Get Your Boo-ze on with a Classic Gespenstischbowle (aka Spooky Punch)

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This is the first time in many, many years that I am hosting a Halloween party.

I don’t know about you, but there was a bit of a transition for me over the years when it comes to celebrating Halloween.

It starts with being a kid, going door to door for candy.

Then you become a teenager and your costumes are less elaborate, but you are still going through the neighborhood to get as much as candy as possible.

After that comes college, with infamous parties filled with crazy punches, keg stands, and all those girls in tiny “costumes.”

Once college was over, Halloween became more about being home to give out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I ooooh and ahhhh over the adorable little kids with their spooky costumes as they outstretch their bags expectantly.

Now that I am in my thirties and without kids, I’ve noticed that people are starting to have Halloween parties again.

I don’t know what happened between my mid-twenties and now, but Halloween is back in style among those I call my friends. People actually want to come to a Halloween party in costume.

This is much to the chagrin of my husband, of course…

So this year, my best friend and I decided that it was time for us to host the ultimate Halloween bash. We will have tons of candy, fun themed appetizers, and most importantly, an epic punch for everyone to imbibe throughout the festive evening.

What’s more festive than a spooky punch?

Punches are an often overlooked drink, but they are quite complex in that you have to combine just the right amount of each ingredient to make sure every glass tastes deliciously balanced. I feel like this particular type of drink is making a comeback right now, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

It’s so much easier to serve a punch that’s already made, instead of cocktails that you have to make in batches as your guests arrive, or whenever they need a refill.

Honestly, I find it harder to invent a punch recipe from scratch than it is to master a single-serving cocktail recipe. There really is an art to making a well-balanced punch, and it takes a lot of trial and error to get there.

If you are looking for a festive drink to bust out at your Halloween gathering, this is definitely the one that you need to reach for.

The layers of fruit juices and different spirits come together to create one killer recipe. It’s actually a play on the traditional German bowle, a popular party drink that, literally translated, means “punch.”

All I can say is this Gespenstischbowle sure packs a punch. The combination of vodka, schnapps, champagne, and rum is no joke, so be sure not to try to drink this entire bowle yourself.

While there is a good amount of booze in this punch, it doesn’t taste super boozy as you sip on it. That’s both a pro and a con, depending on how much you are imbibing, of course. Remember to drink responsibly.

This version is the ideal centerpiece for your spooky (or gespenstisch) gathering, especially with the creepy-looking hand-sicles that are floating in it. The frozen hands are actually made out of a combination of fruit juices and cherry liquor, so as they melt, they don’t dilute the punch mixture – they add to it.

Is it Halloween yet?

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Make Hand-sicles

Wash the rubber gloves inside and out. Set aside on a rack or hang to dry.

Keep in mind that the gloves used to make your icicles must be food-safe, without any sort of powder coating or unsafe lining. We recommend these nitrile gloves, available on Amazon.

In a large bowl pitcher or measuring cup with a spout, combine the orange juice, pineapple juice, and enough of the cherry liqueur to achieve a peachy flesh tone. Keep the rest of the liqueur, because we’re going to use it later.

Place one glove in a tall drinking glass so the fingers hang down into the bottom, and stretch the opening at the wrist over the rim of the glass. Begin to pour the juice mixture in slowly.

Once the fingers are filled, remove the glove from the glass and carefully hold over the sink. Fill the rest of the glove to just below the wrist.

I’ve found that this is the easiest way to fill the gloves, since filling partially while held in place over the rim of the glass will provide enough weight in the fingers to hold the wrist steady while you continue to one-hand fill.

Tie off the top, and repeat with the remaining gloves until you have used up all of the juice mixture. Freeze overnight to make hand-shaped ice cubes.

Step 2 – Core and Slice Apples, Soak Fruit

The day before you plan to serve the punch, you will need to pre-soak the fruit in rum.

First, wash, core, and slice the apples, with the skins on.

Combine the apples, cranberries, and rum in a medium-sized glass bowl or a large glass jar. Cover, and soak the fruit for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator.

Step 3 – Measure Remaining Ingredients

On the day of your party, measure all remaining ingredients on the ingredients list.

Make sure all the juices, vodka, schnapps and champagne are chilled before you make the punch. You don’t want to melt those ice cubes that you worked so hard to create!

Step 4 – Make Punch

When you’re ready to serve, combine the remaining juices with the vodka, schnapps, and champagne in a large punch bowl.

You can choose to drain the fruit and save the rum for another use, or add it right into the bowl with the apples and cranberries. Do that now.

Cut the tied ends of the gloves and remove each hand-sicle. Add these to the punch bowl.

Drizzle with a little of the reserved cherry liquor, and serve.