Beyond witches brew: 20 Halloween cocktails that are not NOT haunted

A close-up photograph of dark red cocktails with dry ice smoke billowing out.
Paperless Post BlogHolidays > Beyond witches brew: 20 Halloween cocktails that are not NOT haunted

Let’s summon the spirits. Reformed goths, Donner party animals, and weekend witches alike can find something to love about Halloween—putting on a mask is often the best way to express yourself. Whether your style is Haunting of Hill House or Scary Movie 2, your Halloween party deserves a signature cocktail. Sure, it can make your party atmospheric (hello, dry ice!), but it can also save you time in party prep when you focus on 1 or 2 scary-good Halloween-themed cocktails. Thankfully, we concocted a list of foolproof cocktail recipes and ideas that will get your guests doing the monster mash in no time.

Halloween Cocktail FAQs

Before throwing your witches’ brew into a cauldron, stop and think about what you’ll need for your fright fest. The perfect Halloween party cocktail brings in elements of surprise and even terror, but it still ultimately has to have your ghouls coming back for more. Here are a few tips to get you started:

– Can you put dry ice in a drink?

Whenever you’re handling dry ice, remember that you can’t actually touch it or ingest it. As long as you use gloves and tongs and remind guests not to handle it at the bar, it makes for a delightful addition to any spooky cocktail.

– What drink garnishes should you use on Halloween?

Whether you’re serving a classic Halloween cocktail or something of your own invention, this is the time to get creative with your garnishes. A splash of grenadine makes any cocktail bloody without upping the yuck factor, skeleton swizzle sticks add playfulness, and spooky bat straws keep everyone in the Halloween spirit. 

Halloween cocktail recipes

If you’re wondering what you can drink at Halloween, we’ve stirred up the perfect recipes for your potions.

 

Left: A black Halloween invitation featuring an illustration of a skull. The wording is coming out of the mouth; Right: A corpse reviver cocktail in an elegant glass.“Seymour Bones” by Paperless Post; Image by Tim Nusog.

 

1. Corpse ReviverBring your partygoers back from the dead with this classic pre-prohibition-era drink.

2. Jekyl & GinThis twist on a Gin Daisy recipe glows under a black light (and if you don’t have a black light at your Halloween party…think again).

3. Bloody Mary Syringes — A classic cocktail and a classic scary story all rolled up into one. Serve it up in a syringe to get your guests in the spirit. Just don’t sip in front of any mirrors, and we’re sure you’ll be safe.

4. Witches’ Brew Lemonade — almost no toil and trouble goes into this magical drink.

 

Left: A zombie cocktail with a strawberry garnish; Right: A black Halloween invitation with an illustration of a book of the dead, a skull, and candles.Image via The Spruce Eats; “Dark Reading” by Paperless Post.

 

5. Zombie’s Shrunken Head — head to the tropics with this tiki-inspired drink perfect for unwinding with your hoard.

6. Dracula’s Kiss — encourage some canoodling at your lair with this sultry blend of grenadine and cola.

7. An American Werewolf in London Fog — coax your partygoers in from the moors with this all-time favorite.

8. The Candyman — Start with a Bee’s Knees and keep your ears open for the telltale buzzing.

 

Left: A black Halloween invitation with an illustration of a dapper skeleton wearing a top hat, a bowtie, and a cane; Right: A walking dead cocktail with dry ice billowing out the top.“Spirited Affair” by Paperless Post; Image via Craft & Cocktails.

 

9. The Walking DeadRick wouldn’t be caught undead drinking this one, but we like to think that Daryl and Carol would get down with this dry-ice-topped cocktail featuring all sorts of rum.

10. Slimer’s EctoplasmBe sure to use Dan Aykroyd’s vodka brand to bring this lime-green concoction to life. 

11. Bourbon Butterbeer — every young witch and wizard dreams of trying this drink. Age it up with bourbon.

 

Left: A black Halloween invitation with irridescent illustrations of happy ghosts and cocktails; Right: A purple polyjuice potion cocktail surrounded by other cocktails and mixing supplies.“Boozy Nights” by Hello!Lucky for Paperless Post; Image by Crowded Kitchen.

 

12. Polyjuice Potion — if jungle juice is a mainstay at your get-togethers, this “Harry Potter” inspired version will transform your partygoers into, well, whatever you want.

13. Rosemary’s Baby Punch — ladle it into a Nick & Nora for the elegance of a Castevet soirée.

 

Left: A black Halloween invitation featuring an illustration of champagne bottles with bat wings; right: A top-down photograph of a Demagorgon’s Dinner cocktail.“Bat Bottles” by Paperless Post; Image by Louis Hansel.

 

14. Demagorgon’s Dinner — if a Demadog shows up at your party, you can distract them with this blackberry-infused libation.

15. The Silver Bullet — strong enough to cure anyone struggling from the effects of the full moon.

16. Michael Meyer’s Lemon Drop — not that you’d want to invite the masked murderer into your home, but if you did, you’d probably want to have one of these on hand.

17. Manhattan Chainsaw Massacre — Muddle your maraschino cherries for all the guts piling up at Leatherface’s house.

 

Left: A photograph of two Mai Tais with orange slices as garnish; right: A black and orange Halloween invitation featuring an illustration of a ship being attached by tentacles.Image via Epicurious; “Haunted Ship” by Paperless Post.

 

18. Cthulhu’s Mai-Tai — Garnish with a tiny plastic tentacle to set your guests’ hair on end.

19. The Love Witch’s Earl Grey Martini — For those witches just trying to find love.

20. Freddy’s Dream Warriors — You had us at the shot of Powerade (to replenish our electrolytes after fighting the king of nightmares, of course). 

Barware that will transform your party into the talk of Halloweentown

Why stop at the perfect cocktail recipe? Set your party up for success with a wicked bar full that sets the tone for your party theme, whether you’re throwing a shindig that’s spooky, chic, or somewhere between here and the Upside Down. Here’s what you need depending on your party’s theme:

Classic Halloween: Adorn your bar with dark pumpkins and serve up your guests with acrylic goblets.

– Dracula’s lair: Footed goblets are an appropriately over-the-top drinking vessel for your red wine or cassis-based cocktails.

– Black & white ball: Make like Capote and serve your masked guests with champagne coups and matching cocktail napkins.

– Wizarding world: Ladle out your love potion from a classic black cauldron. Keep your familiars close with themed party cups.

– A night at the Dakota: Ruth Gordon would be tickled pink if you served her a health tonic from this tiered punchbowl paired with midcentury patterned napkins.

 

Halloween invitations and design inspiration

Before you grab your eye of newt and a cocktail shaker, start with the right invitation. To make sure guests get the right idea, choose something that’s more Lovecraft than handicraft, or if you’re in a spookier mode—our Gorey-inspired “The Old Haunts” or our “Spirits of the Dead” are perfect for it. Or you can embrace the camp of the evening with an invitation like “Mummy Needs a Drink.

Ready for fright night? Browse our Halloween invitations, including vintage-inspired designs by John Derian. Then, shop our Halloween party supplies at the Party Shop.

 

Browse Halloween Invitations

Editor’s note: Party Shop shipping is only available in the continental US.
Hero Image via Crowded Kitchen.