Food Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving From an Apple Cider Margarita to Fall-Friendly Sangria, These 21 Cocktails Are Perfect for Thanksgiving From cranberries to apples, fall ingredients can take on new life at your Thanksgiving table with the addition of a little gin, vodka, or brandy. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 1, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell Predictably so, the centerpiece, sides, and pies get the lion's share of attention on Thanksgiving day. But we'd like to make a case for the unsung hero of the season: Thanksgiving cocktails. Making use of soul-soothing, seasonal ingredients like apples, cranberries, pomegranates, and pears, these are the beverages that power us through challenging conversations and unexpected kitchen hiccups alike. Maybe you're looking to make hosting a smidge easier by batching some eye-catching Orange Wine Sangria or by preparing a round of Apple Cider Margaritas. Need fuel for clearing off all of those plates and platters? You'll want to make an Alpine Brew. Not drinking? No worries — we've got you covered with Thanksgiving-friendly nonalcoholic drinks, too. Read on for our favorite cocktails to make this Thanksgiving. 01 of 21 Apple Cider Margarita Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele We’re not saying this cocktail is going to overshadow the food, but you won’t know for sure until you make a batch. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Giving Basil Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Herbaceous and pleasantly sweet, this is a cocktail for just about every kind of drinker. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Amaretto Sour Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon The Amaretto Sour was a popular cocktail in the 1980s when both amaretto liqueur and sour cocktails (like the Whiskey Sour or New York Sour) were all the rage. This drink is nutty, tart, and sweet with a delicious frothy texture thanks to an egg white. Channel the '80s, but make it better and make this drink from scratch in lieu of overly saccharine sour mix. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Orange Wine Sangria Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Chances are, you're used to using red, white, or rosé wine to make sangria. While there's nothing wrong with embracing the classic recipe, we're finding ourselves reaching for Evie Negri-Albert's orange wine-based take. "The acidity and funk you get from most skin-contact wines balance beautifully with some sweetness and fruit," she explains. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Pu-erh Tea Digestif Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Sweet, smoky earthiness in the tea complements the barrel-aged cognac, making for a surprisingly smooth drink. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Nonalcoholic Negroni Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This classic Negroni can still pack tons of flavor without the booze. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This low-alcohol punch leans on tart cranberry juice and spicy ginger ale for a big punch of flavor, allowing the booze to take a back seat. Frozen cranberries stand in for a traditional punch ring, keeping this fizzy drink nice and cold. Have an extra bottle of cold sparkling wine on hand for guests to top off their cups. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Marasca Fizz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell This simple Champagne cocktail is ideal for holiday entertaining. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Hot Toddy Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Is it really wintertime without a good hot toddy? We think not. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Pom Pom Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell No, you don't have to get your hands dirty with fresh fruit if you don't want to. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Coco Café Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Made with cold brew from French Truck coffee, this is a creamy, sweet, soothing drink that feels right at home in a glass tea cup. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Apple Cider Aperol Spritz Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell Once you try apple cider and Aperol together, you'll wonder why the combination isn't more common. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour Victor Protasio The spicy-sweet fig-ginger syrup rounds out the smoky mezcal and bright lemon juice in this cocktail. This drink is barely sweet, allowing the autumnal mezcal to shine. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Hot Buttered Spiked Cider Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This spiked cider recipe is warming, sweet, and has just the right amount of spiced gold rum. Pumpkin pie spice offers an easy way to add autumnal flavor, while butter adds richness and makes the drink velvety. The cider is perfect for fall and winter, especially if you're entertaining outdoors and dealing with chilly weather. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Boulevardier Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Meet the whiskey lover's Negroni. Made with three simple ingredients — bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth — this straightforward cocktail comes together in seconds. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Tamarind Whiskey Sour Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell Upgrade your favorite whiskey drink with just one tablespoon of tamarind paste. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Gin Campari Old Fashioned Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Dave Kwiatkowski of Detroit's Sugar House created this variation on the Old Fashioned by swapping gin for whiskey (and adding a splash of Campari for bitterness and a pleasantly rosy color). Just as you wouldn't need a cocktail shaker to make the classic, this entire cocktail comes together in the same rocks glass Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Alpine Brew Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Merlyn Miller The Alpine Brew is a delicious, highly caffeinated cocktail that’s sure to keep the party going. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Mott & Mulberry © Nicole Franzen Bar director Leo Robitschek uses fresh apple cider and maple syrup in his perfect cold-weather cocktail. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Concord Grape Gin Fizz © Jonny Valiant This vibrant purple cocktail — made with Concord grapes, gin, port, and lemon — is frothy, fruity, and refreshing. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Gin Toasty Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis All it takes is a bit of hot water to give this warm alcoholic drink — a riff on a gin and tonic — a hot toddy–like edge: When heated, the botanicals in gin act like mulled spices. The result is an ingeniously simple warm cocktail, perfect for a snowy winter day. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit