Cranberry Ginger Mocktails with Eyeball Ice

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We’ve got our eyes on this Halloween mocktail! And judging by the blueberry eyeball ice cubes, it’s got its eyes on us too! This Cranberry Ginger mocktail gets a spooky-season twist with blueberry eyeball ice cubes that stare right back at you as you slowly sip your drink. It’s equal parts creepy and cute. 

Each glass rim is lined with a sweet ginger-sugar rim, filled with blood-red cranberry juice, a splash of Ghia aperitif, and a fizzy ginger beer. It’ the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors. The Ghia aperitif lends a complex botanical flavor while the crystallized ginger rim adds the perfect sweetness this drink needs.

This festive jewel-toned Halloween drink is the kind of fun drink that everyone will want to try at your Halloween party. The floating eyeballs in the sparkling red drink are a little eerie but a whole lot of fun.

How to Make This Cranberry Ginger Ghia Mocktail

Step 1. Make blueberry eyeball ice cubes the night before.

The blueberry eyeball ice cubes give this drink a spooky look that is perfect for Halloween. They are the defining feature of this mocktail. But make sure you allow enough time for the ice cubes to set and freeze. We recommend making them the night before you plan to serve these drinks. 

Use a round ice cube mold tray to make create the eyeball shape. Fill each round mold with one blueberry and fill the trays with enough water to fill the entire round mold. 

We recommend using these ice trays from Amazon. They are the perfect size and come with a container to hold the ice cubes.

Freeze the ice cubes in the trays for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once the ice cubes are set, pop them out of the trays and keep them in an airtight container in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the drinks. 

Step 2. Make a ginger sugar rim in a food processor.

The ginger sugar rim on the edge of the glass adds sweetness and ties into the ginger flavor of the ginger beer in the drink. 

To make the ginger sugar, add crystallized ginger and sugar to a food processor. Blend the mixture until the crystallized ginger and sugar are blended to a fine powder. Pour the mixture out onto a plate to line the rim. 

Step 3. Mix your mocktail drinks!

Slice a lime into slices and rub a slice of lime on the edge of the rim. Dip and swirl the edge of the glass in the ginger sugar to coat the rim. 

Next, fill each glass with a generous handful of blueberry eyeball ice cubes. Start by adding a couple of ounces of Ghia aperitif or another non alcoholic herbal bitter. Fill the rest of the drink with a ginger beer. 

The ginger beer gives the drink a delicious, spicy flavor and a little bubbly carbonation in each sip. Garnish with a slice of lime or serve as is! Enjoy!

Tips for Making Cranberry Ginger Ghia Mocktails

• Freeze blueberry eyeball ice ahead of time. You want to give the cubes plenty of time to freeze solid so they hold their shape when added to the mocktails. It should take at least 8 hours or overnight to freeze. 
• Make the ginger sugar extra fine. Pulse the crystallized ginger and sugar together in a food processor until it has a fine, sandy texture. 
• Add the ginger beer last. Pour the Ghia aperitif and cranberry first before topping off with ginger beer. This helps to preserve the crisp bubbles in the ginger beer while controlling the tart, bitter flavor.
• Use citrus to help the sugar rim stick. Run a lime or orange wedge around the rim of each glass before dipping it in the ginger sugar.

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