Somehow, Thanksgiving is just a blink away -- your menu is planned and your courses are timed, but have you thought about your festive beverages yet?
I'm here to help! To assist with your beverage planning, I've rounded up all the most delicious cocktail recipes that will go fabulously! with your Thanksgiving dinner. They range from easy, two-ingredient gems to more complex, multi-step affairs. Whichever direction you go, all of these drinks are sure to make your guests oooh and ahhhh. If non-alcoholic options are more your style, there are plenty of quality NA spirits on the market these days. Find a local shop for to try before you buy, or purchase online and have them shipped directly to you. Wishing you a joyful and delicious holiday!
1½ oz. amaretto
¾ oz. cask-proof bourbon
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
½ oz. egg white, lightly beaten
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake without ice. Add ice and shake again until well chilled. Strain over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass.
Garnish with lemon peel and brandied cherries. Sip & enjoy!
(A mocktail!)
2 oz. brewed chai tea
1 oz. apple cider (non-alcoholic)
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 oz. dark maple syrup (see note below
1 egg white (optional)
Garnish: star anise
Brew chai tea for 6 minutes, and cool completely. (You can pop it in the fridge and/or add an ice cube while you prep your other ingredients.) Add tea, apple cider, lemon juice, maple syrup, and egg white (if using) to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously without ice, about 10 seconds. Add 3-4 ice cubes to the shaker and shake again until shaker feels cold in your hands, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with star anise.
(Note: if omitting egg white, reduce maple syrup to 1/4 oz.). Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. dark rum (I like Appleton Estate Signature)
1 oz. nonalcoholic apple cider
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 medium egg white
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously without ice. Add ice to the shaker and shake again until shaker feels cold in your hands. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. blended Scotch
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 oz. cherry heering
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupe. Sip & enjoy!
1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel. Sip & enjoy!
1 shot espresso
Grappa, sambuca, or brandy - to taste
(I use an ounce of grappa and it's delicious!)
Gently stir ingredients together. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. cognac
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz. simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Sip & enjoy!
3/4 oz. London Dry Gin
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
3/4 oz. orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Absinthe, to rinse glass
Pour a small splash of absinthe into a coupe glass and swirl to coat; discard of any extra. Chill coupe while you prepare the rest of the drink.
Add gin, Lillet, liqueur, and juice to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into the prepared glass. Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. Campari
1 oz. Dolin Blanc vermouth
1/2 oz. gin
1/4 oz. Cynar
1/4 oz. Fernet-Branca
2 dashes orange bitters
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and gently stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express three orange peels over the top of the glass, and discard two and garnish with one. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. espresso (chilled! or you can use espresso cold brew concentrate)
1/2 oz. coffee liqueur
1/4 to 1/2 oz. simple syrup (depending on your preferred sweetness level)
Garnish: coffee beans
Add all ingredients (except coffee beans) into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with coffee beans. Sip & enjoy!
1/2 oz. aged rum
1/2 oz. black strap rum
1/2 oz. Calvados
1/2 oz. Benedictine
1 barspoon maple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
Absinthe, to rinse
Add a splash of absinthe into a chilled coupe glass and swirl it around the glass until the inside is coated. Dispose of any extra. Set aside while you mix the rest of the cocktail. Add remaining ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir gently until well chilled. Strain into prepared glass. Sip & enjoy!
4 oz. local cider
2 oz. bourbon
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup (optional, if you prefer a sweeter drink)
1 dash Angostura bitters
Pour hot water in a mug and microwave for 20-30 seconds to warm the glass. Let sit for a minute. Pour out the water and add all ingredients and gently stir until well combined. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Sip & enjoy!
First, make your butter base. This recipe will yield about two cocktails' worth of the base, but if you're making this for a crowd or want to save it to make more cocktails later, you can multiply this easily by four.
1/4 stick of unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of salt
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir in sugar and spices until fully combined. Remove from heat and set aside. You can make this ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge, or you can use it immediately in its current liquid state in your cocktail.
Next, let's make the cocktail:
(Makes 1 drink)
2 oz. Jamaican or dark rum
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons butter base
Apple cider, heated (optional)
Add the butter base to a preheated mug. Add rum and stir to combine. Top with boiling water, or hot apple cider for an extra yummy variation! Stir gently until well combined. Garnish with a cinnamon stick (you can also use it to stir your cocktail as you drink it!). Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. Campari
3/4 oz. rich syrup (2:1, sugar to water)
1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. lime juice
1 egg white
Garnish: grapefruit peel
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker (without ice) and shake for 15-20 seconds. Add ice to the shaker and shake again. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a grapefruit peel. Sip & enjoy!
1 oz. mezcal
1 oz. Bonal
1 oz. Cynar
1 dash mole bitters
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir gently until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!
1 oz. gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Stir all ingredients with ice until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with an orange twist. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. whiskey
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
In a mixing glass, stir together all ingredients with ice until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Sip & enjoy!
1 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. Braulio amaro
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 dash lemon bitters
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist. Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. applejack (I like Laird’s Bonded)
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. grenadine
1 egg white
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again, until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. rye whiskey
1 1/2 oz. Cognac
1/4 oz. simple syrup
5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Absinthe, to rinse
Prepare an Old Fashioned glass by splashing a bit of absinthe into it and swirling it around until the inside is coated. Discard any additional, and set aside in fridge to chill while you make the cocktail.
Add whiskey, cognac, syrup, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into prepared glass over fresh ice. Sip & enjoy!
1 1/2 oz. Cognac
1 oz. Cointreau
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Sip & enjoy!
Optional: the Sidecar is traditionally served with a sugar rim. This is a nice addition if the cocktail is a bit dry on your palate -- the little boost of sugar can add a tiny bit of sweetness and balance with each sip. If you want to add a sugar rim, take a lemon wedge and run it around the outside rim of the glass (before filling it with your cocktail!). Roll the rim in a small plate of sugar. It also looks really pretty!
2 oz. blended Scotch
1/2 oz. nocino
1/4 oz. Benedictine
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir gently until well chilled. Garnish with cherries. Sip & enjoy!
3/4 oz. rye whiskey
3/4 oz. Cognac
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
1/4 oz. Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. rye whiskey
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Absinthe rinse
Garnish: lemon twist
Pour a small amount of absinthe into a chilled coupe glass and swirl it around so it coats the inside of the glass. Discard any leftover. Set aside while you make the rest of the cocktail.
Add rye, vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir gently until well-chilled. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. rye whiskey
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons grenadine
Garnish: cocktail cherries
Add rye, juices, and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with cherries. Sip & enjoy!
2 oz. bourbon*
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
1 egg white (optional, but delicious!)
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake without ice. Then, add ice and shake again vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!
*You can use your whiskey of choice, but I like a nice bonded (100 proof) bourbon to give the drink a solid foundation and stand up to the citrus and sweetener.
2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. orange liqueur (I use Cointreau)
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 oz. simple syrup, depending on your palate and orange liqueur used
1 egg white
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!