Blood bag drinks (or IV bag drinks) are made from IV bags are filled with delicious tequila sunrise (I made virgin and grown-up varieties, so it’s fun for everyone!). They’re served in these super cool blood bags, and I found a hack for filling them – no sticky mess or spilling it all over the counter!
Spooky season is full of all kinds of treats shaped like brains and skulls, creepy eyeballs, and even blood! And these blood bag drinks fit perfectly at any Halloween party, adding a fun and freaky dimension to your drink selection.
Tequila sunrise is made from orange juice, tequila, and a bit of grenadine. I gave this a little bit of extra red coloring just to pump up the creepy bloody factor. You can leave out the tequila for some kid-friendly blood bag drink pouches, too.
Why You’ll Love My Blood Bag Drink Recipe
- Super creepy: Your guests will be totally excited about these creepy IV bags.
- Tastes great: Tequila sunrise is a delicious combination. Perfectly sweet so everyone will happily sip away at their blood bags all night long.
- Easy to make: This treat looks complicated, but it’s actually very easy to make and you can fill the bags easily with my hack.
Ingredients for Blood Bag Drinks
- Orange juice – You can also use other juices you enjoy. Lighter colors or reds will make the best ‘bloody’ color at the end. (See additional ideas below).
- Grenadine – Easy to buy at the liquor store, but you can also make your own (see below for instructions).
- Tequila (optional) – Any tequila you like will do!
- Red food coloring (optional) – You don’t have to add food coloring, but it will make your drinks look more red, like real blood. I love Wilton’s Crimson color and find it’s perfect in this recipe.
Helpful Tools
Mixing bowl
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Mixing spoon
Marker
Piping tip
Syringe (included with the blood bags)
How to Make Blood Bag Drinks in IV Bags
Step 1: Mix the Tequila sunrise drink.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or large measuring cup. For a non-alcohol version, omit the tequila.
Step 2: Label the blood bags.
This step is optional but it’s fun! Write your guests’ names, ages, and blood types onto the blood bag labels with a black permanent marker and stick them to the front of the blood bags.
Step 3: Fill the blood bags.
Use the syringe to squeeze the cocktail into the bags.
If the syringe doesn’t fit, you can insert a piping tip into the end of the tube (like a funnel) and use the syringe to squeeze the liquid into the piping tip instead.
Be sure to attach the plastic stopper included in the blood bag kit – this will prevent the liquid from leaking out! You can “lock” and “unlock” it.
Step 4: Serve the blood bag cocktails.
Place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve so they’re cold. Serve on ice or in a serving tray. Enjoy your delicious blood!
Substitutions
Orange juice – You can substitute just about any juice you’d like here! Try pineapple juice, passion, mango, or a tropical cocktail.
Tequila – Depending on the juice you choose, you can use rum or vodka. Whatever your preference!
Recipe Variations for Halloween Blood Bag Drinks
If Tequila isn’t your thing, you can use of these other red Halloween cocktails instead:
Strawberry Margarita
Blend 2oz tequila, 1oz triple sec, 1oz lime juice, and 1 cup strawberries for every drink you want to make. Blend with 2 cups of ice until fully smooth and add to your blood bags. Keep frozen until you’re ready to serve for slushie blood bags.
Sangria
Make or buy a red wine sangria and add to the bags. Serve cold. Keep in mind that fruit won’t fit into the bags, so you’ll have to steep the fruit in the wine, the strain it before filling the bags!
Tips for Making Perfect Vampire Blood Bag Drinks
- Make these drinks well enough ahead that you have time to cool them. They’ll taste better nice and cold.
- If you’re making virgin cocktails as well, be sure you have an easy way that kids can tell them apart from the alcoholic versions.
Serving Suggestions
Like all alcohol-infused drinks, be mindful of how much you serve at a party to help ensure your guests aren’t overserved. Depending on the tequila you use, these IV drink bags are probably around 12.5% alcohol, so be mindful of who is drinking and how much alcohol you’re serving.
Serve along with other fun spooky party foods and drinks for an especially creepy spread! You can label these “Transfusion Drinks” or “Vampire Blood Bag Drinks.”
Storage Directions
At room temperature – These drinks will be ok stored at room temperature for a few hours, but the juice does need to be refrigerated to stay fresh. If you’re leaving them on a party table, you can fill a tray with ice and set them on top to keep them cool.
In the refrigerator – The blood bags can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days if necessary.
In the freezer – You can freeze these, but a few things to keep in mind: the texture of your drink might change when you freeze them, and the bags themselves may not hold up well in the freezer. Read the labels on the bags you buy to make sure they’re freezer safe!
How to make homemade grenadine?
Making grenadine at home is simple and usually a lot more natural than what you buy at the story (which is mostly just corn syrup). Here’s how:
You’ll need:
- 1 cup pomegranate juice (100% pure)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional, for a bit of tartness)
Then, just follow these steps:
- Place the saucepan with the grenadine and sugar over medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Make sure not to let it come to a boil. (If you prefer a slightly tart flavor, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the mixture and stir to combine, but this step is optional.)
- Once the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is fully mixed, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Pour the cooled grenadine syrup into a clean, airtight container or a bottle. You can strain it if the consistency is at all grainy.
- Store it in the refrigerator. Homemade grenadine can last for a few weeks when refrigerated.
What do you put in a blood bag for Halloween?
You can put any flavor of drink you’d like in a blood bag for Halloween! These are especially fun when they look like blood, but you can also make a variety of colors and flavors if you prefer.
Other Cute and Creepy Recipes to Try
Blood Bag Drinks
These blood bags are filled with delicious tequila sunrise (virgin AND alcoholic, so it’s fun for everyone!). They’re served in these super cool blood bags and I found a hack for filling them – no fiddling around and spilling it all over the counter!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups orange juice
- ½ cup grenadine
- 1 cup tequila optional
- dark red food coloring I use Wilton's Crimson red dye
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. If you would like virgin cocktails, simply omit the tequila!
- Write your guests’ names, ages and blood types onto the blood bag labels with a black permanent marker. Stick to the blood bags.
- Use the syringe that comes in the blood bag kit to squeeze the cocktails into the bags. The opening of the syringe is the same size as the tube (so poorly designed, my goodness), so you can use a small, round piping tip as a funnel! Just insert it into the tip of the tube and squeeze the syringe into the piping tip.
- Enjoy your delicious blood!
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 14.5gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0.2gSodium: 651mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 13gCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi everyone! My name is Cayla Gallagher and I’m the creator of pankobunny!
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