Purple People Eater Cocktail

A tasty (and creepy!) cocktail that gets its purple hue from blue curacao, grenadine, and cranberry juice. A perfectly purple cocktail for any party!

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About Purple People Eater Cocktail

Halloween is one of the best holidays to have fun with festive food and drinks, and this spooky purple people eater cocktail is no exception.

Because, I mean, have you seen the deep purple hue of this drink? Or the bright purple sanding sugar? Both create a pretty drink on their own, but once you jazz it up with a black or orange straw, you’ve got an iconic look that’s perfect for a Halloween party or movie night.

Can this drink be made in advance?

Yes, it totally can!

If you’d like to whip up a large batch in advance (be sure to check the “how to measure this cocktail section”), feel free to whip up as much as you need and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Can you decorate the glasses in advance, too?

Yes, the glasses could be decorated in advance, too, but be careful; it doesn’t take much for the sugar to fall off, whether it be gravity or a gentle touch. And how well the sugar sticks to the glass will depend on what you use to adhere the sugar to the glass (whether it be simple syrup, fruit juice, etc).

Because how well this works could depend on a lot of factors (like temperature, humidity) I would recommend testing this with one glass and see how long the decoration holds up. Store the glass in the refrigerator or a cool place to help keep the sugar from sliding down the glass. And no matter what you plan, I’d recommend not letting the prepared glasses sit for more than four to six hours before serving.

What’s in a purple people eater cocktail?

To craft this purple drink, you’ll need to have the following on hand:

• Vodka – Any non-flavored type or brand will do.
• Blue Curacao – A sweet liquor with a blue hue. Flavored from the dried peel of bitter oranges.
• Cranberry Juice – This helps add some fruity flavor to the drink as well as some strong coloring.
• Sweet and Sour Mix – A standard in many mixed drinks, this adds some sweetness with a dash of tartness.
• Grenadine – Another mixed drink favorite, this helps smooth out the flavor while also adding a strong dose of red coloring. Also helps sub some of the tartness of the cranberry juice.

How to measure this cocktail

This cocktail is written like a standard drink recipe, meaning that instead of an exact measurement (ex: 1 cup) the recipe will read “1 part.”

This can sometimes be a little confusing, but I’ve found the best way to think of it as this: Recipes that measure in parts usually mean it’s written so that you can adjust the size of the drink to whatever you want and the measurements they give you (1 part, 1/2 part, etc) are so you can keep the ratio of the ingredients correct.

For example, let’s say you wanted to make one drink – this typically means you’re using 1 standard shot glass for measuring. So then when the recipe says “1 part” you would interpret that amount as “1 standard shot glass” full. If the recipe says “1/2 part” you’d fill the shot glass halfway so that it’s “1/2 standard shot glass.” OR, let’s say you wanted to make enough drinks for a few friends. When making the drink you could interpret “1 part” as “1 cup” (or “1/2 part” to “1/2 cup.”)

This way the drink will taste the same no matter what size you make it.

What are the exact measurements for one drink?

In a hurry and want simple measurements for just one drink? No problem! Just use this as a guide:

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 1 oz blue curacao
• 1 oz sweet and sour mix
• 1 oz grenadine
• 1 oz cranberry juice or grape juice

You can also select “Metric” measurements in the recipe card below to see these numbers.

notes & tips for this purple cocktail

• This recipe calls for cranberry juice, and if you use it, the drink may turn out a tad more maroon than purple. If you’re okay with sacrificing a bit of the intended taste for a better color, you can either substitute cranberry juice with cran-grape juice or grape juice OR double the amount of blue curacao used. Make a test drink first to be sure you still like the taste with these adjustments!
• Like the mason jar cocktail shaker used in the recipe video? You can get a near identical one here: Mason Jar and Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker Set. And if you already have a ton of mason jars and just need a cocktail shaker lid, you can pick one up here: Mason Jar Cocktail Shaker Lid.
• Or maybe you like the glasses it’s served in? You can get a similar set here: Stemmed Beer Glasses.
• And don’t forget the black and white striped straws!

More Halloween themed recipes

More fun drinks

How to make a purple people eater cocktail

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 – If you’d like to make your glasses festive, decorate them by dipping the rims in simple syrup, then dusting the top with purple sanding sugar. I find it easiest to add the simple syrup and sugar to two separate plates and dip the glasses that way.

Step 2 – In a cocktail shaker, add the following ingredients: ice, vodka, blue curacao, sweet and sour mix, grenadine, and cranberry juice. Give it a good shake until everything is combined.

Step 3 – Pour the mixed drink into the prepared glass filled with ice.

Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!