Have you been searching for the perfect unique Halloween cocktail? Then you must try this super easy Black Widow Cocktail. In just 5 minutes you'll have the perfect Spooky Halloween cocktail to sip on at your Halloween party!
This smooth black cocktail gives off spooky vibes but tastes delicious- not too sweet, but just sweet enough with some citrus flavors.
Why you'll love this cocktail
- Only takes 5 minutes to make one
- Easy to increase and scale to make more for a Halloween party
- Fun to make with ingredients you may not always use
- Everything is gluten and dairy free in this delicious drink
Ingredients Needed
Always check labels before you buy to ensure they meet your dietary needs!
Red Layer
- Grenadine Liquor: A sweet yet tart syrup to add to your drink . We like to use this brand since they are dairy and gluten free
- Spiced Rum: Choose your favorite brand, we used Captain Morgan as we know they're dairy free and gluten free
- Cranberry Juice: We like this brand of Cranberry juice since it has no added sugar, artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, dairy or gluten
- Gold cake shimmer: We use this gold sanding sugar. We shared that link so you know which one is safe, but just a side note- we find that you can usually find it cheaper in your grocery stores than what they want to charge for it- but at least we can show you the brand to look for 🙂
Black Layer
- Black Vodka: See what brands your local liquor store has. Keep in mind that almost all of vodka is supposed to be gluten free because of how it is distilled. But, don't hesitate to check labels and ask the store associate about it.
- Creme De Cassis: Don't let the name fool you. This is a red sweet liqueur that is made from blackcurrents. There is no dairy (or gluten) to worry about in this product. The Dekuyper brand is supposed to be all gluten free and the Creme De Cassis is dairy free too, so we like to use that in this delicious Halloween cocktail.
- Sprite: This brings a lemon lime flavor to the layer. This is can be swapped out for other lemon lime sodas.
- Activated Charcoal: This adds more black coloring and some studies have shown it is actually beneficial to add some activated charcoal to your diet if you suffer from food allergies. We are not medical doctors, and this is not a medically advised statement. You do your research and make your own decision, we are just reporting what we have learned about this product from other studies. Feel free to omit this if you do not want to use it. We like to use a tasteless, odorless one.
- Gold cake shimmer: This brings that extra shimmer to your drink. Above, in the red layer, we shared the specific brand we use that is safe.
- Black food coloring: If you don't want to use food coloring, you can use black cocoa powder as a natural way to add some more black color to your drink
Optional: We used cherries for a garnish.
Helpful Equipment
Cocktail Shaker
- Bartender Tools Kit: Professional Cocktail Shaker Set includes a 24 oz stainless steel Boston tin that can hold up to three drinks with a built in strainer lid, 10 Inch stainless steel cocktail muddler and mixing spoon, a double size 1 / 0.5 oz measurement jigger tool, 2 liquor pour spouts with dust cap covers and a guide to cocktails and mocktails Recipes
Glass for Serving
- CLASSIC WITH A TOUCH OF ELEGANT SOPHISTICATION: Impress your friends with these modern style JoyJolt red wine glasses curve to perfectly fit in your hand, and this stemless wine glass can be conveniently washed in the dishwasher.
How to Make a Black Widow Cocktail
- Add ice to your glass
- In a cocktail shaker make your red layer: pour cranberry juice, gold shimmer, grenadine, and rum.
- Shake to combine it all.
- Pour the red layer into the glass with ice
- In the empty cocktail shaker, add vodka, creme de cassis, Sprite, black coloring, gold shimmer, and charcoal.
- Shake to combine it all
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Pour the black layer on top of the red layer and enjoy this Black Widow drink.
Storage
This Black Widow Cocktail recipe is best enjoyed right when you make it.
We do not suggest trying to store this for later in the refrigerator unless you plan to pour it over fresh ice when you serve it later.
If you do make this ahead, store it in a large pitcher in the fridge and shake or stir again before serving.
Do not store this easy Halloween cocktail for more than a few hours.
Tips
- Always check your labels to make sure there is no hidden dairy or hidden gluten.
- We recommend waiting to assemble the drink until you're ready to drink it.
- Feel free to make any swaps or changes to suite your needs.
- Only make and drink any spooky cocktails if you are over the age of 21.
- Add a rim of black sugar to the glass for a spooky effect.
- If serving this at a party, make sure everyone knows the ingredients so they are aware what is in the drink and if they can have it or not.
Variations
We shared some info on swapping ingredients and other alternatives in the ingredients section above. But, here are a few more.
Swap the Sprite. Trade out the sprite for lemon or lime soda water. You could also just use lemon juice and lime juice depending on personal preference.
Swap out the garnish. We used cherries, you can use anything you want. Fresh blackberries would also be a great option and would fit the color scheme of the drink. You could also add some cinnamon sticks or dip the top of the glass in sugar, for a sugar rim.
Serve it as a shot. You can totally serve this as a black widow shot if wanted. Just enough to warm you up on a chilly night.
Use fresh blackberry juice. You can use blackberry juice in place of the charcoal or black vodka if you don't want to use either of them.
What if I don't have grenadine?
If you don't have grenadine, you can make your own grenadine syrup if needed. Grenadine has a sweet yet tart at the same time kind of flavor.
In simple, grenadine is usually made up of pomegranate juice, fresh lemon juice, and sugar. Add this to your fun drink and it'll still be delicious!
More Halloween Recipes
- Halloween Trail Mix - a fun mix of gluten and dairy free treats for the kids to enjoy. Perfect for snackin' on on a crisp October night!
- Monster Cookies- these just have a spooky name, they're just a mashup of all your favorite cookie treats.
- Peanut Butter Spider Cookies- these are cute fall treats and bring the ultimate spook factor!
Black Widow Cocktail
Ingredients
Red Layer
- ½ oz Grenadine Liquor
- ½ oz Spiced Rum
- 2 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1 teaspoon gold cake shimmer
Black Layer
- ½ oz Black vodka
- ½ oz Creme De Cassis
- 2 oz Sprite
- 1 teaspoon Activated Charcoal
- 1 teaspoon Gold cake shimmer
- 1 drop Black food coloring
Instructions
- Add ice to your glass
- In a cocktail shaker make your red layer: pour cranberry juice, gold shimmer, grenadine, and rum.
- Shake to combine it all.
- Pour the red layer into the glass with ice
- In the empty cocktail shaker, add vodka, creme de cassis, Sprite, black coloring, gold shimmer, and charcoal.
- Shake to combine it all
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Pour the black layer on top of the red layer and enjoy this Black Widow drink.
Nutritional Disclaimer
These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.
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