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Cocktail History
The Boozy Screamsicle is a Halloween cocktail that was first published on Delish, an online food and beverage blog. Inspired by the creamsicle ice cream pop, the original recipe was meant to be an extremely sweet and palatable dessert drink, but we wanted to add more complexity and booziness to take it to the next level. To achieve this, we used a split base of vanilla vodka and blood orange gin and added an amaro that would pair well with the orange sherbet ice cream, chocolate, and whipped cream, and we also chose to omit the crushed Oreo cookie rim so it would be easier to make.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Orange Sherbet Ice Cream: This is a frozen dessert made with citrus, sugar, and cream or milk. We used Kemp’s Fat-Free Orange Sherbet. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try orange sorbet in place of the ice cream.
Milk: This is a liquid rich in calcium and protein that is produced by mammals. We used Prairie Farm Vitamin D Whole Milk. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try oat milk in place of the milk.
Vanilla Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with vanilla pods, grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka because it has a tasty vanilla flavor and is affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try STRYKK Not Vanilla V*dka in place of the vanilla vodka.
Blood Orange Gin: This is a spirit made with blood oranges, juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin because it has a bright and zesty flavor with notes of tart blood orange. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Orange Sec in place of the blood orange gin.
Meletti Amaro: This is a liqueur made in Italy with gentian root, orange peels, spices, violets, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Italian Orange Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the amaro.
Chocolate Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cocoa, corn syrup, sugar, water, and other ingredients. We used Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Syrup.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy. We used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping because it offers easier application than making whipped cream at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Orange & Black Sprinkles: These are small pieces of confectionary that are used as decoration. We used Wilton Halloween Nonpareils Sprinkles.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Ice Cream Scoop: This is used to scoop ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop.
Blender: This is used to blend up ingredients. We used the Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPowder Electronic Bar Blender.
Tasting Notes
The Boozy Screamsicle features strong orange aromas and a taste that has a heavy orange sherbet flavor along with a bit of vanilla and a unique herbal complexity that comes forward even further on the finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While still fairly simple and not overly thought-provoking, we both found this ice cream cocktail to be totally delicious, and despite having more complexity than just vodka would deliver, just about anyone would enjoy the Boozy Screamsicle no matter their palate.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t usually prefer dessert drinks, but this was really interesting. The original and this version of the recipe side by side had noticeable differences in herbal complexity, with the former really just being an ice cream drink while the latter has an indescribably different taste. The dark amaro definitely makes the difference, but the best part is that it doesn’t make the drink taste like an amaro. You could serve this concoction to your friends who think gin is too spicy, and they’d love it even if they can’t quite put their finger on why.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“For our first-ever ice cream drink, this was great and surprisingly complex after Alex made a few tweaks to the original recipe. I don’t particularly love orange sherbet ice cream in general, but when I found this drink, I was intrigued and wanted to see what we’d change to make it boozier. Even if you don’t usually go for dessert cocktails, this is a worth a try during spooky season. It’s sweet with a unique herbal flavor; I really liked it and would definitely make it again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Delish, an online food and beverage blog.
Add ice cream, milk, vodka, gin, and amaro to a blender.
Blend for 10-20 seconds.
Drizzle chocolate syrup in ice cream glass.
Pour ice cream mixture into glass.
Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Ingredients
Directions
Add ice cream, milk, vodka, gin, and amaro to a blender.
Blend for 10-20 seconds.
Drizzle chocolate syrup in ice cream glass.
Pour ice cream mixture into glass.
Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Make It a Mocktail: Use STRYKK Not Vanilla V*dka in place of the vanilla vodka, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Orange Sec in place of the blood orange gin, and Lyre’s Italian Orange Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the amaro to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Halloween Cocktails
If you like this Halloween-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Dr. Jekyll’s Monster Margarita: A tequila cocktail made with triple sec, black raspberry liqueur, lime juice, agave syrup, and black salt
Empress Corpse Reviver No. 2: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, absinthe, and an orange twist
Poison Apple: A rye whiskey cocktail made with cinnamon syrup, cranberry juice, apple cider, lemon juice, and apple slices
Witch’s Brew Lemonade: A gin cocktail made with lemonade, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and a rosemary sprig
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