Skeletons in Your Closet Cocktail

This Skeletons in Your Closet Cocktail tastes like a spooky margarita and would be perfect for a fun Halloween party or to serve at a horror movie marathon!

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About Skeletons in Your Closet Cocktail

It’s easy to have fun during the holiday season, but we can all agree that Halloween has an extra edge.

Because really, when you get to serve drinks like this Skeletons in Your Closet Cocktail, there’s no competition. Between the fun name, the thousands of fun skeleton props, and the fruity margarita taste, it’s guaranteed to be a good (and creepy!) time.

What is a “Skeletons in Your Closet” cocktail?

From an ingredient standpoint, this drink is a tropical margarita due to the combination of fruit juices and tequila.

Blue island tropical schnapps makes this drink fun (and Halloween-friendly), creating the eerie green-ish hue once combined with the fruit juices.

Where did this cocktail come from?

With a name as intriguing as “Skeletons in Your Closet Cocktail,” you’d expect an equally fascinating origin story. But, sadly, my deep dives into internet archives yielded little about its true beginnings.

We can piece together that margaritas, a close relative in the cocktail family, made their official debut in the late 1930s. So, it’s plausible that this enigmatic drink emerged sometime within the last century, inspired by its margarita cousin. But there’s little to go on beyond that.

One thing’s for sure: whoever crafted this cocktail intended it to be shrouded in mystery. Perhaps sipping on it might just reveal some hidden tales!

What’s in this cocktail?

In order to brew up your own green Halloween cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Salt – An optional ingredient used for coating the rim of the glass. Enhances flavor contrast. When sipped, it balances the sweet notes of the juices and adds a savory kick to each sip.
• Pineapple juice – Adds a tangy sweetness. This tropical flavor complements the other ingredients and can also be used to wet the rim for the salt.
• Mango juice – Contributes a rich, sweet, and slightly creamy flavor. Like the pineapple juice, it’s another tropical element and can also prep the rim for salting.
• Tequila – The primary alcoholic component. Its distinct flavor adds depth and a kick. It’s often the base for many tropical and citrusy cocktails.
• Tropical Schnapps – Adds fruity notes and a bit of sweetness. Blue Curacao can provide a vibrant blue color, making the drink visually appealing.

I can’t find tropical schnapps! What can I use instead?

Looking for tropical schnapps can be a challenge, especially if you’re trying to find the specific DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker Schnapps Liqueur, which is what traditional versions of this recipe call for. And I get it; I also had a tough time locating it. My determination to share this recipe here led me on a chase, and I eventually stumbled upon it at a local mom-and-pop store – but I know not everyone may be so lucky.

When it comes to substitutes, blue-hued liquors fit best. Even though blue-colored drinks aren’t common, there are options available. For instance, if I ever need a blue liquor substitute, blue curacao is my go-to. It’s flavorful and pairs wonderfully with various fruit juices, making it a good fit for this cocktail.

Can you make a big batch of this cocktail?

Yes! This drink has no special “effects” (such as layering, gradients, etc.), so it’s perfectly safe to mix this drink and serve it in a big batch.

And in order to make a big batch, all you need to do is measure this drink in parts.

Recipes measured in parts allow for adjustable drink sizes. 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.”)

Given the above, to measure this cocktail in parts, you would need:

• 1 part pineapple juice, plus more for rim (optional)
• 1 part mango juice, plus more for rim (optional)
• 1 1/2 part tequila
• 1 part tropical schnapps, or blue curacao
• salt, for rim (optional)

Notes & tips for this Skeletons in Your Closet recipe

• Like the glass used in the photos? I actually picked it up at HomeGoods! Their Halloween selections change each year, but I’ve seen this glass a few times.
• If you can’t find a fun Halloween glass, serve it in a traditional martini glass. It would even taste good margarita-style with a salted rim.

More fun Halloween recipes

How to make a Skeletons in Your Closet 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 – In a glass (or a cocktail shaker) filled with ice, add the pineapple juice.

Step 2 – Next, add the mango juice.

Step 3 – Then add the tequila.

Step 4 – Finish it off with the tropical schnapps.

Step 5 – Stir well.

Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!