5 Easy Ways To Make Your Mocktails Spooky
/Before I was sober-curious or soberish or alcohol-free, I never thought about how to garnish drinks. I learned this all on the fly while I was becoming a better mixologist and then photographer and videographer. I’m not expecting anyone to go out and create fancy garnishes on the regular, but for a Halloween party you definitely want some spooky vibes. These are a few really easy ways to add some frightfully fun garnishes to your party plans without too much stress (except for the bloody rim - save that one for when you have a second set of hands to help!).
Adding black glitter to a clear or semi-transparent liquid
Photo credit: SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN, 2024. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
When I first started in this niche, I thought you had to use black charcoal powder to make spooky drinks. The mess I made was enormous, and there was always a gritty texture to my mocktails when I used it. It wasn’t until last year that I discovered black cocktail glitter, which turns your drinks into a sparkling witchy black liquid. Be warned though: not all glitter is created equal. Shimmer powder is not the same as edible glitter. One makes it shimmer, the other is actual glitter. Beginner tip: you need A LOT of glitter for each drink if you’re stirring it in, but not quite as much for a shaken drink. Add the glitter to the shaker for better distribution!
2. An edible bloody rim
Photo credit: SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN, 2024. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
If you’ve been around for a few years, you’ll remember me making this special bloody cup for an appearance on a national breakfast TV show. It’s even messier than black charcoal powder, but worth it. The full instructions for making a bloody rim are over here.
3. Marshmallow spider webs
PHOTO SOURCE: TIKTOK.COM
This recipe is courtesy of the team at Chef Genevieve, who have a full tutorial on TikTok on how to make spiderwebs from marshmallows that you can then drape over the top of your cocktail/mocktail glass. Another messy garnish, but if you add some plastic spiders into the ‘web’ it’s a super cute way to serve drinks, that won’t melt or drip away before your guests see it!
4. Spooky eyeballs
Photo credit: Christine Wayne, On The Mocks, 2024. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
Photo credit: Christine Wayne, On The Mocks, 2024. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
Fancy eyes is really the name of the game for making any type of themed drink! This idea is courtesy of my friend Christine from On The Mocks, who along with me, is an OG in the non-alcoholic drinks advocacy community. It is the cutest halloween idea I’ve ever seen! It’s as simple as adding blueberries to round ice cube trays, and when they pop out into a drink, it makes it look like you’ve got a million eyes staring at you. She also has a whole bunch of other spooky garnish ideas, if you’re doing a deep dive on Halloween entertaining!
5. Fresno pepper “devil ears”
Photo credit: SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN, 2024. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
Using fresno peppers for ‘devil ears’ is a super fun way to garnish your drink for a devilish Halloween theme. It works best with spicy drinks like a margarita (for obvious reasons!). Fresno peppers are chili peppers so a word of caution: wear gloves while prepping these. First slice of the top of the pepper and de-seed the insides. Cut two small slices downward about 1/2 inch on either side of the pepper. Gently push peppers down onto the rim of a glass, one pepper on each side. If you’re garnishing with rock salt or tajin, it adds extra flair!
