By Melissa Pette

Let’s keep the spooky fun going with another Halloween recipe from our mini series!  Sure, Halloween isn’t exactly a big deal here in Costa Rica, but that hasn’t stopped local spots from getting creative. Restaurants and bars are serving up themed drinks, wickedly fun dishes, and plenty of creepy-cool decorations to get everyone in the spirit.


If you’re throwing a Halloween bash and want a drink that looks creepy but tastes amazing, this punch is it. It’s bright, bold, and blood-red — no weird mystery ingredients, just real fruit and a few spooky touches that’ll totally steal the show.



Think of it like the Halloween cousin of Christmas punch, only darker, sassier, and way more fun. Plus, it’s super easy to make with stuff you can grab at any Costa Rican supermarket.

So, let’s get cookin’!

What you’ll need:

• 6 peeled rambutans (aka mamon chino in Costa Rica).

• 1 (225g) jar cocktail cherries.

• 12 raisins.

• 1 liter blueberry, blackberry, or purple grape juice (chilled).

• 1 liter cherry or cranberry juice (chilled).

• 1 liter sparkling water, or swap in your favorite red sparkling wine for an adult twist.

• 2 powder-free disposable gloves (for the icy hand trick).

First, rinse the gloves and fill each with water, like you’re making balloon hands. Tie or clip them shut, then pop them in the freezer overnight. Boom. Ice hands for your punch bowl.

Drain your cherries, saving the juice. Push a raisin into the top of each cherry; that’s your pupil.

Now, peel the rambutans, slice them open, and take out the seed so they’re just little white spheres. Slide each cherry into a rambutan half. Ta-da, instant eyeballs!

Pour all your juices (including the reserved cherry juice) into a big punch bowl. Add your eyeballs so they float around all creepy-like. Peel the gloves off your frozen ice hands and drop them in for the full spooky effect.

If you want a boozy version, pour in about half a bottle of red wine instead of the sparkling water; it keeps the flavor rich and makes the color pop even more.

Serve it up and watch your guests freak out just enough before they ask for seconds. This Halloween punch looks terrifying, but tastes so refreshing you’ll want to make it every year.

Have a "pura vida" Halloween!

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Feel free to share your own recipes by emailing a horizontal photo of your dish to food@amcostarica.com. You can find more tasty Costa Rican recipes over on the AM Costa Rica Food page.

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