“Bloody” Halloween Cocktail (Pomegranate Cosmopolitan)
This Blood Red Halloween Cocktail is the perfect spooky cocktail to sip at a 21+ Halloween party! It’s a tart and fruity pomegranate cosmo with fun special effects thanks to the dry ice and “bloody” agave rim.
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Bust Out the Dry Ice for This Fun and Spooky Halloween Cocktail!
This time of year means themed cocktails for the Halloween season! I’ve tweaked the classic cosmo cocktail to bring you a spooky variation that’s made with pomegranate juice and liqueur, a “bloody” agave rim, and dry ice for a smoky effect.
Here’s why this easy cocktail deserves to be sipped on Halloween:
✔ Makes 2 Cocktails or a Pitcher: You can scale this recipe up if you’re hosting a 21+ Halloween party, or you can make two blood red cosmos for just you and a friend.
✔ Fun Bloody Rim and Smoke Effects: Agave is colored with food coloring to make it look like there’s blood dripping down the rim of your glass, and a small piece of dry ice makes the cocktail smoke. (And yes, the dry ice can be omitted and you’ll still have a fun Halloween cocktail to sip!)
✔ Fruity Sweet and Sour Flavor: This simple vodka cocktail is the perfect balance of tart and fruity, with flavors of pomegranate and citrus. An agave rim adds a bit of extra sweetness to balance out this sour cocktail.
✔ Doubles as a Holiday Cocktail: To serve this cocktail outside of spooky season, omit the bloody rim and dry ice, and this pomegranate cosmo can double as a festive cocktail for the holiday season, too! A sprig of rosemary would be the perfect garnish for a holiday party.
Happy Halloween!
-Katie
Cocktail Tools I Recommend
- Cocktail Shaker or Mason Jar — This recipe makes two pomegranate cocktails. It’s easiest to measure the ingredients directly into the shaker.
- Strainer for shaker — Most cocktail shaker sets come with a strainer included, but if you don’t have one you need it for this recipe.
- Jigger — Makes measuring out cocktail ingredients quick and easy.
- Citrus juicer — Makes it much easier to juice your limes for this pomegranate cocktails.
- Tongs — For handling the dry ice (a must!!).
- Cocktail Glasses — Cosmopolitans are typically served in a martini glass, but they can also be served in a coupe glass. These are the coupe glasses I have and I love them!
Ingredients for the Cocktail and Bloody Rim
This Halloween cocktail is very similar to the original cosmo, but with three simple differences: 1) I used pomegranate juice instead of cranberry juice, 2) I added some pomegranate liqueur to enhance the pomegranate flavor, and 3) I served the cocktail with dry ice for a spooky effect.
A full list of ingredients with their measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Agave Nectar — Great for the “bloody” rim because it is clear and thick. Honey would also work, but it has a more distinct flavor than agave.
- Red Food Coloring — Turns the agave a deep red color. I recommend using Americolor Super Red.
- Citron Vodka — Citrus vodka is the base of a classic cosmo so that’s what we’re using as well. Alternatively, you may choose to use plain vodka and/or support local and look for a brand that is produced in your state. We live in Colorado and like Breckenridge Vodka for a local unflavored vodka.
- Fresh Pomegranate Juice — Adds a subtle sweetness and tartness to the cosmo. Make sure it contains no added sugars or other juices. You do NOT want to use something labeled “pomegranate juice cocktail.”
- Cointreau — Adds a bit of acidity and citrus flavor to the drink. Acceptable substitutes are Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Orange Curaçao.
- Pomegranate Liqueur — Enhances the flavor of the pomegranate in our cosmo.
- Fresh Lime Juice — Adds a bit more acidity and citrus to the cocktail. Freshly squeezed lime juice really makes a difference!
- Simple Syrup — make your own by combining water and sugar in a 1:1 ratio.
Non-Alcoholic Alternatives To Try
I’ve never made this cocktail with alcohol-free spirits, so I can’t speak to the exact taste, but here are some highly rated non-alcoholic spirits you can try for yourself:
- Alcohol-free Vodka — Try using Strykk or CleanCo instead. Or, simply replace vodka with club soda or tonic water.
- Alcohol-free orange liqueur — I like Lyre’s.
You could also try using ginger beer, ginger ale, or soda water in place of the vodka and fresh squeezed orange juice and a little orange zest in place of the cointreau!
How to Make This Blood Red Halloween Cocktail
Katie’s Tip: This drink is naturally a tan-orange color. To make it bright “blood” red, add a small spoonful (about 1 teaspoon) of any leftover agave “blood” rim to the drink before serving.
- Create the bloody rim. Simply whisk together the red food coloring and agave, then spoon the mixture around the rim of your glasses.
- Build the cocktail in a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, add all of the ingredients, then shake vigorously until chilled.
- Strain into two glasses. At this point, I like to add a small piece of dry ice to each glass to create a smoky effect. Never consume dry ice. Wait until the drink stops smoking before ingesting.
I’ve listed a few key dry ice safety tips in the recipe card below. Give them a read before making this fun Halloween cocktail!
Fun Garnish Ideas
I don’t like to add too many garnishes to my cosmos because the flavor of the cocktail is so delicious as is and you’ve already got the “bloody” rim to contend with. However, some Halloween garnish ideas to try include:
- Halloween cocktail picks or skewers
- Fake eyeballs
- Slice of lime
- Twist of lime peel (same method as making a lemon twist)
- Pomegranate seeds (aka pomegranate arils)
Want to Make This a Pitcher Cocktail? Here’s How
Just combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher (except the dry ice). Mix thoroughly.
Then, when ready to serve, pour single servings in individual glasses for party guests as they arrive. After that, add the dry ice directly to the glass.
To make 23 servings (approximately 1/2 cup each):
- 4 cups Vodka
- 3 cups Pomegranate Juice
- 1 1/2 cups Cointreau
- 1 1/2 cups Lime Juice
- 1 1/2 cups Pomegranate Liqueur
- 11.5 tablespoons Simple Syrup
Katie’s Tip: You can use the above measurements to build this blood red cocktail in a punch bowl or a witch’s cauldron. Add the dry ice to the bowl and include a ladle for serving the cocktail. (Again, wait until the dry ice has stopped smoking before drinking!)
Variations to Try
Because this Halloween blood red cocktail is relatively simple, it’s easy to customize as you see fit. Here are some variations you can try:
- Try regular vodka or different flavored vodkas, such as pomegranate vodka.
- Swap orange juice or lemon juice for the lime juice.
- Use black raspberry liqueur in place of Pomegranate PAMA liqueur
- Prefer gin? Swap out the vodka for a dry gin and make a pomegranate gin cocktail.
More Easy Halloween Cocktails to Try
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"Bloody" Halloween Cocktail
This "Bloody" pomegranate cosmo is the perfect cocktail for Halloween night! It's tart and fruity with fun special effects thanks to the dry ice.
Ingredients
For the “Bloody” Rim
- 2 tablespoon agave
- 2 drops red food coloring (gel food coloring works best)
For 2 Cocktails
- 80 ml ounces vodka
- 60 ml pomegranate juice
- 30 ml orange liqueur
- 30 ml pomegranate liqueur
- 30 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1-3 tablespoons simple syrup, optional
- Dry ice, optional (see safety tips below)
For a Pitcher Cocktail
- 4 cups Vodka
- 3 cups Pomegranate Juice
- 1 1/2 cups Cointreau
- 1 1/2 cups Lime Juice
- 1 1/2 cups Pomegranate Liqueur
- 11.5 tablespoons Simple Syrup
Instructions
For the “Bloody” Cocktail Rim
- Mix together the agave and red food coloring in a small bowl.
- Spoon the mixture around the rim of your glass and set aside while you prepare the cocktail. Reserve the remaining agave "blood" to add to the cocktail shaker.
To Make 2 Cocktails
- Add all of the ingredients (including the leftover agave "blood") to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake for 30 seconds, or until well chilled.
- Strain into your prepared glass and enjoy.
- Optional: Add a small piece of dry ice (about ½” cube) to the cocktail before serving. Allow the drink to stop smoking before enjoying. Never ingest dry ice.
To Make a Pitcher Cocktail
- Combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher (except the dry ice). Mix thoroughly.
- When ready to serve, pour single servings in individual glasses for party guests as they arrive. After that, add the dry ice directly to the glass.
Katie’s Tip: You can use the above measurements to build this blood red cocktail in a punch bowl or a witch's cauldron. Add the dry ice to the bowl and include a ladle for serving the cocktail. (Again, wait until the dry ice has stopped smoking before drinking!)
Notes
Dry Ice Cocktail Safety
- Allow the drink to stop smoking before enjoying.
- Never consume dry ice.
- Always handle dry ice with caution.
- Use temperature proof gloves and utensils– never handle dry ice with your bare hands.
- Do not store dry ice in a sealed container.
- Always consult a safety data sheet before handling dry ice.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 0gSugar: 40gProtein: 0g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Try This Blood Red Halloween Cocktail!
Next time you’re looking for spooky cocktail for Halloween, give this bloody vodka version a try!
Did You Try This Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a review below—your feedback helps others and makes my day.
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