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Shimmering Halloween punch is a wonderfully spooky looking Halloween drink. It’s sweet, fruity and also has warm spices in every sip. If you’re planning a Halloween party, this punch recipe is ideal. It’s alcohol free so everyone can enjoy it, or you can liven it up with a splash of whatever takes your fancy. Edible shimmer dust gives this Halloween punch an elegant, mystical appearance which will fascinate everyone at the costume party. In fact, this is so popular you might even want to double the recipe to make sure you don’t run out!
No Halloween party is complete without Halloween punch recipes, and this one is a winner. Combining the sweetness of apple, blackberry, brown sugar, and ginger ale, along with warm spices, shimmer dust, and black food coloring, this exciting punch recipe will appeal to all your Halloween party guests.
Also try Halloween pot de creme desserts, leftover candy brownies, cheese stuffed pumpkin bites, or a Halloween veggie platter.
Why You’ll Love It
Halloween themed: The rich, spooky black colour of these Halloween drinks really sets them apart, although you can tweak the food colouring if you want blood red punch or a witchy looking cocktail with green food coloring.
Kid friendly: The lack of alcohol in this Halloween punch bowl cocktail makes it ideal for anyone, not just the grownups. So, if you’re looking for something to appeal to everyone at the party, this is the cocktail for you.
Fruity and sweet: Apple and blackberry flavours combine with earthy spices and ginger ale in this tasty Halloween drink. For extra fruitiness throw in some orange slices or, better still, slices of blood oranges to be in keeping with the theme!
Halloween Apple Cider Punch Ingredients
Apple juice and blackberry preserves give this glitter punch recipe its fruity taste, while brown sugar ups the sweetness and adds a subtle caramel taste.
The cinnamon, star anise and cloves bring a warm flavour to the mix and then black gel food colouring gives it a dark, murky look. Finally, edible gold shimmer dust, also known as luster dust (sold here), goes into the Halloween punch to add an unusual sparkle! Serve it in flasks (sold here) for an even more festive Halloween look.
How to Make Easy Halloween Cider Punch
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Combine the punch ingredients: Warm up the apple juice, blackberry preserves and brown sugar in a pan and then add the food colouring a little at a time.
Spice it up: While the mixture heats up, add the spices and let it reach a boil before simmering gently for 15 minutes to coax out the delicious earthy spice flavours.
Chill: Allow the punch to sit in the refrigerator until completely cold.
Serve: Pour some of the Halloween punch into each serving glass and top with a little gold dust, before adding ginger ale. Alternatively, serve it from one large punch bowl, stirring occasionally so the gold doesn’t just sit at the bottom.
Substitutions and Variations
Use apple juice or apple cider if you prefer (which will give the drink an even murkier look) or swap the ginger for lemon lime soda if you aren’t a ginger fan. You can have fun with this apple cider Halloween punch, trying new flavors!
A splash of cranberry juice would add a nice tart colour to this Halloween punch. If you are a cranberry lover, you might also like this cranberry orange punch.
Feel free to use ground spices in place of the whole ones. If you do that, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to remove any sediment from the drink as soon as you take it off the stove.
Swap the gold glitter dust for pink, silver or any other colour that would look cool in such a dark coloured drink.
How to Serve Halloween Punch
It’s your choice whether to go for individual glasses, Halloween themed or otherwise, or one large punch bowl. Serve along with other Halloween cocktails like this Cursed Immortal Halloween Rum Cocktail, Black Magic Rum Halloween Cocktail or these Ectoplasm Syringe Vodka Jello Shots.
Using Dry Ice
You can also consider dry ice for a really cool Halloween look. But it’s very important to familiarize yourself with dry ice because it can be harmful if it so much as touches bare skin. You absolutely can’t drink dry ice, and there are other strict safety procedures to follow as regards storage and use. So, if in doubt, don’t use it.
How to Store this Halloween Drink
Store: If you’re making this ahead, don’t add the shimmer dust or any ice (or dry ice!) until serving. It’s best to keep the ginger ale separate too, because if you add that hours before party time the drink will lose its fizz.
Freeze: This tends to separate if frozen and thawed, so either prepare the base ahead and then put it together just before your guests arrive, or make the drinks fresh when they do.
Halloween Party Punch FAQs
Although the recipe is written so that the whole family including the little ones can have some, you might like to add a splash of alcohol to it. Anything from white rum or spiced rum to vodka, tequila, gin, or sambuca will work, to make this a fun adults only drink. Else, just make it non alcoholic and then people can add their own tipple if they want.
Whether you really love Halloween and have a big party planned, or you just want a big batch of this, you might be curious if you have to use more of everything. Actually, no. You can make extra but you won’t need any extra spices unless you’re more than doubling it, and then you might.
Shimmering Halloween Recipe
Shimmering Halloween Apple Cider Punch
Ingredients
- 4 Cups apple juice, good quality
- 3 Tablespoons preserves, blackberry
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 Teaspoons cloves, whole
- ¼ Teaspoon black gel food coloring
- Edible gold shimmer dust
- 4 Liters ginger ale, sod, chilled
Optional
- dry ice, for display
Instructions
- Combine the apple juice, blackberry preserves, and brown sugar in a sauce pot. Add the black food coloring 1/8th teaspoon at a time until the juice is a deep black color.
- Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves. Heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator until cold.
- When it’s time to serve, fill a glass about 1/4 the way full with the black apple cider, add in a pinch of edible gold shimmer dust, then fill the glass the rest of the way with chilled ginger ale. (If serving with dry ice, leave enough space for the drink to bubble up without bubbling over).
Nutrition
Shimmering Halloween punch is one of the best Halloween recipes you can serve and a must-have at the best Happy Halloween parties! The edible gold shimmer dust looks gorgeous in the murky, dark drink. Place the punch bowl on a big platter decorated with plastic spiders, gummy worms and other Halloween ornaments and garnishes, and everyone will be drawn to this wonderfully fun Halloween punch!
Other Recipes to Try
- The Black Magic Rum Halloween Cocktail is a darkly delicious drink perfect for your grown-up Halloween bash.
- Halloween Eyeball Punch is creepy, festive Halloween Eyeball Punch and sure to be a hit. Or, for the kids, ice cream floats!
- This Halloween Bruschetta Appetizer is a simple yet impressive dish with a spooky twist.
- These Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are spook-tacular!
- Boozy Halloween Pot de Creme Dessert is a decadent and indulgent treat for a sophisticated Halloween celebration.
- Halloween Antipasto Eyeballs Appetizer is both tasty and terrifying. It’s the perfect way to start your Halloween party!
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I have a gorgeous old crystal punch bowl and serving cups I inherited from my grandmother, but for this one I’m going to follow your lead and use the chemistry bottles and vials. This is one of the best Halloween punch recipes I’ve seen – I just love the color! Can’t wait for this year’s party with this as my table centerpiece!