Witches’ Brew Cocktail

This witches’ brew cocktail is the perfect spooky drink to serve for Halloween. It’s a refreshing balance with the peach schnapps adding just the right amount of fruity flavor against the cranberry tartness and a burst of fresh lime juice. It’s easy to make ahead, with measurements provided for both an individual serving and a party-sized batch. It’s also naturally gluten-free and vegan.

There’s no definitive witches’ brew cocktail recipe. Witches’ brew can be anything you want it to be.

While many variations embrace eerie green or mystical purple hues, I opted for a striking red. This vibrant color can be achieved naturally, allowing you to create a festive drink without the need for artificial food coloring, specialty ingredients or a type of alcohol you’re not likely to use in anything but this recipe.

I think this is an especially fun cocktail for Halloween because of the Peachtree. People usually aren’t expecting peach schnapps in a Halloween cocktail, so they’re always pleasantly surprised and get a big smile on their face. :D

This cocktail is light, easy to drink, and enjoyable for those who prefer sweeter cocktails.

If you’re wondering what else you would possibly do with a bottle of Peachtree, then the answer would be this Georgia Peach Cocktail (one of my very favorite recipes!) or this Peachtree Cocktail.

There’s unfortunately no mocktail version of this witches’ brew. You’d be left with cranberry and lime juice.

If you need a non-alcoholic version, try my Witches’ Brew Drink. It has the same spooky Halloween feel but is made with cranberry, orange, pineapple, blueberry and lime juices, so it’s kid-friendly, too.

You might also like my Non-Alcoholic Halloween Punch, which is made with fresh or frozen fruit, lemon juice and sparkling water and is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

Ingredients

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need.

The full recipe, with measurements and directions, is at the bottom of the post.

And if you’re wondering why I always say this, it’s because I get emails (usually angry ones) asking why I don’t actually write out the recipes.

• Cranberry juice – adds a tart and fruity flavor, balancing the sweetness of the schnapps. I used Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail, made of cranberry juice, water and sugar. If you’d rather use 100% cranberry juice, you’d need to add sweetener to taste. I’d recommend using a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or simple syrup. The vanilla simple syrup in this Chocolate Cream Cold Brew recipe would also work out great.
• Vodka – the base liquor that brings a clean, smooth taste. Vodka’s neutral flavor makes it perfect for mixing with other ingredients without overpowering them. I wouldn’t use the most expensive vodka because it’s a mixed cocktail with fruity flavors. I’d go for a mid-range, but not bottom-shelf vodka.
• Peach schnapps – a sweet, peachy liqueur that complements the cranberry and vodka blend. I use Peachtree brand because it has an intense ripened peach flavor and is worth the extra money. But any peach schnapps will do.
• Lime juice – brings a fresh, tangy kick to cut through the sweetness. I would definitely go with freshly-squeezed lime juice. The bottled stuff just can’t touch the fresh citrus burst you get from squeezing limes.

How to make it look like a Halloween drink

You’ve got a few ways to turn this into a fun Halloween cocktail.

Dry ice

Dry ice creates an eerie, smoky effect that’s perfect for a witches’ brew cocktail. Use it for the effect before serving, but make sure the dry ice has completely sublimated (turned into gas) before anyone drinks the cocktail. Never touch dry ice with bare hands or allow anyone to swallow a piece.

You can read detailed handling instructions for dry ice in my Halloween Martini or Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail.

The photographer of this drink doesn’t have access to dry ice, so I had to go with something else. But if you do, I think this is such a fun choice.

It’s unfortunately not the easiest ingredient to find in some areas. For others, it’s super easy to get. It’s usually around $1-2 per pound and is found near the entrance by the checkout.

Here’s a Penguin Dry Ice finder. In my home zip code in Texas, it shows up as available at every Kroger, Tom Thumb, HEB. I see it’s also available at Publix in some states.

In Munich, where I currently live, I placed an order with a fish company and received free dry ice as a result. The only alternative would have been to order from a dry ice company. The cheapest option that route would have been around $55. So I was quite happy with the fish company option!

Dry ice (usually) has to be used within 18-24 hours, so you can’t just order a bunch and freeze it for later use. You actually can’t freeze it at all! So don’t put it in the freezer.

Skull ice cubes

These are so fun! The issue with them is that they flop around in the glass, with some of the skulls facing down, unless you use quite a few of them.

And they also water down the drink. I’ve made skull ice cubes with different types of juice, and they worked great. Juice still waters down the drink, but it’s still better than water for preventing excessive dilution.

The larger ones work best because they melt much more slowly. I have these.

I bought those after purchasing a mold that creates smaller skulls to begin with (this one). My son loves them, and I was making skull ice cubes every day for a while. 

That mold is also perfect for making chocolates! But if you’re only interested in making ice cubes, definitely go for the mold that yields the large skulls.

Melon eyeballs

I’d seen melon eyeballs a few times before trying them, and they always looked like they’re floating. But after trying both fresh and frozen melon myself, I can tell you people are putting those eyeballs on a glass or something to make it seem like they’re floating.

They sink if you put them in a drink.

I’ve experimented with various types of melon in different drinks—alcoholic, non-alcoholic, fizzy and flat. But the result is always the same: they sink. However, using a cocktail pick solves that issue, and you avoid the awkward task of fishing them out of your glass.

To make these spooky garnishes, use a melon baller to scoop out small melon balls. Cut an “X” on the top of each ball and carve out a little spot for a blueberry to sit. Then, skewer two of the eyeballs on a cocktail pick and place them in your drink.

I used them for my Halloween Martini, and you can see what they looked like in my Rum Punch for Halloween in the photo below.

Black sanding sugar

Another fun idea is to rim the glass with black sugar to give it a mysterious vibe. I don’t use it (I hate normal food coloring and therefore sugar that’s been colored with it), but it looked so nice for the photos.

You could use natural food coloring like Supernatural Kitchen Food Colors or Color Kitchen to make your own colored sugar. I’ve used both brands with good results.

If you’d like to rim your glass with black sanding sugar like I did, start by pouring the sanding sugar into a shallow bowl. Use a small pastry brush to coat the rim of your glass with maple syrup, or dip the rim into a dish of maple syrup.

Then, immediately dip the glass into the sanding sugar, tapping off any excess. For better adhesion, place the glass in the freezer for a few minutes.

How to make this witches’ brew cocktail

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add your cranberry juice, vodka, peach schnapps, and lime juice. Shake everything together until it’s chilled, which should take about 10 seconds.

Next, grab a glass filled with ice cubes and strain the cocktail into the glass.

How to make a big batch

A single serving yields about one 5.5-ounce (163-ml) cocktail.

If you’re serving a large group, you can easily make a big batch of this cocktail. Use the measurements below and stir everything together in a large punch bowl. I round the lime juice up slightly for the batch, which gives it a little extra fresh lime flavor.

This makes about 45 ounces (1330 ml), enough for eight 5.5-ounce servings.

• 24 ounces (3 cups) cranberry cocktail juice
• 12 ounces (1.5 cups) vodka
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) peach schnapps
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) freshly-squeezed lime juice

I’ve also included the measurements for the big batch in the recipe below. I use this 8″ IKEA clear mixing bowl for serving. It’s not fancy, but throw in some cranberry skull cubes, and it’ll still look nice.

I just tried it out with the small and large skulls, and if you individually place them in there, they float face-side up. So that’s good.

But make sure the bowl and drink are well-chilled before adding the ice cubes! If you have space in the freezer, even better.

Having a large Halloween party?

A typical punch bowl can hold between 4 to 6 quarts (16 to 24 cups) of liquid, which is about 128-192 ounces or 20-35 servings.

A typical pitcher usually holds between 2 to 3 quarts (64 to 96 ounces), which is about 8 to 12 cups. This size is great for serving around 10 to 17 servings of 5.5-ounce drinks.

I hope you’ll enjoy this witches’ brew cocktail! If you try it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the comments. Thanks! :)

Witches’ Brew Cocktail

Author Erin Dooner

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 1

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

This witches’ brew cocktail is a fruity Halloween drink made with cranberry juice, vodka, peach schnapps and fresh lime juice. It’s easy to make, with measurements for both a single cocktail and a party-sized batch.

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Ingredients

For a 5.5-oz (162-ml) cocktail:

• ▢ 3 ounces (6 tbsp) cranberry cocktail juice like Ocean Spray; NOT 100% cranberry juice
• ▢ 1.5 ounces (3 tbsp) vodka
• ▢ 3/4 ounce (1.5 tbsp) Peachtree peach schnapps
• ▢ 2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lime juice

For 8 servings:

• ▢ 24 ounces (3 cups or 700 ml) cranberry cocktail juice
• ▢ 12 ounces (1.5 cups or 350 ml) vodka
• ▢ 6 ounces (3/4 cup or 175 ml) Peachtree peach schnapps
• ▢ 3 ounces (6 tbsp) freshly-squeezed lime juice

Optional black rim:

• ▢ black sanding sugar
• ▢ maple syrup or simple syrup

Instructions

If making the black rim:

• Pour the sanding sugar into a shallow bowl. Use a small pastry brush to coat the rim of your glass with maple syrup, or dip the rim into a dish of maple syrup. Then, immediately dip the glass into the sanding sugar, tapping off any excess. For better adhesion, place the glass in the freezer for a few minutes.

Single-serving cocktail:

• Add the cocktail ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well chilled – about 10 seconds.
• Fill your glass with ice and strain in the cocktail.

Big batch:

• Mix everything together and chill for several hours or until thoroughly chilled. Even better if you can freeze it for a few hours!

Notes

• The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. Nutritional values given are for the single-serving cocktail.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 0.04gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 24mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.1mgNet Carbs: 17

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