These easy Thanksgiving cocktails feature cranberry, apple cider, bourbon, and warming spices, with make-ahead options and festive alcohol-free ideas.
‘Tis the season for seasonal sips.
During the holidays, I love trading my usual glass of wine for a seasonal cocktail. Bourbon is my favorite, especially an Old Fashioned with a big ice cube!
Below you’ll find cranberry, apple cider, maple, and cinnamon drinks, from simple pours to recipes that take a little more prep. Check out my make-ahead tips at the bottom, and pair your drinks with my Thanksgiving charcuterie board.
For guests who aren’t drinking, here are 10 alcohol-free cocktail ideas.
Which Thanksgiving Cocktail Should You Make?
| If you’re looking for… | Start with… |
|---|---|
| A pitcher drink | Apple of Your Rye |
| A bourbon cocktail | Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour |
| Something bubbly | Apple Cider Aperol Spritz |
| An after-dinner drink | Pumpkin Pie Martini |
| A simple sparkling option | Pumpkin Spice Bubbly |
17 Easy Thanksgiving Cocktails
From bourbon and tequila to gin and sparkling wine, there’s something here for sipping before dinner or serving alongside dessert.
1. Kath’s Pumpkin Spice Bubbly
Kicking off the list is a simple accent to any house champagne or sparkling wine you have on hand: a pumpkin spice sugar rim!
This is an easy way to customize an after-dinner glass of champs. You can prepare the glasses with the spiced rim before entertaining and guests just need to pour in the wine.
The spiced sugar rim makes a simple glass of bubbly feel festive. Try it with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine too, like Surely.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar, not brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tbsp real maple syrup
Directions
Mix the sugar and pumpkin pie spice on a small plate. You might need more depending on the number of glasses – if you scale up, just aim for equal parts of sugar and spice.
Pour the maple in a small bowl. Dunk your glass to coat the edge. Immediately dip in the spiced sugar.
Pour carefully so as not to disturb the sugar!
These wine glasses would be pretty for serving, and Tossware wine glasses are another option for a larger gathering.
2. Cranberry Gin Cocktail
This punchy cranberry gin cocktail is made with gin, cranberry juice, fresh orange, lime, and a splash of Prosecco for fizz. A sugar rim balances the tart cranberry and citrus.
3. Christmas Cranberry Cocktail
This Christmas cranberry cocktail is a festive drink to make on a cozy holiday evening or serve at a holiday party. It’s made with bourbon, cranberries, lime and orange liqueur and served over a big cube.
I’d serve this in my favorite Old Fashioned glasses with a big cube made in these square and sphere ice molds.
4. Cranberry Bourbon Sour via Half Baked Harvest
I love bourbon, so this cocktail calls my name! Homemade cranberry-orange simple syrup, warming bourbon, fresh citrus, and sweet candied rosemary. This can be made ahead of time for easy holiday entertaining. I could sip on this all fall and winter.
5. Vanilla Pear Holiday Punch via Cookie & Kate
Make this pear punch for your holiday get-togethers!
It’s not too sweet. It tastes like pear, vanilla, spice and everything nice.
It’s a smooth, easy sipper, even with tequila inside. Yep, tequila!
I don’t think anyone would complain if this was their Thanksgiving drink.
6. Honeycrisp Crush via How Sweet Eats
Honeycrisp apple crush is made with honeycrisp juice, vodka and ginger beer.
This drink is so refreshing because it’s icy and cold and full of apple flavor without tasting like apple cider.
7. Pomegranate Moscow Mule via Crowded Kitchen
These beautiful Pomegranate Moscow Mules are an easy-to-make winter/holiday cocktail. With pomegranate and orange juice, vodka, lime juice and ginger beer, they come together in just a few minutes.
8. Pumpkin Spice White Russian via The Cookie Rookie
If you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, this Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail is exactly what you need to be sipping on this season.
This festive fall cocktail adds pumpkin spice flavor to a classic White Russian with the addition of pumpkin spice creamer. Serve in martini glasses if you’re feeling extra classy.
9. Apple Cider Aperol Spritz via Joy & Oliver
Apple cider and a touch of cinnamon give this bubbly Aperol spritz a fall twist.
10. Cinnamon Tequila Sour via The Almond Eater
This Cinnamon Tequila Sour combines tequila, cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice for a tart, spiced fall drink.
A citrus press comes in handy for the fresh lemon juice, especially if you’re making several drinks. A cinnamon stick makes the ideal garnish!
11. Pumpkin Pie Martini via the Pioneer Woman
Some people love their espresso martinis, but pumpkin pie martinis are my ideal after-dinner drink – complete with whipped cream on top.
12. Pear Bourbon Smash via Just A Little Bit Of Bacon
As a bourbon gal, this one is right up my alley with maple, lemon, and allspice.
13. Boulevardier via NY Times
I have to give a shout out to my new favorite classic cocktail! It’s basically a Negroni made with bourbon instead of gin. While this drink is STRONG, it’s SO good! It’s bold and bittersweet, with bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Right up my alley if you love a spirit-forward cocktail!
14. Apple of Your Rye via the Bojon Gourmet
Made as a big batch in a pitcher, this recipe features Bulleit rye whiskey, apple cider, and a fresh apple garnish. Can you tell whiskey cocktail recipes are my fave!? Serve this in a cocktail pitcher so guests can help themselves.
15. Hot Buttered Rum via The Spruce Eats
OK admittedly I have never had hot buttered rum, but doesn’t it sound good? Like if Harry Potter invited you to Thanksgiving cocktails, this is what he’d serve.
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16. Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour via Cookie + Kate
With just four ingredients, this bourbon/lemon/maple/cinnamon whiskey sour is much cozier than the summertime version ; ) If you’re putting together your bar tools, a cocktail shaker set is handy for recipes like this one.
17. A Long Winter’s Nap via Feasting at Home
Because that’s exactly what we’re going to need after trying some of these recipes! This one features ginger, cardamom, maple syrup, and star anise as the garnish. What a beautiful presentation that is great for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
How To Prep Thanksgiving Cocktails Ahead Of Time
Thanksgiving already has enough moving parts without shaking drinks while the rolls are burning! A little prep makes it easier to pour something fun and enjoy your guests.
- Keep the menu simple. Choose one signature cocktail and one alcohol-free option so you aren’t juggling five recipes. A pitcher drink is especially handy when you’re serving a group.
- Prep your ingredients. Make any syrups according to the recipe, let them cool, and refrigerate. Measure other ingredients ahead of time, keeping them separate unless the recipe says they can be combined. This is my very favorite Old Fashioned mix!
- Get your drink station ready. Chill mixers and sparkling wine, set out glasses, and gather your garnishes and tools in one spot. Less digging through drawers when everyone arrives! Ask someone to bring a bag of ice. I always forget ice!
- Save bubbles and ice for serving. Add sparkling mixers just before pouring so they keep their fizz, and add ice when serving to avoid watering down the drinks.
Shop Thanksgiving Cocktail Essentials
A big ice cube, a pretty glass, and a few garnishes can make a simple drink feel ready for a holiday! I pulled together a collection of glassware, bar tools, pitchers, and mixers for your Thanksgiving drink station.
If you’d rather keep things simple, the ready-made mixers offer another option alongside the recipes above. Follow the directions on the bottle for proportions.
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Looking for non-alcoholic beverage ideas? Try these 10 alcohol-free cocktail drinks.
Courtney says
Hey Kath,
I have followed your blog FOR YEARS. I’ve watched you grow and change. Anyway, I want to tell you how I genuinely respect and appreciate you even more after reading this post. I’m coming up on a year sober on Saturday and I truly, truly appreciate you not just giving a nod but including people who are sober for one reason or another on this post. Not just as a second thought but truly included throughout.
Holidays can be hard for people who don’t drink. For me personally, it’s not because I miss the drinking part, it’s more in that everyone just wants to hand you a diet soda or club soda. Posts like these really show how to be inclusive to everyone. Just because people don’t drink alcohol, doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy fun drinks. I am a huge fan of NA craft beers especially Athletic and Wellbeing. I also enjoy alcohol free liquors and Nosecco.
Many, many people are going sober for one reason or another than ever before and the options out there are just amazing.
Thanks again.
Courtney
Kath Younger says
Im so glad. Thanks for taking the time to say so!