The Year’s Hottest Halloween Drinks to Shake Up Your Spooky Shindig
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It’s true—the Country Living editors love a seasonal cocktail. A thoughtfully chosen, spooky fall concoction can be the element that takes a Halloween menu over the top. Whether you are looking for easy Halloween batch cocktails to serve a crowd or something enchanting for a small gathering of friends at your annual Practical Magic watch party, we’ve got you.
Given that it’s crunch time for party-planning, we’re taking the pressure off narrowing down the foreboding sea of options (that’s a hint!). Hence, this roundup of the 15 best of the best Halloween cocktails. We looked up what terms are popping on Google Trends and cross-compared that info with the recipes we’ve seen spiking in popularity on our website this month—and that made the process of choosing the winners pretty clear-cut.
Read on for the hottest Halloween cocktails of 2024 (and if you are looking for no-alcohol options, jump ahead to our Cider Mule and Tart Cherry Eyeball Punch recipes, which both also work as mocktails).
With your drink menu handled, now you can finally pull together that costume:
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Easy Men’s Halloween Costumes That Start with Basics Already in the Closet
Unleash Your Inner 'Golden Girl' with an Effortless Halloween Costume Kit
The Perfect Dark and Stormy Cocktail
A classic cocktail with an ominous name, topped with a black cloud of rum—the Dark and Stormy is a shoo-in spooky season winner any year. But in 2024, it had a big cameo in the Netflix fall hit The Perfect Couple, based on Elin Hilderbrand’s page-turner. Online searches for the recipe are surging as October 31st nears—a storm is coming to a glass near you, folks.
Make it if you’re looking for… the hottest Halloween cocktail of the year
Dark and Stormy recipe: Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in your favorite ginger beer (we use Goslings), leaving some room at the top. Top with 2oz of Goslings Black Seal Rum and a squeeze of lime.
Watch us mix up this cocktail on TikTok.
Midnight Margarita
Whether or not you can start a blender going with some Practical Magic like Aunt Frances, this spooky-fresh drink is sure to cast a spell! The secret to the sparkly rim? Edible blue glitter.
Make it if you’re looking for… a crafty tequila cocktail + a splash of pop culture
Get the recipe for Midnight Margaritas.
Witch’s Brew Punch with Ice Hands
Guests are sure to feel a little tingle creeping up their spine when they go for a ladle and an icy hand floats up to wave hello!
Make it if you’re looking for… a bourbon and Champagne cocktail for a crowd + big spooky energy
Get the recipe for Witch’s Brew Punch with Ice Hands.
Candy Corn Cocktail
TBH it tastes a lot better than actual candy corn. Think whiskey sour—with a fall twist.
Make it if you’re looking for… a fun fall cocktail + a conversation starter
Get the recipe for Candy Corn Cocktail.
Bloody Mule Cocktail
Elegant and eerie, this ginger brew cocktail has a bloody good kick!
Make it if you’re looking for… a bone-chilling vodka tipple
Get the recipe for Bloody Mule Cocktail.
Death in the Afternoon Cocktail
Beyond its sunny appearance, this spooky-sounding Champagne concoction has a secret. A favorite of Ernest Hemingway, this classic couldn’t be easier to make. It’s perfect for Halloween parties with a literary flair.
Make it if you’re looking for… a Halloween Champagne cocktail for bookworms
Get the recipe for Death in the Afternoon Cocktail.
Cider Mule
It doesn’t have to be fancy to be seasonal! Apple cider, plenty of ginger, and a little time steeping making for a cider-based take on the Moscow Mule that packs a punch. And it's easy to make into a mocktail, too!
Make it if you’re looking for… a batch cocktail + apple orchard vibes + no-alcohol option
Get the recipe for Cider Mule.
Jack-o’-Lantern Shandy
Although a shandy is normally a summertime cocktail—and a light one at that, being basically a mixture of beer and juice—this version adds fall flavors for more of a cool-weather, late-season vibe. It gets a bit more of a kick, too, from a helping of apple brandy.
Make it if you’re looking for… a pitcher recipe to showcase a seasonal pumpkin beer
Get the recipe for Jack-o’-Lantern Shandy.
Liquid Web Cocktails
This frothy, cream-white drink is so light it tastes like gossamer, but be careful. It’ll ensnare you.
Make it if you’re looking for… a creepy kooky treat
Get the recipe for Liquid Web Cocktails.
Popcorn Ball Old-Fashioned
Who doesn't love a sweet, buttery popcorn ball? We decided to bring it back in a supremely sippable form for the grown-ups at your Halloween party by imbuing the flavors in a classic old-fashioned.
Make it if you’re looking for… a fun fall bourbon cocktail that really “pops”
Get the recipe for Popcorn Ball Old-Fashioned.
Pomegranate-Rum Punch
This sparkling spiced drink is the perfect combo of elegant and fun.
Make it if you’re looking for… a red batch cocktail to fill your witch caldron
Get the recipe for Pomegranate-Rum Punch.
Pumpkin Spice White Russian
Dress up The Dude's classic drink with a little PSL garnish, and suddenly it's extra. Bonus points for donning an old bathrobe and some shades while drinking it.
Make it if you’re looking for… a desserty vodka cocktail ≠ sweater-weather vibes
Get the recipe for Pumpkin Spice White Russian.
Apple Cider Punch
The combination of fresh and sparkling cider, ginger ale, and apple brandy is dangerously drinkable. But it's the carved apple "shrunken heads" that will really grab everyone's attention.
Make it if you’re looking for… a spiked harvest punch straight out of a house of horrors
Get the recipe for Apple Cider Punch.
Tart Cherry Eyeball Punch
This Halloween drink is so easy, you barely need a recipe. It's great both as a mocktail and with alcohol, whether you prefer it with vodka or light rum.
Make it if you’re looking for… an “eye-catching” party punch + no-alcohol option
Get the recipe for Tart Cherry Eyeball Punch.
Haymaker
The scariest thing about this powerful cocktail is how easy it goes down. It pairs well with scarecrow costumes, hayrides, and jack-o'-lantern carving as well.
Make it if you’re looking for… a fun bourbon cocktail that packs a wallop
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