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Toast the holiday season with any of these Thanksgiving cocktails! From chilled cranberry cocktails to seasonal moscow mules, warm cider to autumn old fashioned cocktails, these flavorful libations are perfect to sip, savor, and celebrate.
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about thanksgiving cocktails
With a touch of crispness in the air and the autumn leaves falling to the ground, the smell of turkey and pumpkin pie is about to fill the air. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but not only because of the seasonal food and excuse to nap in the middle of the day after a giant meal.
Thanksgiving is the holiday that brings everyone together to spend time together. Whether you are hosting on turkey day or planning to attend a gathering, any of these Thanksgiving cocktails are the ideal addition to your celebration.
In this round up, we invite you to raise a glass and join us as you peruse the list of seasonal flavors that make up these Thanksgiving cocktails. Any one of these make the perfect accompaniment to the holiday’s warmth and abundance with your favorite guests.
everyday seasonal cookbook
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thanksgiving cocktails
Apple Cider Margarita
An Apple Cider Margarita is the one fall cocktail you need to make. It is slightly sweet, crisp, and full of warming spices. With a cinnamon sugar rim, this cocktail is ideal for any autumn gathering!
Cranberry Margarita
A vibrant and flavorful cranberry margarita is full of holiday cheer! With just 4 ingredients, it’s easy to make and can even be scaled up to a big batch cocktail. The tartness is ideal for pairing with the savory flavors of the season.
Easy Sparkling Thanksgiving Cocktail
A Thanksgiving Sparkling Cocktail is just about the easiest champagne cocktail you can make for the holiday dinner. It only has 4 ingredients and it goes with whatever dishes you plan to serve!
Cranberry Orange Moscow Mule
A Cranberry Orange Moscow Mule is a festive cocktail that’s ideal for your next holiday gathering or dinner party! You will want to reach for this for all your fall and winter entertaining. It’s so easy to make and only requires 5 ingredients!
Apple Cider Cocktail
This easy apple cider cocktail is a refreshing fall cocktail made with bourbon, brandy, and apple cider. The crisp drink is perfectly balanced for an autumn sipper that’s ready in minutes!
Cranberry Mimosa
A Cranberry Mimosa (also know as a poinsettia cocktail) is a festive take on mimosas with a cranberry twist. With just three ingredients, they are ready in less than 5 minutes! Perfect for serving at any holiday gathering from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s Day brunch.
Fresh Apple Martini
Tart and balanced, this Fresh Apple Martini is made with fresh apples, lemon juice, and vodka (or gin). No artificial flavors or overly sweet ingredients – this cocktail captures the fresh essence of fall!
Christmas Sangria
Christmas Sangria is a delightful way to celebrate the holidays, all in one gorgeous chilled glass. This festive sangria is just the right balance of crisp and fruity, with a slight touch of sweetness!
Paper Plane Cocktail
The classic Paper Plane Cocktail is a delicious combination of bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon juice. The drink is complex and boozy with just enough sweetness to balance the bitter and sour flavors.
Bourbon Pumpkin Smash
A Bourbon Pumpkin Smash on a cozy fall evening is just what this season calls for. With a homemade pumpkin spice simple syrup and a cinnamon sugar rim, this rich bourbon cocktail is full of flavor and just a little bit bubbly!
Instant Pot Mulled Wine
Instant Pot Mulled Wine is the coziest holiday drink! Also known as glühwein, this recipe is simple to make in the Instant Pot, but can also be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Perfectly spiced and ideal for holiday gatherings!
Pumpkin Spice Bourbon Old Fashioned
Kick off September with a Pumpkin Spice Bourbon Old Fashioned! Pumpkin spice simple syrup takes this classic bourbon old fashioned to a whole new level of fall flavor. It’s pumpkin and spice and everything nice!
Spiced Apple Cider Moscow Mule
A Spiced Apple Cider Moscow Mule is an incredible fall cocktail! It has a spiced apple flavor from the cider and an easy cinnamon simple syrup. You’ll love breaking out this festive ginger beer cocktail all season long.
Cranberry Spice Sparkler
This Cranberry Spice Sparkler is how everyone will be toasting the holiday season this year. The sparkling cocktail is packed with seasonal flavors for your holiday celebrations.
Pumpkin Pie Martini
A Pumpkin Pie Martini is a slice of pumpkin pie, made for your cocktail glass! The rich and creamy cocktail is just the right balance of sweet, boozy, pumpkin spice, and pure pumpkin. With the whipped cream topping, it’s the ideal indulgence for the season!
Pumpkin Bourbon Sidecar
A Pumpkin Bourbon Sidecar is my fall twist on the classic sidecar cocktail. I replace brandy with bourbon and also swap in pumpkin spice simple syrup to give the cocktail a boost of fall flavor. In just 5 minutes, you can have the perfect simple cocktail that is anything but basic!
Apple Pie Old Fashioned Cocktail
An Apple Pie Old Fashioned Cocktail encompasses all those fruity apple pie filling flavors in a glass. Made with homemade apple pie infused whiskey, this cocktail is the epitome of fall and made with only two ingredients. Bring it out for Thanksgiving or your next cocktail hour after work!
Hot Mulled Apple Cider
Warming spices and orange slices make this delightful warm beverage perfect for a chilly night! Garnished with fresh cranberries, an orange slice, and cinnamon stick, this drink is easy to make and keep warm in the slow cooker or Instant Pot for a party.
Cranberry Aperol Spritz
The Cranberry Aperol Spritz deserves a spot on your menu. This cocktail is both light and refreshing, offering intense cranberry flavor and a beautiful, eye-catching hue.
Rumchata Caramel Martini
The Rumchata Caramel Martini is a luscious blend of Rumchata liqueur and Irish cream. With hints of caramel macchiato and a white Russian, this is the quintessential dessert martini, perfect for sipping after a holiday feast, especially on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Butter Pecan Pie Martini
The Butter Pecan Pie Martini is a creamy and delectable way to enjoy dessert in liquid form. Ideal for post-holiday meal indulgence, particularly after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, it’s quick and easy to prepare with just four ingredients.
Fall Gin Spritz
This Gin Spritz recipe combines aromatic gin with spiced orange black tea. The result is a flavorful and zesty cocktail that captures the essence of fall, making it an excellent choice for your Thanksgiving celebration.
Chocolate Almond Autumn Negroni
Explore the world of Negroni variations with the Chocolate Almond Autumn Negroni cocktail. This autumnal twist on the classic Negroni boasts unique flavors that make it a delightful choice for autumn.
Cranberry Whiskey Sour
The Cranberry Whiskey Sour offers a delicious twist on the classic cocktail. The combination of cranberry and lemon complements the spicy rye whiskey, making it the ideal libation.
Pumpkin Spice Margarita
Indulge in the smooth, spicy, and sweet Pumpkin Spice Margarita, a flavorful fall cocktail with a kick. This delightful drink is perfect for warming up during the cold fall and winter months.
Hot Apple Cider Toddy
The Hot Apple Toddy is a heartwarming twist on the traditional hot toddy. Made with honey, apple cider, bourbon, black tea, and spices, it’s a comforting and quick-to-make choice for warming up during fall and winter.
Caramel Apple Cider
This aromatic apple cider recipe is made with classic apple cider, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, brown sugar, anise stars, and caramel sauce. It’s the ultimate cozy fall drink, perfect for autumn gatherings.
Chai Espresso Martini
Elevate the classic espresso martini with the cozy flavors of chai. Think of it as a boozy dirty chai latte with vodka, espresso, milk, and a medley of chai spices.
Maple Whiskey Margarita
The Maple Whiskey Margarita combines the best of Mexican and American flavors into one irresistible cocktail. With tangy lime juice, sweet maple syrup, tequila, and smoky whiskey, it’s a fantastic seasonal libation.
Chai Moscow Mule
Add a spicy twist to your fall celebrations with the Chai Moscow Mule. By swapping out the traditional lime and incorporating chai concentrate, it offers a smoky spice reminiscent of cool autumn nights by the fire.
Thanksgiving Cranberry Sangria
Enhance your festivities with a delicious red cranberry sangria. Crafted with your favorite red wine, spices, cranberry juice, fresh fruit, and a hint of orange liqueur, it’s a bold and flavorful choice.
Fig and Apple Cider Cocktail
The fig and apple cider cocktail is set to become your favorite fall drink. Packed with seasonal flavors like apples, figs, and cinnamon, it’s perfect for cool evenings by the fire and special celebrations.
my must-haves for thanksgiving cocktails
To make any of these cocktails, make sure you have all the barware must-haves. For the drinks that are made in a shaker, you will need a cocktail shaker, jigger, and cocktail strainer. If you are making these cocktails in bulk, using a cocktail mixing glass with a bar spoon makes it much easier to make shaken drinks quickly in one go.
For the punch-style drinks, have a copper punch bowl or a pitcher handy.
If you like to garnish your cocktails, have fresh fruit/citrus slices, tart cranberries, cinnamon sticks, star anise, or whatever you like handy. A sprig of fresh rosemary is always a stunning look if you are unsure what to use.
When it comes to glassware, I have an obsession. Therefore I always have my favorite cocktail glasses on hand in bulk. If you are looking to expand your glassware, picking up coupe glasses and double old fashioned glasses are always the best options to have on hand for any kind of drink you plan to make. Don’t forget the copper mugs for the moscow mules!
barware favorites
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It’s hard to end a post about Thanksgiving cocktails without mentioning Thanksgiving dinner recipes! Obviously, these drinks need to be paired with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes.
For appetizers, easy baked camembert is topped with cranberries and walnuts, making it perfect for dipping. You could also make roasted cranberry goat cheese crostini! If you want even more options, we have a full post on our favorite easy Thanksgiving appetizers.
When it comes to the main dish, this smoked beer brined turkey is what I make every single year. If you are having a smaller gathering, beer brined turkey breast or smoked turkey breast is ideal. You could also use this delicious turkey brine and roast the turkey however you like!
For side dishes, sausage stuffing is a personal favorite, stuffed with caramelized onions and apples. Creamy bacon butternut squash risotto is comforting and cozy as well. Don’t forget about the instant pot mashed potatoes too! Need more options? Check out our complete guide to Thanksgiving side dishes.
Finally, for Thanksgiving desserts, pecan pie cheesecake is the ultimate dessert mashup. If you prefer something more fruity, these light and airy cranberry cheesecake mousse cups are a lovely make-ahead option.
Not seeing anything that inspires you here? Check out my full Thanksgiving recipes archive for all the recipes you could ever need to make the holiday extra special for you and your family and friends.
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