Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that centers around gratitude, family, and food. Families get together to celebrate all the good things that are happening in their lives and eat a delicious meal together. Traditionally, turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce are on the menu. But let’s not forget about the drinks!
To make your meal even more special, consider serving a festive cocktail. We’ve rounded up 10 Thanksgiving cocktail ideas that range from traditional to unusual. There’s even a Thanksgiving mocktail option for those who don’t drink alcohol. Cheers to a wonderful holiday celebration.
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Pear Old Fashioned
Pears are in season from August to October, making them the perfect fall fruit. They can be both sweet and spicy, so they’re a great addition to a classic old fashioned. It’s a great twist on the old standby. To make this Thanksgiving drink, combine 1.5 ounces rye or bourbon, 0.5 ounce St. George Spiced Pear liqueur, 0.5 ounce demerara syrup, and 3 to 4 dashes of bitters. To make it extra fancy, serve with a single giant ice cube or ice sphere.
Red Wine Sangria
Many consider sangria to only be a summer drink, but it truly is delicious at any time of the year. Sangria is a crowd-pleaser because the recipe is very customizable. At its core, sangria is wine, brandy, fruit, and fruit juices. To make it Thanksgiving themed, consider using ingredients such as apples, apple juice, pomegranates, cinnamon sticks, and ginger beer. This is also a great option because it can be premade in big batches for easy serving on Thanksgiving morning.
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Autumn Sweater
The best thing about fall is that the mosquitoes go away. The second best thing is it is time to bust out your favorite knitwear because of all the sweater weather. This cocktail celebrates this fashion choice. To make this combine 1.5 ounces of bourbon, 0.75 ounce of triple sec, 0.75 ounce of Aperol, 0.75 ounce of lemon juice, and 1-2 tablespoons of apple butter. Shake it all together, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and serve over ice. The result is a crisp holiday delight.
The Maple Leaf
A telltale sign of the fall season is the changing leaves. They are beautiful and majestic as they fall off the trees as the winter months approach. To honor their transition, serve a maple leaf cocktail. The recipe is simple and calls for 2 ounces of bourbon, 0.5 ounce of lemon juice, and 0.5 ounces of maple syrup. Shake it all up and serve with a single giant ice cube.
Bloody Mary
This classic drink was first invented by Fernand “Pete” Petiot in 1921. He made this delicious concoction at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, France. He took inspiration from a Russian drink called “Vodka and Zakuski.” Originally it was called a “Bucket of Blood,” which isn’t very festive, so the change in moniker makes sense. While this won’t be the most unexpected choice for an adult beverage, it’s timeless for a reason. You can serve it as spicy or neutral as you please. Its basic elements are vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, celery salt, Tabasco, and lemon juice, but you are free to make it your own.
Mimosa
The mimosa is another classic choice for a holiday celebration. At its core, the recipe calls for champagne and orange juice. You can make it a special Thanksgiving drink by offering different mixers. Make a festive fall mimosa with apple cider, or create a Thanksgiving specialty with cranberry juice. If you want to get wild, ditch the champagne and replace it with pumpkin beer and use apple cider as a mixer. It’s the perfect, unexpected Thanksgiving cocktail.
New England Express
Choo choo! All aboard the New England Express. There’s just something about fall that makes one think of the East Coast and Gilmore Girls. We can only speculate if Emily would ever serve this punch at one of her soirees. This Bon Appetit recipe is sure to be a hit at your party. It uses homemade thyme syrup, 2 cups apple cider, 1½ cups dark rum, ¾ cup fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon Angostura bitters, club soda, 8 sprigs of thyme, and 8 lime slices. All these ingredients add up to a refreshing fall punch that isn’t too heavy on the alcohol.
Eggnog Martini
Eggnog is traditionally a Christmas drink, but this would be a great dessert cocktail to serve to your guests to welcome the beginning of the Christmas season. Combine 2 ounces of eggnog with 1.5 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of Amaretto Liqueur to make it a fancy holiday drink. Shake it all up and garnish your martini glass with ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick for extra flourish.
Pomegranate Spritzers
This is a great Thanksgiving mocktail to have on hand for those who don’t drink and want to feel included in the celebration. This recipe was created by the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten. It calls for 2 cups chilled sparkling water, 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, and fresh pomegranate seeds and lime slices as a garnish. It is light, fruity, and fun.
Pumpkin Spice White Russians
Fall is made up of pumpkin spice and everything nice. For a fun twist on a white Russian, the classic dessert cocktail, add some pumpkin spice. Only three ingredients are needed for this creamy drink: 2 ounces of vodka, 1 ounce of Kahlua, and 1.5 ounces of pumpkin spice creamer. There’s nothing basic about this drink.
