13 Killer Halloween Shots for Your Haunted Happy Hour
If you're hosting a creepy cocktail party from the crypt or a haunted happy hour this season, you'll need to have some killer Halloween shot recipes on-hand. From vampire-inspired bloody mary shots served in creepy vials to caramel apple-flavored Jell-O shots for those with a sweet tooth, here are 13 tasty Halloween shots your guests will go positively batty over.
And please remember to drink responsibly, party monsters.
Note: We've listed ingredients you can easily shop online, but perishables and produce we recommend buying in stores.
1) Hocus Pocus Jell-O Shots
Inspired by one of our favorite Halloween movies of all time, these festive Hocus Pocus-themed Halloween shots will put a spell on you and your party guests! Using simple ingredients like multi-colored Jell-O, Oreo cookies, and your favorite vodka, these shots are a Halloween party must-have.
Hocus Pocus Jell-O Shots
Ingredients:
1 package orange Jell-O
1 package purple Jell-O (or blue Jell-O)
1 package green Jell-O
3 cups boiling water, divided
3 cups vodka, divided
1 cup Cool Whip
15 Oreos, cream removed
30 chocolate kisses
Multicolored sanding sugar
Directions:
Into three separate bowls or measuring cups, add each flavor of jello. Into each bowl add boiling water and vodka and whisk until Jell-O mixture is fully dissolved. Pour into plastic cups and place in the refrigerator to harden for 3-4 hours.
Meanwhile, make witches' hats. Make sure all cream is removed from Oreo cookies and place smooth side down. Take an unwrapped Kiss and dip in Cool Whip, and then into the sanding sugar of your choice. Press Kiss in the center of the cookie to join the two. When Jell-O is hardened, top with Cool Whip and a witch hat. Serve.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
More: The Spookiest Party Decorations for Your Haunted House
2) Vampire Bite Shots
Hosting a brunch party this Halloween? Make your drink menu extra sinister with these delicious bloody mary-inspired Vampire Bite Shots served out of perfectly creepy vials. Super easy to make ahead of time and batch for larger groups, these Halloween shots will add a deliciously devilish touch to your boozy brunch.
Vampire Bite Shots
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
11 ounces tomato juice
5 ounces vodka
6 drops Tabasco
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Combine salt and cayenne pepper in a small shallow bowl, stirring to combine. Dip the rims of the vials into a shallow plate with water. Rim with the cayenne salt and set aside.
In a pitcher, stir together tomato juice, vodka, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Carefully fill the vials with the vodka mixtures. Serve vials in a bowl filled with crushed ice for easy access.
Recipe courtesy of Cake-n-Knife via House Beautiful.
3) Caramel Apple Shots
If you love the taste of gooey caramel apples, these Caramel Apple Shots will be your new go-to for Halloween parties and other fall parties. These shots get an extra decadent flavor from the boozy addition of caramel vodka. Who says you can't drink your dessert?
Caramel Apple Shots
Ingredients:
5 Granny Smith apples, halved lengthwise, stems removed
1/3 cup juice of 3 lemons
1 3/4 cup apple cider
2 (.25-ounce) envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 cup soft caramels, melted
1 cup caramel vodka
Directions:
Use a melon baller or teaspoon to hollow out apples, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Brush cut surfaces with lemon juice. Place each hollow-side up in a muffin tin.
Pour apple cider into a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin; let bloom 2 minutes. (You’ll notice a shimmery, ripply film on top of cider.) Whisk over low heat until gelatin has dissolved, then whisk in melted caramels. Remove from heat and stir in vodka.
Carefully pour mixture into hollowed-out apples. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Place apples gelatin-side down on a cutting board and slice into four wedges each before serving.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
4) J?g-oire
J?germeister is delicious sipped on its own, but the addition of Poire Williams Eau de Vie - or pear brandy - adds a light and slightly fruity touch. We love the idea of serving this shot warm as a tasty after-dinner digestif on a chilly fall evening.
J?g-oire
Ingredients:
? ounce J?germeister
? ounce Poire Williams Eau de Vie
Directions:
Pour the Eau de Vie into a shot glass and add in the J?germeister. You can serve it warm or give it a little stir, depending on your preference.
Recipe created by bartender Jane Danger, Mother of Pearl, courtesy of J?germeister.
5) Spiked Apple Cider Shot
Down the drink, and then eat the cup! Sounds like a scary-good Halloween party trick to us. These apple cups look super-impressive- and they mean a whole lot less dish-washing at the end of the night once the party is over. Hooray for apple season!
Spiked Apple Cider Shot
Ingredients:
1 apple
1 ounce whipped cream-flavored vodka
5 ounces apple cider
Directions:
Use a knife to cut off the top of each apple, then grab a melon baller or spoon to carve out the core, creating a cup-like shape.
Pour in the vodka, top with apple cider, and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
6) Cotton Candy Shots
These Cotton Candy Shots from Delish may look fancy, but they actually only require three ingredients and are super easy to make. Try using your favorite caramel- or apple-flavored vodka as the base spirit, and get ready for the ghouls and boys to go wild when they see these spooky smoke-like cotton candy garnishes.
Cotton Candy Shots
Ingredients:
1 ounce of your favorite vodka
? ounce tonic water
Cotton candy, for garnish
Directions:
Pour vodka and tonic water into a shot glass. Top with a piece of cotton candy and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
7) The Fire Walk
Aged for three years in French oak barrels, 1800 A?ejo Tequila is smooth and sultry enough to sip solo, but we love the addition of orange liqueur and aromatic bitters in this boozy shot. We recommend flaming your orange twist for some extra heat.
The Fire Walk
Ingredients:
1? ounces 1800 A?ejo Tequila
? ounce Agavero Orange or other orange liqueur
Dash of aromatic bitters
Orange twist, for garnish
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold. Strain into a rocks glass and serve neat with an orange twist (flaming optional).
Recipe courtesy of 1800 A?ejo Tequila.
8) Jolly Rancher Shots
What better way to re-purpose that leftover Halloween candy than to make delicious candy-infused shots? These colorful and fruity shots from Delish couldn't be easier to prep, and they'll add a fun touch to any Halloween party spread. These rainbow-hued shooters are sure to make the party way more jolly.
Jolly Rancher Shots
Ingredients:
2 bags Jolly Ranchers hard candies
1 bottle vodka
2 cups seltzer or lemon-lime soda
Directions:
Make the Jolly Rancher vodka: Divide Jolly Ranchers by flavor and unwrap 10 of each candy, placing each flavor in a large glass or Mason jar. Divide vodka among the five flavors (about 150 ml vodka each). Cover with plastic wrap or Mason jar lids. Place in refrigerator overnight so the Jolly Ranchers can dissolve. Pour Jolly Rancher vodka into shot glasses, filling each halfway, then top with cold seltzer or lemon-lime soda. Serve.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
9) Fireball Cider Jell-O Shots
This fun Halloween Jell-O shot recipe takes everyone's favorite cinnamon whiskey up a few notches by adding apple cider, fresh apple slices, and cinnamon. If you're hosting a spooky Halloween bash, you'll want to serve these killer mini cocktails.
Fireball Cider Jell-O Shots
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
1 cup Fireball whiskey
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
Whipped cream (for garnish)
Cinnamon (for garnish)
Apple slices (for garnish)
Directions:
In a small saucepan, add apple cider and lemon juice. Sprinkle over gelatin and let bloom, about 5 minutes. Place pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Stir in Fireball and remove from heat. Pour into shot glasses and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours). Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and an apple slice.
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
10) Hell Hound
Double-distilled and mellowed for six months in American and French oak barrels, 1800 Reposado Tequila tastes delicious sipped neat or on the rocks, but this Hell Hound shot brings out its sweeter and more complex flavors. We love the combination of tart grapefruit juice, bitter Italian liqueur, and spicy ginger beer in this hellishly tasty shot.
Hell Hound
Ingredients:
1? ounces 1800 Reposado Tequila
1 ounce ruby red grapefruit juice
? ounce bitter Italian liqueur, such as Campari
Splash of ginger beer
Directions:
Build in a tall glass over fresh ice. Top with ginger beer.
Recipe courtesy of 1800 Reposado Tequila.
11) Vampire Shots
There's nothing like throwing back a vial of (fake) blood on Halloween ... especially if it happens to taste like an Old Fashioned! These bloody clever Vampire Shots are made with a blend of whiskey, vermouth, citrus, and warm fall spices, and they're served in super sinister test tubes.
Vampire Shots
Ingredients:
4 ounces wheat or rye whiskey
2 ounces sweet vermouth
Juice of ? orange
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of cardamom
Dash of ground cloves
Splash of red food coloring
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold. Strain and serve into four individual test tubes.
Recipe courtesy of Thumbtack Chef and Owner of Let's Eat Sonoma, Michelle Fitzgerald.
12) Black and Black Shot
Who says you can't have your chocolate and drink it, too? The Black and Black Shot combines herbal J?germeister with smooth and decadent chocolate liqueur for a seriously delicious shot. We recommend skipping dessert and sipping this after dinner, instead. It'll satisfy any sweet tooth.
Black and Black
Ingredients:
1 part J?germeister
? part Mozart Black Chocolate Liqueur
Directions:
Pour all the ingredients into a shot glass and serve straight.
Recipe created by Nils Boese, J?germeister Global Brand Ambassador, Hildesheim, Germany.
13) Fireball Pumpkin Pie Shot
Because cinnamon-loaded Fireball is a ubiquitous spirit come fall, we thought it only appropriate to include this delicious and creamy Fireball Pumpkin Pie Shot from our friends at Delish. Vanilla vodka and Pumpkin Spice Baileys Irish Cream add a creamy sweetness to spicy Fireball for one super satisfying shot.
Fireball Pumpkin Pie Shot
Ingredients:
1 part Fireball Whiskey
1 part vanilla vodka
1 part Pumpkin Spice Baileys Irish Cream
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a shot glass. Drink up!
Recipe courtesy of Delish.
14) Pin It for Later!
Calling all party monsters.