It’s Halloween time and the perfect opportunity to pair two of my favorite things, horror movies and cocktails! Whether you’re cozying up on the couch to celebrate the season or throwing a killer bash, here’s a list of 11 of my favorite horror movies and signature cocktail pairings to conjure up a night of terror and spine-tingling fun.
Candyman – 2021 (Amazon Prime Video)
Candyman is back in Jordan Peele’s reimagining of the classic horror movie. This time, the hooked Candyman finds his victims in a newly gentrified Chicago neighborhood. Dare you say his name five times in the mirror…?
Drunken Peanut Butter Cups (delish)
- 1 Cup of vodka
- 1/2 Cup of Reese’s Pieces
- Ice
- 3 oz. Milk
- 2 oz. Chocolate Liqueur
- 1/4 Cup peanut butter, for rimming glass
- 1/2 Cup crushed Reese’s Pieces, for rimming glass
- 2 Reese’s peanut butter cups, for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
In a mason jar, combine 1 cup vodka and 1/2 cup Reese’s pieces. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and shake. Refrigerate overnight, then strain. The next day: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice , then pour over 3 oz. strained Reese’s-infused vodka, 3 oz. milk, and 2 oz. chocolate liqueur. Shake until chilled. Put 1/4 cup peanut butter on one small plate and 1/2 cup crushed Reese’s Pieces on another. Dunk the tops of two cocktail glasses in peanut butter then roll in crushed Reese’s Pieces. Drizzle about a tablespoon of chocolate syrup into each glass. Divide cocktail mixture between glasses and garnish each with a large Reese’s peanut butter cup.
Children of the Corn (Amazon Prime Video)
Stephen King’s classic tale of creepy kids will make you think twice the next time you decide to veer off the highway and take the scenic route.
Spiked Jolly Rancher Punch (Sugar and Charm)
- Sparkling Apple Cider
- Raspberry Vodka or Passion Fruit Vodka
- Pineapple Juice (use 100% pineapple juice)
- Cranberry Juice (use sweetened)
- Ginger Ale
- Black licorice
- Bag of Jolly Ranchers Hard Candy. Click here to order Jolly Ranchers (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
Mix pineapple juice, cranberry juice, apple cider, and ginger ale, then spike it with either passion fruit or raspberry-infused vodka. Add the ice ten minutes before your guests arrive, so it doesn’t dilute the drink. Cut the top and bottom off the licorice and cut it to the size of the glasses you’re serving the Halloween punch in. Place licorice in cups as straws and garnish with a Jolly Rancher.
The Conjuring 2 (Netflix)
Real-life married couple/paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren fight demons and evil spirits for the souls of the innocent.
Blood Orange Sangria (How Sweet Eats)
- 6 Blood oranges
- 2 (750ML) Bottles of pinot grigio
- 1 Cup club soda
- 1/2 Cup brandy
- 12 oz. of strawberries, sliced
- 1 Pint of raspberries
- 1 Apple, chopped
- 1/2 Cup sugar, for glass rimming
Zest one of the blood oranges and combine it with the sugar in a small bowl. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until fragrant. By hand juice four of the blood oranges discarding any seeds or pith. Chop the remaining blood oranges into pieces. In a large pitcher, combine the wine, brandy, blood orange juice, club soda, apples, strawberries, raspberries and blood oranges. Stir well to combine. Let chill in fridge for an hour. Place the orange sugar on a plate, then run a lemon, lime or orange slice around the rim of each glass. Dunk each glass in the sugar, coating well. Fill each glass with a few ice cubes, then add some of the fruit from the sangria. Pour the sangria into each glass and serve!
The Descent (Amazon Prime Video)
This is one of my favorite movies, period. Take a group of strong, bad-ass women, throw them in an underground cave with flesh-eating monsters, and you have an action-packed horror movie that is just as suspenseful as it is terrifying.
Haunted Graveyard (Sprinkles & Sprouts)
- Bourbon
- Maple syrup
- Fresh orange
- Bitters
- Rosemary stems
- Ice
- A cocktail shaker or mason jar
The bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters are shaken together with an orange slice, rosemary leaves, and plenty of ice. Then strained into glasses and garnished with the smoking rosemary stem.
Halloween (available for rent on Amazon Prime Video)
First, I want to say this is my all-time favorite Halloween movie! Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to his hometown to wreak havoc on Halloween night.
Grave Digger (Boulder Locavore)
- Hard Cider
- Bourbon or other Whiskey
- Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer
In a 12-16 ounce glass, combine the hard cider and whiskey. Fill with crushed ice. Fill to top off with ginger ale or ginger beer. This drink works better made to order as the two carbonated ingredients can go flat in a large punch bowl.
Halloween Ends (Peacock)
Evil dies tonight! This movie is what Halloween fans (myself included) have been waiting for, forty+ years in the making. It’s the final battle between the Ol’ G ‘final girl’ Laurie Strode, and deranged serial killer Michael Myers.
- 3/4 oz. Whiskey
- 3/4 oz. Haskap Liqueur
- 3/4 oz. Pomegranate juice
- One dash of simple syrup
- 2 oz. Sparkling Wine
Add Whiskey, Liqueur, pomegranate juice, and syrup into your shaker. Fill it with ice and give it a good shake. Strain the mix into your Halloween flute glass and top it with sparkling wine.
Hellraiser – 2022 (Hulu)
Hulu has reimagined Clive Barker’s horror classic, Hellraiser, with a new terrifying story surrounding a mysterious ancient puzzle box.
- Celery salt
- 1 Lemon wedge
- 1 Lime wedge
- 2 oz. Vodka
- 4 oz. Tomato juice
- 2 Tsps. prepared horseradish
- 2 Dashes Tabasco sauce
- 2 Dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 Pinch smoked paprika
- Garnish: parsley sprig
- Garnish: green olives
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Garnish: celery stalk
Pour some celery salt onto a small plate. Rub the juicy side of the lemon or lime wedge along the lip of a pint glass. Roll the outer edge of the glass in celery salt until fully coated, then fill the glass with ice and set aside. Squeeze the lemon and lime wedges into a shaker and drop them in. Add the vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire, black pepper, paprika, plus a pinch of celery salt along with ice and shake gently. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with parsley sprig, 2 speared green olives, a lime wedge and a celery stalk (optional).
Hocus Pocus/Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+)
This is another of my favorite Halloween movies. It features Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as a trio of witches who’ve been awoken on Halloween night.
Hocus Pocus Jell-O Shots (delish)
- 1 Package of each: orange Jell-O, purple Jell-O, and green Jell-O
- 3 Cups boiling water, divided
- 3 Cup of vodka, divided
- 1 Cup Cool Whip
- 15 Oreos, cream removed
- 30 Chocolate kisses
- Orange, green, and purple sanding sugar
Into three separate bowls or measuring cups, add 1 package orange Jell-O, 1 package purple Jell-O, and 1 package green Jell-O. Into each bowl add 1 cup boiling water plus 1 cup vodka and whisk until Jell-O mixture is fully dissolved. Pour into plastic cups and place in the refrigerator to harden, 3 to 4 hours. Meanwhile, make the witch hats. Make sure all cream is removed from 15 Oreo cookies and place smooth side down. Take 30 unwrapped Hershey Kisses and dip in 1 cup Cool Whip, and then into the orange, purple, and green sanding sugar of your choice. Press chocolate Kiss in the center of the cookie to join the two. When Jell-O is hardened, top with Cool Whip and a witch hat cookie. Serve. Click here to order plastic jello shot cups (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
It Chapter One (Netflix)
This is one of my favorite horror movies. This classic tale of horror from Stephen King features a strong young adult cast and a horrifying clown named Pennywise.
The Black Widow Smash (Half-Baked Harvest)
- 8 Fresh blackberries, plus more for topping
- 1-2 Tsps. fresh rosemary, plus a sprig for serving
- Juice from half of a lemon
- 1-2 Tbsps. honey
- 1 1/2 – 2 oz. Tequila or Mezcal
- A couple dashes of orange bitters
- Sparkling water, for topping
In a cocktail shaker or glass jar, add blackberries, rosemary, lemon juice, and honey. Muddle all of the ingredients together, squishing everything to release the juices. Add the tequila and orange bitters. Add ice to your glass and strain the drink over the ice. Top the glass with a little more ice, pour the sparkling water over, and gently stir to combine. Garnish with fresh rosemary. Cheers!
It Follows (Netflix)
This is one of the most inventive horror movies of the last decade. After a sexual encounter, a young woman played brilliantly by Maika Monroe is stalked by a supernatural force.
Apple-Cinnamon Cider Cups (Woman’s Day)
- Large apples
- Apple cider (chilled or warm)
- Rum or Bourbon
- Whole star anise and cinnamon sticks
For each apple cup, cut off the top quarter of the apple, then remove and discard the core. (If the apple seems unstable, cut a thin slice off the bottom). Using a melon baller, scoop out the center of the apple, leaving a 1/4-inch rim. (Reserve apple centers for another use.) To serve, fill each cup with cider and rum or bourbon. Top with a star anise pod and a cinnamon stick for sipping.
Trick ‘r Treat (for rent on Amazon Prime Video)
Anna Paquin stars in this tale of five clever horror short stories that come together on a terrifying Halloween night.
- 25 ml Dark rum (or a mixture of dark rum and golden rum)
- 25 ml White rum (or a mixture of white rum and overproof rum)
- 50 ml Lime juice
- 150 ml Pineapple juice
- Ice
- 1 Tsp. grenadine
- Wedge of orange
- Maraschino cherries
- Mint sprig
Pour the rums and fruit juices into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake hard until outside the shaker feels really cold. Strain the mixture into a tall glass or hurricane glass filled with ice, then slowly pour in the grenadine to color the drink. Skewer the orange wedge and cherries on a cocktail stick. Garnish the drink with mint sprigs and the skewered fruit.
