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This mysterious punch brings Halloween magic to life in every sparkling sip. The shimmering Halloween apple cider punch blends rich spiced cider with chilled ginger ale and edible gold shimmer for a drink that looks like it came straight from a witch’s cauldron. The base is brewed with blackberry preserves, brown sugar and whole spices, then chilled and topped with bubbles. Serve it bubbling with dry ice for extra drama or just pour and watch it shimmer.
This shimmering Halloween apple cider punch combines spiced apple juice, pretty gold shimmer and ginger ale for a spooky, sparkling Halloween drink.
Also try Halloween pot de creme desserts, leftover candy brownies, cheese stuffed pumpkin bites, and this 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
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Apple juice: Acts as the base with a crisp, sweet apple flavor.
Blackberry preserves: Adds fruity richness and a deeper color.
Brown sugar: Sweetens the base and enhances the warm flavor.
Spices: Cinnamon stick, star anise and whole cloves create a cozy aroma.
Black gel food coloring: Turns the apple base dark and spooky.
Edible gold shimmer dust: Also known as luster dust, this ingredient gives the drink its magical glowing finish (sold here).
Ginger ale: Adds fizz and lightens the richness of the spiced base.
Dry ice: Optional for bubbling, foggy presentation.
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 flasks (sold here) for an even more festive Halloween look or in one large punch bowl, stirring occasionally so the gold doesn’t just sit at the bottom.
Substitutions and Variations
Make it alcoholic: Add spiced rum, black vodka or bourbon to taste.
Use a different juice: Pomegranate or cranberry juice can add a tart twist.
Swap the sweetener: Maple syrup or honey can replace brown sugar.
Make it gluten free: Ensure the ginger ale and food color are gluten free.
Serving Suggestions
With savory Halloween snacks: Enjoy mini charcuterie boards, spider pizza and skull potatoes.
With sweet treats: Pair them with Halloween bark, Halloween Rice Krispie treats, candy apples, candy corn peanut butter cookies and eyeball jello shots.
How to Store Shimmering Halloween Punch
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. Leftovers will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
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.
Top Tips
Add shimmer per glass: Mixing shimmer in individual glasses keeps the sparkle fresh.
Chill everything: Cold ingredients help preserve the bubbles.
Go slow with the coloring: Add a little at a time until it reaches your desired shade.
Use a ladle for serving: It makes portioning cleaner and shows off the shimmer.
Halloween Party Punch FAQs
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.
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
- 3 Tablespoons blackberry preserves
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 Teaspoons cloves, whole
- ¼ Teaspoon gel food coloring, black
- edible gold shimmer dust
- 4 ¼ quarts ginger ale, chilled
Optional
- dry ice, for display
Instructions
- Combine the apple juice, blackberry preserves, and brown sugar in a saucepan.
- Add the black food coloring ⅛ 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 ¼ of 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.
Notes
Chill everything: Cold ingredients help preserve the bubbles.
Go slow with the coloring: Add a little at a time until it reaches your desired shade.
Use a ladle for serving: It makes portioning cleaner and shows off the shimmer.
Nutrition
The shimmering Halloween apple cider punch is a show-stopping drink that’s perfect for spooky gatherings. It’s simple to prepare ahead, easy to customize and magical enough to impress kids and adults alike. The layers of spice, sparkle and fizz make it stand out on any Halloween table. Whether you serve it in a glass or a bubbling cauldron, this punch is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Other Recipes to Try
- The Black Magic Rum Halloween Cocktail is a darkly delicious drink.
- And if you want eyeballs, look at Halloween Eyeball Punch!
- My Halloween Bruschetta Appetizer has its own spooky twist.
- And these Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are part cute and part spooky.
- When you want tasty and terrifying, try these Antipasto Eyeballs!
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!