A punch bowl of dark, smoky tea, a pitcher of blackberry margaritas, and a jug of fizzy cooler can all sit in the fridge by 6 p.m. That is the idea behind these Halloween cocktails. You batch each one in advance, so you can answer the door instead of shaking drinks all night. One of the three has no alcohol at all.
Why batch Halloween cocktails
A Halloween party runs on interruptions. Trick-or-treaters ring, costumes need adjusting, and someone always arrives late. So the best drinks are the ones you mix before anyone shows up. Batching also keeps every glass consistent, because you set the ratios once rather than eyeballing them 20 times.
A smoky tea punch
This one is a method more than a recipe. It follows the Barbadian rum punch rhyme that Epicurious explains: “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.” Here, the “weak” part is cold lapsang souchong, a Chinese black tea smoked over pine, which gives the bowl its smoky edge.
The method
Choose a measure, such as a cup, and keep it for every part.
- One of sour: fresh lime juice.
- Two of sweet: simple syrup, or a demerara syrup for more depth.
- Three of strong: an aged rum.
- Four of weak: strong lapsang souchong tea, brewed and chilled.
Stir everything together in a large bowl, then taste. If it is too tart, add a little more syrup. If it is too strong, add more tea. Epicurious suggests finishing with a few dashes of bitters, and a grating of nutmeg suits the smoke. Chill the bowl for at least an hour.
Just before guests arrive, add a large block of ice, which melts slowly. Then float wide strips of orange peel on top.
The best drinks are the ones you mix before anyone shows up.
A black margarita
This recipe comes from Pour & Mix, which calls it the Black Magic Margarita. The batch makes eight drinks.
The batch
- 12 ounces blanco tequila
- 4 ounces orange liqueur
- 8 ounces strained blackberry purée
- 6 ounces fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces agave syrup
Combine everything in a pitcher and chill it. The batch totals 32 ounces of undiluted mix. Pour & Mix advises stirring the pitcher before every pour, because the fruit can settle.
To serve
For each drink, shake 4 ounces of the mix with ice, then strain it over fresh ice. Pour & Mix suggests a salted half-rim, which lets guests choose how much salt they get. The blackberries give a deep purple color on their own. Blackberries do not reliably make a jet-black drink, Pour & Mix notes, so for that look it suggests a small amount of food coloring.
For a smoky variation, the recipe swaps half an ounce of the tequila in each drink for mezcal. That swap ties the margarita to the punch, so the two drinks feel like a set.
A no-proof Blackberry Lime Cooler
Every party needs a drink without alcohol, and this one uses the same blackberry purée as the margarita. Pour & Mix lists it as the Alcohol-Free Blackberry Lime Cooler.
Per drink
- 1 ounce blackberry purée
- 0.75 ounce fresh lime juice
- 0.25 ounce agave syrup
- 3 ounces soda water
Build it over ice and stir gently. To batch it, multiply the purée, lime, and agave by the number of guests and keep the mix in the fridge. Then top each glass with soda water as you serve, so it stays fizzy.
How much to make for Halloween cocktails
Plan on the size of your guest list rather than the size of your bowl. The margarita batch makes eight drinks, so double it for a party of 10 to 15 people who will also try the punch. For the punch, the rhyme scales easily. Using a cup as the measure gives you 10 cups, and a half-cup measure gives you five.
Keep the no-proof cooler generous too. Guests who are driving, guests who are pregnant, and guests who simply want a break will all reach for it. Since it shares the purée with the margarita, one batch of blackberries covers both Halloween cocktails.
Garnish and glassware without plastic
Halloween cocktails look festive without plastic spiders or fake eyeballs, which can end up in a drink. Instead, try real garnishes. For example, use long strips of orange peel, skewered blackberries, a sprig of rosemary, or a thin wheel of blood orange. Even a dusting of cinnamon on top of the punch adds a seasonal scent.
When it comes to glassware for Halloween cocktails, mix and match. Vintage coupes, small tumblers, and teacups all work, and teacups suit the tea punch especially well. Also set out a labeled pitcher of water and plenty of ice, since guests will drink more when both are easy to reach.
For something to eat, a bowl of spiced seeds from our guide on how to roast pumpkin seeds sits well next to the punch. And our ranking of the best Halloween candy covers the sweet side.
A note on drinking responsibly
Batched Halloween cocktails go down easily, so it helps to know what you are pouring. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard drink in the US contains 0.6 fluid ounces, or 14 grams, of pure alcohol. NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or higher. For a typical adult, that usually means five or more drinks for men, or four or more for women, in about two hours. The institute also notes that “harms may be associated with any amount of drinking.”
So keep the no-proof cooler in plain view, serve food from the start, and help guests who are driving get home safely.
Halloween cocktails questions, answered
Can I make Halloween cocktails ahead of time?
Yes. You can mix all three hours ahead and keep them chilled. Add ice and soda water only when you serve.
How do I make a margarita black?
Blackberry purée gives a deep purple color. For a jet-black look, Pour & Mix suggests a small amount of food coloring.
What is lapsang souchong?
It is a Chinese black tea smoked over pine, which gives it a smoky flavor.
What is a good no-proof Halloween drink?
The Blackberry Lime Cooler uses blackberry purée, lime, agave, and soda water, so it matches the margarita.
Mix the punch and the margarita base by 6 p.m., set the soda water in the fridge, and leave the ice for the last 10 minutes.