Name: Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail (Tarte Cranberry Martini)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 Drink
Ingredients: For the Drink; 1½ ounces vodka; 1 ounce Chambord (raspberry-flavored liqueur); ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) unsweetened cranberry or cherry juice (do not use cranberry cocktail); 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) grenadine; Granulated sugar; Grenadine

Drinks

Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail (Tarte Cranberry Martini)

Author: Mary DiSomma

After passing out candy to all of the neighborhood children in their adorable costumes, I like to put my feet up and relax with a Halloween cocktail (or two)! The Vampire’s Kiss cocktail is my absolute favorite because it is a show-stopper that is just so perfect for the holiday. The Chambord gives it a blood-like color, and the smoke effect is the theatrical touch that takes it to the next level. Whenever I make it for special guests, I get lots of "oohs" and "aahs” from children and adults alike. Plus the fresh, slightly sweet, and citrusy flavor of the cocktail is just delightful!

Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail (Tarte Cranberry Martini)

The Vampire Kiss is the perfectly festive Halloween cocktail. It’s delicious and is a show-stopper with its blood-red hue and spooky, theatrical smoke!

Yield: 1 Drink
Prep Time: 5 minutes 5 min
Total Time: 5 minutes 5 min

Ingredients

For the Drink

1½ ounces vodka
1 ounce Chambord (raspberry-flavored liqueur)
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) unsweetened cranberry or cherry juice (do not use cranberry cocktail)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) grenadine

For the Rim Garnish

Granulated sugar
Grenadine

Instructions

Prepare the glass rim by placing some granulated sugar on a small plate. Pour the grenadine into a small bowl. Dip the glass rim in the grenadine first, followed by the sugar. Let the sugar rim dry while preparing the rest of the drink.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, Chambord, cranberry or cherry juice, lemon juice, and grenadine. Add regular ice cubes and shake it until the drink is cold and mixed throughout. Strain the drink into the prepared sugar-rimmed glass.
When using dry ice to create the smoke, use tongs to lift up the dry ice, put the dry ice in the cocktail, then wait for it to melt in the cocktail, for about 5 minutes. When using a cocktail smoker, follow the manufacturer's directions included with the tool to create the smoke.

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Preparation + Preservation Tips

If you’ve never tried making a smoking cocktail, it’s easier than you may think! I like to use a cocktail smoker myself, but dry ice will work just as well. If you do use dry ice, please make sure to take care to handle properly and take the necessary safety precautions to avoid burns. You must also allow the dry ice to melt completely before using it in the recipe– this will only take approximately 5 minutes at room temperature. Feel free to add a bit more lemon juice for a cocktail that is more tart or sour, or a bit more grenadine for a drink that is a bit sweeter.

This recipe calls for your favorite brand of vodka, as well as Chambord, which is a raspberry-flavored liqueur. If you’d like to make some virgin Vampire’s Kisses for the under-21 crowd, simply leave these two ingredients out–the rest of the ingredients are sans-alcohol! You can choose to use either unsweetened cranberry or cherry juice or a combination of both, depending on which flavors you like. (No need to use cranberry cocktail or sweetened juice, as the grenadine and sugar-coated rim bring enough sweetness to the mix.)