These are the only Thanksgiving drinks you'll need for your Turkey Day! Festive Thanksgiving cocktails are a must-make and we've rounded up our favorites from Apple Cider Sangria to a creamy Pumpkin White Russian. We've even included a few warm and cozy non-alcoholic drinks.
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Our Favorite Thanksgiving Drinks
The holiday season (and your Thanksgiving menu) wouldn't be complete without a cocktail in hand. So we've got you covered with the best Thanksgiving cocktails on the internet! Deciding what festive drink to sip on before the meal starts is one of my favorite recipes to come up with. Our family is big on Thanksgiving appetizers, and we always have a cocktail to sip on.
These delicious Thanksgiving drinks feature classic booze, but with a fall twist. Make a big batch of each for your family or friends! They're all recipes that make enough for the family, but can be easily doubled for a large crowd.
Thanksgiving Cocktail Flavors
Fall flavors evoke all the cozy fall feelings you want and crave on the most delicious day of the year. Some of our favorite fall cocktail flavors include: apple, pumpkin, ginger, maple, cinnamon, citrus, cranberry, pomegranate, chai and more.
Stock Your Bar
We're sharing a variety of drinks to sip on, so we wanted to share our quick list of alcohol to stock up on so you have everything you need to make the perfect cocktail.
- Wine: red wine or white wine are the base of a lot of sangria recipes, which happen to be our favorite Thanksgiving cocktails.
- Whiskey (especially Bourbon): bourbon is a type of American whiskey aged in oak barrels with notes of vanilla and caramel, which makes it perfect for the fall.
- Vodka: this versatile spirit pairs well with so many flavors because of its neutral flavor. We really like Titos, especially in mules and punch.
- Baileys: a splash to your morning coffee is always a good idea.
- Champagne: we especially love champagne in mimosas or fizzy drinks for Thanksgiving morning.
- Flavored liqueurs: these are great additions to cocktails, like sangria. Orange liqueur is a personal favorite.
Stock Your Fridge
Now that you've got your liquor and spirits covered, let's talk about juices, garnishes and flavors!
- Maple syrup: this is a great, fall-flavored sweetener to use in cocktails in place of honey, agave or simple syrup.
- Orange and apple slices
- Cinnamon sticks: adding these as a garnish is so fun, or use them in a spiced simple syrup.
- Ginger beer: A lot of cocktail recipes call for a splash of fizz right before serving and ginger beer is always our preference, especially in the fall.
- Pumpkin pie spice: this is great for spicing up drinks, dusting on top of drinks or rimming a glass.
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice goes well with so many drinks to balance out sweetness.
- Fruit juices: including apple, pomegranate, cranberry and orange jucie
Our Favorite Cocktail Products
Stock your bar with the best glasses, decanters, pitchers and details to impress your guests. Here's a fun list to get you started so you can make your favorite Thanksgiving drinks at home. (This section contains affiliate links).
- Cocktail shaker: a simple cocktail shaker will come in handy if you're making small batch cocktails.
- Cocktail strainer: strain all the delicious cocktails into your cup with a cheap cocktail strainer!
- Mason jars: all cocktails looks more delicious with crushed ice in a mason jar, that's a fact.
- Wine glasses: we prefer a stemless wine glass, especially for sangria.
- Cocktail glasses: a cute and quality old fashioned glass, martini glass, fancy champagne flute really set the tone.
- Bar spoon and muddler: you don't need one of these, but muddlers come in handy when you need to muddle some herbs or give a drink a finishing stir.
- Pitcher: you're usually serving a crowd on Thanksgiving, so get a great pitcher to make all the punches and sangrias.
- Mugs: a festive mug is great for all the hot thanksgiving drinks on this list!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best Thanksgiving drinks are ones that make enough for a crowd, are mild in flavor to appeal to everyone, and are full of fall flavors. Most Thanksgiving drinks feature some sore of pumpkin, apple or cinnamon, like a fall sangria or pumpkin punch.
Wine and vodka tend to me the most popular alcohol to serve to a crowd, and for that reason, sangrias and punches are really popular for Turkey Day. Keep scrolling for several sangria recipes and the most delicious pumpkin punch!
You can sip on any fall-inspired cocktail before the Thanksgiving meal. Chilled drinks like a apple cider mimosa, bourbon smash or red wine sangria are all great options.
Cap off the best meal of the year with a creamy cocktail (like a white russian), a warm and cozy mug of spiked cider or a coffee-based drink like an espresso martini.
20+ Best Thanksgiving Drinks and Cocktails
We're organizing this list based on the type of featured alcohol in them. Whether you're looking for a wine-based drink or a vodka punch, this list covered any recipe you're in the mood for.
Skip down to each section based on the type of alcohol you're craving!
Wine and Champagne Cocktails
Apple cider sangria is one of those fall cocktails that's good for any harvest celebration. It's always a great way to serve a large crowd and features the most classic fall ingredients like cinnamon sticks, apple cider and sliced apples.
The most classic cocktail in our opinion! The fruit is steeped in red wine, fall spices and mixed with the fresh orange juice and cranberry juice. Definitely our signature cocktail for Thanksgiving.
I imagine sipping on these simple mimosas while you prep your Thanksgiving dinner. They're sweet, tart, bubbly and made with only 2 ingredients!
This spiced winter sangria features red wine mixed with fresh apples, oranges, and warm winter spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Sparkling Ginger Pear Cocktail
Sparkling Ginger Pear Cocktails only take 4-ingredients. And, they're mixed up in a pitcher so it's easy to serve a crowd!
Whiskey and Rum Cocktails
This pumpkin whiskey smash is made with homemade pumpkin simple syrup and seasoned with pumpkin pie spice.
This easy recipe for Mulled Apple Cider is a cozy warm beverage made in the slow cooker on the stove. It can be served non-alcoholic for guests of all ages or spiked with rum.
A frosty cup of apple and bourbon flavors filled to the brim with crushed ice. It has refreshing written all over it.
This bourbon pumpkin cocktail features warm spices and homemade pumpkin butter.
Made with just four main ingredients, this apple cocktail is easy to make and all kinds of yum!
This delicious Hot Toddy recipe is perfect for chilly weather. This post includes several variations on how to make a hot toddy – with tea, apple cider, brandy, bourbon, or rum.
Vodka and Tequila Cocktails
This fresh twist on the classic Moscow Mule cocktail adds just the right touch of fall flavor to your favorite holiday gathering. We love to top cranberry moscow mules with a lime wedge and orange slice. I love moscow mules, so this is one of my personal favorites!
This cocktail recipe is spicy and sweet, with hints of lemon, spiced pumpkin butter, vodka, cinnamon, and ginger. Say no more!
Homemade vanilla and honey simple syrup, mixed with the classic espresso martini ingredients of vodka, Kahlúa, and a shot of espresso. Such a great one after you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal!
Homemade spiced cranberry jam with warming mulling spices, sweet honey, fresh citrus, and plenty of vodka.
Smoky mezcal (or tequila) mixed with a splash of orange liquor, spiced apple cider, a touch of citrusy lime, and sweet maple.
Baily's and Creamy Drinks
Looking for a turkey day night cap? Make this cozy cozy cocktail and pair this with your favorite Thanksgiving dessert!
This hot pumpkin pie cocktail is a beautiful combination of pumpkin, Irish Cream, pumpkin pie spice, and milk. Serve it warm for the the most cozy pumpkin drink (would be great after your Thanksgiving meal!).
It's creamy and smooth with fragrant coffee and warming pumpkin spices. This cocktail is basically a warm hug in a glass.
Creamy Chilled Espresso Martini
This Chilled Espresso Martini Recipe is made with espresso, coffee liquor, vodka and bailey’s irish cream for one smooth sip! It’s the perfect after-dinner drink for the coffee lover!
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Here are five bonus recipes for the kiddos, mamas to be or those that don't enjoy or don't want to drink alcohol.
Make this rich and creamy dairy free hot chocolate in under 5 minutes. This vegan and refined sugar free drink will warm you up and impress everyone with a few simple ingredients.
Start your Thanksgiving Day with an iced pumpkin spice latte made with a homemade pumpkin spice syrup featuring real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Make the syrup once and make this all week long.
Both frozen and fresh apple cider are blended together, along with cinnamon, vanilla, and a splash of maple syrup, to make a delicious crowd-pleasing drink.
This may lean a little more towards Christmas, but I think Christmas starts the moment Thanksgiving dinner ends. Plus this dairy free eggnog recipe is just delicious!!
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