Halloween Cocktails

Help us decide what Halloween cocktails to serve! As Megan mentioned before in this post about our COVID Halloween plans, we always serve something orange or pumpkin-based for dinner on Halloween. This year, we are going to try Freutcake’s pumpkin chicken enchiladas , so naturally, we are going to have a little Mexican Halloween Fiesta/Day of the Dead party. I plan to make some very naughty nachos to accompany the enchiladas, and might even go crazy with a little queso. Now that we have our food menu established, next comes the Boo-ooze. Given it’s a Fiesta and we love a theme, we will likely serve some sort of margarita, but we are finding so many fun and tasty Halloween cocktails it’s hard to choose!

Jack-O-Lantern Cocktail

• 1 1/2 ounces cognac
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 2 ounces ginger ale (to fill)
• Pumpkin Garnish: orange wheel and lime twist

Gather the ingredients. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake the cognac, liqueur, and juice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice. Top with ginger ale. Float an orange wheel with a lime twist poked into the top aka the pumpkin garnish – the highlight of the cocktail! Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Credit: The Spruce Eats

Pumpkin Spice Margarita

• 2 tablespoons tequila
• 1 tablespoon triple sec
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Rim your glass in salted cinnamon sugar. To make salted cinnamon sugar, mix equal parts cinnamon sugar and sea salt. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into rimmed glass over ice cubes. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy! Or in the alternative, you can top them with a round orange slice and strip of lime peel to recreate this pumpkin topper look. Aren’t they cute for a Halloween celebration?

Looking for another pumpkin cocktail recipe, try this Pumpkin Old-Fashioned (but we recommend cutting the maple syrup called for in half)!

The Deviled Margarita

• .13 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• kosher salt 
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus squeezed lime half 
• 3 tablespoons tequila 
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar 

Combine the cayenne and 1 tablespoon salt on a small plate. Rub the rim of a glass with the cut lime, then dip in the cayenne salt to coat. In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine the lime juice, tequila, and agave. Shake vigorously, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with the lime half.

Recipe Credit: Real Simple

Apple Cider Margarita

• Cinnamon sugar (1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar) and flaky sea salt, for the glass rim
• 2 ounces tequila
• 1/2 ounce Triple Sec
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) apple cider
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (use more or less to your taste)
• apple slices and cinnamon sticks, for serving

We first made these apple cider margaritas in this post and they would make a fantastic addition to your Halloween menu and our Mexican-themed Halloween dinner. If desired (you desire!), rim your glass in salted cinnamon sugar. Mix equal parts cinnamon sugar and sea salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and coat in sugar. Combine the tequila, Triple Sec, apple cider, lime juice, and maple in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to combine. Strain into the glass over ice cubes. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks. 

Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest

The Half Blood Prince Cocktail

• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• 1/2 ounce raspberry liquor (Chambord) 
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, more or less to taste
• pomegranate arils, for serving

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to combine. Strain into a coupe glass. 2. Add 1 ice cube and a handful of pomegranate arils. Drink.

Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest

Apple Cider Aperol Spritz

• Aperol
• Fresh Apple Cider
• Seltzer Water
• Champagne or Prosecco
• Dash of Cinnamon

We have been making this cocktail ever since Reese Witherspoon posted her reel on Instagram and we are OBSESSED! Combine equal parts Aperol, Apple Cider, Seltzer and Champagne or Prosecco and top with a dash of cinnamon. Stir and enjoy!

Recipe Credit: Reese Witherspoon

The Hot Blooded

• 1 c (8 fl oz) fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
• 2 Tbsp agave
• 4 oz Whiskey
• 1 medium sized jalapeño, chopped, stem removed (about 2 Tbsp)

In a cocktail shaker, add the blood orange juice, agave and whiskey, and stir until combined. Add the jalapeños, then replace the shaker cap and shake three times. Immediately pour through a strainer into highball glasses filled with ice, straining out the jalapeños. Discard the jalapeños.

Recipe Credit: Rachel Ramirez, lead mixologist of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

See! So many fun choices! Halloween celebrations will look different this year but there are still socially distanced ways to get into the festive spirit AKA whipping up a spooky cocktail! Let us know which drink you think we should make and/or if you try any at home!