You’re throwing a little (or big) Halloween get-together, but you’re trying to walk the fine line between festive and fake-finger-in-your-drink tacky. No worries, girls and ghouls. We found 50 Halloween cocktails to serve at your soirée, from a Honeycrisp Crush to a Black Widow Smash. They’re seasonal, not too kitschy and—dare we say it?—scary delicious. (Mwahaha.)
50 Halloween Cocktails That Are Scary Delicious
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Published Aug 10, 2022
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1. Sleepy Hollow Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila or mezcal
Pomegranate, tequila and rosemary-orange syrup make this the ideal pairing for a scary movie. Use a festive glass to drive the theme home.
2. Maple New York Sour
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: whiskey, red wine
The red wine float is what makes this one different from a regular whiskey sour. (And a generous dose of maple syrup, of course.)
3. Pomegranate Cider Mimosas With A Salted Caramel Rim
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: Champagne
Who needs to steal from the kids’ candy hauls when you have salted caramel sauce? Garnish with an apple slice or pomegranate arils.
4. Witches Brew Drink
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: Midori, triple sec
You’ll have everyone chanting “double, double, toil and trouble” after one sip of this melon liqueur-based beverage. Add a dash of citrus vodka to make it boozier.
5. Nightmare On Bourbon Street
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon, hard cider
It’s like a bourbon smash but with ginger and cinnamon for a warming, cozy effect...sort of like Freddy Krueger's sweater, no?
6. Smoky Cider Mezcal Margarita
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: mezcal, orange liqueur
The smokiness of the mezcal balances the sweetness of the cider to a T, while the lime juice's acidity cuts right through both.
7. Apple Cider Mimosa
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: brandy, Champagne
Is Halloween brunch a thing? If not, we’re making it one. Any dry (often labeled brut) sparkling wine will work here, like prosecco or cava, if you don't want to splurge on Champagne.
8. Pumpkin Spice Kentucky Mule
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Swapping the usual vodka for bourbon makes it a Kentucky mule. Shake one up after finishing your thousandth PSL of the season.
9. Spiced Apple Cider Margaritas
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila
If you’re serving a crowd, feel free to make these sweet-and-spicy cocktails in a big batch. Make them look extra fancy by adding star anise to each glass.
10. Chai Cocktail With Golden Raisin Rum & Vanilla Chai Syrup
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus infusing time)
- Alcohol: rum
This one requires a bit of forethought, but it'll be well worth it. Infuse the rum at least a day ahead of serving it, and make the chai syrup the night before so it has time to cool.
11. Ginger Apple Moscow Mule
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
If you’re more about fuzzy sweaters and apple picking than scary movies and haunted houses, this not-too-spooky cocktail has your name on it.
12. Spiced Bourbon Punch
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon, Champagne, triple sec
No costume party is complete without a bowl of spiked punch, and this crowd-pleaser is sure to satisfy your coven for the night.
13. Honey Roasted Pear Sparkling Cocktails
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Alcohol: sparkling wine, vodka or whiskey (optional)
If you’re already sick of apples, might we suggest pears instead? (Psst: This one doubles as a mocktail, if you skip the vino and booze.)
14. Maple Old Fashioned
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Luxardo cherries > king-size candy bars. (They're pricier than the classic maraschinos, but the flavor is well worth it—particularly for a special occasion.) Wait until your party guests get a taste of the toasted pecan bitters.
15. Honey Vodka And Apple Cider Hot Toddy
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
If you’re not drinking this by a crackling fire (or fire pit), you’re doing it wrong. Vanilla whiskey or spiced rum would work well here too, if you'd prefer one of those to vodka.
16. Adult Hot Chocolate
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon, Frangelico, Irish cream
Be sure to serve this cocoa only once the kids are in bed, because they'll be super jealous and beg for a taste. Did we mention the Irish cream is homemade?
17. Honeycrisp Crush
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
Every year, we wait for the arrival of Honeycrisps, aka the ideal apples for just about everything. They’re sweet-tart, crisp and refreshing, so it’s only natural that they make a stellar cocktail.
18. Boozy Pumpkin Pie Shooters
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
This is just a test round for your Thanksgiving feast, or better yet, Christmas Eve. (The recipe does call for eggnog, after all.)
19. La Cura
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: mezcal
If a mezcalita and a Penecillin had a delicious baby, this smoky-sour cocktail would be it. For a classy finishing touch, skewer a piece of candied ginger and set it across the rim of the glass.
20. Pumpkin Patch Punch
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka, brandy
Here’s proof that you can be kitschy and cute without going too over the top. This big-batch punch is spicy and autumnal, but has plenty of bright, zesty citrus to balance it out.
21. Thyme Apple Cider Spritz
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: dark rum
Like your typical spritzer put on a giant scarf and chunky sweater for the season. The three-ingredient thyme syrup really elevates the cocktail.
22. Freya’s Wheels Of Fury
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: Scotch, Cointreau
In case you have Scotch lovers at the party. If not, you can easily substitute bourbon or spiced rum.
23. The Black Widow Smash
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila or mezcal
Another looker, this lightning-fast drink contains a blend of blackberries and mezcal for a smoky-sweet concoction that’s just festive enough.
24. Bourbon Ginger Cider Cocktails
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
It doesn't get easier than this five-ingredient stunner. You can even make a large batch ahead of time if you’re having company.
25. Pumpkin Fizz Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 5 ounces
- Alcohol: bourbon
The color? On point. The flavor? Delightfully seasonal. Yep, we’re serving this at our Halloween party. Be sure to use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
26. Homemade Horchata With Pumpkin Seeds, Maple And Ginger
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes
- Alcohol: rum or brandy
Horchata is to fall as eggnog is to winter, and it's easier to make from scratch than you think. Bonus: This one’s totally vegan.
27. Pumpkin Smash Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
If we’re being totally honest, we’re here for the candied cinnamon pumpkin seeds, but the vanilla bean-pumpkin syrup is a close second.
28. The Half-blood Prince Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Something wicked (wickedly beautiful, that is) this way comes. Even He Who Must Not Be Named would like this tart-sweet sipper.
29. Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: Champagne or prosecco
This pick is lightyears ahead of the usual fruit-juice-and-seltzer concoction we settle for. It even features citrus green tea for a late-night pick-me-up.
30. Dark And Stormy In The Pumpkin Patch
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: spiced rum
Classic cocktail, but make it festive. Spiced rum and ginger beer are the stars in this drink, with pumpkin and orange for good measure.
31. Haunted Orchard Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila, hard cider
It contains tequila *and* boozy apple cider, so yeah, you could say it’s haunted. Dare we add a glug of cinnamon whiskey to the brew too?
32. Boozy Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: Kahlúa or bourbon
Pick your poison: Kahlúa or bourbon (or um, both). If you go the Kahlúa route, why not add some fresh coffee to the mug to boot?
33. Apple Butter Old Fashioned
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Don’t save this one just for Halloween: We’re making it our go-to cocktail for all of fall. Bonus points for finishing it with boozy kombucha.
34. Fig Bourbon Cider Smash
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Out with the frosé, in with the cider. This fall beauty boasts fig preserves, orange zest and balsamic vinegar.
35. Pumpkin Pineapple Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: dark rum
This cocktail combines three delicious seasonal offerings: pumpkin purée, dark rum and a slew of warm spices. Ooh, and it only takes five minutes to make.
36. Honeycrisp And Bourbon Spiced Cider
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
Take your time steeping the cider with cardamom, cinnamon and other spices. (Apple slices and star anise make for the most gorgeous finishing touch, BTW.)
37. Cranberry-spiced Whiskey Sour
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Alcohol: bourbon
The key is homemade cranberry simple syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel and sweetened with maple syrup.
38. Poison Apple Martini
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
Set these out for your guests and you've got yourself a brouhaha fit for a witch. We'd spring for the dry ice if we were you.
39. Monsteritas
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila, triple sec
These healthy(ish) margaritas are loaded with cucumber, jalapeño and coconut cream. The googly eyes are technically optional...but why would you skip them?
40. Halloween Sangria
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Alcohol: red wine, brandy
Frozen grape “eyeballs” give this sophisticated sipper just the right amount of Halloween spirit. Go with a fruity wine, like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais
41. Cranberry Margarita
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: tequila
Lemon-lime soda offers this tart cocktail some devilishly sweet relief. Add lime juice and triple sec if you want it to taste more like a standard margarita.
42. Hard Apple Cider Mule
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: hard apple cider
Prime for sipping while lounging in a pile of crunchy leaves. Just about any hard cider will do here, whether you want something crisp and apple-y or flavored.
43. Ruby Vermouth Spritzers
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: red vermouth
Drinks for eight in 5 minutes flat? You'd better boo-lieve it. Think of this as the autumnal version of an Aperol spritz.
44. Smoked Whiskey Apple Cider Cocktail
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Alcohol: rum or whiskey
Smoked tea (lapsang souchong, to be exact) and your liquor of choice (aged rum! bourbon! whiskey!) pull this lush libation together.
45. Hot Buttered Rum
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Alcohol: rum
Behold: fall in a glass. Don’t forget the cinnamon sticks for stirring, along with a savory snack (perhaps roasted mixed nuts?).
46. Sparkling Ginger Apple Punch
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Alcohol: your choice
It's a mocktail as is, but you can use hard cider, Champagne, bourbon or rum to spice things up. Just toss everything into a punch bowl, no shaking or stirring required.
47. Blood Orange Gin Fizz
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Alcohol: gin, prosecco
A traditional gin fizz calls for gin, club soda, simple syrup, lemon and egg white. Here, we trade lemon for blood orange and use it to infuse an herbal simple syrup, plus use prosecco for bubbles instead of club.
48. Frozen Dirty Shirley
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 5 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka
Add a plastic eyeball to the glass and the grenadine suddenly takes on a gory appearance. Feel free to skip the freezing if you want to save time (or if it's a bit too chilly for a slushie).
49. Apple Pie Moonshine
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Alcohol: vodka, spiced rum
You may be too old to go door to door for candy, but you still deserve a treat this Halloween. The boozy bev gets tastier the longer it sits, so make a jar for a friend (and a jar for yourself) to sip all autumn long.
50. Spiced Pear Martini With Amaretto And Cardamom Bitters
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Alcohol: pear vodka, amaretto
So fancy, yet so simple. Rub a fresh pear slice around the rim of each glass, roll it in cinnamon sugar, then garnish with the same pear slice.
