This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Conn chapter.
Halloween (and the weekend) is just around the corner and there’s no better way to get in the mood than with a few of these spook-tastic drinks! Whether you’ve got plans to go out with friends, stay in and watch every Halloween movie, or host a few costume parties, here are some cocktails to help put you in the spirit. Below, I’ve sorted out cocktails that are alcoholic to begin with but can easily be made into non-alcoholic recipes, too.
1. Spiced Orange Pumpkin Bowl
- Hollow-out a medium-sized pumpkin and fill halfway with ice. Depending on the size of your pumpkin, pour in 4 to 8 bottles of Crabbie’s Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic version: use Ginger Ale.) Top with sliced oranges.
- To make the citrus ice cubes: Take 1 orange and use a peeler to create small orange zest peels to curl up and put in each tray. Take a second orange and cut in quarters, then cut each quarter into small triangle slices that will fit in the ice cube tray. Freeze.
- Rim the glasses: Mix the 2 tablespoons cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar in the raw, and 1 tablespoon allspice in a small bowl and then pour evenly onto a small plate. Rim each glass with orange slices to create a wet layer for the sugar mixture to stick to. Roll the rim of your glass into the cinnamon sugar mixture; add a few citrus ice cubes to your glass. Pour desired amount into glass and enjoy.
2. Vampire’s Kiss
- Begin by rimming a martini glass with red gel frosting. Add two drips down the glass to mimic a vampire’s favorite beverage.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the 1.5 oz. of vodka, 1.2 oz. of orange liqueur, 1 tsp. of sugar, and the juice of half of a lemon (alternative version: use Sprite soda.) Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared martini glass.
3. Haunted Highball
- Begin by drawing a ghost face on a highball glass with a dry-erase marker. Then, fill the glass with ice.
- In a separate glass, combine 1 oz. of vanilla vodka, 1 oz. of white chocolate liqueur, 1 oz. of white creme de cacao, 1 oz. of half-and-half, and a splash of hazelnut liqueur. Stir to combine. Pour over prepared glass filled with ice.
- Transform this cocktail into a mocktail ghost milkshake by using 2 parts vanilla ice cream with 1 part milk and blend until smooth. Add some whip cream to finish the look!
4. Candy Corn Punch
For the boo-zy version:
- In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz. of pineapple vodka, 1 oz. of pineapple juice, and ice and shake until chilled then strain over more ice in a highball glass. Now add 3 tbsp. of orange sherbet into the glass and smooth so it sits above the first layer. Finally, combine the 1 oz. of milk and 1 oz. of simple syrup in the shaker and then layer over the sherbet.
- Garnish with a candy corn-studded pineapple slice wedged onto the rim of the glass.
For the non-alcoholic version:
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Pour in 1/3 part of orange soda into the glass. Next, slowly pour in 1/3 part of yellow Gatorade. Some will trickle through the orange soda, which is normal. Finally, slowly pour in the 1/3 part of lemonade Vitamin Water on top of the Gatorade.
- *Note: Try not to stir this drink, since the whole point is the layered look.
5. Black Magic Jell-O Shots
To make the layered effect, you’ll need one 3 oz. package of Berry Blue Jell-O mix, one 3 oz. package of Grape Jell-O, vodka, boiling water, cold water, plastic cups, and black sugar.
- Place all your desired amount of plastic cups on a baking sheet or serving plate for easy transport.
- Blue Layer: Place the Jell-O mix powder in a medium bowl and add 1 cup of boiling water to the bowl and whisk. Then add in 1 cup of cold water and ¼ cup of vodka. Whisk to combine. Next, fill each cup half way with the blue Jell-O and place in fridge until the Jell-O is just about set.
- Purple Layer: Same as above, but instead with the Grape Jell-O powder. Then pour the Jell-O over the blue layer and fill to top. Return the Jell-O cups to the fridge and chill until completely set (1-2 hours.)
- To finish, remove the Jell-O cups from the fridge and top each Jell-O shot with black sugar.
- *Black sugar: ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a Ziploc bag and add 6 drops of black food coloring. Seal and knead until sugar has turned black. Spread sugar on baking sheet in a even layer to dry and get rid of any clumps.
- Alcohol-free version: just chuck the vodka or any other liquor. It will taste just as delicious without any booze!
6. Witch’s Brew
- Pour one package of Lime Jell-O into a mixing bowl and slowly stir in 2 cups of boiling water. Stir for at least 2 minutes until the powder is completely dissolved. Next, stir in 1-½ cups of chilled pineapple juice and 1 cup of chilled vodka. Then when you’re ready to serve, pour in chilled sprite until the glass or beaker is full (creating the fizz effect.)
- Booze-free: swap out the alcohol and use a 2-liter bottle of chilled lemon-lime flavored soda instead.
- Buy these science flasks to give the drink the whole effect!
Happy Halloween and drink responsibly!