Not only is it Halloween season, it’s also Halloween party season. If you’re throwing a ‘spooky’ party for friends and family, you may need some drinks for all ages to go along with the tasty Halloween party treats! Whether you’ve given up alcohol or just want to avoid a hangover the next day, try these family-friendly and festive mocktail alternatives this year.

The clever mocktail recipes we’re sharing today contain a fall or Halloween theme, either playing off the name or look of the drink. We’ve also written other mocktail articles (including a Virgin Bloody Mary recipe that fits this theme perfectly!), so if you like these recipes, be sure to check them out!

Vampire’s Bloody Mocktail

Looking for a light, bubbly mocktail that’s got a bit of theatrical flair? This mocktail is fit for any discerning vampire at your Halloween party, only without the alcohol (or blood!). Instead, we’ll be making a delicious fake raspberry-blood that pairs nicely with the blood in the mocktail. Blood orange juice, that is!

To give the mocktail a nice effervescence, we’ll add some non-alcoholic sparkling cider (or champagne if you want a straight cocktail). Finally, express your inner-artist by drizzling your raspberry-blood to thrill any Halloween party guest!

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Vampire’s Bloody Mocktail

Ingredients

• ½ cup of water
• ½ cup of sugar
• 3 cups of raspberries
• 1 ½ tbsp of cornstarch
• 1-2 drops of red food coloring (optional)
• 1 drop of blue food coloring (optional)
• 1 tsp of cocoa powder (optional)
• 6-8 blood oranges, juiced, or 2 cups of blood orange juice
• 1 750 ml bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling cider

Makes approximately four mocktails

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, mix water and sugar together, and boil until the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Allow the syrup mixture to cool.
3. Add the syrup and raspberries to a food processor, and blend them until smooth.
4. Strain that into a refrigerator-safe container, and stir in cornstarch one teaspoon at a time until the desired thickness.
5. Optional: Stir in cocoa powder and food coloring to adjust the color.
6. Set the fake blood in the refrigerator to cool until ready to serve.
7. Add three to four ounces of blood orange juice into a clear rocks glass.
8. Top off the glass with non-alcoholic sparkling cider.
9. Using a plastic syringe, garnish with the fake blood and serve!
10. Have a bloody good time!

Harvest Spiced Cider Toddy

Our second mocktail is an alcohol-free version of a hot cider toddy. On a cool autumn evening, this hot mocktail takes seasonal apple cider and spices and mulls it together to perfection. At the same time, you won’t miss the traditional whiskey in this recipe, since we mimic and soften the flavor with vanilla extract.

This recipe is perfect for parties, because it’s made in a slow cooker. That means you’ll be making a large amount and allowing it to sit. This gives you the chance to mingle and mix, since your guests can serve themselves directly from the slow cooker.

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Harvest Spiced Cider Toddy

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of apple cider
• 4 tbsp of vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp of honey
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 5 cinnamon stick
• 10 whole cloves

Directions

1. Mix the ingredients in a large slow cooker.
2. Set the slow cooker to low, and allow the mixture to cook for about two or three hours.
3. Occasionally stir the cider to ensure the spices distribute evenly.
4. Once the cider is heated through, serve it with a ladle in a heat-proof mug.
5. Enjoy!

Monster Mash Mocktail

Our final mocktail is a play on a classic smash cocktail, a bourbon drink that usually is made of seasonal fruits, herbs, spirits, and a sweetener. A mint julep is a classic example of a smash. What you get is a unique mix of flavors, with an extra health bonus. See, for our seasonal fruit, we’ll be utilizing pomegranates, which pack a real health punch. In this case, you have a few options.

You can muddle the seeds for juice and leave some pulp behind, you can juice them separately for a smoother sip, or use store-bought juice (which is often loaded with sugar). We’ll also be crushing some mint, along with a bit of lemon, to add a brightness to keep the drink from getting too heavy. Finally, since this is a Halloween drink after all, we’ll be garnishing the drink with a green monster slime! Don’t worry, it may look funky, but this will actually be a homemade mint-basil simple syrup, similar to the raspberry fake blood from earlier! This all adds up to a minty, fruity, and refreshing mocktail that works for Halloween, but is delicious any time of the year!

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Monster Mash Mocktail

Mint-Basil Simple Syrup Ingredients

• ½ cup of water
• ½ cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup of fresh mint leave

Drink Ingredients

• 6 leaves of mint
• ½ lemon wedges, cut into tall quarters
• 1 tbsp of pomegranate seeds
• ½ tbsp of simple syrup
• 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp of tonic water
• ½ of a rocks glass of crushed ice

Mint-Basil Simple Syrup Directions

1. In a small saucepan, mix the basil, mint, water, and sugar together, and boil until the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Allow the syrup mixture to cool and herbs to steep for 30 minutes.
3. Using a strainer, pour the syrup into a sterile, air-tight container.
4. Seal and refrigerate it until needed.

Drink Directions

1. Muddle the lemon quarters and pomegranate seeds in a rocks glass.
2. Add the mint leaves and muddle them along with the lemon.
3. Add crushed ice.
4. Add the simple syrup, vanilla extract, and tonic water.
5. Lightly stir the ingredients together.
6. Drizzle with mint-basil syrup for garnish with one of the syringes from earlier.
7. Serve!

Further Reading

Medicareful Living — Fun Tricks for Tasty Halloween Treats
Medicareful Living — 3 Classic ‘Mocktails’ for Seniors
Medicareful Living — 3 Classic Summer ‘Mocktails’ for Seniors