5 Essential Cocktails for October 2025

Each month Chilled presents you with five essential cocktails based on our National Drink Day Calendar. Don’t forget to reference it so you can prepare for the upcoming holidays.

As the chill in the air begins to creep in, the want and need for comforting cocktails becomes hard to resist. With the changing of the seasons comes the opportunity to add more warmth, spice, and a seasonal twist to a bar menu. National Drink Days give a reason to get crafty and creative behind the bar, helping to keep things feeling fresh.

These five cocktails can be used as a jumping-off point to get back into the groove of serving up fall-flavored drinks. Whether the goal is to elevate a bar menu or to simply enjoy a festive sip at home, these recipes are here to help you celebrate the month with one cocktail at a time.

Here are five essential cocktails to make this October.

The Clover Club Cocktail

It wouldn’t be National Mean Girls Day (10/3) without a pink cocktail. Even though it lands on a Friday this year (as opposed to the movie referencing that on Wednesdays, they wear pink), it’s still worth celebrating. This vibrant cocktail begins with dry gin, giving it a crisp and botanical base that is followed by citrus notes and sweetness from the raspberry syrup. The drink is then shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass to show off its pink hue and frothy top from the egg white.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

It’s officially the season of pumpkins, so on National Liqueur Day (10/16), celebrate with an indulgent drink where liqueur is the star of the show. It takes a simple cup of coffee and transforms it into something sweet and dessert-like that’s on par with the season. If a boost of energy is what you’re looking for, this cocktail will do the trick.

Pickleback Martini

National Pasta Day lands on October 17, and there is nothing better than a big bowl of carbs paired with a cocktail. It seems like all bars and restaurants are hopping on the pickle trend, so this Pickleback Martini should be on your radar. It’s the perfect cocktail to pair with a creamy pasta dish like Alfredo or cacio e pepe, as the acidic notes from the pickle help cut through the richness of the dish. Like all martinis, this one is easy to throw together, and it will please a crowd.

Champagne Mojito

Honor the elegance of a bubbly glass of champagne on October 24. World Champagne Day allows for creativity with the sparkling wine that traditionally stands on its own. Combining the richness and caramel-like flavor from the rum with the lightness of the champagne creates a refreshing drink that deserves to be on your bar menu. Finish it off with some fresh and bright mint to add just the right amount of aromatic complexity.

Snicker-Tini

It wouldn’t be a complete cocktail list for October without something to honor the spookiest day of the year. This snicker-tini is a chocolate-lover’s dream. Why sit around and eat the candy bar when you can add a bozzy twist and sip away? This martini has notes of caramel and chocolate with a hint of nuttiness, providing all of the flavors of a classic Snickers bar. The peanut and simple syrup rim adds the perfect crunch to bring out that candy-bar feel.

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