Top 10 Halloween Party Cocktail Recipes

Each Halloween, we host a ghastly good party at Jordan Winery. Elaborately themed costumes haunt the winery halls, with guests enjoying music, creative appetizers and unique potions. Until now, we’ve closely held these secret cocktail recipes but, in honor of the 10th anniversary of this fete, we’re sharing our top ten Halloween cocktail recipes with our fans, ideal for many party themes. We asked local Sonoma County mixologist, Christopher Long of Libations Limited, to refresh the recipes on our favorite chilling cocktails. Have a frightfully fun evening.

Get more Halloween party ideas here.

Our Top Ten Halloween Cocktails

Denial on the Nile (Ancient Egypt/Indiana Jones Themed Halloween Party)

When your friends want to walk like an Egyptian and party like a pharaoh, an Egyptian-themed Halloween party is in order. At Jordan Winery’s Denial on the Nile Halloween party in 2018, guests’ costumes ranged from Egyptian goddesses and Indiana Jones to camels and king cobras. These three Halloween cocktail recipes had party-goers dancing past midnight.

PHUNKY PHAROAH

Spicy, earthy and slightly sweet, this rye-based cocktail features spiced simple syrup for a sneaky kick.

1 1/2 oz. Rittenhouse rye
1/2 oz. spiced maple simple syrup
3/4 oz. lime juice
1 oz. Fever Tree ginger beer
Double old fashioned glass
Apple slice and pineapple sage leaf for garnish

For the spiced maple simple syrup:
2 cups pure maple syrup
2 cups water
2-3 red apple peels (depending on size)
3 large cinnamon sticks, crushed

For the spiced maple simple syrup, combine all ingredients in a 2-quart sauce pan, bring to a boil then cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until the apple and cinnamon become noticeable through the maple syrup. Let cool for 10 min then strain into a jar or other lidded vessel and refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 month.

For the cocktail, add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with an apple slice and pineapple sage leaf, or other fresh herbs available.

CLEOPATRA’S REVENGE

A cauldron of fresh citrus, rum and an unexpected fruit-infused syrup can lure anyone into Cleopatra’s lair. 

1 1/2 oz. Novo Fogo Cachaça (Brazilian cane rum)
1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
3/4 oz. quince demerara simple syrup (adjust to taste)
1 dash of Angostura bitters (optional)
Collins glass/tall cooler
Grapefruit zest and edible flowers for garnish

For the quince demerara simple syrup:
1 lb. peeled and diced fresh quince
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups Demerara sugar
1 stick cinnamon (optional)

For the quince demerara simple syrup, peel quince and dice. Add quince to a pot with 2 cups water, sugar and optional cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stir sugar until it’s dissolved, lower heat, cover then simmer for 30-45 minutes until desired flavor is achieved. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container.

For the cocktail, add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with grapefruit zest and edible flowers.

NASTY MUMMY

Refreshing and exotic with a peppery kick, this tequila Halloween cocktail will wrap up your tastebuds for the night. 

2 oz. Reposado tequila
1/4 oz. passionfruit juice/purée (adjust to taste)
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 oz. fresh orange juice
1/2 oz. demerara simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
1 pinch cayenne pepper (for batching, use 1/4 tsp for every 25 servings)
Double old-fashioned glass
Orange zest to garnish

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with orange zest.

Glampire (Vampire-Themed Halloween Party)

What’s a party without vampires? These Halloween party cocktails, from Jordan Winery’s 2010 Glampire Halloween party, are bloody good. 

GLAMTINI

With a bewitching red color, this brew is filled with berry flavors and a light spritz from the sparkling rosé.

1 1/2 cups raspberries, puréed and strained of seeds
1 oz. corn syrup
1/4 tsp. red food coloring
2 star anise
1 oz. vodka
2 oz. Chambord
4 oz. brut rosé sparkling wine or Champagne
Griottines (Morello cherries in Kirsch liqueur) for garnish

Chill two martini glasses. Combine raspberry purée, corn syrup and food coloring to create “blood”. Place one star anise in bottom of each glass. Spoon two tablespoons of the “blood” over the star anise. In a shaker with ice, combine vodka and Chambord. Shake and then strain over “blood”. Finish with Rosé Champagne and garnish with Griottines.

FANGTASTIC MARTINI

For vampires and orange lovers alike, this vodka-based cocktail is packed with Vitamin C to ward off the evil. 

1 1/2 oz. Hangar One Meyer Lemon Vodka
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice or 1 oz. fresh Meyer lemon juice (if available)
1/2 oz. lemon verbena simple syrup
3 fresh mandarin or clementine orange wedges
Lemon or Meyer lemon twist for garnish

For the lemon verbena simple syrup:
2 cups white (or raw cane) sugar
2 cups water
8-10 lemon verbena leaves

For the lemon verbena simple syrup, combine sugar and water in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat, stirring till sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, add lemon verbena and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until desired flavor is achieved. Let chill for 10 minutes then strain into a lidded container and refrigerate. Keeps up to 4 weeks.

For the cocktail, chill 1 coupe glass. In a shaker, muddle mandarin/clementine orange wedges (muddling orange optional but recommended to release oils from rind), fill shaker with ice and add Meyer lemon vodka, syrup and lemon juice. Shake and then double strain into glass. Discard ice and orange rind. Garnish with lemon twists.

True Grit (Country Western Themed Party)

We hosted our country-western themed party in 2011, and all the recipes that year made our top ten Halloween cocktail list. They were howl-at-the-moon tasty, with creative garnishes and infusions.

MATTIE ROSS

A refreshing sparkling wine cocktail with a hint of citrus. Add more pomegranate juice to make the pink hue pop.

1 1/2 oz. Spirit Works Vodka (or Gin)
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. peach and apple syrup
1/3 oz. pomegranate juice
1/2 oz. Brut Rosé
1 dash Fee Brothers Peach Bitters (optional)
Orange twist, peach slice or pineapple sage for garnish

For the peach and apple syrup:
2 cups white (or raw cane) sugar
2 cups water
1 green apple, diced
1 peach, diced

In a medium sauce pan combine sugar, water, diced apple and peach over medium-high heat, stirring till sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until desired flavor is achieved. Let chill for 10 minutes then strain into a lidded container and refrigerate. Keeps up to 4 weeks.

For the cocktail, add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, plus ice, except for the sparkling wine. Pour into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist (or peach slice) and a leaf of pineapple sage or other greenery.

SHOTGUN SPICED PEAR

Smooth with subtle spice and stone fruit, this gin cocktail will sneak up on you like a gunslinger in a saloon.

1 1/2 oz. Hanson’s Gin
3/4 oz. fresh Asian pear juice
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/3 oz. spiced pear syrup

For the spiced pear syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup cane sugar (or honey for a richer flavor)
1 Bartlett pear, sliced
1/4 cup crushed black peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 large cinnamon stick, crushed/broken

For the spiced pear syrup, combine water, sugar and pear slices in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and continue simmering for another 10 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain into a jar and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for 2 weeks to 1 month.

For the cocktail, combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon peel, pear slice or lemon verbena leaf.

DIRTY BOB

The only controversial cocktail recipe on this list, Dirty Bob is a love-it-or-hate-it tequila drink with a strong, spicy, root beer flavor. Cut back on the root beer liqueur and schnapps to let the berry-infused tequila shine brightest.

2 parts infused tequila
1 part Grand Marnier
1/4 part Blackmaker Root Beer liqueur
1/4 part Der Lachs Goldwasser Cinnamon Schnapps
1/2 part quality craft root beer (such as Sparky’s, Abita or Virgil’s)
Cinnamon stick and fresh blackberries for garnish

For infused tequila:
1 cup fresh blackberries
4 slices fresh orange, rind removed and discarded
1 slice fresh Meyer lemon, rind removed and discarded
1 750mL bottle tequila (such as Corazon Reposado)

Place tequila and fruits into a large demijohn or glass drink dispenser. Infuse fruit flavors and tequila for 4 to 5 days. Once tequila is infused, mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Serve in a classic mason jar over ice. Garnish with cinnamon stick and fresh blackberries.

STONEHILL

Hitch your wagon to this smooth, fruity Halloween cocktail. It’s the raspberry powder that makes it pop. 

2 parts Absolut Wild Tea Vodka
1 part Cointreau
1 1/2 parts white cranberry juice
1/4 part pineapple juice
Fresh lime and orange quarters
Raspberry powder (made by crushing pure dehydrated raspberries) and fresh raspberries for garnish

Squeeze fresh lime and orange quarters into a shaker. Shake all ingredients with ice in shaker except garnish. Dust half the rim of a double martini glass with raspberry powder. Strain into the martini glass and garnish with a fresh raspberry.

James Bond Themed Party

We couldn’t resist the temptation of hosting a James Bond Halloween party. An evening where tuxedo-wearing spies and beautiful ladies in full-length gowns danced amid our barrels, sipping flutes of Champagne and martinis. Here’s our James Bond martini recipe with a French twist–because there’s always a French twist at Jordan.

VESPER 007

This James Bond Halloween party cocktail is a smooth operator. Lillet, lemon and verbena offer a refreshing twist on the elegant classic.

1 1/2 oz. Spirit Works Gin
1/2 oz. Kettle One Vodka
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
2 lemon verbena leaves
Lemon twists for garnish

In a mixing glass/tin filled with ice, combine all ingredients with two lemon verbena leaves and stir approximately 10 seconds (depending on size of ice, smaller cubes melt faster allowing for over dilution if stirred too long). Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe and garnish with lemon twists.

POMEGRANATE FRENCH KISS

Our take on a French 75 Champagne cocktail with colorful, flavorful pomegranate seeds.

1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. pomegranate honey
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1 1/2 oz. Champagne float
Honey fermented pomegranate seeds for garnish
Universal wine glass

Combine vodka, honey and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a wine glass, top with Champagne and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Star Wars Themed Party

We all need to challenge our inner Jedi and fight the urge to return to the Dark Side every now and then. Jordan’s Star Wars Halloween party in 2014 made for a hilarious video invitation–and some fun Halloween cocktail recipe names, from Princess Punch to The Giggling Yoda.

DARK AND STORMY TROOPER

A traditional dark and stormy that’s smooth and subtle on the spice notes. It’s all about the cocktail names at your next Star Wars party. Ginger syrup is the secret ingredient to taking this cocktail to the next galaxy.

1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum (not spiced)
1/2 oz. Ginger simple syrup
3/4 oz. lime juice
1 oz. ginger beer
1 dash Angostora Bitters
Fresh herbs for garnish

Add the rum, ginger syrup, and lime juice to shaker and shake without ice. Pour into a highball glass filled with ice. Fill with ginger beer and garnish with a sprig of fresh herbs.