Halloween Cocktails

There are plenty of crazy Halloween cocktails that give off smoke and are bizarre colors and have creepy garnishes. For me, that's the kind of thing you have at a restaurant, or at someone else's party. But I'm too lazy and too cheap to buy 16 different ingredients that I'll never use again just to make a flashy-looking cocktail that rarely tastes as good as it looks. So instead, these are some fun and just slightly unusual spooky-themed cocktails that call for very few unusual ingredients. All of the following cocktails can be made with these ingredients:

• vodka
• whipped cream vodka
• green apple vodka
• vanilla vodka (or vodka and Tuaca)
• blue curacao
• orange liqueur (triple sec, Contreau, Grand Marnier)
• dark rum
• dry vermouth
• tequila
• coffee liqueur
• Midori
• Chambord
• red wine
• grenadine
• sour mix
• pineapple juice
• cranberry juice
• optional: cran-grape or grape juice
• lemon juice
• lime juice
• half and half
• whipped cream
• Sprite or 7-Up
• ginger beer
• simple syrup or superfine sugar
• vanilla extract
• optional: red gel food coloring or decorator frosting, various colors of sanding sugar, black raspberries, gummy worms, grated chocolate, gummy bats, black licorice

Candy Corn Martini

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1-1/2 oz whipped cream vodka, 3 oz sour mix, and 2 oz pineapple juice, and shake until well chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Carefully pour in 1/2 oz grenadine so it settles at the bottom of the glass. Top with whipped cream.

Purple People Eater

Rim a chilled red wine glass (or lowball glass) with purple sanding sugar and return to the freezer to chill. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1-1/2 parts vodka with 1 part each blue curacao, sour mix, grenadine, and cranberry juice (you can also use cran-grape or straight grape juice for a darker color, if you don't mind the difference in flavor). Fill the prepared glass with ice and strain into the glass.

Vampire's Kiss

Rim a martini glass with red gel food coloring or red decorator frosting. Add a few drips down the edge of the glass. Chill the glass in the freezer until ready to serve. In a shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 oz each vodka and orange liqueur, 1 teaspoon superfine sugar or a splash of simple syrup, and 3/4 oz lemon juice. Shake well and strain into prepared glass.

Black Devil Martini

Rim a martini glass with red or orange sanding sugar and return to the freezer. Combine 2 oz dark rum with 1/2 oz dry vermouth and pour into the prepared glass. If desired, garnish with black raspberries on a toothpick.

Oogie Boogie

Rim a cocktail glass with black (or green) sanding sugar and return to the freezer. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1-1/2 oz each green apple vodka and sour mix. Shake until chilled then pour into the prepared glass and top with Sprite or 7-Up. Garnish with a gummy worm, if desired. 

Black Goblin

Rim a rocks glass with grated chocolate and/or orange sanding sugar and return to the freezer. In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine equal parts tequila, coffee liqueur, and half and half, plus a few drops of vanilla extract and a punch of sugar or simple syrup. Fill the prepared glass with ice and pour over. Serve with a straw.

Devil's Margarita

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1-1/2 oz tequila, 3/4 oz lime juice, and 3/4 oz simple syrup. Shake until well chilled and pour into a margarita or martini glass. Lay a spoon in the glass at a 45-degree angle with the back of the spoon facing up, and carefully pour red wine onto the back of the spoon so it drizzles into the glass, until there is about 1/4" of wine on the surface.

Beetlejuice

Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice. Add 1 oz vodka and 1/2 oz each Midori, Chambord, blue curacao, and 2 oz sour mix. Carefully add 1-1/2 oz cranberry juice so it floats on top (you can also stir it in for a creepy color change).

Black Sun

Fill a highball or Collins glass with ice and add 3/4 oz Cointreau and 1-1/2 oz dark rum. Top with cola and stir gently. Garnish with an orange wedge, if desired.

Dark Spooky

Fill a highball glass with ice and add 1/2 cup ginger beer and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Turn a metal spoon upside-down and carefully pour 3 tbsp dark rum onto the spoon so it drizzles into the drink. Garnish with a lime wedge and a gummy bat, if desired.

Liquefied Ghost Martini

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine equal parts vanilla vodka (or vodka and Tuaca), simple syrup, half and half, and Sprite or 7-Up. Shake until chilled and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with black licorice, if desired.


Drink all these cocktails in good health - if you can, mwah hah hah hah!!!