Haunted Black Forest Cocktail

The Black Forest is beautiful. It is also the sort of place where you half expect a witch to step out from behind a tree. Especially at Halloween. So, naturally, I turn this mysterious German forest into a cocktail. Specifically, a Haunted Black Forest Cocktail.

This Haunted Black Forest Cocktail takes its inspiration from the flavors of Black Forest cake. There are dark cherries, Kirsch, chocolate, and vanilla. However, there is no cake involved. Because drinking your dessert is considerably more fun.

First, bourbon brings warmth and a little attitude. Then, Kirsch adds that unmistakable cherry flavor and a direct connection to the Black Forest. Black cherry juice deepens the color, while fresh lemon juice keeps the cocktail from becoming overly sweet. Finally, chocolate bitters add just enough chocolate flavor to make things interesting. The result is dark, fruity, slightly tart, and wonderfully grown-up.

A rim of cherry jam and dark chocolate shavings gives the glass a deliciously sinister edge. Literally.   The garnish gets equally dramatic. Dip a rosemary sprig in the vanilla simple syrup and then roll it in the black sugar glitter. Spear a few black cherries with a cocktail stick. Garnish the cocktail with the black sugared rosemary and the cherries.

Most importantly, this Haunted Black Forest Cocktail does not taste like a Halloween novelty drink. It tastes like an excellent autumn cocktail that happens to look as though it knows where the bodies are buried.

So pour yourself one. Dim the lights. Light the rosemary. And whatever you do, don’t follow that strange noise coming from the woods.

Other creative ideas for this cocktail:

Optional Smoking: A quick torching of rosemary creates an aromatic little cloud that makes the drink look as though it has just emerged from a foggy forest at midnight. For even more drama, serve it beneath a glass cloche. Lift the cover at the table and let the smoke escape. Suddenly, cocktail hour has become a supernatural event.

Optional spooky upgrade: Freeze cherries inside large ice cubes. As the ice melts, the cherries slowly emerge—like something lurking in the forest. Much more fun than a plastic eyeball.

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Haunted Black Forest Cocktail

Course Cocktails, Drinks

Prep Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 Cocktails

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the Cocktail:

• 3 oz bourbon
• 1½ oz Kirsch
• 3 oz black cherry juice
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz vanilla simple syrup*
• 4 dashes chocolate bitters
• Ice

For the Rim:

• 1 tablespoon black cherry jam
• 2 tablespoons shaved dark chocolate

For the garnish

• 2 rosemary Sprigs
• Black glitter sugar
• fresh black or Amarena cherries

Instructions

Make the Garnish:

1. Pour the glitter sugar out onto a flat plate,
2. Dip the rosemary sprigs and roll them in the sugar.
3. Set aside.

Prepare the Glass:

1. Brush the rim of the glasses with jam.
2. Roll the glasses in the shaved chocolate.

Mix the cocktail:

1. Combine the bourbon, Kirsch, black cherry juice, lemon juice, vanilla syrup, and chocolate bitters in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled.
3. Strain the cocktails into the prepared glasses.
4. Garnish with the glittered rosemary and cherries.

Recipe Notes

*To make vanilla simple syrup: heat 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Let cool completely.

So, do you like this Haunted Black Forest Cocktail? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:

BLACK FOREST HEART ECLAIRS

EASTER EGG APPETIZER SPREADS

CHERRY ALMOND MARZIPAN STRUDEL