BOO-zy Cocktails For A Grown Up Halloween Party

Trick or Treat yo’self!

It’s that time of the year again, time for dress-up, chocolates and candy galore! Halloween is, however, no longer just for the kids. Why not indulge in a little Halloween fun too with these devilishly delicious cocktails. They are all easy to make and guaranteed to make dealing with kids (who are hopped up on sugar) easier. So (trick or) treat yo’self, mama. These cocktails are also fun to make for any Halloween themed parties, so why not invite over some friends? More ‘BOOOO’ze please!

Dead and Berried (serves 2 high ball tumblers)

Named for the delicious berry flavours, this drink is the perfect combination of fruit, vodka and gin. The ginger beer tops it off to give and earthy flavour and a tinge of heat. You might love this so much you’ll take the recipe to your grave.

Ingredients

5 fresh raspberries
5 fresh black berries
¼ lemon, fresh
Pinch of white sugar
2 oz. mixed berry juice
1 oz. vodka (alternatively raspberry vodka can be used)
1 oz. gin
Ginger beer to top it off

Method

1. In a cocktail shaker muddle the fresh berries and lemon with a pinch of sugar.
2. Add the vodka and gin as well as the juice and fill the shaker with ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty (about 30 seconds)
3. Pour into a cooled glass and top with ginger beer.

Stone Cold Murder (serves two short ball tumblers)

This is a delightful cocktail or dessert with an added bit of fun. With coconut and vodka ice as the base, this drink is served with a syringe of berry-goodness to give a spooky “blood on the ice” effect. It is spine-chillingly good.

Ingredients

½ can full fat coconut milk
1 oz. crème de cacao (white)
5 Tbsp. sugar
5 Tbsp. water
1 oz. chilled vodka
½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
2 plastic syringes

Method

1. Make a simple syrup by microwaving 3 Tbsp. of sugar with 3 Tbsp. of water and stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.
2. In a small bowl mix the coconut milk, sugar syrup and crème de cacao together. Pour into a shallow container such as a baking sheet and freeze. Scrape the mixture every 20 minutes until you end up with a mixture which resembles ice.
3. In a food processor blend the berries until smooth. Pour this mixture into plastic syringes.
4. In the bottom of a chilled glass add the vodka, top with the coconut snow. Serve with syringes so you or your guests can squeeze the puree over the snow. Serve as a dessert or allow it to melt for a few minutes for a delicious creamy cocktail.

Eye See You (serves 2 martini glasses)

This fun and fruity cocktail is given a spooky twist with a few floating lychee “eyeballs”. They may look scary but the tropical taste of this drink will soon have you eyeing another.

Ingredients

1 oz. simple syrup
½ can tinned lychees (2 oz. of syrup for the cocktail and 3-4 lychees for garnish)
1 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. orange juice
4 oz. vodka
3-4 blueberries

Method

1. In a cocktail shaker muddle the simple syrup with the mint leaves.
2. Add the lychee syrup, pineapple juice, orange juice and vodka. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds.
3. Pour into a glass through a strainer and garnish with “eyeballs” (recipe to follow)

Eyeball garnish: Put blueberries inside the lychees. Either skewer them on toothpicks or let them sink to the bottom of the martini glass.

This article was originally published in October 2017.