, and lime come together for a fizzy, fruity concoction.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1⁄2 oz Midori melon liqueur
• 1⁄2 oz sour apple schnapps
• 1⁄2 oz triple sec
• 2 oz lemon-lime soda
• 1⁄2 oz lime juice
• Apple slice and lime wedge garnish

Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add vodka, Midori, sour apple schnapps, triple sec, and lime juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass over fresh ice. Top with lemon-lime soda and garnish with apple slice and lime.

Graveyard Smash

This sweet and tangy brandy smash is named for its murky grey hue evoking misty cemetery mornings. The key is blackberry brandy and blackberries muddled with mint and lemon.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz blackberry brandy
• 5 blackberries
• 5-6 mint leaves
• 1⁄2 oz lemon juice
• 1⁄2 oz simple syrup
• Mint sprig, blackberries, and lemon wheel for garnish

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries, mint leaves, lemon juice and simple syrup until blended and mint is fragrant. Add brandy and a handful of ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Double strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with mint, blackberries, and a lemon wheel.

Vampire’s Kiss

This cocktail’s deep red hue and tart cranberry flavor are like the perfect bloody “kiss.” Vodka, cranberry juice, and just a hint of raspberry liqueur create the ideal blend.

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 oz vodka
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1⁄2 oz raspberry liqueur
• Lime wedge garnish

Directions:
Fill a shaker with ice then add vodka, cranberry juice and Chambord. Shake until thoroughly chilled then strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge “fang”.

Corpse Reviver

Don’t let the chilling name fool you – this refreshing citrus cocktail “revives” any corpse (or plain old human). Gin, lemon juice, Cointreau, and a dash of absinthe deliver tangy, zesty flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz gin
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1 dash absinthe
• Orange twist garnish

Directions:
Shake gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and absinthe vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Toxic Slime

The ideal balance of sweet and sour, this glowing green drink perfectly evokes ghostly ectoplasm. Melon schnapps, pineapple juice, lemon, and soda water are shaken until frothy and chilled.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz melon schnapps
• 1 oz vodka
• 1⁄2 oz triple sec
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1⁄2 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz soda water
• Lime wedge garnish

Directions:
Combine schnapps, vodka, triple sec, pineapple juice, lemon juice and soda water in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled and frothy. Strain into a glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Spider Bite

This sweet and fruity black “martini” gets its creepy crawly name from the blackberry and cherry juices mingling together. Vodka and Chambord round out the simple blend.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz blackberry juice
• 1 oz cherry juice
• 1⁄2 oz raspberry liqueur
• Blackberry and cherry skewer garnish

Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add vodka, blackberry juice, cherry juice, and Chambord. Shake until chilled and frothy then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a blackberry and cherry “spider” skewer.

Bat’s Blood

Rich dark fruits like blackberries and black cherry lend deep crimson color and sweet berry flavor. Tart cranberry juice and soda add a bloody tinge and fizz.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1⁄4 oz blackberry liqueur
• 1⁄4 oz black cherry liqueur
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1⁄2 oz lime juice
• 1-2 oz soda water
• Blackberries & lime wedge for garnish

Directions:
Muddle a few blackberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients except soda water and fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and double strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Top with soda water and garnish with blackberries and lime wedge.

Here are some recipes for the non-alcoholic Halloween drink ideas:

Witch’s Brew

• 1 scoop lime sherbet
• 12 oz ginger ale
• Lime wedge garnish

Combine lime sherbet and ginger ale in a glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

Monster Mash

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup grape juice
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 12 oz ginger ale

Stir together juices in a pitcher. Pour into glasses filled with ice and top with ginger ale.

Mummy Juice

• 1 cup orange juice
• 12 oz cream soda
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream

Fill glass halfway with orange juice. Add cream soda and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Swamp Sludge

• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 12 oz lemon-lime soda
• 1 oz blue curacao syrup

Combine lime juice, soda, and blue curacao syrup in a glass. Stir and serve over ice.

Spider Cider

• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 tbsp caramel syrup
• Floating doughnut hole

Heat apple cider on stovetop with caramel syrup. Pour into mug and top with a doughnut hole “spider”.

Ghostly Milkshake

• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp chocolate syrup
• Whipped cream

Blend vanilla ice cream, milk, and chocolate syrup. Pour into glass and top with whipped cream.

Poison Apple Punch

• 2 cups apple juice
• 1 scoop lime sherbet
• 12 oz ginger ale
• Apple slice garnish

Combine apple juice, sherbet, and ginger ale. Pour over ice and garnish with apple slice.

Graveyard Fog

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 12 oz ginger ale
• Dry ice

Stir lime juice into ginger ale and pour into punch bowl filled with dry ice.

Vampire Punch

• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 scoop lime sherbet
• Floating raspberries

Mix juices and sherbet. Pour into glasses over ice. Garnish with floating raspberries.

Haunted Honey

• 1 cup warm water or milk
• 1 tbsp honey
• Cinnamon stick

Stir honey into warm water/milk. Add cinnamon stick and serve warm.

Toasting with Terror

However you choose to concoct your creepy cocktails, haunted décor and vessels are sure to set the scene for a spirited Halloween celebration. Just be sure to keep a cautious eye over your shoulder…you never know what ghastly guests could crash the party! Cheers to a spook-tacular good time.