15 Best Thanksgiving Cocktails Recipes

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering, gratitude, and of course—great food and drinks. While the turkey, stuffing, and pies often take center stage, the right cocktail can elevate your holiday celebration to a whole new level.

From cozy warm drinks that capture the essence of fall to festive and refreshing sips that balance the richness of the meal, Thanksgiving cocktails bring flavor, warmth, and creativity to your holiday table.

In this guide, we’ve curated 15 of the best Thanksgiving cocktails recipes that blend seasonal ingredients like cranberry, apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, and bourbon.

Whether you’re hosting a large family dinner, an intimate Friendsgiving, or just looking to impress your guests, these cocktails are easy to make, flavorful, and guaranteed to spark conversation.

1. Cranberry Bourbon Smash

A tart and refreshing bourbon-based cocktail that perfectly balances sweetness and citrus.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• ½ oz simple syrup
• ½ oz fresh lemon juice
• Fresh cranberries & rosemary (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Fill a shaker with ice.
2. Add bourbon, cranberry juice, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
3. Shake well and strain into a glass filled with ice.
4. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary.

2. Apple Cider Margarita

A fall twist on a classic margarita with apple cider sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz tequila
• 1 oz triple sec
• 2 oz apple cider
• ½ oz lime juice
• Cinnamon sugar (for rim)

Instructions:

1. Rim your glass with lime juice and dip into cinnamon sugar.
2. In a shaker, mix tequila, triple sec, apple cider, and lime juice with ice.
3. Shake and pour into the prepared glass.
4. Garnish with an apple slice.

3. Pumpkin Spice White Russian

A creamy, spiced cocktail that feels like dessert in a glass.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz coffee liqueur
• 2 oz pumpkin spice creamer (or heavy cream with pumpkin spice)

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add vodka and coffee liqueur.
3. Top with pumpkin spice creamer and stir gently.

4. Maple Old Fashioned

A rich, warming cocktail with a seasonal maple twist.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon
• ½ oz pure maple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Orange peel (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Stir bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters with ice until chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
3. Garnish with orange peel.

5. Thanksgiving Sangria

A fruity, spiced drink perfect for serving a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 cup apple cider
• ½ cup brandy
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• Sliced apples, oranges, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

1. In a large pitcher, combine wine, cider, brandy, orange juice, and honey.
2. Stir in fruits and cinnamon sticks.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

6. Spiced Pear Martini

Elegant, fruity, and lightly spiced—ideal for Thanksgiving toasts.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz pear vodka
• 1 oz pear nectar
• ½ oz lemon juice
• ½ oz simple syrup
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
3. Garnish with a pear slice.

7. Hot Buttered Rum

A cozy warm cocktail perfect for chilly Thanksgiving evenings.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dark rum
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• Pinch of cinnamon & nutmeg
• Hot water

Instructions:

1. In a mug, combine butter, brown sugar, and spices.
2. Pour in rum and top with hot water.
3. Stir well until butter melts.

8. Pomegranate Gin Fizz

Light, bubbly, and refreshing with a holiday flair.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin
• 2 oz pomegranate juice
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• Club soda

Instructions:

1. Shake gin, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and syrup with ice.
2. Strain into a tall glass and top with club soda.
3. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

9. Caramel Apple Mule

A fall-inspired mule with caramel sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka (or caramel vodka)
• 3 oz apple cider
• Ginger beer
• Caramel drizzle (optional)

Instructions:

1. Fill a copper mug with ice.
2. Add vodka and apple cider, then top with ginger beer.
3. Drizzle caramel on top and garnish with apple slices.

10. Chai Whiskey Sour

A warming, spiced version of the whiskey sour.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon or whiskey
• 1 oz chai tea (strongly brewed, cooled)
• 1 oz lemon juice
• ½ oz honey syrup

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass with ice.
3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

11. Cranberry Mule

A festive holiday mule with a tart cranberry twist.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• ½ oz lime juice
• Ginger beer

Instructions:

1. Add vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice to a mule mug with ice.
2. Top with ginger beer and stir.
3. Garnish with fresh cranberries.

12. Spiced Mulled Wine

A classic warm holiday drink infused with spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle red wine
• ½ cup brandy
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 1 orange (sliced)

Instructions:

1. In a pot, combine wine, brandy, honey, spices, and orange slices.
2. Warm gently on low heat (do not boil) for 20–30 minutes.
3. Strain and serve warm.

13. Rosemary Gin & Tonic

A crisp and herbal Thanksgiving cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz tonic water
• ½ oz lime juice
• Fresh rosemary sprig

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice and add gin and lime juice.
2. Top with tonic water and stir lightly.
3. Garnish with rosemary.

14. Pumpkin Pie Martini

A creamy dessert-style drink inspired by pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vanilla vodka
• 1 oz pumpkin liqueur (or pumpkin spice creamer)
• 1 oz Irish cream
• Whipped cream & nutmeg (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Shake vodka, pumpkin liqueur, and Irish cream with ice.
2. Strain into a martini glass.
3. Top with whipped cream and nutmeg.

15. Bourbon Apple Cider Punch

A large-batch cocktail that’s both sweet and boozy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bourbon
• 4 cups apple cider
• 1 cup ginger ale
• ½ cup lemon juice
• Apple slices & cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

1. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine bourbon, apple cider, and lemon juice.
2. Stir in ginger ale.
3. Add apple slices and cinnamon sticks before serving.

Conclusion

These 15 Thanksgiving cocktails recipes combine the best of seasonal flavors—from cozy spices and warm buttered rum to fruity sangrias and refreshing fizzes.

Whether you prefer strong bourbon-based drinks, festive punches, or dessert-style martinis, there’s a recipe here for every taste and occasion.

Key Takeaway: Pairing your Thanksgiving feast with one or two signature cocktails can make the holiday even more memorable.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, mix up flavors, and let your cocktails reflect the warmth and joy of the season.