At Urbane Eight, we love connecting plants, lifestyle, and creativity. This spooky season, we’re showing how your indoor herb garden can inspire delicious cocktails. Here are five Halloween-inspired recipes, each highlighting a fresh herb you can grow at home. These drinks are more than just recipes — they’re a reminder that you can start herbs from seed, enjoy them in your kitchen, and even bring them into your glass.
Why Herbs Belong in Cocktails
Fresh herbs add complexity, aroma, and depth to cocktails in a way that bottled mixers can’t match. Growing herbs indoors allows you to harvest sprigs whenever you need them, ensuring maximum freshness. Basil, thyme, rosemary, mint, and sage are all versatile herbs that thrive indoors, especially when started from seed. In our heated greenhouse, we nurture these same plants year-round — and we can help you grow them at home, too.
The Cocktail Lineup
1. Witch’s Brew Margarita (with Fresh Basil)
A spooky purple margarita with a herbaceous twist.
Ingredients
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2 oz tequila blanco
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1 oz triple sec
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1 oz lime juice
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0.5 oz blue curaçao
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Splash of cranberry juice (to turn it purple)
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Fresh basil leaves (muddled)
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Black salt for rim
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Fresh basil sprig for garnish
Method
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Rim margarita glass with lime and black salt.
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Lightly muddle a few basil leaves in a shaker.
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Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, curaçao, and cranberry juice. Shake with ice.
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Strain into the rimmed glass with fresh ice.
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Garnish with a sprig of basil.
Growing Tip: Basil grows quickly from seed indoors and adds an aromatic, peppery note to cocktails.
2. Pumpkin Patch Old Fashioned (with Fresh Thyme)
A cozy autumn sipper with earthy depth.
Ingredients
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2 oz bourbon
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0.5 oz pumpkin spice syrup
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2 dashes Angostura bitters
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1 sprig fresh thyme
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Orange peel twist
Method
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In a mixing glass, combine bourbon, syrup, bitters, and a sprig of thyme. Stir with ice.
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Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube.
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Express orange peel over the glass, then garnish with peel and another thyme sprig.
Growing Tip: Thyme is hardy, easy to grow indoors, and pairs beautifully with both sweet and savory flavors.
3. Bloody Vampire Sangria (with Fresh Rosemary)
Deep red and dramatic, with a fragrant twist.
Ingredients
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1 bottle dry red wine
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0.5 cup brandy
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0.25 cup orange liqueur
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0.5 cup pomegranate juice
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0.25 cup simple syrup
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Fresh fruit (blood oranges, blackberries, apples)
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2–3 rosemary sprigs
Method
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In a large pitcher, combine wine, brandy, orange liqueur, juice, syrup, and fruit.
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Add rosemary sprigs and let infuse in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
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Serve over ice, with fruit and rosemary in each glass.
Growing Tip: Rosemary is a perennial herb that thrives in containers and adds piney, resinous notes to cocktails.
4. Ghostly White Russian (with Fresh Mint)
A spooky yet refreshing take on a creamy classic.
Ingredients
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2 oz vodka
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1 oz coffee liqueur
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1 oz cream (or oat cream)
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3–4 fresh mint leaves (muddled lightly)
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Whipped cream and mint sprig for garnish
Method
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Lightly muddle mint leaves in a shaker. Add vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream with ice. Shake gently.
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Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
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Top with whipped cream and a mint sprig.
Growing Tip: Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors. Keep it in a pot to prevent spreading.
5. Poison Apple Martini (with Fresh Sage)
Dark, mysterious, and perfectly herbaceous.
Ingredients
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2 oz vodka
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1 oz sour apple schnapps
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0.5 oz cranberry juice
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0.5 oz sage-infused simple syrup
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Fresh sage leaf for garnish
Method
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Make sage simple syrup by simmering sugar, water, and fresh sage, then straining.
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Shake vodka, schnapps, cranberry juice, and sage syrup with ice.
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Strain into a chilled martini glass.
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Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.
Growing Tip: Sage grows well from seed indoors and its earthy, savory flavor pairs beautifully with apples and fall spices.
Growing Herbs at Home: From Seed to Sip
Starting herbs from seed is simple, rewarding, and sustainable. All you need are seeds, pots with drainage, quality soil, light (a sunny windowsill or grow lights), and consistent watering. Within a few weeks, you’ll have herbs ready to harvest for cooking, garnishes, and cocktails.
At Urbane Eight, our heated greenhouse allows us to ship houseplants, seeds, and accessories year-round. We’re proudly Canadian, now also shipping select dry goods to the USA. Our eco-friendly packaging ensures plants and supplies reach you safely while keeping our environmental footprint small.
Conclusion
Herbs bring depth, fragrance, and freshness to cocktails — and when you grow them yourself, the experience is even more meaningful. These Halloween-inspired drinks show how easy it is to elevate cocktails with basil, thyme, rosemary, mint, and sage straight from your own garden.
At Urbane Eight, we’re here to help you grow, sip, and enjoy year-round. Stay tuned for curated finds, seasonal tips, and events that connect the joy of plants with everyday living.