Last Updated on October 31, 2024

If you’re looking to have a Halloween themed drink at your next Halloween party, try these virgin Spooky Halloween Black Apple Juice Mocktails! They are made with just 2 ingredients, apple juice and activated charcoal, for a non-alcoholic, dye-free, spooky-fun Halloween drink.

I am not a HUGE Halloween fan. I don’t like scary things, so I much prefer the cutesy Halloween decor and treats, and more innocent Halloween activities like carving pumpkins, hay rides, and corn mazes. No haunted houses for this jumpy girl! Haha.

However, I received a package in the mail that contained dry ice to keep the contents chilled and I was dying to have some photography fun with it. It also just so happened to be close to Halloween. These Spooky Halloween Black Apple Juice Mocktails were so fun to create and photograph and actually tasted super yummy too! So I thought this virgin cocktail recipe deserved a spot on the Healthy Little Vittles Blog.

Mocktail Ingredients

Apple juice. The base of this drink is apple juice. I prefer to buy apple juice that is NOT from concentrate.

Activated charcoal powder. you only need a small amount of activated charcoal powder to naturally color these mocktails black. Using activated charcoal keeps this spooky Halloween beverage dye-free. Make sure to purchase a food grade activated charcoal like this one.

NOTE: because activated charcoal is a supplement used for detoxification, be sure to always check with your healthcare provider prior to use!

Sanding sugar (optional). If you want to decorate the rims of the glasses, you can use sanding sugar (dye-free!).

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is a black powder made from materials such as coconut shells, coal, charred bones that is treated at very high temperatures with oxygen. This powder has been around for a long time but has become increasingly popular. You may have seen charcoal toothpaste on the shelves at your local grocery stores used to help whiten teeth. Or you may have seen it used as a detoxifying face mask.

Activated charcoal is essentially odorless and flavorless. IT SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH CHARCOAL THAT YOU USE ON YOUR BBQ GRILL!!! I like to use a vegan, food grade activated charcoal made from coconut shells.

How To Make This Spooky Halloween Beverage

This Spooky Halloween Black Apple Juice Mocktail might be the easiest, fanciest drink you’ll ever brew.

To add sanding sugar to the rims of the glasses you can brush the rim with apple juice and then dip the glass in the sanding sugar making sure to cover the entire rim. Alternatively you can use a lemon slice to run around the rims of the glasses.

If using sanding sugar, pour a shallow layer of the sugar into a dish, wider than the glass rim and about ¼ inch high. Wet the rim of the glass with apple juice or you may also use a lemon/lime wedge. Gently press and roll the rim of the glass in the sugar, covering the entire rim. Allow the rim to dry.

Add the apple juice and activated charcoal in a cocktail shaker or blender and either shake or blend to fully dissolve the charcoal powder and then pour into the glass. Do not pour all the way to the top of the glass if you’re planning on adding dry ice or it may bubble over.

Carefully add a small piece of dry ice to the glass and watch it smoke! You need a very small amount of dry ice per drink. The beverage is safe to consume when all the dry ice is gone.

NOTE: PLEASE TAKE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING DRY ICE!! While dry ice mostly sinks to the bottom of your drink and doesn’t harm your drink, you should NOT consume solid dry ice!

FAQ

Can I Use A Different Juice?

I used apple juice because it is a pretty clear liquid to mix with the activated charcoal allowing it to become black by using a small amount of powder. I haven’t tried other juices, but I would guess that other juices would work too. You just want to be mindful of how much activated charcoal you are adding. Always follow the package directions.

Where Do I Get Activated Charcoal Powder?

I like to purchase vegan, food grade activated charcoal made from coconut shells on Amazon. You may also find it in health food stores or in the supplement section at the supermarket.

Can I Spike This Drink?

I don’t really like drinking alcohol, but if you want to spike this Spooky Halloween Black Apple Juice Mocktail and make it an alcoholic party beverage you may do so at your own discretion. I have not tried this drink with any alcohol so I don’t have any recommendations on which alcohol would pair best with the apple juice.

Do I Have To Use Dry Ice?

No. Dry ice may be hard to come by, I haven’t actually tried to purchase it- it came in a package I received in the mail to keep the contents cold. It’s super fun to have the spooky-fun smokey effect, so if you can find it and want to add it you may.

NOTE: PLEASE TAKE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING DRY ICE!! While dry ice mostly sinks to the bottom of your drink and doesn’t harm your drink, you should NOT consume solid dry ice! The drink is safe to consume once the dry ice has disappeared.

More Fun Halloween Recipes To Try

Let me know what you think about this easy Halloween mocktail recipe down below in the comments section as well as giving it a five rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover a dye-free, festive drink recipe. Be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it!