I love gin, and when I saw Nippitaty's Aurora (purple gin), I knew it would be the perfect ingredient for my spooky gin cocktail, the Purple People Eater. In addition to purple gin, this cocktail is flavored with fresh basil, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and elderflower tonic water. Dare I say it's a bloody good gin drink? (Pun intended.)
This deliciously eerie gin cocktail is an easy recipe to make when you want a signature drink for your Halloween party. It's the perfect way to get into the spirit! Or, if it's not spooky season, omit the gummy eyeball and garnish with fresh basil and a lemon wedge instead. This is one fun cocktail you can enjoy year-round.
Looking for more boozy drink ideas? Be sure to check out my Spicy Grapefruit Ranch Water and Spiced Bourbon Black Tea Hot Toddy recipes. Over the years, I've also developed a ton of drinks, especially fruity cocktail recipes. Some of my favorites include the Blue Lagoon and classic Piña Coladas for Yummly, and Melon Sangria and Honey Paloma for Savannah Bee Company. And, if you're on the hunt for more Halloween ideas, be sure to check out my scary good Mini Monster Meatloaf recipe.
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let’s gather the ingredients we need for this spooky cocktail.
- purple gin
- lemon juice
- basil leaves
- granulated sugar
- water
- elderflower tonic water
- gummy eyeballs
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get started!
First, make the simple syrup and set aside to cool.
Next, muddle the basil leaves with 2 tablespoons of cooled simple syrup.
Then, add ice cubes and the remaining cocktail ingredients and stir.
Finally, pour contents through the strainer of the cocktail shaker into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice (I recommend a tall glass or martini glass) and garnish with a gummy eyeball.
Hint: Once the lemon juice mixes with the purple gin, the hue will naturally become more of a purply pink color.
Substitutions
Need some suggestions on ingredient adjustments? I've got you covered!
- Gin - I love to use our local Nippitaty purple gin, but other purple gins like empress gin will work great too. Or, regular dry gin is also a good substitute.
- Vodka - Not a fan of gin? That's okay. Vodka is a great alternative.
- Tonic - I love the floral notes the elderflower tonic gives to this delicious cocktail but feel free to use regular tonic water or soda water plus tonic syrup instead.
Variations
Here are some more ways to make this recipe your own:
- Berry gin cocktail - muddle about ¼ cup fresh blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries with the basil.
- Eyeballs - if you don't want to use gummy eyeballs you can make lychee eyeballs instead. Simply fill lychee fruit with blueberries.
- Non-alcoholic cocktail - make this an alcohol-free drink by omitting the gin and adding your favorite fruit juice like cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice, or orange juice.
Equipment
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- small saucepan
- cocktail shaker
- muddler
- measuring spoons
Storage
This gin cocktail is best enjoyed right away.
Tasty tip
If you really want to add some hocus pocus to your Halloween party and make the decor spooktacular, fill a bowl with dry ice and pour some hot water over the top.
Frequently asked questions
The great thing about gin is that it pairs well with so many flavors. Elderflower is a great choice. So is citrus like lemon and lime. Ginger ale is also delicious.
Apple cider and ginger beer are great non-alcoholic options for your party. Halloween sangria is also fun.
That would be a gin and tonic (my favorite)! I give the classic cocktail a spooky twist by using purple gin and elderflower tonic (plus gummy eyeballs).
Good news! If stored properly, an opened bottle of gin can last for years.
Gin and vodka are very similar. But to be considered gin, the spirit is flavored with juniper berries. Otherwise, it's technically vodka.
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🍽Get the recipe
Purple People Eater (a Halloween Spooky Gin Cocktail)
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- small saucepan
- cocktail shaker
- muddler
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 3 large basil leaves
- Ice cubes
- ¼ cup purple gin (such as Nippitaty Aurora)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup elderflower tonic water
- Gummy eyeballs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook just until the sugar dissolves. Remove the simple syrup to a glass measuring cup and let cool completely.
- Combine 2 tablespoons of the cooled simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add the basil leaves and muddle.
- Add ice cubes to the cocktail shaker. Add the gin, lemon juice, and tonic, and stir to combine.
- Strain the mixture into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a gummy eyeball, if desired.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Nora says
Awesome Halloween cocktail! We are going to serve it at our party this year!
AshleyFreeman says
Woohoo! Love to hear that!
Swathi says
This Halloween gin cocktail is a spooky and fun drink. I have tried and enjoyed it.
AshleyFreeman says
Fantastic! Glad it was a hit!
Criss says
I made the Purple People Eater for a Halloween party, and it was a hit! The color was perfect for the spooky theme, and the gin balanced really well with the other flavors. Definitely adding this to my yearly Halloween cocktail list.
AshleyFreeman says
Awesome to hear, Criss! We make it for our Halloween party too!
Tara says
Purple is my favorite color, and this drink didn't disappoint in color or flavor. Such a great cocktail!
AshleyFreeman says
Hooray! So glad you liked it!
Liz says
I made these for Halloween last year! The neighbors loved this fun, tasty cocktail!!!