Classic Zombie Cocktail Recipe — It doesn’t have to be Halloween to whip up a classic zombie cocktail recipe, but it does make for an easy, creepy Halloween recipe…
If I could sum up this tiki cocktail in one phrase, it would be “not too creepy, not too sweet”.
This classic zombie recipe is perfect for those of you looking for something slightly daring for your Halloween party, but aren’t necessarily going crazy with the dry ice over your bar setup the entire night.
Though I think I can speak for both Robin and I when I say we’d give you serious kudos if you did!
I feel that I should warn you that this cocktail is not for the faint of heart when it comes to a tolerance level, it definitely packs a punch!…
What is a Zombie Cocktail
This tropical drink is a classic cocktail in the tiki culture. It’s made from fruit juices, liqueurs, and various rums.
The original zombie drink was made famous by Donn Beach.
He served this heavy-handed cocktail at his restaurant, Hollywood Don the Beachcomber. It became wildly popular in 1939 after making waves at New York World’s Fair.
They even make a tall glass jsut for this tiki classic, called a “zombie glass“!
Ingredients for a Tiki Zombie Cocktail Recipe
There are several variations on the classic zombie cocktail recipe.
You can’t go wrong with any of them. But there are definitely certain ingredients that help make our recipe memorable!
These are our tried and true zombie drink ingredients —
- Gold rum
- Aged Jamaican rum
- Overproof 151 dark rum
- Fresh lime juice
- Fresh grapefruit juice
- Cinnamon syrup
- Falernum liqueur
- Grenadine — Pomegranate syrup
- Angostura bitters
- Absinthe
- Optional: Fresh mint — For garnishing
You can also customize this ingredient list by using other fruit juices like orange juice or pineapple juice.
How to Make a Classic Zombie Tiki Drink
The classic zombie cocktail is served over ice, but you can also make it even more refreshing by blending it over ice!
To make the classic version, simply mix all of the ingredients together, add ice, and shake.
Then pour the cocktail in a tall zombie glass filled with ice and garnish with cinnamon sticks, mint sprig, and a cherry.
For a blended zombie cocktail, measure the ingredients and combine them in a blender with 6oz crushed ice.
Blend for 3-5 seconds until slushy. Pour into a Zombie glass and add more crushed ice to fill, if necessary.
Then garnish your tiki cocktail with fresh mint, cinnamon sticks, and a cherry.
If you’re a Jeff Beachbum Berry fan, you’re probably familiar with a few other classic tiki drinks like our Shrunken Skull Halloween punch recipe, too!
And a big thanks to Robin again for being our go-to cocktail connoisseur for this Zombie cocktail recipe!
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Classic Zombie Tiki Drink
Zombie Cocktail Tiki Drink Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Blender (optional)
- Tall Zombie glass
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounce gold rum
- 1.5 ounce aged Jamaican rum
- 1 ounce overproof 151 dark rum
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/4 ounce cinnamon syrup
- 1/2 ounce falernum liqueur
- 1 tsp grenadine
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 bar spoon absinthe
- Fresh mint and cinnamon sticks for garnishing optional
Instructions
To Make A Classic Zombie Cocktail Over Ice:
- Simply mix all of the ingredients together in cocktail shaker, add ice and shake.
- Pour the cocktail in a tall Zombie glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with cinnamon sticks, mint sprig and a cherry.
To Make A Zombie Cocktail Over Blended Ice
- Measure the ingredients and combine them in a blender with 6oz crushed ice. Blend for 3-5 seconds until slushy
- Pour into a tall Zombie glass and add more crushed ice to fill (if necessary).
- Garnish your tiki cocktail with fresh mint, cinnamon sticks and a cherry.
Nutrition
Don’t forget to share your zombie cocktail with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We love seeing all of your creations! And if you’re looking for more quick and delicious recipes, you can find them all right here with a few bites to go along!
Cocktails
