How to Make A Jack o’ Lantern Cocktail Garnish

Halloween is a fantastic holiday because people really go all-out with decorations and costumes. There are also lots of seasonal drinks that are served, from hot toddies to pumpkin spice lattes. It’s very easy to garnish a spiced drink with a cinnamon stick, but it’s not that exiciting. In honor of Halloween, we decided to do something a little different this year and carve some Jack o’ Lantern cocktail garnishes for our drinks!

The garnishes are made out of orange peel. You want a fairly thick piece of the orange rind – make sure to trim off any of the flesh of the fruit – because it is easier to carve and sturdier in a drink.

Once you’ve cut off a large slice of peel, trim it down into a rough pumpkin shape, making sure it has plenty of room to carve a face. About 1 1/2 inches across works well, though you could go smaller if your knife skills are good. .

Next, use a sharp pairing knife to cut out eyes and a mouth. Keep your shapes simple so you can clearly see the face when you’re finished.

Finally garnish your drink! You can float your jack o’ lantern on top of your cocktail or skewer him with a stick to ensure that he stays in place. He works well on any drink that uses orange, of course, but also fits in nicely on drinks that use a generous amount of spice or aged spirits.