13 Halloween movies and 13 spine-tingling cocktails to pair for Spooky Season
Spooky season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a horror movie marathon and some frightfully delicious cocktails? Whether you’re seeking Halloween movies, Halloween party ideas, or scary movie marathon ideas for a cozy night in, we’ll guide you through crafting 13 spine-tingling cocktails paired with some of the best scary movies. Yes, I know three of these picks are TV shows, not movies, but I had to add them because they’re perfect for spooky season! So gather your friends, dim the lights, and enjoy a frightfully good night. Happy Halloween!
1. Obsession + The One Wish Willow
A hopeless romantic breaks the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart and gets exactly what he wished for, at a dark price. Be careful what you toast to. Obsession is streaming on Peacock.
The One Wish Willow (for those who love gin cocktails):
- 2 oz gin
- ¾ oz elderflower liqueur
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz raspberry syrup
- Shake with ice, strain into a coupe. Garnish: rosemary sprig “willow branch” + a rose petal.
2. Evil Dead Burn + The Deadite Burn
A widow seeks solace with her in-laws at their secluded family home, then watches them turn into Deadites one by one. It’s a family reunion from hell. Evil Dead Burn is streaming on HBO Max.
The Deadite Burn (for those who love mezcal cocktails):
- 2 oz mezcal
- 2 oz blood orange juice
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ½ oz agave
- 2 jalapeño slices
- Shake hard, strain over ice. Garnish: Tajín rim + a charred jalapeño slice.
3. Bambi: The Reckoning + Bambi’s Revenge
After a car accident, a mother and son become the targets of a grief-stricken, mutated deer seeking revenge. Cute childhood classic? Not anymore. Campy, creepy, and a ton of fun! Bambi: The Reckoning is streaming on Peacock, AMC+, and Tubi.
Bambi’s Revenge (for those who love bourbon cocktails):
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz apple cider
- ½ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz maple syrup
- 2 dashes bitters
- Shake, strain over a big cube. Garnish: cinnamon stick “antlers” + a thin apple slice.
4. Hungry + The Swamp Hippo
Stranded holidaymakers lost in the Louisiana swamplands must survive a highly aggressive, rampaging hippo. Yes, really. It’s LOOSELY inspired by the classic game Hungry Hungry Hippos, so embrace the chaos! I went in with zero expectations and was pleasantly surprised: this movie was way more fun than I expected and a great watch! Rent Hungry on PrimeVideo.
The Swamp Hippo (for those who love rum cocktails):
- 1½ oz white rum
- 1 oz melon liqueur
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz lime juice
- Shake, strain over ice. Garnish: a skewer of white gummy “marbles” (wink, wink, Hungry Hungry Hippos).
5. Backrooms + Level 0
A furniture store owner discovers a portal in his basement leading to an endless labyrinth of yellow rooms, and his therapist follows after he vanishes. Backrooms is streaming on HBO Max.
Level 0 (for those who love vodka cocktails):
- 1½ oz lemon vodka
- 1 oz limoncello
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz honey syrup
- Shake, strain into a chilled glass. Garnish: dehydrated lemon wheel (that sickly fluorescent glow).
6. Iron Lung + The Blood Ocean
A convict is sealed inside a submarine to explore an ocean of blood on a desolate moon. Claustrophobia, but make it a cocktail. Rent or buy Iron Lung on YouTube Movies.
The Blood Ocean (for those who love rum cocktails):
- 2 oz spiced rum
- 1½ oz tart cherry juice
- ½ oz lime juice
- ¼ oz grenadine
- Shake, strain into a tall, narrow glass over ice. Garnish: smoked salt rim for that rusty-hull vibe.
7. Halloween + The Boogeyman
Disclaimer: This is my FAVORITE Halloween movie so it will ALWAYS have a spot on my annual list.…
Escaped psychopath Michael Myers stalks the babysitters of Haddonfield on Halloween night. It’s the classic that started the whole spooky-season tradition. Halloween is available to watch on Plex.
The Boogeyman (for those who love vodka cocktails):
- 1½ oz vanilla vodka
- 1 oz white chocolate liqueur
- 1 oz coconut cream
- splash of cream
- Shake, strain into a coupe. Garnish: black cocoa drizzle across the top like a mask’s eye holes.
8. The Descent + The Blind Crawler
Disclaimer: Yes, I’m putting one of my all-time FAVORITE movies back on the list, because news of a reboot has me rewatching it!
Six women on a caving expedition encounter terrifying creatures lurking in the darkness, making this claustrophobic survival nightmare one of the most intense scary movies ever made. Pale, eyeless crawlers inspired this sip. Watch The Descent on AMC+, Tubi, and Plex.
The Blind Crawler (for those who love vodka cocktails):
- 2 oz vodka
- 1½ oz lychee juice
- ½ oz lime juice
- ½ oz elderflower liqueur
- Shake, strain into a chilled glass. Garnish: lychee “eyeball” stuffed with a blueberry.
9. Wicked Little Things + The Coal Dust Old Fashioned
A widowed mom moves her two daughters to a rural Pennsylvania home near an old mine. Child miners lost in a collapse long ago aren’t resting in peace, and creepy kids are always a mood. This one features a young Chloë Grace Moretz in an early role, and it’s one of my favorite zombie movies, so if you’re a fan of Night of the Living Dead, this one is for you! Stream Wicked Little Things on Prime Video and Plex.
The Coal Dust Old Fashioned (for those who love bourbon cocktails):
- 2 oz bourbon
- ½ oz amaro
- ¼ oz maple syrup
- 2 dashes chocolate or orange bitters
- Stir with ice, strain over a large cube. Garnish: flamed orange peel.
10. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come + Double or Nothing
Grace survives one night of hunters, then has one chance to survive again, protect her estranged sister, and claim the High Seat while four rival families hunt her. Stream Ready or Not 2: Here I Come on Hulu.
Double or Nothing (for those who love vodka cocktails):
- 1 oz vodka
- ½ oz elderflower liqueur
- 3 oz prosecco
- ¼ oz raspberry liqueur
- Build in a flute, then drizzle the raspberry liqueur last for a “blood splatter” on white. Garnish: sugared rim.
11. AHS: 13 + The Witch’s Cauldron
AHS: 13 returns to Miss Robichaux’s Academy with 13 half-hour episodes, and this New Orleans-inspired witchy sip is made for a Coven-style night. It’s a classic margarita with a spooky twist: a black salt rim and a butterfly pea flower tequila that shifts from midnight blue to purple and pink the moment the lime hits. Watch AHS: 13 on FX and Hulu.
The Witch’s Cauldron (for those who love tequila cocktails):
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 2 teaspoons dried butterfly pea flowers
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1½ oz orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec)
- 1 oz agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons black lava salt
- 2 lime wedge, for rimming
- 2 cups ice
- 2 dried orange wheels or lime wheels, for garnish
- Steep 2 teaspoons dried butterfly pea flowers in 4 oz blanco tequila for about 15 minutes or until the tequila turns a deep midnight blue. Strain out the flowers and let the tequila cool. Rim the glasses: Run a 2 lime wedge, for rimming around the rim of each glass, then dip into 2 teaspoons black lava salt for a spooky black rim. Add the blue tequila, 2 oz fresh lime juice, 1½ oz orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec), and 1 oz agave syrup to a shaker with a handful of 2 cups ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds or until well chilled. Strain over fresh 2 cups ice in your rimmed glasses. The blue tequila will swirl into purple and pink as the lime juice hits, so serve right away for the full effect. Garnish with 2 dried orange wheels or lime wheels.
12. Crystal Lake + Lake Water
Peacock’s highly anticipated Friday the 13th prequel follows Pam Voorhees nearly a year after her son Jason drowned in the town lake. All eight episodes drop Oct. 15th on Peacock.
Lake Water (for those who love gin cocktails):
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz butterfly pea flower tea (chilled)
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Pour over ice, then add ¾ oz lemon juice at the table and watch it shift from blue to purple. Garnish: a “drowned” cherry at the bottom.
13. Carrie + The Prom Queen Pour
Mike Flanagan’s modern retelling of the classic Stephen King story, follows meek Carrie White as a viral bullying scandal spirals while her telekinetic powers awaken. All eight episodes of Carrie are streaming on Prime Video.
The Prom Queen Pour (for those who love vodka cocktails):
- 1½ oz strawberry vodka
- ½ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 2 oz sparkling rosé
- Shake the first three, strain into a coupe, top with rosé. Garnish: pour ¼ oz grenadine over the top right before serving.
Happy Halloween!
