Last minute Halloween cocktails

Halloween, originally called "All Hallows' Evening" or “All Hallows' Eve,” is an annual holiday observed around the world on October 31^st. This is also the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. Most believe that All Hallows' Eve was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with pagan roots.

Trick or treating is a typical activity of the festival of Halloween, but other activities include attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, bobbing for apples, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

Most costume parties are associated with Halloween inspired food treats and cocktails for adult revelers. Here are a few last minute cocktail ideas for this Halloween season:

Witch's Brew Martini

Ingredients:

½ oz Grenadine

½ oz Cointreau

½ oz Midori melon liqueur

½ oz Blue Curacao

3 oz Blood Orange juice

Method:

Pour Grenadine into a martini glass. Mix the orange juice, Blue Curacao, Cointreau and Midori melon separately in shaker. Pour the mixture slowly over a spoon into the glass to layer over the grenadine. Garnish with whipped cream on the rim of the martini glass and a candy corn.

Pumpkin Smasher

Ingredients:

2 oz Kahlua
1 oz Bailey's irish cream
1 oz Goldschlager Cinnamon Garnish

Method:

Add the Kahlua and Bailey’s in a rocks glass with ice. Add the Goldschlager as the top layer and set on fire. For a dramtic effect, sprinkle cinnamon on the flame, blow out and serve.

Red Devil

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Vodka

1 oz Peach schnapps

1 oz Southern Comfort

1 oz Sloe gin

1 oz Triple sec

2 oz Blood Orange juice

1 splash Grenadine

Method:

Fill a pint glass (12oz) with ice and mix in the alcohols. Then add the orange juice and grenadine. Top the glass with a shaker and shake all of the ingredients together and serve. Garnish with a wedge of Blood Orange.

The Graveyard Martini

Ingredients:

½ oz Vodka

½ oz Rum

½ oz Blueberry schnapps

½ oz Apple schnapps

½ oz Blue Curacao

½ oz Chambord raspberry liqueur

Splash of Cranberry juice

Splash of Blood Orange juice

Method:

Shake all ingredients and serve in a martini glass. It should taste like grape Cool-aid.

Candy Bar

Ingredients:

2 oz Kahlua

2 oz Cream 

1 oz Creme de Cacao

1 oz Frangelico

Method:

Add all ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a mini of your favorite candy bar.

Candy Corn Shot

Ingredients:

½ oz Licor 43

½ oz Orange Curacao

½ oz Cream

Method:

First, make sure all of the bottles are chilled ahead of time whether in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Carefully layer on top of each other to resemble the Halloween candy. Add the Licor 43 first, then the orange curacao, then finally the cream. Remember to use a spoon to help with layering.

Vampire Shot

Ingredients:

½ oz Chambord raspberry liqueur

½ oz Vodka

½ oz Cranberry juice

Method:

Combine ingredients in a shaker and strain into a rocks glass as a shot.

Howlin’ Wolf  

Ingredients:

1 oz Absolut Vodka

½ oz White Creme de Menthe

½ oz Blue Curacao

Fill with Sprite

Method:

Add all alcohol into a high ball glass with ice and fill with Sprite.

I hope you Ghouls and Gals enjoy your Halloween parties tonight. Be sure to share your favorite Halloween cocktail!