9 Thanksgiving Cocktails To Raise Your Spirits (Literally)
Whether you’re hosting a Friendsgiving or preparing to join your family for Thanksgiving, being in the spirit can add to the celebration. So, here are nine cocktails that you can make that will have you giving thanks!
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Templeton Midnight Rye Hot Toddy
Rating 0/10
Starting things off with a classic–the Hot Toddy! It’s warm, sweet and timeless. Think of it as the big brother of the PSL.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Templeton Midnight Rye Whiskey
¼ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves
Hot water
Instructions: Place cinnamon stick and cloves in a mug, add brown sugar, and pour in hot water, stirring until dissolved. Add lemon juice and whiskey.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Templeton Midnight Rye Whiskey
¼ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves
Hot water
Instructions: Place cinnamon stick and cloves in a mug, add brown sugar, and pour in hot water, stirring until dissolved. Add lemon juice and whiskey.
Count Your Blessings
Rating 0/10
This fruit-forward cocktail, featuring both bourbon and apple brandy, is boozy so be careful or you will also count your regrets in the morning.
Ingredients:
2 ½ oz Jeptha Creed Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon
1 oz Spiced Simple Syrup (Made with Cinnamon, Cardamom, & Clove)
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 ½ oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Apple Brandy
Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. Shake thoroughly. Strain into highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with apple slices and freshly grated cinnamon.
Ingredients:
2 ½ oz Jeptha Creed Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon
1 oz Spiced Simple Syrup (Made with Cinnamon, Cardamom, & Clove)
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 ½ oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Apple Brandy
Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. Shake thoroughly. Strain into highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with apple slices and freshly grated cinnamon.
Thanksgiving Rum Punch
Rating 0/10
Don’t want to be behind the bar all night long? Then try this large format cocktail that may remind you of a Dark and Stormy.
Ingredients (serves 4):
¾ cup Kōloa Kauaʻi Spice Rum
2 tbsp honey
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cups apple cider
1 cup cranberry pomegranate juice
1 can ginger ale
Instructions: Combine honey, cloves, cinnamon sticks and ½ cup of cider in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, stirring often, until honey is dissolved and mixture is fragrant with spices, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool and steep for 15 minutes. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Combine spiced cider mixture, cranberry pomegranate juice, spice rum, ginger ale and remaining apple cider in a large punch bowl. Garnish sliced apples, oranges, pomegranate seeds and a rosemary sprig and serve over ice.
Ingredients (serves 4):
¾ cup Kōloa Kauaʻi Spice Rum
2 tbsp honey
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cups apple cider
1 cup cranberry pomegranate juice
1 can ginger ale
Instructions: Combine honey, cloves, cinnamon sticks and ½ cup of cider in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, stirring often, until honey is dissolved and mixture is fragrant with spices, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool and steep for 15 minutes. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Combine spiced cider mixture, cranberry pomegranate juice, spice rum, ginger ale and remaining apple cider in a large punch bowl. Garnish sliced apples, oranges, pomegranate seeds and a rosemary sprig and serve over ice.
Raspberry Highball
Rating 0/10
Raise a glass for the gin drinkers! This highball will give you both martini vibes as well as some syrupy sweet notes.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ oz Silent Pool Gin
½ oz Dry Vermouth
¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg white
1 Tbsp Seedless Raspberry Jam
3 oz Ginger Ale
Instructions: Pour all ingredients except for ginger ale into a mixing tin over ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain out ice, seal tin and shake for 30 additional seconds. Pour ginger ale into tin to incorporate and gently pour mixture into a chilled Collins glass. Garnish with dusting of raspberry powder.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ oz Silent Pool Gin
½ oz Dry Vermouth
¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg white
1 Tbsp Seedless Raspberry Jam
3 oz Ginger Ale
Instructions: Pour all ingredients except for ginger ale into a mixing tin over ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain out ice, seal tin and shake for 30 additional seconds. Pour ginger ale into tin to incorporate and gently pour mixture into a chilled Collins glass. Garnish with dusting of raspberry powder.
Autumn Aurora
Rating 0/10
This recipe is a warm apple-flavored cocktail made for four or more people and would make a great compliment to any dessert.
Ingredients:
8 – 10 parts Reyka Vodka
4 Cups Apple Cider
1 can Apple Pie Filling
5 Cinnamon Sticks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange zest (optional)
Clove or star anise (optional)
Red wine to top
Instructions: Heat all ingredients except for vodka and wine in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and stir until ingredients are combined. Add 1 part Reyka Vodka to 4 parts batch cocktail mixture. Serve warm and top with 1 part red wine. Garnish with apple pie filling, sliced apple, or sliced apple wedges.
Ingredients:
8 – 10 parts Reyka Vodka
4 Cups Apple Cider
1 can Apple Pie Filling
5 Cinnamon Sticks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange zest (optional)
Clove or star anise (optional)
Red wine to top
Instructions: Heat all ingredients except for vodka and wine in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and stir until ingredients are combined. Add 1 part Reyka Vodka to 4 parts batch cocktail mixture. Serve warm and top with 1 part red wine. Garnish with apple pie filling, sliced apple, or sliced apple wedges.
Dark Chocolate Orange Martini
Rating 0/10
For those looking for a sweet alternative to the espresso martini, check out this chocolate-orange twist on the classic, courtesy of Gluten Free and More Magazine.
Ingredients:
2 oz Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz orange liqueur
1 oz vodka
orange twist, for garnish
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Ingredients:
2 oz Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz orange liqueur
1 oz vodka
orange twist, for garnish
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
St-Germain Ginger Spice Spritz
Rating 0/10
For something that’s both light and bright, try this bubbly spritz with elderflower liqueur.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz St-Germain
2 oz Ginger Ale
2 oz Sparkling Wine
4-6 Mint Leaves
Grated cinnamon
Instructions: Build over ice. Garnish with mint and cinnamon.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz St-Germain
2 oz Ginger Ale
2 oz Sparkling Wine
4-6 Mint Leaves
Grated cinnamon
Instructions: Build over ice. Garnish with mint and cinnamon.
Harvard Cocktail
Rating 0/10
Some might call this brandy-inspired riff on a Manhattan pretty smart-but it’s also a classic in its own right.
Ingredients:
2 oz Argonaut Fat Thumb Brandy
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Argonaut Brandied Cherry
Splash of Club Soda
Instructions: Add ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir together to combine / chill. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with expressed orange peel and a brandied cherry.
Ingredients:
2 oz Argonaut Fat Thumb Brandy
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Argonaut Brandied Cherry
Splash of Club Soda
Instructions: Add ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir together to combine / chill. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with expressed orange peel and a brandied cherry.
Fall For Agave
Rating 0/10
What is Thanksgiving without a little pumpkin? This tequila cocktail brings the flavor in a tiki-eqsue concoction.
Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila Corralejo Reposado
¾ oz Reàl Pumpkin Puree
3 oz Pineapple Juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Instructions: Shake over ice. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.
Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila Corralejo Reposado
¾ oz Reàl Pumpkin Puree
3 oz Pineapple Juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Instructions: Shake over ice. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.
