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    Home » Recent Posts » Cocktail Recipes

    Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail for Halloween

    Published: Oct 22, 2020 · Updated: Oct 3, 2022 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I make a small commission.


    It's a Halloween Happy Hour! This blackberry bourbon 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.

    Blackberry bourbon cocktail.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make a Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail
    • Recipe Tips
    • Don't Miss These Bourbon Cocktails
    • FAQs and Substitutions
    • Happy Hour Snack Pairings
    • More Delicious Cocktail Recipes You'll Love
    • Print the Recipe
    • Blackberry Bourbon Halloween Cocktail

    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 cocktails.

    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

    Ingredients for blackberry bourbon cocktails.
    • Bourbon
    • Honey syrup
    • Ginger liqueur
    • Orange bitters 
    • Fresh blackberries 
    • An orange

    How to Make a Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail

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

    A hand crushing blackberries with a muddler.

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

    Bourbon being poured into a mixing glass.

    Fill the mixing glass half full with ice. 

    Ice falling into a mixing glass with cocktail.

    Stir for 10-15 seconds to chill the cocktail. 

    A hand stirring a mixing glass filled with cocktail.

    Double strain through a fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass filled with ice. 

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

    Express a piece of orange peel over your cocktail.

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

    Garnish with the orange peel and/or fresh blackberries. 

    Enjoy! 

    Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail with smoke swirling around it.

    Recipe Tips

    Don't have a mixing glass? Use a mason jar or the bottom part of a cocktail shaker instead.

    Can't find ginger liqueur? 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.

    Don't Miss These Bourbon Cocktails

    Coffee Old Fashioned
    Coffee Old Fashioned
    Ginger Bourbon Sour
    Ginger Bourbon Sour

    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 ½ cup honey with ½ 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 DIY 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.

    Happy Hour Snack Pairings

    Homemade Potato Chips
    Homemade Potato Chips
    Apple Bacon Crostini
    Apple Bacon Crostini

    More Delicious Cocktail Recipes You'll Love

    • Light and Fizzy Bourbon Ginger Cocktail (Video)
    • Easy and Refreshing Blackberry Vanilla Vodka Martini
    • Tart and Refreshing Apple Cider Sangria
    • Apple Orchard Cocktail
    • Blueberry Citrus Julep is a Twist on the Classic Bourbon Derby Cocktail

    Print the Recipe

    Print

    Blackberry Bourbon Halloween Cocktail

    Blackberry bourbon cocktail.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This blackberry bourbon cocktail was developed for maximum taste and spooky color without using any food coloring or hard-to-find coloring ingredients.

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 0 min
    • Total Time: 5 min
    • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
    • Category: Cocktails
    • Method: Cocktail Shaker
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 oz bourbon
    • 1 oz honey syrup
    • 0.5 oz ginger liqueur
    • 2 dashes orange bitters
    • 4-5 blackberries
    • 0.5 oz fresh orange juice*

    Instructions

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

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

    Fill the mixing glass half full with ice. 

    Stir for 10-15 seconds to chill the cocktail. 

    Double strain through a fine mesh sieve into a rocks glass filled with ice. 

    Express a piece of orange peel over your cocktail. Garnish with the orange peel and/or fresh blackberries. 

    Enjoy! 

    Equipment

    Image of Mixing Glass

    Mixing Glass

    Buy Now →
    Image of Rocks Glass

    Rocks Glass

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    Image of Orange Bitters

    Orange Bitters

    Buy Now →

    Keywords: bourbon cocktail, blackberry, halloween drinks, bourbon drinks, happy hour, fall cocktails, halloween cocktails

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

    Cocktail Recipes

    • Cranberry Mimosas (Poinsettia Cocktails) for Christmas Brunch
    • Sweet and Creamy Pumpkin Spice Martini 
    • Simple Pear Gin Cocktail with Rosemary
    • Bloody Ghost Halloween Vodka Cocktail

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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