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Home » Recipes » Beverages

Published: Oct 21, 2021 · Modified: Aug 24, 2022 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Black Widow Martini

Jump to Recipe

Make it an extra spooky Halloween with this Black Widow Martini! Featuring freshly muddled blackberries and real pomegranate juice to capture those deep, dark Halloween vibes, this martini is sure to get you in a festive mood for some frighteningly good times. Everyone will love to sip on this Halloween martini all October long.

The Black Widow Martini with lights and spooky steam in the background.
Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Expert Tips
  • Perfect Pairing
  • Looking for More Spooky Recipes?
  • 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Just as delicious as it is festive. A Halloween cocktail is always fun, but you don't want to just pour together a bunch of weird, neon-colored liqueurs to get a cool Halloween look that tastes terrible. We use high-quality ingredients to create a cocktail that you'll actually enjoy sipping.
  • That spooky color. Are you scared yet? With the almost-black hue and touch of sparkles, this cocktail is sure to get everyone in the Halloween spirit.
  • Can double as a Black Widow cocktail for an Avengers night. While I think of this as a Halloween cocktail, who said it's only for one occasion? If you have any kind of Avengers night or super hero party, this is your perfect signature cocktail.

Ingredients

The ingredients on a black board with labels.

I especially love the ginger liqueur in this cocktail and truly think it gives this drink a little something extra. Hey, we're talking Halloween in the fall, so who doesn't appreciate a kick of spice in their cocktail?

If you've never bought ginger liqueur, I love Domaine De Canton. It's ultra smooth and balances sweet and spicy notes perfectly. I use it in my sparkling cranberry-ginger margarita, and it adds such a wonderful warmth. You could also swap orange liqueur in a pomegranate martini for the ginger liqueur or add ½ ounce to a holiday mimosa, so you have plenty of reasons to grab a bottle besides this one drink.

Trust me -- one taste and you'll want to add this liqueur to lots of other cocktails. It may be more of a specialty liqueur than, say, an orange variety, but it will find plenty of use in your bar inventory.

You'll also notice the edible glitter. I get my edible glitter from Sugar Mama Shimmer, and this shade is Black Tie Shimmer. It's completely tasteless and textureless. Although edible glitter is optional, it adds such a fun touch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: To make our drink, we grab a cocktail shaker and add a handful of blackberries (photo 1) with the simple syrup and muddle until they break down like so (photo 2).

Muddling the blackberries in a clear cocktail shaker.

Step 2: Now we add our pomegranate juice, vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon juice and edible glitter with a big handful of ice (photo 3).

Adding the pomegranate juice to the cocktail shaker.

Step 3: We put on the top and give it a good shake (photo 4).

Shaking the cocktail shaker after adding all the ingredients.

Step 4: With our black Halloween cocktail nice and cold, we strain it into a chilled martini glass. If you want to get extra eerie, drop a piece of dry ice into the cocktail, and keep on reading for safety tips.

And those are all the steps! Now sit back and enjoy your spooky Black Widow Martini for a festive Halloween celebration.

The Halloween martini on silver fabric with steam to the side.

Recipe FAQs

Is it safe to add dry ice to a cocktail?

You can add dry ice directly to a cocktail with a few precautions. Do not ingest or touch dry ice with bare skin. I always use tongs to grab the dry ice and place a small piece in the serving glass.

Once you add the dry ice, it’s very dense and will sink to the bottom. Let your guest know not to ingest the ice. They can either sip from the top until the dry ice melts and stops steaming, or let them know to simply wait it out, about five minutes.

Of course, dry ice is completely optional, so if you’d rather not add it to the cocktail, you can skip it. That dark hue is enough to get you in the Halloween spirit.

How do you chill a martini glass?

I recommend two easy methods to chill your martini glass. If you remember to plan ahead, simply place your serving glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

The other method is to fill your serving glass with cold water and ice when you begin to mix your drink. After mixing the cocktail, stir the ice for 30 seconds, toss the water and ice, and you’ll be left with a chilled glass.

Can you batch this recipe to serve a crowd?

You sure can. I included the proportions in the notes section of the recipe card.

If you don't mind fresh fruit bits, you can muddle right into the pitcher or punch bowl, or you can place the berries in a fine-mesh sieve with a bowl underneath. Muddle the berries in the sieve and use the juice you collect in the bowl. Add that juice to the pitcher or punch bowl with the vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, pomegranate juice and simple syrup and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Expert Tips

  • While I recommend picking up a muddler if you enjoy making cocktails, you can use a sturdy wooden spoon to pulverize the blackberries if you don’t have one.
  • If you can't get fresh blackberries, frozen berries work fine. Just make sure you thaw them first.
  • Before juicing the lemon, firmly roll it on the counter a few times to get the juice flowing.
  • I like to use a handheld juicer to more easily and efficiently extract the juice and catch large seeds.
  • Pick a lemon that have some give when you press into it to ensure it’s still juicy.
  • For a proper shaking technique, use two hands.

Perfect Pairing

Blackberries nicely complement beef entrees, and they’re wonderful with spice. With that in mind, you’ll love my apple cider short ribs or apple cider pot roast with this blackberry Halloween cocktail. The berries add a nice pop of brightness, and you’ll love how the sweetness pairs with the rich cuts.

Blackberries are also fabulous with duck. My holiday roast duck is a perfect option as well.

For one frighteningly delicious Halloween cocktail, I hope you try this Black Widow Martini. It will get you in the Halloween spirit in no time.

Cheers!

Looking down at the Black Widow Martini with steam coming off the top.

Looking for More Spooky Recipes?

  • Halloween Toffee
  • Zombie Brains Halloween Cocktail
  • Mummy Pudding Cups
  • Poisoned Orchard Cocktail

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

The Black Widow Martini with lights and spooky steam in the background.

Black Widow Martini

Make it an extra spooky Halloween with this Black Widow Martini! Made with freshly muddled blackberries and real pomegranate juice to capture those deep, dark Halloween vibes, this martini is sure to get you in a festive mood for some frighteningly good times. Everyone will love to sip on this Halloween martini all October long.
5 from 81 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Beverages
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 347kcal
Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker
  • Muddler
  • Jigger or small measuring cup
  • Citrus juicer

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup blackberries
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • 2 ounces pomegranate juice
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce ginger liqueur
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Pinch of edible glitter optional
  • Regular ice
  • Dry ice optional (see notes for safety instructions)

Instructions

  • Add the blackberries and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until the berries are pulverized.
  • Pour in the pomegranate juice, vodka, ginger liqueur and lemon juice. Add a pinch of edible glitter and a handful of ice.
  • Put on the top and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds.
  • Strain into a chilled martini glass. If desired, use tongs to gently add a 1-inch piece of dry ice into the glass and see notes for safety instructions. Enjoy!

Notes

To make a 12-serving pitcher: Add 3 cups of blackberries to a fine-mesh sieve with a bowl underneath. Muddle the blackberries until they're pulverized. The bowl will catch the juice. Add the juice to the pitcher. Alternatively, you can muddle directly in the pitcher if you don't mind fruit bits or blend the berries into a purée. Now pour in 3 cups pomegranate juice, 3 cups vodka, 1 ½ cups simple syrup, 1 ½ cups ginger liqueur and 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir to combine and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Right before serving, stir in edible glitter as needed.
  • Do not touch dry ice with bare skin or ingest it. Make sure to use tongs to transfer the ice. Gloves are also a good idea. The ice will drop to the bottom of the glass. Either let your guest know to sip the cocktail from the top until it stops bubbling, or set the cocktail out to show off the fun effect but don't serve until the bubbling stops, about five minutes.
  • While I recommend picking up a muddler if you enjoy making cocktails, you can use a sturdy wooden spoon to pulverize the blackberries if you don’t have one.
  • For the edible glitter, I used Black Tie from Sugar Mama Shimmer.
  • If you can't get fresh blackberries, frozen berries work fine. Just make sure you thaw them first.
  • Before juicing the lemon, firmly roll it on the counter a few times to get the juice flowing.
  • I like to use a handheld juicer to more easily and efficiently extract the juice and catch large seeds.
  • Pick a lemon that have some give when you press into it to ensure it’s still juicy.
  • For a proper shaking technique, use two hands.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BurrataandBubbles or tag #burratandbubbles!

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Kari says

    October 31, 2022 at 12:35 pm

    There is no simple syrup mentioned in the large batch instructions. Is it only used for individual drinks?

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 31, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Hi, Kari! I'm so sorry about that. I updated the post to include 1 ½ cups simple syrup for the batch instructions. I also included an option to blend the berries into a purée if you'd rather do that instead of muddling for a large batch. Happy Halloween!

      Reply
      • Kari says

        October 31, 2022 at 1:01 pm

        Amazing! Thanks so much!

  2. Natalie says

    October 27, 2021 at 4:15 am

    5 stars
    Such a fun drink. I'm going to make this for me and my hubs this Halloween. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 28, 2021 at 6:22 pm

      You're very welcome! Have a great time celebrating.

      Reply
  3. Swathi says

    October 26, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    5 stars
    Black widow martini looks delicious perfect for Halloween party.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 28, 2021 at 6:10 pm

      Thank you! It really is.

      Reply
  4. Melanie says

    October 26, 2021 at 12:14 pm

    5 stars
    This is my kind of Halloween celebration! I have a bottle of vodka sitting in the cabinet so I know what I'll do with it now. Saving for later!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 26, 2021 at 3:24 pm

      Sounds perfect!

      Reply
  5. Gail Montero says

    October 26, 2021 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    Flavors galore in this festive drink! It shouldn't just be for fall but any and all season long!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 26, 2021 at 3:24 pm

      No argument from me! You can totally enjoy it all year long.

      Reply
  6. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says

    October 25, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    5 stars
    Such a fun recipe for Halloween! Love the color and the blackberry garnish. Can't wait to make it.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 26, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      Enjoy and have a happy Halloween!

      Reply
  7. Claudia Lamascolo says

    October 25, 2021 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    Such a festive cool looking drink it's on my list to make for the weekend thanks for sharing we are going to love it!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 26, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      You're so welcome! Happy Halloween!

      Reply
  8. Keri Bevan says

    October 24, 2021 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    I've saved this to make on Halloween. Such a great recipe!

    Reply
  9. Jyoti Behrani says

    October 24, 2021 at 12:49 pm

    5 stars
    Wow!! This is such a cool and fun drink to serve at the Halloween party. I am definitely making it this year. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Julie says

    October 24, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    I am loving the flavors in this martini. The blackberries and ginger liqueur are so good together. A perfect cocktail for Halloween!

    Reply
  11. Cathleen says

    October 24, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    5 stars
    Too bad I'm giving birth 3 weeks after Halloween! This looks amazing! Saving it to make next year. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
  12. Tatiana says

    October 24, 2021 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    This is one amazing cocktail to serve at the Halloween party this year!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 24, 2021 at 11:04 am

      Glad you like it!

      Reply

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A headshot of Amanda, the owner of Burrata and Bubbles, holding a beer.

Hi, I'm Amanda, a Denver-based lady who believes life is best spent with comforting meals, tasty beverages and good company. When I'm not playing in the kitchen, I'm probably exploring new breweries with my husband, Matt, or obsessing over my adorable dog, Baylor.

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