Halloween Witch’s Brew – Punch Recipes
This Witch’s Brew Halloween Punch is sure to bring smiles to all your goblins! It’s a simple sparkling lime punch that the entire family will adore. For an added spooky touch, incorporate dry ice into the punch bowl!
Easy, Spooky Halloween Punch
Halloween is not solely about costumes and candy; it also serves as a perfect opportunity to indulge in delightful Halloween desserts and beverages! One of my family’s preferred drinks during the spooky season is this incredibly simple Witch’s Brew Halloween Punch. Over the years, it has also gained popularity among readers, with hundreds preparing it annually!
My Halloween punch features a zesty blend of ginger ale, pineapple juice, fresh lemon juice (to prevent excessive sweetness), and lime sherbet. The punch boasts a stunning, albeit slightly eerie, green hue, with melting sherbet chunks that both amuse and disgust children and adults alike. Add a touch of dry ice, and voilà! You have a fantastic smoking cauldron filled with delectable punch. Continue reading for tips and tricks before you prepare it!
More Halloween Goodies
Explore some of our most beloved Halloween dessert recipes: Brain Cupcakes, Slice and Bake Halloween Cookies, Witch Finger Cookies, and much more!
What You’ll Need
Most of the components in this punch are quite common and can be easily sourced from any grocery store:
Ginger ale: or you may opt for lemon-lime soda
Pineapple juice
Lemon juice: ideally freshly squeezed. This is optional but helps to balance the sweetness of the punch.
Lime sherbet: If lime sherbet is unavailable, you can substitute it with orange or rainbow sherbet, adding a few drops of green food coloring if you wish to maintain the witchy green appearance.
Dry ice
Punch bowl (or cauldron!): for mixing and serving
The impressive element of this punch is derived from the inclusion of dry ice, which creates a bubbling and smoky effect reminiscent of a witch’s brew. Since dry ice may not be well-known to everyone, I have provided a dry ice FAQ below to assist you in using it safely. However, if you are unable to locate it or prefer not to use it, rest assured that your punch will still taste delightful without it!
Black cauldron with a spiderweb pattern and smoke coming out the top
🧊 Dry Ice FAQ
Handling dry ice can be somewhat challenging, so please ensure you read the following section prior to using it!
What is dry ice?
Dry ice is EXTREMELY COLD ICE! While that may not be a scientific definition, I must admit I was an English major. According to Wikipedia, it is the solid state of carbon dioxide. It is distinguished by its ability to transition directly from solid to gas without passing through a liquid phase. It is significantly colder than regular ice (with an estimated temperature of −78.5 °C, or −109.3 °F), making it ideal for keeping items very cold.
In domestic settings, dry ice is typically utilized to maintain low temperatures or to enhance beverages. It carbonates liquids, resulting in visually striking smoke and bubbles within the drink. This is precisely why we incorporate it here!
Where can you purchase dry ice?
I procure mine from a large grocery store. Not every store stocks it, but if you have a major chain grocery store nearby, there is a good chance they may have some available. Based on my experience, it is usually stored in a specialized freezer close to the checkout areas, rather than in the standard freezer sections accessible to customers. I always need to request assistance from someone to obtain dry ice.
It is typically sold by weight rather than by volume. For this recipe, I utilized 5 lbs of dry ice throughout a 3-hour gathering, primarily to maintain a consistent flow of smoke. Generally, 1-2 lbs should suffice for most applications.
Avoid purchasing dry ice more than an hour or two before you intend to use it, as it will evaporate. It is best acquired shortly before its intended use. Store it in a cooler with the lid slightly open to prevent gas buildup.
How should one manage dry ice?
Very cautiously! (ba-dum-ching) Due to the extremely low temperature of dry ice, it can inflict serious frostbite if handled with bare hands. Always ensure that there is a barrier between you and the dry ice: gloves or a kitchen towel are my preferred choices. Additionally, using tongs to handle the ice provides an extra layer of safety.
Ensure that you are utilizing dry ice in a well-ventilated space. The emission of carbon dioxide gas in a confined, poorly ventilated area can hinder oxygen availability, potentially resulting in unconsciousness or even fatality. While using it in a standard home setting is generally safe, it is important to remain vigilant about this issue.
Is it safe to consume dry ice?
No, dry ice should not be ingested. The primary risks involve the harm caused by extreme cold or the rapid accumulation of carbon dioxide gas within your body. However, it can still be utilized in beverages – just be sure to adhere to the safety guidelines outlined in this article when incorporating it into your punch.
Guidelines for safely incorporating dry ice into punch
While dry ice should not be consumed, it CAN be safely utilized in punch, provided that precautions are taken to avoid ingestion. You have several options based on the desired effect and your level of comfort:
1. No dry ice ever comes into contact with the punch. This is an excellent choice if children will be partaking in the punch, ensuring that they cannot accidentally consume any dry ice. In this scenario, place a punch bowl inside a large cauldron. Fill the space around the punch bowl with water in the cauldron, and add the dry ice to the water. This will create a smoky effect, while the punch itself remains free of dry ice.
2. Dry ice in the punch bowl. If you maintain the dry ice in a sizable block, you can introduce it to the punch bowl as a single large piece. This size is sufficient to prevent accidental ingestion, and it will create bubbling and smoking effects in the punch. Quite impressive!
3. Dry ice in each cup. This is the method I employed to achieve the visually striking smoky goblets seen in the images! Only utilize this approach if you have confidence in your family or guests not to consume the dry ice. Place a large chunk of dry ice in each cup.
Incorporating Alcohol
This Halloween punch is alcohol-free, making it suitable for both children and adults. Nevertheless, if you wish to elevate the experience and create an adult-only variant, it can also be delightful with alcohol!
I suggest adding 2 cups of vodka to the punch while combining all the ingredients. While plain vodka is acceptable, I personally prefer citrus vodka for an enhanced flavor! Alternatively, you could opt for whipped cream vodka to amplify the creaminess of the lime sherbet. Combine everything, and adjust the amount to your taste if necessary.
A reader mentioned below that they used Captain Morgan’s rum, and it was fantastic! Therefore, feel free to experiment with your preferred spirits, and do return to share your results!
Three goblets filled with green punch, adorned with skull and bones swizzle sticks
🦇 Eerie Halloween Desserts
A close-up of a Zombie Brain Brownie Bite oozing on a plate, accompanied by several additional brownie bites in the background. Zombie Brain Brownie Bites
Raspberry ganache cascading over a white chocolate skull on a black plate, garnished with raspberries. Melting Chocolate Skulls
Jelly candy eyeballs floating in clear gelatin. Floating Eyeball Jello Shots
A Matcha Chocolate Tart displayed on a marble countertop beside a silver fork. Matcha Chocolate Tarts
A close-up of a Red Velvet Marshmallow Spiderweb Cake presented on a black cake stand. Red Velvet Marshmallow Spiderweb Cake
A close-up of a Brain Cupcake nestled in a black cupcake liner. Brain Cupcakes
Measuring Guidelines
Our recipes are crafted using weight measurements, and we strongly advise utilizing a kitchen scale for baking whenever feasible. However, if you prefer using cups, volume measurements are also available. PLEASE BE AWARE: the saying “8 oz = 1 cup” does NOT hold true in terms of weight, so do not worry if the measurements do not conform to this rule.
A great
halloween punch recipe to try !
Ingredients:
* 1 (6-ounce) package lime gelatin
* 2 cups boiling water
* 3 cups chilled pineapple juice
* 1 (2 liter) bottle chilled lemon-lime soft drink or ginger ale
* 2 cups chilled vodka, optional
* Special equipment:
* 1 large black plastic cauldron (available at party or craft stores)
* 1 punch bowl that fits inside the cauldron
* 1 plastic hand (available at party supply stores), sterilized in hot water
* 1 block dry ice (available at supermarkets, ice cream shops or ice companies)
INSTRUCTIONS
* Pour the gelatin mix into a large bowl.
* Slowly stir in the boiling water. Stir at least 2 minutes, until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
* Stir in the pineapple juice. Let cool to room temperature.
* Wearing heavy duty gloves or using tongs, place the block of dry ice in the bottom of the cauldron. (Dry ice will burn skin, so handle it with gloves and tongs and keep it away from kids and pets!)
* Use an ice pick to break the block into smaller chunks, if necessary.
* Fill the cauldron with just enough water to cover the dry ice. It will begin to “steam.”
* Place the punch bowl inside the cauldron, on top of the dry ice. The cauldron will appear to be magically smoking.
* Entrap the sterilized rubber hand between the cauldron and the punch bowl, squeezing it tight so the hand appears to be reaching out of the mist for help. Hot-glue the hand to the cauldron, if necessary, to hold it in place.
Carefully pour the drink mixture into the punch bowl. Slowly add the chilled vodka and lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. Stir gently to mix. The
Halloween punch recipe brew is ready to serve....refreshing !
