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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pu-erh Tea Digestif
Sweet, smoky earthiness in the tea complements the barrel-aged cognac, making for a surprisingly smooth drink.
Nonalcoholic Negroni
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This classic Negroni can still pack tons of flavor without the booze.
Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices
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.
Marasca Fizz
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell
This simple Champagne cocktail is ideal for holiday entertaining.
Hot Toddy
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Is it really wintertime without a good hot toddy? We think not.
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.
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.
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.
Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour
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.
Hot Buttered Spiked Cider
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.
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.
Tamarind Whiskey Sour
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell
Upgrade your favorite whiskey drink with just one tablespoon of tamarind paste.
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
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.
Mott & Mulberry
© Nicole Franzen
Bar director Leo Robitschek uses fresh apple cider and maple syrup in his perfect cold-weather cocktail.
Concord Grape Gin Fizz
© Jonny Valiant
This vibrant purple cocktail — made with Concord grapes, gin, port, and lemon — is frothy, fruity, and refreshing.
Gin Toasty
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.
For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Food & Wine.
