5 Great Halloween Drinks to Inspire you

Fall is well known for its fun beverages, especially since so many big companies offer their signature pumpkin lineups! (I love a good pumpkin spice as much as the next gal!) These are an autumn essential! 

As I mentioned in my post on how to throw a great halloween party, I like to encourage BYOB to keep costs down. However, I also like to offer a themed drink to add an extra element of decor and fun to the festivities! (This is the only alcohol I’ll provide.)

Here are 5 great recipes for a Halloween drink! Keep in mind, you can always forgo the alcohol and have a fun festive beverage! This also makes it great for kids. 

1. Fall Sangria

One can never go wrong with sangria. Fruity, pretty, and tasty. ‘Nuff said!

Ingredients:

▢ 1 (750 mL) bottle of Pinot Noir or Tempranillo
▢ 1/2 cup brandy or Grand Marnier
▢ 2 cups apple cider
▢ 3 cinnamon sticks
▢ 3 apples, sliced
▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup, *if needed
For the rim: 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 orange wedge

Instructions:

1. In a large pitcher, mix together the wine, brandy, apple cider and maple syrup. Stir to combine.
2. Stir in the cinnamon stick and apples. 
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably 2 hours or more.
4. Always taste before serving! If you find it’s too sweet or strong for your liking, you can add a little water or sparkling water (about 1/2 cup).
5. Serve!

2. Spiked Apple Cider

A delicious warm drink that you enjoy as much in your mouth as you do the liquid slipping down to your stomach! You know, that warm feeling that gives you cozy vibes from the inside out? Yep. That’s this drink. 

Ingredients:

▢ 1 gallon apple cider
▢ 2 cinnamon sticks
▢ 4 star anise
▢ 1 tbsp + 1 tsp whole cloves
▢ 2 oranges, sliced plus more for garnish
▢ 2 lemons, sliced plus more for garnish
▢ 1 liter good spiced rum

Instructions:

1. Add apple cider, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, oranges, and lemons to the crockpot. Turn the heat on low and cook for 6-7 hours.
2. Take out all of the whole spices, oranges and lemons before serving. Pour in spiced rum (or another liquor if you prefer). Stir and serve.

3. Blueberry Eyeball Punch

All the creepy! But still edible 🙂

Ingredients:

▢ 12 to 24 fresh blueberries
▢ 12 canned lychees in syrup, drained, plus 5 to 6 tablespoons syrup from the can
▢ 3 cups blueberry juice cocktail
▢ 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
▢ 2 cups sparkling water
▢ ¾ cup gin

Instructions:

1. Put a blueberry into the cavity of each lychee (and no, I don’t mean the animal!). Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and freeze for about an hour. 
2. Stir 5 tablespoons of the lychee syrup, blueberry juice, lime juice, and gin in a bowl or pitcher until combined. Add the sparkling water and the lychee eyeballs. If it is a bit tart for your taste, add the remaining tablespoon syrup. 
3. Serve over ice, spooning the lychee eyeballs into the glasses as you pour. Enjoy!

4. Poison Apples

Time to poison those guests – with an amazing apple drink!

Ingredients:

▢ 4 thick slices peeled fresh ginger
▢ 6 cups apple cider
▢ Zest of 1 orange, removed with a vegetable peeler
▢ Zest of 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
▢ 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
▢ 3 whole cloves
▢ 1 red apple, sliced into 8 wedges, for garnish
▢ Gummy worms, for garnish
▢ 1 750-ml bottle sparkling cranberry-apple juice
▢ 1 cup cinnamon whiskey

Instructions:

1. Smoosh the ginger slices with the flat side of a chef’s knife and place in a medium saucepan. Add the apple cider, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, then strain into a pitcher. Let the mixture cool to room temp, then refrigerate for about an hour.
2. Poke holes in the apple wedges with a chopstick or skewer and slide a gummy worm into the hole so it’s sticking out both sides of the apple. Add the cranberry-apple juice and whiskey. Serve over ice. Garnish with the apples.

5. Pumpkin Sangria

This is such a fun twist on sangria. It’s fall, so bring on ALLL things pumpkin!!

Ingredients:

▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
▢ 2 tablespoons maple syrup
▢ Six 4 to 5-inch long cinnamon sticks, for garnish
▢ 6 pumpkin candies, for garnish, such as Brach’s
▢ 1 bottle white wine, chilled
▢ 3 cups mango peach juice blend or tropical juice blend, chilled, such as V-8 Splash
▢ 1 cup pumpkin spice liqueur, chilled

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined. Transfer to a saucer. Add the maple syrup to a second saucer. Lightly dip the rims of 6 punch glasses into the maple syrup. Then dip the rims of the glasses into the spiced sugar.
2. Insert the cinnamon sticks into the bottom of each pumpkin candy and set aside.
3. In a pitcher, combine the wine, juice and pumpkin spice liqueur. Stir and pour into the rimmed glasses. Garnish with the pumpkin candy cinnamon sticks.

Tip: 

If you can’t find pumpkin spice liqueur, combine 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice with 1 cup brandy in a container with a lid. Shake vigorously and let sit for 1 day to infuse into the brandy.

Presentation is just as much fun as the beverage itself! Use pumpkin glasses, serve out of a cauldron, or garnish with “blood” for an extra spice of decoration. This will certainly take your soiree to the next level! 

More and more people are trying out being sober (good for you!). You know your guest list better than anyone! If you have attendees who may not want the booze, leave it out and let people add it to their beverage if they so choose. 

Let the libations flow and the spook soar! 🙂

Best,

B