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Boo! Ghostly Ginger Cocktail (with mocktail). My favorite quick and easy, spooky Halloween drink. Warm bourbon, smoky mezcal (or tequila) mixed with a splash of lemon and sweet gingery honey. Top each drink off with ginger beer to create a spooky yet magical Halloween drink that everyone will love! This ghostly cocktail is a mix of sweet, smoky, and warming. Perfect for all Hallows Eve. Mix this as a cocktail, or mix up my mocktail variation for anyone who prefers an alcohol-free option! Both are just delicious!
And just like that, we’re back! Welcome to the first cocktail of our holiday Cocktail Saturday series. I started this series six years ago, and it has become one of my favorite pieces of content to create for you all.
I have so much fun with these drinks! For the past two years, I’ve been sharing both alcohol and alcohol-free variations so everyone can feel included!
I found these ghostly glasses and ordered them the second I saw them. Once they arrived, I knew just the drink I wanted to create—something warming with a touch of sweetness and a little smokiness to bring all the spooky Halloween vibes! It’s so good!
Here are the Details
Cocktail IngredientsÂ
- honey
- ginger
- Bourbon
- mezcal or use tequila
- lemon
- ginger beer
- apple slices
Mocktail IngredientsÂ
- honey
- ginger
- apple cider
- lemon juice
- vanilla
- ginger beer
- apple slices
Step 1: make the ginger honey syrup
Many drink recipes typically use a simple syrup, but I wanted to make mine special. To add a warm autumn flavor, we’re making a ginger honey syrup.
Gently simmer the honey with water and fresh or candied ginger slices. It’s sweet and delicious, with subtle hints of spicy ginger.
Step 2: mix the drink
Now, for the drink: Mix the bourbon, mezcal, lemon juice, and honey syrup with ice. Shake it up with ice.
Now, find your spookiest cocktail glass and ice. Pour the drink over the ice.
Step 3: top it off
Next, grab a bottle of ginger beer and top off each drink. I always like to add an apple slice, a cinnamon stick, or maybe a star anise, but that’s totally up to you!
Simple to mix up, yet so fun and spooky! And, of course, the yummiest too!
Create a Moody Scene
If you’re serving this for a Halloween party, pick up some dry ice from the grocery store. Just as guests arrive, plop the ice pieces in water to create a foggy scene. Add some mini pumpkins, and suddenly, you have the spookiest-looking Halloween drink for your guests to sip on.
It will be so fun!
Looking for other spooky cocktail recipes? Here are a few ideas:Â
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita
“I put a Spell on You†Poison Apple Martini
Lastly, if you make this Ghostly Ginger Cocktail, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Ghostly Ginger Cocktail
Servings: 1 drink
Calories Per Serving: 131 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Drink
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) Bourbon
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Mezcal (or tequila)
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) honey syrup - directions below
- 1/2 cup ginger beer
Instructions
- 1. To make the honey syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, honey, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let cool. This syrup makes enough for about 6 drinks.2. Fill a cocktail glass halfway with ice. 3. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2-3 tablespoons of honey syrup, Bourbon, mezcal, and lemon juice. Add ice and shake - strain over the prepared glass. Top off with ginger beer. Add a cinnamon stick and apple slice. Enjoy!
Ghostly Ginger Mocktail
Servings: 1 drink
Calories Per Serving: 115 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Drink
- 2 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup) apple cider
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) honey syrup
- 1/2 cup ginger beer
Instructions
- 1. To make the honey syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, honey, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let cool. This syrup makes enough for about 6 drinks.2. Fill a cocktail glass halfway with ice. 3. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2-3 tablespoons of honey syrup, apple cider, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add ice and shake—strain over a prepared glass. Top off with ginger beer. Add a cinnamon stick and apple slice. Enjoy!
The vanilla makes it. the people saying not to add it are being ridiculous- it’s not enough to affect you. But anyway, you’re missing out if you omit it. We made the mocktail version and enjoyed it immensely. I’ll be making this a lot this month!
Thanks so much, Olivia:) So glad you enjoyed this cocktail and love that you enjoyed the vanilla as well! Have the best day! xx
The cocktail recipe doesn’t print fyi – if you click on the regular cocktail one it takes you to a new page but it shows the mocktail version.
Hi Beata,
Thanks so much for pointing this out, we will get this fixed ASAP! I hope you love the recipe. Cheers! xT
Tieghan, I’m having the same problem!
Please be careful about recommending vanilla extract in a mocktail. Real vanilla extract is, in fact, alcohol.
Just for any who are concerned about this-
If using *pure* extract, at 1/4 tsp the alcohol in this 8 oz drink would be about 0.2%.. so, the same as eating a ripe banana (0.2% alcohol content)
1 tsp = 5ml ÷ 4 = 1.25ml per drink
1.25 x .35 (abv) = .4375
.4375 ÷ 236.588 (ml for the 8oz other liquids) = .001849
.001849 x 100 = .1849% abv for this drink using *pure*
With using *imitation* vanilla which is about 2% ABV, it comes out to about 0.01% so about the same as Coca-Cola, Diet Sprite, Diet Dr. Pepper, Fanta Orange, and Mountain Dew.
Your regular hot dog/ hamburger bun has 1.28% content, grape juice (.09%), apple juice (.06%), soy sauce (0.2%), kimchi, rye bread and many other foods you don’t think about (and would give your kids) indeed “have alcohol”. So do some research and do whats best for you. 🙂
I would like to recommend adding a warning in regards to the dry ice, which is unsafe to consume/swallow. I know it looks very cool and is fine after it melts but people could get burns if they drink this with active bubbling dry ice in it – thanks 🙂
I made these tonight, so delicious! Mocktail was so so good and I thank you for including something for those of us that don’t drink. I made the alcoholic one and everyone loved it! I just added apple cider to give it that warm color.
Hey Sarah,
Happy Fall Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, so glad to hear it turned out well for you:) Cheers! XxT
I haven’t made this one yet, but I just wanted to pile on the thanks for making mocktail recipes. Our family is about 50/50 between those that drink and those who don’t or can’t. Your recipes allow us to all feel included when we celebrate the holidays together. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Rae,
Thanks so much! Love to hear that your family is able to enjoy the cocktail plus mocktail options:) Have the best weekend! xT
I just wanted to thank you for including mocktail recipes. Not only is it great for those of us adults who can’t drink alcohol but it’s also something the whole family can enjoy (and my tween thinks shaking a cocktail shaker is hilarious!)
Hey Amanda,
You bet! I hope your family love this recipe:) Cheers! xT
The recipe ingredients don’t call for vanilla but the directions say to add it to the shaker. How much vanilla?
This sounds delicious and I’d like to try it but want to get it right.
Thanks so much, Cathy! You are going to use 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I don’t see where you add the ginger beer, do you top the drink with it after straining the cocktail mix into a glass? Thanks!
Hey Cylinda,
Yes, that is correct, you will top with ginger beer. I hope you love this recipe. Cheers! xT