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This Halloween punch, best described as a shimmering apple cider, embodies the essence of the haunting season. This bewitching brew combines the sweet autumn notes of cinnamon, a delightful zing from blackberry preserves, the touch of caramel from light brown sugar, and the fizz of ginger ale to highlight those warming spices in a beautifully creepy drink.
And for the final touch?
An entrancing swirl of glitter that’s bound to make this drink an eye-catching addition to any spooky gathering.
What’s in this Halloween punch?
To brew your own batch of this shimmering green punch for Halloween, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Apple Juice: This forms the base of the punch, giving it a naturally sweet and crisp fall flavor. Perfect for a bewitching brew.
- Blackberry preserves: Thick and rich, these preserves add a deep berry flavor.
- Light brown sugar: Milled from sugarcane, its molasses content gives a sweet, caramel note.
- Black gel food coloring: Used to achieve a deep, inky hue, making the punch look like a potion brewed at midnight.
- Cinnamon stick: A natural spice, it infuses warmth and aromatic depth.
- Star anise: A star-shaped spice with a unique licorice flavor, it’s the twinkle in our potion’s night sky.
- Whole cloves: Pungent and aromatic, they’re the little sparks of autumnal magic in every sip.
- Edible gold shimmer dust: Adds a glint of magic, making the punch sparkle like a cauldron under the moonlight.
- Ginger ale: A carbonated soft drink with a zingy ginger note. It adds a zesty note to the punch.
- Food-safe dry ice (optional): Used for that spooky, misty effect, turning an ordinary punch into a Halloween spectacle.
What is food-safe dry ice?
In order to create the smoky bubbling effect in this drink, you’ll need to add a few pieces of dry ice in each glass. And since this will be added to a drink people will consume, you should only use food-safe dry ice.
The fact that it’s food-safe is crucial because it means that the dry ice (which is solid form carbon dioxide (CO₂)) has not been exposed to harmful chemicals or contaminants that could be transferred to the food or drink. Using dry ice that is not labeled as food-safe would be a poison hazard.
Where to Get Food-Safe Dry Ice
- Specialty grocery stores: Some upscale or specialty grocery stores carry food-safe dry ice, especially around the Halloween season.
- Ice suppliers: Many ice suppliers who provide regular ice for events or businesses also offer dry ice.
- Gas supply stores: Places that sell gases for industrial or medical purposes sometimes sell dry ice as well. Just ensure it’s food-grade if you intend to use it with consumables.
- Online retailers: Some online platforms might offer food-safe dry ice, but it often requires expedited shipping due to its sublimation property.
Precautions for Dry Ice
- Handling: Always handle dry ice with gloves or tongs, as it can cause burns if it comes in direct contact with the skin.
- Storage: Store dry ice in an insulated container. Do not store it in a sealed container, as the pressure from the sublimating gas can cause the container to burst.
- Keep it out of the freezer: While it might seem logical to store dry ice in a cold place, never store dry ice in a freezer. A freezer counts as a sealed container, and the gas escaping could cause an explosion.
- Use in drinks: Never drink while dry ice is still visible in your glass. Wait until it has fully evaporated. Consuming dry ice can cause severe internal burns.
- Ventilation: When using dry ice, ensure the area is well-ventilated. As it sublimates, it releases CO₂ gas, which can be harmful in large amounts in enclosed spaces.
Remember, always prioritize safety when working with dry ice!
Can you make it in advance?
Absolutely! In fact, this drink must be boiled and then cooled before serving, making it an ideal candidate for preparing in advance.
To ensure the best flavor, I recommend making it at most 24 hours in advance.
How long is it good for?
After you’ve made the initial part of the Halloween punch, which includes the apple juice, preserves, food coloring, and spices, you can keep it in the fridge for a maximum of three to four days.
However, if you’ve combined all the elements of the punch, including the edible gold shimmer dust and ginger ale, it’s best to consume it on the day it was prepared. The quality won’t hold up well if stored beyond that.
Notes & tips for this Halloween punch
- For best results, I recommend using fresh, perishable apple juice (such as Simply brand) instead of shelf-stable varieties.
- To ensure that the punch never loses its carbonation, add the ginger ale per glass instead of pouring it into the main patch of punch.
- For the edible gold shimmer dust, serving it per glass is recommended so you always get the full effect of the swirling shimmer look. You can add it to the main punch container, but the shimmer dust will slowly settle at the bottom of the bowl, meaning the punch will need to be stirred often to stay distributed.
- Instead of putting dry ice in each glass, you can also periodically add it to the main container of punch. But no matter which method you use, be sure you’re following the safety guidelines for dry ice outlined above.
- Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves. While they’re great for flavor, they would be an unpleasant surprise (and a choking hazard) in a drink.
- Depending on the brand of food coloring you use, the black hue of the drink may be more purple, green, or orange. You may need to add more food coloring to curb it.
- If you would like to coax out a different Halloween-themed hue (such as purple, orange, or green), add it at the same time as the black food coloring. You can also use different colors of edible shimmer dust to create unique looks, like silver, bronze, purple, orange, green, blue, etc.
More fun Halloween recipes
How to make Halloween punch
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – Start by tossing in the apple juice, blackberry preserves, and brown sugar in a large saucepan. Give it all a good mix.
Step 2 – Slowly blend in the black food coloring to get that deep, midnight shade. Just a smidge (1/8th of a teaspoon) at a time will do. Once it’s looking just right, throw in the cinnamon stick, star anise, and cloves.
Step 3 – Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until things start bubbling. Once it’s boiling, take it down a notch and let it simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.
Step 4 – Let the mixture cool briefly, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill completely.
Step 5 – When ready to serve, remove the cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves. Pour the spooky black apple mix until your glass is a quarter full. Add a pinch of edible gold shimmer dust, and then fill ‘er up with ginger ale. If you’re using dry ice, make sure you leave some room at the top of the glass so it can bubble. And, finally, make sure the dry ice has completed its bubbling magic before taking a sip.
Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!
Halloween Punch
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple juice
- 3 tablespoons blackberry preserves
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black gel food coloring
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- edible gold shimmer dust
- 4 liters ginger ale, chilled
- food-safe dry ice, for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add apple juice, blackberry preserves, and brown sugar, then mix well.4 cups apple juice, 3 tablespoons blackberry preserves, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- While continuing to stir, slowly add black food coloring, 1/8th of a teaspoon at a time, until mixture is a deep black color.1/2 teaspoon black gel food coloring
- Add cinnamon stick, star anise, and whole cloves to pot.1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator to chill completely.
- When ready to serve, remove the cinnamon stick, star anise, and cloves. Fill a glass 1/4 full with black apple juice mixture. Add a pinch of edible gold shimmer dust, then top remaining 3/4 glass with ginger ale. If using dry ice: Once added to drink, ensure it has sublimated (disappeared) before consuming. Leave enough space at top of glass for drink to bubble without spilling over.edible gold shimmer dust, 4 liters ginger ale, food-safe dry ice
Notes
- Handling: Always handle dry ice with gloves or tongs, as it can cause burns if it comes in direct contact with the skin.
- Storage: Store dry ice in an insulated container. Do not store it in a sealed container, as the pressure from the sublimating gas can cause the container to burst.
- Keep it out of the freezer: While it might seem logical to store dry ice in a cold place, never store dry ice in a freezer. A freezer counts as a sealed container, and the gas escaping could cause an explosion.
- Use in drinks: Never drink while dry ice is still visible in your glass. Wait until it has fully evaporated. Consuming dry ice can cause severe internal burns.
- Ventilation: When using dry ice, ensure the area is well-ventilated. As it sublimates, it releases CO₂ gas, which can be harmful in large amounts in enclosed spaces.
Nutritional Information
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