Blackberry Bourbon Halloween Cocktail

updated May 24, 2025

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This blackberry bourbon Halloween cocktail is perfect for getting you in the Halloween spirit, bringing maximum taste and spooky color without using any food coloring or hard-to-find ingredients.

A blackberry bourbon cocktail is perfect for your Halloween festivities – whether you’re walking trick-or-treaters around the neighborhood, passing out candy to costumed kiddos, or watching your favorite scary movie.

Themed cocktails make any event more festive, and a Halloween Party definitely needs Halloween-themed recipes.

When it comes to Halloween drinks, this is a simple cocktail. Let’s skip the dry ice and punch bowl in favor of a more individualized Halloween drink experience.

In my world Halloween events are nighttime festivities, and I want the kind of drink that doubles as a nightcap – not something green and overflowing with sugary garnishes.

Bourbon is my go-to spirit for evening drinks, so for this cocktail recipe I paired it with two of my favorite fruits – juicy blackberries and fresh orange.

Both lend a sweetness to the drink, but we’re using the orange for both its juice and zest, letting the citrus oil combine with the orange bitters to keep this from becoming an overly sugary sip.

Ingredients

Bourbon – Choose your favorite bourbon for this recipe. If you’re new to bourbon, look for a mid-priced spirit for this recipe. No need for top shelf when you’re mixing it with all these other ingredients.
Honey syrup – Easily made at home with 2 ingredients and 5 minutes. Get the recipe and instructions over on my honey syrup page.
Ginger liqueur – One of my favorite liqueurs, this adds ginger and sweetness to the cocktail. Can’t find any? Swap it out for ginger simple syrup.
Orange bitters – Look for these in the mixer section of your grocery or liquor store.
Fresh blackberries – These are getting muddled in the drink, so if you can’t find fresh blackberries thawed, frozen blackberries will work.
Fresh orange – You need both the peel and the juice, so use a fresh orange for this recipe.

How to Make a Blackberry Bourbon Halloween Cocktail

A hand crushing blackberries with a muddler.

Combine blackberries and orange juice in a mixing glass. Using a muddler, crush the blackberries completely.

Bourbon being poured into a mixing glass.

Add bourbon, honey syrup, ginger liqueur, and orange bitters to the mixing glass.

Ice falling into a mixing glass with cocktail.

Fill the mixing glass half full with ice.

A hand stirring a mixing glass filled with cocktail.

Stir for 10-15 seconds to chill the cocktail.

Cocktail being poured from a mixing glass through a strainer into a rocks glass.

Double strain through a fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes or one big clear ice cube.

Orange oil from a peel being expressed over a glass of blackberry bourbon cocktail.

Express a piece of orange peel over your cocktail.

Garnish with the orange peel and/or fresh blackberries.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail with smoke swirling around it.

Looking for More Halloween Drink Recipes?

Themed drinks are so fun for Halloween, so let’s make some for everyone! This bloody ghost Halloween vodka cocktail is delicious and only 4 ingredients! Or try my Vanishing Ghost Halloween gin cocktails with cotton candy, or bright purple Wicked Witches Brew Cocktail. Want a spooky twist on a classic cocktail? Shake up my Bloody Halloween Margarita.

Halloween mocktails are perfect for kids. This Hocus Pocus Halloween Punch is ideal for a crowd, so all of your guests can enjoy a spooky sip! Or make these Brain Freeze! non-alcoholic Halloween drinks for a delicious drink everyone can enjoy.

Recipe Tips

Don’t have a mixing glass? Use a pint mason jar or the bottom part of a cocktail shaker instead.
Can’t find ginger liqueur? Swap it out for my ginger simple syrup. Or leave it out when mixing your cocktail, then add a splash of ginger beer or ginger ale to your spooky cocktail before enjoying!
Fresh squeezed orange juice is important in this recipe! Buy the fruit, not the bottle of juice. Besides, you need the orange peel for your drink anyway.

What to Serve with Blackberry Bourbon Halloween Cocktails

Halloween calls for treats, so bake up a batch of my slice-and-bake candy corn shortbread cookies. They don’t taste like candy corn – just buttery, crispy cookies.

FAQs and Substitutions

What kind of bourbon should I use?

Use your favorite bourbon, just not one that’s flavored (honey, apple, etc.). I like Bulleit Bourbon or Buffalo Trace in this drink.

Can I use frozen blackberries?

Yes! If you can’t find fresh berries, frozen blackberries are a great choice. Just make sure you thaw them first before crushing in your mixing glass.

Where do I buy honey syrup?

You make it! Combine 1/2 cup honey with 1/2 cup hot water. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours before using in your cocktail. Get more tips and syrup information on my Honey Simple Syrup page.

How is this different than a bourbon smash recipe?

Bourbon smashes are delicious on a hot summer day, but this cocktail isn’t a smash cocktail in large part because of its lack of fresh herbs. Similar to a mint julep, a blackberry bourbon smash contains a lot of mint leaves. Crushing that fresh mint gives the cocktail an entirely different flavor than what this recipe has. Which is also why this drink doesn’t have a mint sprig for garnish. This delicious recipe is the perfect way to enjoy a cozy (or spooky!) fall night. A whiskey smash or bourbon smash is better for a warmer time of year.

Try These Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

Looking to make more cocktails with bourbon? My coffee old fashioned is a delicious twist on a classic old fashioned cocktail. This ginger bourbon sour cocktail uses egg whites to get that lovely, silky foam on top. I’ve got all the instructions for you. You can do an egg white cocktail at home. Promise!