17 Spooky Cocktails for Your Halloween Bash

The deep garnet color from hibiscus and blood oranges adds plenty of drama to this sparkling drink. The tea base also keeps the beverage much lower in sugar than soda or other juice-based punches. Make sure to let the tea bags steep in the hot water for the best flavor. Top off each glass with whatever sparkler you have on hand—sparkling wine for the adults or sparkling cider or seltzer for the kids. If you can’t find blood oranges, use navel oranges.

The cider-honey base of this fall beverage makes enough for both adult and kid twists: one with pale ale, the other with sparkling cider. Beer and cider are refreshing and lower in sugar and alcohol than stronger potions, which tend to go down a bit too easily. The cider syrup needs time to cool; let it rest while you traverse the neighborhood; then mix up the drinks when you return. Cut the apple slices for the kids' drinks into spooky shapes before adding to the pitcher.

Ginger infuses this lemony hot toddy with a spicy kick—the perfect antidote to chilly winter weather and a recipe for spooktacular fun. After you add the alcohol, turn the slow cooker to low to prevent the spirits from burning off and allow guests to help themselves. Golden rum gives this cocktail a lemony color, but if you prefer the burnt-sugar notes of dark rum, use that.

A tropical spin on the South American classic, this version uses zingy passion fruit and mango to add brightness to pisco. You might be lucky enough to find passion fruit at your regular supermarket year-round, but it’s more widely available at Asian, Latin, and gourmet supermarkets. Rich in immune-boosting vitamin C and anti-inflammatory polyphenols, the most common variety looks like a purple-brown egg and has a sweet-tart flavor.

This is a twist on a Dark and Stormy, the classic dark rum and ginger beer combo. Turmeric gives this zesty cocktail its pumpkin-colored hue. If you don't have fresh turmeric, substitute 1 teaspoon ground turmeric. Lime boosts the tartness of turmeric to make a delightfully refreshing beverage. Myer's Rum is easy to find, but there are many small-batch dark rums now on the market; you may want to experiment with their subtle nuances.

Wrangle up a few of your favorite witches and ghouls for Halloween. Those who love this delightful and terrifying holiday will find themselves at ease with this cocktail that's so good it’s deadly.

Warm winter spices like cinnamon and whole allspice give this cocktail a seasonal spin. We also add green apple for a subtle tart-sweet note. Look for bottled ginger beer such as the Ginger People or Reed’s; ginger ale is too sweet and won’t have enough kick. Ginger beer is also usually nonalcoholic; just omit the gin for a nonalcoholic beverage. Vodka or bourbon would also be delicious if you’re not a fan of gin.

This adults-only float is a must-make for a festive fall gathering. Depending on your crowd, you may want to provide straws, spoons, and refills. This beer float makes for a perfect dessert cocktail to finish off a great party or meal.

This make-ahead drink leaves you plenty of time to perfect your costume. Simply prepare the gingered sugar syrup (step 1), and refrigerate it until you're ready to shake and serve the cocktails.

Adding hard cider to this beer creates a cocktail with a tangy edge and sweet notes to round it out. This frothy blend is a perfect way to dress up your beer for the occasion and create new flavors with any hard ciders that you have on hand.

This cocktail brings together the seasonal flavors of apples, pears, ginger, and maple. Bourbon gives it a bit of bite and backbone. (For a sweeter, richer version, you could use a dark rum, like Plantation Grande Reserve or El Dorado 5-year.) You'll make more of the tangy ginger-maple syrup than you need for the recipe; save the remaining syrup for other cocktails or to sweeten and spice up tea or mulled wine.

This fruity drink is the perfect color for a Halloween gathering and provides a welcome contrast to chilly fall evenings. Substituting 1 cup rum for 1 cup seltzer helps transition the beverage from a summer cocktail to a tropical fruit punch.

If you'd rather snuggle up to a cozy fireplace and hand out candy, rather than collect it, then you'll want to curl up with this warm, flavorful, and savory cider. If you'd prefer a beverage with less spice, try substituting apple juice for the apple cider. It's fantastic either way.

Set the tone for the night by serving this signature fall cocktail. We streamlined and lightened the original recipe but kept true to the gin, apple, and vermouth at its heart. Premix big batches (except the ice) in a pitcher up to a day ahead. Shake servings for 1 or 2 at a time with ice.

Guests will love this vampire- (and kid-) friendly punch, which uses cinnamon candies and cranberry-apple drink to give it its fun, bright color. Substitute 1 cup rum for 1 cup water to turn this blood-red punch into a grown-up toddy version.

Warm up your crew after candy collection with seasonal sips like our Spiced Cider spiked with brandy. Kids will love it too, sans alcohol, of course.

Lend a touch of elegance to a typically frightening night. We adore this drink, with fresh pear juice (easy to make!) lending its unmistakable sweet flavor and fragrance. It always makes us swoon.