- Skull-shaped ice ups the creepy factor in Halloween punch and keeps it cold without watering it down.
- The punch is inspired by West Indian sorrel — a bold hibiscus drink with ginger, warming spices, and rum-friendly vibes.
- All it takes is one silicone mold, a punch bowl, and a flair for the dramatic to serve something truly unforgettable.
If going too hard on a theme is a crime, take me away in shackles. For Halloween decorations, I’m not stopping at fake cobwebs and warty decorative gourds. I want macabre snacks. Candles that drip like cursed wax. Drinks so extra you can practically hear Edgar Allan Poe whisper, “nevermore.” Enter: the skull ice mold.
This year, my mission was to serve a punch that lingers in your mind — if it haunts your sleep, even better. I’m talking Heidi Klum rolling up to her Halloween party as a six-foot worm levels of disturbia. Something to simultaneously wet your whistle and send a shiver down your spine. Of course, I want it to be eerie — but not repulsive. Guests should be intrigued, not afraid to take a sip.
So I made this Haunted Hibiscus Skull Punch, a shadow-drenched centerpiece that stares right back at you. When I'm really stoked for something, I can’t shut up about it — and this one’s worth a full-on Janet Leigh Psycho scream. Here's how you can boo it yourself:
The secret is in the ice
Let’s be real: Punch is great, but it doesn’t always bring the spooky season vibes. That’s where the skull ice comes in. These silicone skull molds create unnervingly realistic ice skulls that float and melt slowly in the dark red depths. It looks like something straight out of an Addams Family soirée. Plus, they melt slower than standard ice cubes. That means your punch stays cold without turning into sad, watered-down juice halfway through the night. Because weak, lukewarm drinks? The horror.
It’s such an easy freezer move that’s totally ghostly while also frightfully functional. Haunting and helpful, this ice is doing the most for Halloween.
West Indian sorrel inspired the flavor
The base of this punch pulls from the flavors of sorrel — a tart, spiced hibiscus drink I always order at my local West Indian roti joints. (It’s pronounced “SAH-rul” — and different from the leafy greens you toss in salad.) Bold, floral, and as crimson as the blood moon, sorrel is traditionally steeped with ginger and warming spices and served during the holidays across the Caribbean. But here, I’m dressing it up for the darkest night of the year. And yes, there’s rum in the mix — because it wouldn’t be a proper sip from the beyond without a generous pour of spirits. The kind that come in bottles…mostly.
How to serve it
You can go full cauldron or keep it elegant with a big glass punch bowl and vintage cups. I like to float a few star anise pods and dried hibiscus flowers on the surface. Not only do they smell amazing, it's very much giving “witch’s apothecary.” You can then garnish each serving with a dehydrated lime wheel. Shriveled and sunken like a page from a withered spellbook, it adds a gothic edge to any drink.
What you need
Viski Footed Glass Punch Bowl
Oranfit Dehydrated Lime Wheels for Cocktails
EarthWise Aromatics Organic Dried Hibiscus
The bottom line
This punch has everything — visual drama, make-ahead ease, crowd-pleasing flavor, and a skull or six. It's not just a drink, it's a spectacle. The kind of centerpiece that turns your table into a séance.
Serve it cold and creepy, like you were born to host in a manor with secrets in the walls. Now go forth and haunt — responsibly.
Susan (she/her) is the recipe editor at Good Housekeeping, where she pitches ideas, parses words, and produces food content. In the Test Kitchen, she cooks (and samples!) recipes, working with developers to deliver the best written versions possible. A graduate of Brown University and a collaborator on several cookbooks, her previous experience includes stints at Food & Wine, Food Network, three meal kit companies, a wine shop in Brooklyn and Chez Panisse, the pioneering restaurant in Berkeley, California. She enjoys playing tennis, natural wines and reality competition shows.
