Black Magic Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/29/21
Black magic cocktail recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The black magic is a creepy cocktail that features an onyx-colored vodka for a spooky look that tastes great, too. It makes the perfect themed cocktail for a Halloween party when you want something that's tall and refreshing, whether you're serving a crowd or just a few people.

This is a very easy recipe that creates a dark soda highball flavored with the sweetness of grenadine—much like a spiked Shirley Temple. For the black vodka, you have two options: use Blavod or make your own. Whichever you choose, it's a fun novelty drink for a party that everyone's sure to enjoy.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for black magic cocktail
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pour the vodka and grenadine into an ice-filled collins glass.

    Pour grenadine in glass
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Top with soda and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

    Top with cherry
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Blavod is the only black vodka that's commercially produced. It can be difficult to find at times; it typically appears in liquor stores around Halloween and can be found in some stores year-round. It is an unflavored vodka, though the catechu extract used to make it black does impart a slightly herbal finish.
  • It's incredibly easy to make your own black vodka using any vodka you choose. A few drops of blue, green, and red food coloring are all you need. It's not perfect, but it is a quick and inexpensive way to create this novelty ingredient.
  • Stir the drink after adding the soda if you prefer. Otherwise, serve it with a straw and stir as you go.
  • When left unstirred, the grenadine will sink to the bottom—just like in a tequila sunrise—and produce a bloody base for your dark drink.

Recipe Variations

  • You can certainly make this drink with any vodka you like. Black vodka is not required, it just adds to the spectacle.
  • Pour ginger ale or any other light colored soda that you like instead of the lemon-lime soda.
  • Add a creepy garnish to really get everyone in the Halloween spirit! The lychee eyeball would be a fun option for this drink and is made by stuffing a gelatinous lychee fruit with a blueberry and red fruit preserves. Place it on top of the ice and it will surprise anyone who goes to take a drink!

How Strong Is a Black Magic Cocktail?

As with most soda-topped highballs, the black magic is a relatively light drink. When made with 80-proof vodka, it will have an alcohol content around 11 percent ABV (22 proof). It's like drinking a glass of wine, only with a special effect that makes it a lot more fun!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
243 Calories
0g Fat
29g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 243
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 20mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 25mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)