Halloween cocktails can go full theater with black salt rims, skull-shaped ice and gummy eyeballs or stay simple with apple cider, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. These bartender- and brand-created recipes cover both.
Originally developed by bars, hotels, resorts and spirits brands around the country, the drinks range from a blood-orange margarita to a rum-heavy Zombie Punch and a pumpkin pie White Russian. Here are 12 Halloween cocktails to make at home.
Created by Marc Rizzuto of Death & Co in New York City's East Village, the Sybil combines Amontillado sherry with aquavit, orange juice, sesame orgeat and Cointreau. Orange zest and caraway seeds bring another savory, aromatic layer to the finished cocktail.
Orange zest and caraway seeds, for garnish
Pour the measured ingredients into a cocktail shaker and whip-shake. Pour the cocktail, unstrained, into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with orange zest and caraway seeds.
The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in Denver gives the White Russian a fall spin with pumpkin pie cream liqueur alongside vodka and Kahlúa.
1 1/2 ounces Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur
Pour the vodka and Kahlúa over ice in a glass. Top with the pumpkin pie cream liqueur and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Also known as "The Black Oath," the Omerta Negro from The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences in Richmond, Rhode Island, takes the Negroni in a darker direction with barrel-aged gin, Bruto Americano, amaro and sweet vermouth. A skull-shaped ice sphere provides the centerpiece.
1 ounce Tommy Cask-Strength Bourbon Barrel Gin
1/2 ounce Partner Sweet Vermouth
Fresh or dried fig slices, for garnish
Optional: Mesquite glass dome cloche, smoke and smoke box
In a mixing glass, stir the liquid ingredients over ice. Place the halved orange wheel in the bottom of an oversized coupe or martini glass. Set the skull-shaped ice sphere on top, using the orange as a pedestal to keep it upright.
Pour the cocktail over the skull ice and garnish with a fig slice. If using a smoking cloche, place the cocktail under the cloche and smoke before serving.
LALO Tequila now calls its apple cider cocktail the Cinnamon Apple Margarita. The current recipe pairs blanco tequila with cider, lime, agave and cinnamon, finished with a spiced sugar-and-salt rim.
Turbinado sugar, salt and cinnamon, for the rim
Apple slices and star anise, for garnish
Combine the tequila, apple cider, lime juice, agave and cinnamon in an ice-filled shaker tin. Shake to chill and dilute.
Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass rimmed with the turbinado sugar, salt and cinnamon mixture. Garnish with apple slices, a cinnamon stick and star anise.
Blood orange juice gives the Blood Shot Margarita from Bungalows Key Largo in Florida its appropriately deep-red color. Tajín, charred rosemary and a gummy eyeball handle the Halloween theatrics.
4 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice
Tajín, charred rosemary, and gummy eyeball stir stick, for garnish
Combine the tequila, blood orange juice, lime juice and simple syrup in a shaker and shake until chilled. Pour over ice. Coat the glass rim with Tajín, then add the charred rosemary and gummy eyeball stir stick.
Sweet Venom, from Pacci Italian Kitchen + Bar at the Kimpton Brice in Savannah, combines vodka, cranberry, lemon and berries with grenadine, liqueur and orange bitters. A black sugar rim and dried blood orange give it its Halloween look.
Dried blood orange, for garnish
Combine the vodka, liqueur, lemon juice and cranberry juice in a shaker with ice. Add the grenadine and simple syrup and shake. Strain into a glass and top with the blackberries, raspberries and orange bitters. Finish with a black sugar rim and dried blood orange.
Created at Rebar at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, the Spooky Potion pairs vodka with apple pucker, Green Chartreuse and lemon. Lychee and berries create the cocktail's eyeball garnish.
Lychee, raspberry and blueberry, for garnish
Combine the ingredients in a shaker. Shake for 10 seconds and strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with the fruit eyeball.
The Skullchata from Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo in River Ranch, Florida, combines RumChata, vanilla rum and cream with Fireball, cinnamon and pumpkin spice.
1/4 ounce Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
1 ounce sweet cream, or half-and-half
Cinnamon stick and whipped cream, for garnish
Pour the RumChata, vanilla rum, Fireball, cream and pumpkin spice syrup into a shaker. Add three dashes of cinnamon and shake well. Strain over ice into a mug and garnish with whipped cream, a dash of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick.
The 3:30 AM comes from 3030 Ocean Restaurant and Bar at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort. Tequila, melon liqueur, pineapple and yuzu give the cocktail its sweet-tart base, while a black sesame salt rim and dry ice provide the Halloween presentation.
1 1/2 ounces Corazon Blanco Tequila
1/2 ounce Mindoro melon liqueur
House-made black sesame salt rim
Combine the ingredients and stir or shake together. Pour over dry ice and add the garnish of your choice.
Safety note: Never consume dry ice. Wait until it has completely sublimated before drinking the cocktail.
Created by Jack Stevenson of Death & Co in Denver, Scared Stiff combines vodka with citrus, Grand Marnier, Galliano and a dash of absinthe. A lemon wheel and cherry flag finish the drink.
1 teaspoon Galliano L'Autentico
Lemon wheel and cherry flag, for garnish
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a lemon wheel and cherry flag.
Created for Delaware North venues including TD Garden in Boston, KeyBank Center in Buffalo and UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, the Morgue-a-Rita gets its nearly black appearance from activated charcoal and a black salt rim.
1 ounce Camarena Silver Tequila
1 1/4 ounces Finest Call Margarita Mix
Black salt and lime wedge, for garnish
Rim a glass with black salt and set aside. Add the tequila, Grand Marnier, margarita mix, agave nectar and activated charcoal to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then strain over fresh ice into the prepared
Death & Co's Zombie Punch is a tiki-style cocktail built around three rums, Don's Mix, lime, falernum and grenadine, with absinthe and Angostura bitters rounding out the drink.
Mint, orchid or pineapple, for garnish
Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and whip-shake to combine. Strain into a tiki mug and garnish with mint, an orchid or pineapple.