This easy Witches Brew Cocktail is made with pomegranate simple syrup, apple cider, and apple brandy. This poison apple cocktail is perfect for your Halloween parties – you can even make a large batch and serve it as a Witches Brew Punch!
Why you’ll love this Halloween Cocktail:
- Pomegranate Simple Syrup – Cooking sugar and pomegranate juice together makes a delicious simple syrup that can be used in this and tons of other cocktails.
- Poison Apple Theme – Using apple brandy and apple cider gives this cocktail a fun witches brew poison apple theme.
- Easy Cocktail – This spooky cocktail is so easy to whip up with just 4 simple ingredients and will get you in the Halloween spirit!
- No Green Dye – This is not your typical spooky green cocktail – I opted to use the natural colors of the pomegranates and apples, instead of adding green dye.
Ingredient Overview
As always, the full recipe is in the recipe card below. Here are a few ingredient notes.
- Pomegranate Juice – You’ll need this for the pomegranate simple syrup. You can find this in most grocery stores.
- Granulated sugar – This is mixed with the pomegranate juice to sweeten it and make the simple syrup.
- Apple Cider – Use good apple cider from a local orchard – not apple juice.
- Apple Brandy – Apple brandy gives a delicious burst of apple flavor to this cocktail!
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Other Alcohol – Try vanilla rum, apple vodka, or bourbon in place of the apple brandy for other delicious options this spooky season. A splash of triple sec would be yummy, too.
- Non Alcoholic Drinks – Omit the brandy and use ginger ale or lemon lime soda to make this a non alcoholic drink for your halloween festivities.
How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Make the Pomegranate Simple Syrup. Add pomegranate juice and sugar to a medium saucepan, and cook until the sugar dissolves. Let cool in the fridge until ready to use. This can be made up to 2 weeks ahead.
Step 2: Make the Cocktails. Add ice, pomegranate simple syrup, apple cider, and apple brandy to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, then pour into glasses. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and apple slice!
See? I told you these were completely unfussy cocktails! Everyone will go nuts over these! And, you don’t have to reserve this recipe solely for Halloween – serve them for Thanksgiving, or any other day (Hocus Pocus movie night anyone?) during the fall season for a fun drink.
Expert Success Tips:
- Don’t Skip the Garnishes – Simple garnishes like cinnamon sticks and apple slices make this halloween recipe feel extra fun and festive!
- Dress up the Glass – If you like, you can dip the rim of the glass in caramel sauce and then in cinnamon sugar (or black sanding sugar!) for an extra fancy touch to this spooky drink.
- Special Effects – Spook it up a notch by adding a little dry ice to your punch bowl or to a bowl of water on your serving tray! Just be sure not to ever touch it with your bare hands.
Recipe Variations:
- Punch – Make this into a Witch’s Brew Punch to serve a crowd at your Halloween party! Simply scale up the recipe to your desired amount of servings. Use frozen apple cider (use an ice tray or a jello mold ring) to keep the drink chilled in your punch bowl or large pitcher without watering it down.
- Single Cocktail + Recipe Scaling – Scale the recipe down to make just one delightful cocktail, or scale it however you like. This witches brew drink can be whatever you want it to be!
- Other Juice – Feel free to try other juices in place of the pomegranate, like orange juice or blood orange juice.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
This Witches’ Brew Cocktail recipe is best made just before serving, but the pomegranate simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Special Tools:
- Drink Shaker – A drink shaker is a great tool to have on hand for easy cocktail mixing at home. (Amazon associates link)
This is the perfect halloween cocktail for festive witches and wizards to enjoy this spooky season! Here are some more to try.
More Fun Cocktails to Love:
- Blood Orange Bourbon Fizz
- Apple Cider Old Fashioned
- Crock Pot Mulled Apple Cider
- Vanilla Maple Roasted Pear Cocktails
- Apple Cider Slushies
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and leave a comment!
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Witches Brew Poison Apple Cocktail
Ingredients
For the Pomegranate Simple Syrup
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
For the Cocktail
- 8 ounces apple cider
- 2 ounces pomegranate simple syrup
- 4 ounces apple brandy
For Garnish
- cinnamon sticks
- apple slices
Instructions
- Make the Pomegranate Simple Syrup: Add sugar and pomegranate juice to a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved. Pop in the fridge to cool. This can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Make the Cocktails: Add pomegranate simple syrup, apple cider, and apple brandy to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour between your glasses.
- Serve + Store: Garnish with a cinnamon stick and apple slices. Enjoy! Store extra pomegranate simple syrup in the fridge for a few weeks for use in other cocktails.
- Make it for a Crowd: Scale the recipe up to make as many servings as desired, and serve in a punch bowl with frozen apple cider ice cubes (or use a jello ring to make a frozen cider ring) to keep it chilled!
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