Felix Felicis Potion Shots

When it comes to your next Halloween party or spooky happy hour, these Potion Shots (inspired by the Felix Felicis potion in Harry Potter) are ready to work their magic! You don’t need to be a Potterhead to enjoy the botanical, sweet sipper that will put you under its spell.

About this Potion Shot recipe

There are some days (okay, most days) that I wish I could hop on a train to Hogwarts and surround myself in magic. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for an acceptance letter to infuse a bit of that fictional world into your own, and there’s no better time than spooky season!

Felix Felicis is a potion nicknamed “liquid luck,” granting the person who drank it good fortune for a limited period of time. Harry drank a tiny dose in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and it’s the perfect spin for Halloween shots. These shots are so fun for costume parties, movie marathons or any time you need a little liquid courage.

You don’t even need Professors Snape or Slughorn to whip up your very own potion — and this one tastes a lot better than the ones in the books sound! These are based on the classic Bees Knees Cocktail, giving it the perfect golden hue made more magical by the addition of edible glitter. Honey, lemon and gin provide a sweetness with botanical notes that will put you under its spell.

More magical recipes: Amortentia Potion Cocktail • Boozy Butterbeer • Poison Apple Halloween Punch

Ingredients & equipment

No need for a trip to the Forbidden Forest; these potion shots come together with just a few simple ingredients you probably have around the house:

• Gin: You can use vodka if you prefer!
• Lemon juice: I always recommend fresh-squeezed whenever it’s possible
• Honey syrup: This is different than straight honey, but it’s easy to make runny honey at home
• Edible glitter: Optional, but certainly ups the ‘magic factor’ (I used this edible pearl glitter)

Instead of serving these in traditional shot glasses ^*, I re-purposed my Christmas ornament shot glasses. I’m not sure if Snape would approve, but I think they gave the perfect potion-class vibes! If you’re going to use a shot glass with a narrow mouth, you’ll want a small funnel ^* to help ensure you don’t spill your Liquid Luck.

Best gin for shots

Much like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, gin can be an acquired taste. When I was younger, it wasn’t one of my favorites but it’s grown on me in recent years!

The key for this drink is to choose a gin that’s right for easy drinking, without being too cloying. Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray or Hendrick’s would work well, or if you already have a favorite on your bar cart ^* you could use that.

Instead of leaving it out, place your gin into the freezer to chill before you use it in a cocktail. This helps dull the sharp edges and can make the spirit more palatable.

Substitutions & variations

• No gin? Feel free to swap the gin for vodka. They are very similar, but gin has more of an herbaceous flavor. With vodka, the flavor will be a bit cleaner.
• Switch your citrus: Try lime juice instead of lemon for a different punch of citrus flavor.
• Give it a kick: Use a spicy hot honey to make your honey syrup for a little bit of a bite.
• Skip the booze: Use a gin-esque zero-proof spirit such as Ritual gin alternative ^* or Seedlip Garden 108 ^*.

Instructions

Are you ready for the “subtle science and exact art of potion-making?” Grab your wand (AKA your bar spoon) and let’s get mixing!

First, add your gin, lemon juice and honey syrup to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir well to combine.

Then, take a small amount of edible glitter and add it to the glass as well. Stir until the glitter has been evenly distributed. Use a pitcher, small funnel ^*, or both to transfer your golden shot into your desired serving vessel and you’re ready to enjoy!

Food pairings

If you’re going to make Felix Felicis Potion Shots, it seems only fitting to create other recipes from the wizarding world to go with them! Cornish pasties were a favorite during the Triwizard tournament and would be perfect for a Halloween cocktail party. Add a bit of sweetness with pumpkin pasties reminiscent of the trolley cart itself!

For a party with more muggles than wizards, rebrand some tried and true recipes for a bit of fun. Puff pastry cheese twists would make great ‘wands,’ pizza pinwheels are a crowd pleaser that could be called rock cakes (though they taste much better) and don’t forget about chocolate frogs (that are really chocolate covered strawberries, eyeballs optional).

FAQ

More Halloween drink recipes

• Witches Brew Cocktail
• Tootsie Roll Cocktail
• Black Vodka