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Cocktail History
The Ghostbuster is a Halloween cocktail that was created by Colleen Graham, a food writer and recipe developer at The Spruce Eats. The original was made with two liqueurs, but our version of the fruity recipe adds more complexity by upping it to four ingredients—gin, melon liqueur, peach liqueur, and lime. It also drops in a bit of Irish cream liqueur to resemble a ghost floating in the drink.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Suntory Roku Japanese Gin because its exceptionally complex thanks to its six Japanese botanicals. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Melon Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cantaloupe, sugar, and alcohol. We used MIDORI Melon Liqueur because it has a refreshingly sweet flavor and bright green color. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Amoretti Premium Honeydew Melon Syrup in place of the melon liqueur.
Peach Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with peaches, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Pêche Liqueur because it has a rich fruit flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Peach Syrup in place of the peach liqueur.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Irish Cream Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cream, whiskey, sugar, and spices. We used Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur because it’s exceptionally creamy and flavorful. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Bailey’s Non-Alcoholic Irish Cream Coffee Creamer in place of the Irish cream liqueur.
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.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Ghostbuster has strong melon aromas and a taste that mixes sweet peach and melon flavors and balances them out with a bit of citrus.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both thought the Ghostbuster was far from revolutionary, of course, but it was tasty enough for anyone to enjoy. Beware of the ghost though—the chilled Irish cream drop congeals after long enough in the chilled drink and turns into a gummy-bear like consistency that’s sure to frighten you.
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: ⭐⭐⭐
“Okay, so, this drink isn’t very complicated. It’s green, it’s fruity, and it’s got a drop of Bailey’s in it that looks like a ghost. But it’s pretty tasty, as long as you like college bar shots in cocktail form! Also, stay away from the ghost—the Bailey’s becomes a chewy blob pretty quickly. It’s certainly fun, but it might be better served as a few shots instead of a full-sized drink.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“The wow factor for this very simple drink is, of course, its neon green color. The kitschiness and use of Midori aside (We’d never bought a bottle until making this drink), it was pretty good and would definitely be a hit at a Halloween party. If you can get past the college-bar vibes or if that’s 100% what you’re looking for, you’ve found a drink worth adding to your Halloween party menu.”
Recipe
Add gin, melon liqueur, peach liqueur lime juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Carefully drop in Irish cream liqueur.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin, melon liqueur, peach liqueur lime juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Carefully drop in Irish cream liqueur.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin, Amoretti Premium Honeydew Melon Syrup in place of the melon liqueur, and Monin Premium Peach Syrup in place of the peach liqueur 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:
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
Vampire’s Kiss: A lemon vodka cocktail made with raspberry liqueur, cranberry liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine, cherry, clove, and cinnamon bitters, and red food coloring
Empress Corpse Reviver No. 2: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, absinthe, and an orange twist
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