This Witches Blood Halloween Cocktail is perfect for whipping up in a big batch for a crowd.
An easy to make cocktail that mixes vodka, whiskey and lemon together to create a twist on a whisky sour recipe, but with the added sweetness of cherry.
Serve a pitcher of this at your Halloween party, or add it to a punch bowl with some plastic spiders floating in it for a simple creepy effect.
Or serve in a sugar rimmed martini glass for a dramatically spooky sip. The possibilities are frightening!
Can I use black vodka in this cocktail?
You sure can, in fact black vodka gives it a much spookier and dramatic feel. I tried this with black vodka and I loved the affect. You can see from the pictures below that black vodka really deepens the color, it is truely a witches blood color!!!
But I wanted to ensure this was easily accessible and that everyone could easily make this so I have left the black vodka as optional, as it is still quite hard to find here.
It was a bit of a boozy afternoon 😉 whilst I tested out the black vodka and took the photos....I'm surprised they are in focus - no really I did finish the photos before I drank the final batch.
How do you rim the glasses?
If you are serving this witches blood cocktail to a small group then you can serve it in the sugar rimmed glasses. I chose martini glasses as they always make me feel like it could be a movie. But a small tumbler or whisky glass would work too.
To rim the glasses, run a cut piece of lemon around the top of the glass, then dip the wet glass into a saucer of sugar. I used black sanding sugar here, but red would be wonderful too.
You will need a wedge of lemon and approximately ½ teaspoon of sugar for each glass.
I can't find colored sugar for my glasses!
If you don't have coloured sugar then try this trick that I used last year with my Witches Brew Halloween Cocktail.
- Squeeze some lemon juice into a saucer
- Add some food coloring, be generous you want the colour to be quite intense.
- Mix it with a cocktail stick.
- Dip the glass into the saucer.
- Dip the coated glass into a saucer of fine sugar.
- The food colouring will seep into the sugar giving it an coloured hue.
Enjoy x
For more Halloween recipes why not try:
Witches Blood - A Halloween Cocktail
Ingredients
To make a smaller quantity use the slider above to reduce the quantities
- ½ cup cherry schnapps
- ½ cup vodka - see note 1
- 1 cup whiskey
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups cherry soda - see note 2
Instructions
- Pour the cherry schnapps, vodka, whisky and lemon juice into a pitcher.
- Stir well with a cup of ice.
- Gently pour in the cherry soda and stir carefully to combine.
To serve:
- Either pour into punch bowl for guest to help themselves or serve in sugar rimmed glasses with a spooky spider garnish. (see note 3)
Notes
- If you can find black vodka it would be great here, it makes the color much more dramatic. You could add a drop of black food coloring to normal vodka if you want the darker color. (see post for pictures)
- The darker your cherry soda the darker your cocktail will be. I bought a black cherry soda for these photos.
- How to sugar rim a glass:
- Squeeze some lemon juice into a saucer
- OPTIONAL STAGE: Add some food coloring, be generous you want the colour to be quite intense.
- Mix it with a cocktail stick.
- Dip the glass into the saucer.
- Dip the coated glass into a saucer of fine sugar.
- The food colouring will seep into the sugar giving it an coloured hue.
Christopher Pierson says
What other alcohol could be used instead of the whisky?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Christopher,
I haven't tried it so I don't know for sure but I feel a brandy should work. (it is usually great with cherry)
I hope that helps
Cx
Malene says
I made this to our Halloween party last year and have been asked to make it again this year. I couldn't get cherry soda in Denmark so I used a raspberry soda instead along with a cherry wine I already had.
But do you have a suggestion for a non-alcoholic version, since we have kids and a pregnant joining?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Malene,
So pleased everyone enjoyed it enough to want it again this year 🙂
I think for a mocktail drink with a similar colour, I would perhaps use some raspberry soda (or cherry soda if you find it this year), lime juice, a little cola and maybe a touch of vanilla to round out the lime.
I would do:
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups cherry soda (or raspberry soda)
1 cup cola
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
I think that could be a really fun mocktail.
or I do have a non-alcoholic punch made for halloween: Eye of Newt Punch
I hope that helps
Cx
Jordan Allori says
I am wanting to do this but I cannot find cherry schnapps or cherry brandy anywhere. Not much cherry anything, really. I already have everything else and don’t want to make something else, do you have any recommendations for what to use instead??
Claire McEwen says
I think maybe a sweet sherry could work instead of the cherry schnapps/brandy.
It would change the taste, but I think it would still be delicious.
Hope that helps
Cx
Jennifer D says
The only cherry schnapps I can find is Sour Cherry schnapps. Is this going to work for the recipe?
Claire McEwen says
I think it will work still, but it will have a tarter flavor.
Pam says
Looked high and low and googled. Can’t find anyone who makes Cherry schnapps. Dekyper makes cherry pucker or cherry bandy. Any chance it’s a miss print?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Pam, I find cherry schnapps here in Australia, but my sister makes it with a cherry brandy in the UK and says it tastes amazing. So you can definitely swap that out.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Agatha Lungi says
Hi, I found your recipe and I want to make this for my Halloween party... I was surprised to whiskey being mixed with vodka, and I just wanted to know the whiskey of choice? I don't drink much of that so I am unsure of what to buy..
Thanks
Claire McEwen says
Hi Agatha,
It is a bit of a heady mix! Think a Long Island ice tea strength cocktail.
For this recipe I just buy a basic blended whisky (or bourbon)
In the US I would say something like Evan Williams or Rebel Yell would be a good cheapish option.
I do know a friend that made it with Jack Daniels and was very happy. But I would go for a cheaper option as the flavor is masked by the cherry soda somewhat.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Joe says
What whiskey would you recommend?
Thank you