Pumpkins, skeletons and other spooky decorations adorn the outside of buildings throughout the city—a sign that New Yorkers are ready to embrace Halloween festivities after last year’s holiday was canceled due to the pandemic.
Increased vaccination rates in the tri-state area and other COVID-19 safety protocols have made it possible for Halloween enthusiasts to celebrate the season this year.
In early October, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Facui gave the thumbs up for children to trick-or-treat as long as they wore masks and travelled in small groups.
Recent guidelines from the New York City Health Department (NYC DOH)also approved trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities, encouraging New Yorkers to incorporate masks with their costumes.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox.> Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Given these approvals, the NYC DOH, along with other medical professionals, caution attending indoor crowded areas, telling residents to remain at home and enjoy a virtual party or watch a movie.
But, have no fear—you can still experience the spooky celebrations in the comfort of your living room.
NBC New York spoke with a few of the city’s bars to find the most delicious Halloween-inspired cocktail recipes you can whip up in the kitchen.
1. "Coco-Skellington" - Beetle House NYC
Inspired by the character of Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Gia Farell, co-owner of Beetle House NYC sought to create a drink that was “tall, white, skinny,” just like character. This drink relies on the tropical flavors of rum, gin and creme de coconut that gives this drink its stark white complexion.
Ingredients
- 1 oz of Rum
- 1 oz of Gin
- 1.5 oz
- A splash of Orange Blossom water
- 0.5 oz of lime juice
- 1 Orange
- Ice
Directions: Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker until all are combined. Top it off with crushed ice and orange zest, and you have yourself a shockingly sweet drink.
2. "This is Halloween Cocktail" - Beetle House NYC
Despite drawing its name from the holiday, “This is Halloween Cocktail,” embraces seasonal flavors, like pumpkin and apple, to create a drink you can enjoy even after the spooky season ends. Zach Neil shared his method and ingredients for making this cocktail, but specific measurements can be found in his book, Nightmare Before Dinner: Recipes to Die For: The Beetle House Cookbook.
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin liqueur
- Sour apple liqueur
- Apple cider
- Cinnamon whiskey
- Ginger beer
- Optional- Liquid Nitrogen
Directions: Combine all the ingredients, except for the ginger beer, in a cocktail shaker to mix. Pour the mixture into a glass and add the ginger beer. Neil adds liquid nitrogen to make this a truly bubbling concoction, but be careful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against the consumption of this product.
3. "Silver Corpse Revive" - Nolet's
Ingredients
- 1 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
- 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 dash of Absinthe
- Orange Peel for Garnish
Directions: Combine and then shake all ingredients together in an ice-filled shaker. Strain into a Martini or coupe glass. Garnish with an orange peel.
4. "Halloween Clover Club" - Nolet's
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
- .5 oz. Dry Vermouth
- 1 Fresh Lemon’s Juice
- .5 oz. Raspberry Simple Syrup
- 1 Egg White
Raspberry Simple Syrup Ingredients:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup warm (not hot) Water
- 1 cup Raspberries
- .5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
Drink Directions: Add all ingredients into a shaker. Dry shake until emulsified (about one minute). Add ice and shake again, vigorously. Double strain into a chilled Martini or coupe glass and garnish.
Syrup Directions: Muddle raspberries and sugar and let them macerate for 30 minutes. Slowly stir in warm water. Strain into a lidded jar adding Gin to fortify. Can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
5. "New York Spooky Sour Pour Over" - Apothic
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle - Apothic Red
- 2oz. Bourbon
- 1oz. Lemon juice
- 1oz. simple syrup
- Lemon peel or Amarena dark cherries (optional garnishes)
Directions: Combine 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of lemon juice, and 1 ounce of simple syrup into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until cold and strain into glass over rocks. Float ½ ounce Apothic Red over back of bar spoon onto the sour’s surface. Garnish with lemon peel and an Amarena dark cherry to really take it over the top.
6. "Monster Melon Margarita" - Patrón
Ingredients
- 3 parts PATRÓN Silver
- 1 parts lime juice
- 1 parts Melon liquor
- 4 parts ginger ale
- Garnish with watermelon balls
Directions: Combine all ingredients except the ginger ale in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a glass and top with ginger ale. Lightly stir to combine. To prepare as a punch combine all ingredients except ginger ale in a punch bowl and place in the refrigerator. When ready to serve add ice and garnish and top with ginger ale.
7. Naranja Paloma - Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Lobos 1707 mezcal
- .5 oz Ancho Verde liqueur
- 1.5 oz grapefruit juice
- 1.5 oz soda water
- 1 oz fresh tangerine or mandarin orange juice
- .5 oz agave nectar
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Black lava salt
Directions: Use a lime wedge to rim glass with black lava salt. Combine all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Add fresh ice to salted glass, then strain shaker into glass. Top off with soda water and stir to combine.
8. "Smoking Mai Tai" - Equiano
Ingredients
- 2 oz Equiano Original
- 1 oz Fresh lime juice
- 1⁄2 oz Orgeat Syrup
- 1⁄4 oz Orange Liqueur
- 1⁄4 oz Sugar Syrup
Directions: Place all ingredients, in a shaker tin. Add ice and shake vigorously to marry ingredients and chill beverages. Strain into serving ware.
9. "Applewood Smoked Old Fashioned" - Great Jones
Ingredients
- 2 oz Great Jones Straight bourbon
- ¼ oz Brown sugar syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura bitter
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Directions: Smoke glass and stir down. Pour into a glass with double rocks. Smoke using applewood. Serve garnished with an orange twist.
