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Cocktail History
The Witch’s Heart is a popular Halloween cocktail that was created in 2015 by Dini Kodippili, the recipe developer behind The Flavor Bender. The original recipe used a homemade shimmery blackberry liqueur that was meant to mimic the now discontinued Viniq Liqueurs. Rather than wait for an ingredient to infuse for a week, we chose to use raspberry and blackcurrant liqueurs, and we aimed to make it a little more balanced and sophisticated by going with apple brandy in place of vodka and adding citrus.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Raspberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with raspberries, sugar, and alcohol. We used Chambord Liqueur because it has rich notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, Cognac, vanilla, citrus peel, honey, and spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Wild Raspberry Syrup in place of the raspberry liqueur.
Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with apples, pears, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Calvados because it’s a high-quality apple-flavored brandy with notes of pear, apricot, and baking spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and apple cider in place of the apple brandy.
Crème De Cassis: This is a liqueur made with blackcurrants, sugar, and alcohol. We used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Cassis Liqueur because it has a tart, bittersweet flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the blackcurrant liqueur.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Purple Luster Dust: This is an edible decorating powder that adds sparkle. We used Nomeca Purple Edible Luster Dust.
Blackberries: This a glossy black berry formed by multiple small fruits that each contain a seed.
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 Witch’s Heart has dark aromas of mixed berries and a taste that’s candy-sweet at first before being balanced with lemon and accented with slightly tart apple on the aftertaste.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Although decorative, glittery drinks aren’t typical for us, we couldn’t help ourselves with this one, and we’re both happy to say that the Witch’s Heart was just as spine-chilling in flavor as it is in flair.
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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“While I don’t normally go for cocktails that essentially exist to be decorative, this one was an exception! We made a few changes to the recipe that inspired this, and by adding the two different berry liqueurs along with lemon juice, we were able to make a sour recipe that was still candy-sweet in a good way and packed with delicious flavor. Even better, it was truly purple, thanks in no small part to the edible glitter.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We tried the original version of this cocktail and found it to be way too candy-sweet. Even though it’s meant to be a kitschier Halloween drink, we wanted it to be more balanced, and I ended up loving the changes Alex made. Instead of homemade sparkly blackberry liqueur, we went with a split of berry-flavored liqueurs, and Alex also added some citrus. I agree that it’s so much better with those tweaks—so good, in fact, that I ended up giving it four stars. I would definitely make this again for friends during spooky season.”
Recipe
Add raspberry liqueur, apple brandy, crème de cassis, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Add purple luster dust to glass.
Stir for 5-7 seconds.
Garnish with blackberries.
Ingredients
Directions
Add raspberry liqueur, apple brandy, crème de cassis, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Add purple luster dust to glass.
Stir for 5-7 seconds.
Garnish with blackberries.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Monin Premium Wild Raspberry Syrup in place of the raspberry liqueur, Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and apple cider in place of the apple brandy, and Monin Premium Blackcurrant Syrup in place of the blackcurrant 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:
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
Witch’s Brew Lemonade: A gin cocktail made with lemonade, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and a rosemary sprig
Poison Apple: A rye whiskey cocktail made with cinnamon syrup, cranberry juice, apple cider, lemon juice, and apple slices
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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