Probably more than any other holiday in recent memory, our inbox has been overflowing with Halloween inspired cocktail recipes from various folks. It’s been quite tough to muddle (no pun intended) through all of them, and even tougher to narrow down our favorites. Here are but a few that we’ve tested and enjoyed for your consideration.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream or half and half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2-3 ounces of bourbon
frosting + sprinkles (or cinnamon sugar) for glasses

Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until combined. Rim glasses with a light coating of frosting then dip in sprinkles. Pour in shake and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Harvest Spiced Cider
(Courtesy of Sons of Essex)
2 oz Bacardi Gold
2 oz apple cider
1.5 oz canned 100% pumpkin puree
Dash of cloves

Combine in a shaker with ice the ingredients listed below. Shake vigorously and strain in to a tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with a large orange peel.

Oaxaca Chakas
2 parts of Milagro Anejo
¾ parts agave nectar
1 part heavy whipping cream
2 parts milk
1 part oaxacan chocolate powder
freshly whipped cream

On medium heat, combine all ingredients except for the whipped cream, stirring casually until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour heated mixture into a coffee cup and top with whipped cream. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon.

The Green Beast
1 part Pernod Absinthe
1 part simple syrup
1 part fresh lime juice
4 parts water
Thinly sliced cucumber wheels (for garnish)

Build in a Collins glass or punch bowl over ice. Garnish with cucumber slices

Zombie Breakfast
3/4 oz. Wild Turkey American Honey
3/4 oz. SKYY Blood Orange
1/4 oz. coffee liqueur
1/4 oz. cherry liqueur

Combine the American Honey, SKYY Blood Orange and cherry liqueur into a shaker over ice. Shake well and strain into a shot glass. Top with the coffee liqueur. (NOTE: Normally we don’t get all excited about shot based cocktails, but this one was surprisingly good.)

Witchy Woman
2 oz. Crater Lake Sweet Ginger Vodka
½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. pomegranate juice
1 oz. pear brandy
½ oz. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. (NOTE: Failing the presence of sweet ginger vodka in your area, rimming the glass with fresh ginger also works well as a substitute.)

Monsters Among Us
1 oz. Ketel One Vodka
½ oz. Cognac
1 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice
½ oz. simple syrup
0.25 oz. egg white
3 dashes aromatic bitters

Combine first five ingredients in a mixing glass. Vigorously shake with ice and double-strain into a partially sugar-rimmed couple glass. Squeeze the oils from a grapefruit peel across the surface of the drink, and then discard the peel. Top with three dashes of bitters.

Berentzen’s Peaches & Scream Cocktail
2 oz. Berentzen Bushel & Barrel
½ oz. cream
½ oz. peach puree
Pinch of cinnamon spice
Brown sugar or colored sugar crystals for rim of glass

Combine Berentzen Bushel & Barrel, cream, and peach puree into ice-filled shaker. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with dash of cinnamon spice and peach slice.