Green Halloween Lychee Gin Cocktail

Why I Love This Recipe

This Green Halloween Lychee Gin Cocktail is so fun and the perfect addition to any Halloween celebration just like my Ghost Cake Pops. Made with gin, fresh lime juice, lychee syrup, and elderflower liqueur, this cocktail tastes as unique as it looks. You can also make this drink into a mocktail so everyone can enjoy the fun similar to my Guava Passion Fruit Drink.

I paired this cocktail with elderflower liqueur for added depth. I feel like the lychee fruit and syrup have a similar floral element to elderflower and they work really well together in this drink. All of that sweetness is balanced with the addition of fresh lime juice.

If you are looking for more fun Halloween cocktails, check out my Black Widow Martini and my Black Vodka recipes.

What is Lychee?

Lychee (litchi chinensis) is a tropical fruit that is native to China from the soapberry family. It grows in warm, sub-tropical climates like China, Hawaii, and Florida. Lychee fruit is round, has red bumpy skin, and a brown seed in the middle. The white flesh inside has a similar texture to a grape without the skin. Lychees are sweet, with a slight floral element.

While fresh lychee fruit is uncommon in most grocery stores, it can sometimes be found in Asian specialty stores. You can also find lychee in a can with syrup online.

How to Make a Green Halloween Lychee Gin Cocktail

Place the gin, lychee syrup, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Shake for 20 seconds until nice and cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lychee eyeball. Enjoy immediately.

How to Make a Lychee Eyeball Garnish

Take a lychee berry and place the blueberry in the middle. Using a toothpick, place some of the red gel food coloring in the cracks of the lychee to create a red-eyed look. Place a cocktail toothpick through the lychee and blueberry and set aside.

Lychee eyeballs can be made ahead of time and frozen. Just assemble the eyeballs as directed and place them on a small baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Freeze for 2-4 hours or overnight before serving.

How to Chill a Cocktail Glass

There are a few ways to chill a cocktail glass. One is to freeze it in the freezer. 30 minutes is best but at least 5 minutes will get it nice and cold.

Some people wrap the glass with a damp paper towel first, speeding up the process. Another way to chill a cocktail glass is to use crushed ice and soda water. The bubbles speed up the chilling process. But, if you don’t have soda water, regular water will work, just not quite as well.

How to Make this Green Halloween Lychee Drink a Mocktail

To make a Green Lychee Mocktail, place 2 ounces lychee syrup, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, ½ elderflower syrup (you can also find Elderflower syrup at Ikea!), 2 ounces water, and a few drops of green food coloring into a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a lychee eyeball. Add a splash of sparkling water if desired.

You can also make lychee limeade or lemonade if you are serving a crowd. Make a frozen can of limeade or lemonade and add the syrup from the can of lychee, elderflower syrup, and green food coloring until you get the color you like. You can serve this in a punch bowl with frozen lychee eyeballs for the perfect Halloween treat for all ages!

More Fun Halloween Recipes to Check Out