Halloween Bloody Mary, Bloody Scary

This Halloween Bloody Mary cocktail has all the classic flavors of a bloody Mary but with a spooky twist! It is served with simple-to-make, scary mozzarella, and olive "eyeballs". They are suited to a creepy-themed brunch or Halloween party. Call it a Bloody Scary, or Scary Mary, either way, you'd be ghool-ish not to try it!

So, if "EYE" am being honest, our husband is usually the cocktail maker in the family. But when Halloween rolls around, we're happy to take over the bar for this spooky Bloody Mary. It starts with a classic homemade Bloody Mary mix, then gets dressed up with mozzarella and olive eyeballs that are almost too creepy to eat. Almost.

The Bloody Mary itself is savory, spicy, and a little tangy from the dill pickle juice, while the eyeball garnish makes it party-ready without requiring a ton of extra work. Serve these at a Halloween brunch, cocktail party, or anytime you want your drink to look a little more sinister.

What makes this Halloween Bloody Mary Spooky

• Easy to make for a Halloween party
• Classic Bloody Mary flavor with a creepy twist
• Fun for a spooky brunch or cocktail party
• The mozzarella eyeballs can be made ahead
• Easy to make without alcohol
• The eyeballs double as a fun appetizer

Here is what you will need to make these Halloween Bloody Marys (AKA: Bloody Scary or Scary Mary)

• Tomato juice Like V8.
• Tabasco sauce For a little spice.
• Horseradish Look for prepared horseradish, not creamed or horseradish sauce. Try to use some of the juice so you don't have too much horseradish floating in the cocktail.
• Celery salt Can substitute regular salt.
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dill pickle juice
• Vodka
• Mozzarella pearls These are small mozzarella balls and can be found in the cheese section of your grocery store. Look for them packed in water.
• Olives You can use Spanish pimento olives to have a creepier look, but pitted black olives will also work.
• Celery for serving
• Ice

See the recipe card for quantities.

To make these "Scary Mary" mozzarella and olive eyeballs, you will need a melon baller or small teaspoon, and cocktail picks or skewers for serving.

Step by step

Below is a quick visual guide to making these spooky Halloween Bloody Mary eyeballs.

Step 1. Gather your ingredients. You will need mozzarella balls or "pearls" and Spanish green olives or black olives. Remove the mozzarella from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. Begin by slicing the olives thin.

Step 2. Next, using a melon baller or a small measuring teaspoon, scoop out a small hole in the mozzarella. The size will depend on your olives and the size of your cheese.

Step 3. Next, take the sliced olive and wedge it into the hole in the mozzarella to make the "eyeball". You may need to do some trimming if it doesn't fit.

Step 4. With a cocktail pick or skewer, gently pierce the "eyeballs" through the center, below the olive slice. Use 2-3 balls per cocktail.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions is located on the recipe card below.

Expert tip

To keep the olives in the mozzarella, look for smaller ones. We used a ¼ teaspoon to carve out the solid hole.

Substitutions and variations

• Store-bought Bloody Mary mix If you don't want to make your own Bloody Mary mix, feel free to use your favorite store-bought version.
• Vodka In place of the vodka, try using tequila or mezcal.
• Virgin Make it virgin and leave out the alcohol.
• Sriracha Use Sriracha in place of Tabasco.
• Bacon Swap out traditional celery and garnish the cocktail with some candied bacon.
• Babybel Swap out the mozzarella for another small cheese such as Babybel.

Making Halloween Bloody Marys for a crowd

Good news! You can totally prepare the Bloody Mary mix ahead. mix the Bloody Mary base in a large pitcher and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Keep the vodka separate so guests can adjust their drinks to taste, then set out a tray of mozzarella eyeballs, celery, and other garnishes for everyone to build their own Bloody Scary.

Keeping leftovers

Homemade bloody Mary mix can be stored in the refrigerator for about 5 to 7 days. If you are using store-bought mix, check the packaging for storage and shelf life.

You can prepare the mozzarella balls in advance. Once prepared, they can be covered and stored in the fridge. Eat within 3 days for the best flavor.

Kitchen questions

What can we use instead of vodka?

Bloody Marys can be made with bourbon, tequila, or mezcal.

Can we make these Halloween Bloody Marys virgin?

Of course! omit the alcohol when preparing the drink.

More fun cocktails

Ingredients

Makes 4

• 3 cups tomato juice, such as V8 or your favorite brand
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• ¼ cup dill pickle juice (from a jar of pickles)
• 3 tsp prepared horseradish
• ¾ tsp celery salt
• 1 cup vodka
• celery for garnish
• ice

Eyeball Garnish

• 12 fresh mozzarella pearls (balls) (from an 8 ounce container)
• 6 pimento-stuffed green olives, pitted

Equipment

• melon baller or small teaspoon
• cocktail picks or skewers

Method

1. In a large pitcher, combine the tomato juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, pickle juice, horseradish, and celery salt. Whisk well to combine.

2. When ready to serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 6 ounces of Bloody Mary mix and 2 ounces of vodka. Stir gently to combine. This is a suggested serving; however, you can adjust it to your preference.

3. Garnish each cocktail with a celery rib and 3 mozzarella eyeballs on a cocktail skewer.

Eyeball Garnish

1. Slice the olives thin, making sure the pimento is still inside. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop a small hole out of each mozzarella ball.

2. Wedge the olive slices into the mozzarella holes. If they don't fit, use a small knife to trim around the edges. When ready to serve, take a long cocktail pick or skewer and place 3 olive eyeballs on it, being careful not to knock the olive out. You may sacrifice one or two before you get them right. No worries, just eat them as an appetizer; we won't tell!

Kitchen notes

• Homemade Bloody Mary mix can be stored in the refrigerator for about 5 to 7 days. If you are using a store-bought mix, check the packaging for storage and shelf life.
• You can prepare the mozzarella balls in advance. Once prepared, they can be covered and stored in the fridge. Eat within 3 days for the best flavor.