Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Thanksgiving 21 Thanksgiving Cocktails to Drink With Your Holiday Feast Because Thanksgiving is more than just turkey. By Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 24, 2024 When you think of Thanksgiving food, classics like turkey, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes likely come to mind. And with everything that’s going on in the kitchen, it can be easy to forget about all of the delicious Thanksgiving cocktails you can enjoy before, during, and after the holiday meal. However, we’re here to change that with this roundup of Turkey Day cocktails to drink with your celebratory spread. Think libations such as Spiced Apple Kombucha and Bourbon-Campari Punch, which is so festive you’d be remiss not to include it as part of your Thanksgiving menu. Cheers! Fuzullhanum/Getty Images 34 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes So You Can Enjoy the Holiday 01 of 21 Bourbon-Campari Punch If you’re hosting a large Thanksgiving gathering, you can’t go wrong with this boozy punch. Made with bourbon, Campari, and a trio of fruit juices—pomegranate, orange, and lime—this drink practically screams Thanksgiving thanks to a retro ice ring studded with pomegranate arils. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 21 'Una Buena Noche' Cocktail Jen Causey This beautiful quencher is a riff on the buzzy drink at Ernesto's in New York City. Tequila, lime juice, apricot liqueur, honey syrup, and ginger syrup are shaken together with ice to create the smooth base of this bubbly libation. Lambrusco tops the cocktail which produces the gorgeous two-toned effect. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 21 White Grapefruit-Ginger Spritz Punch Christopher Testani Who says spritzes are only a summer drink? This fizzy prosecco-based drink, which can be served as a punch to accommodate a crowd, utilizes classic fall flavors such as ginger and sprigs of thyme, which make a great garnish here and for your turkey. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 21 Boozy Apple Cider Slushie J MUCKLE; STYLING: REBEKAH PEPPLER If you’re an apple cider fan, this boozy apple cider slushie is a must-try. Here, apple cider is joined by bourbon, brown sugar-cinnamon simple syrup, lemon juice, and hard cider to craft a partially frozen cocktail that is refreshing and delicious. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 21 Pomegranate Royale Champagne Cocktail Fuzullhanum/Getty Images This libation, which can also be made into a batch cocktail, includes pomegranate juice, vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a splash of Champagne. Add Chambord or St. Germain—an elderflower liqueur—depending on your personal preference. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 21 Minty Moscow Mule Punch J Muckle; Styling: Rebekah Peppler If your Turkey Day crew loves a Moscow mule, give this punch a whirl. It takes a classic Moscow mule recipe and adds some mint flavor, courtesy of a ginger-mint simple syrup and some fresh mint as a garnish. For a spicier mule, pick a bold, flavorful ginger beer. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 21 Holiday Punch Jennifer Causey This Caribbean-inspired punch recipe packs just the right amount of sweetness, and is the perfect way to kick off your Thanksgiving meal. In this recipe, sweet pineapple juice and zesty lime juice are joined by three types of alcohol. You’ve got dark rum, which plays off the simple syrup, Campari, which adds a bitter touch for balance, and prosecco, which supplies a fun fizz. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 21 Pumpkin Martini Joseph De Leo Bookend your Thanksgiving feast with pumpkin by starting with this pumpkin libation and ending with pumpkin pie. This drink is made with vodka, canned pumpkin, and half-and-half, as well as a handful of pantry staples such as pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. It’s basically a boozy slice of pumpkin pie. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 21 Apple Cinnamon-Spiced Cocktail a_namenko If you’ve always got an Aperol spritz in hand during the summer months, you might want to consider this cocktail, which also calls for the popular Italian apéritif. In this autumnal drink, Aperol mingles with vodka, apple cider, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. To really deliver on those fall vibes, garnish each drink with cinnamon sticks and star anise, and create a festive turbinado sugar rim. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 21 Kombucha Blood Orange Mule Stephen DeVries What do you get when you add kombucha to a classic Moscow mule recipe? The resulting drink is fizzy, flavorful, and something you can enjoy all season long. If you can’t find blood oranges, which are typically in season from December to April, go ahead and substitute freshly-squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice instead. GET THE RECIPE 34 Easy Fall Cocktails That Celebrate the Season 11 of 21 Spicy Mulled Wine Greg DuPree If there’s one alcoholic beverage that signals the start of the cozy holiday season, it’s mulled wine. While you can make mulled wine with, well, wine and an array of your favorite spices, it’s important to achieve a good balance of flavors. This recipe calls for a hearty dose of black peppercorns and spicy fresh ginger, which prevents the final result from being too sweet. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 21 Spiced Apple Kombucha Stephen DeVries This fall cocktail calls for just four ingredients, plus some optional garnishes that you likely already have at home. The star here is spiced rum, which is joined by apple cider, fresh lemon juice, and apple kombucha. If you’d like to try your hand at making your own spiced rum instead of buying it, all you have to do is combine a bottle of rum with whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and star anise. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 21 Holiday Negroni Brie Passano Traditionally, a Negroni is made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, but this festive take kicks things up a notch. While the gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari remain, they’re joined by pungent spices such as star anise, cinnamon, pink peppercorns, and cloves. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 21 Campari and Cranberry Jello Shots Brie Passano If you’re opting for a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving celebration, consider making these bright and festive Jello shots for your crew. And if there are any skeptics in the bunch, you can assure them that these aren’t the Jello shots you whipped up in college. Instead, this recipe features Campari mixed with cranberry juice and a bit of sugar to balance out the bitterness. Garnish each shot glass with some orange zest and drink up! GET THE RECIPE 15 of 21 Molasses-Spiced Spiked Cider Caitlin Bensel Though this spiked cider might seem basic, it’s the perfect accompaniment to your Turkey Day dinner. The molasses adds some dark undertones to the cider, while freshly peeled ginger brings the warmth and a touch of heat. Rum is a perfect match for those aforementioned ingredients, but bourbon also works. If you want a zero-proof batch, simply omit the alcohol. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 21 Frozen Spiced Apple Snowball Taylor Ivison A grown up slushie made with fresh snow? Yes, please! This libation is a fun take on the Japanese "Kakigori" cocktail, which uses shaved ice as a base. Here, apple brandy, Bénédictine D.O.M., and angostura bitters mingle with lemon juice, a homemade cinnamon clove syrup, and that freshly fallen snow for a drink your holiday guests won’t soon forget. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 21 Coffee Old Fashioned Getty Images Finish your feast with this twist on a classic old fashioned, which is made with bourbon, dark rum, Turkish coffee, and, of course, a sugar cube. Garnish with a classic orange twist and enjoy! GET THE RECIPE 18 of 21 Spiced Hot Toddy Greg DuPree A classic hot toddy consists of whiskey, sugar, and hot water, and while that’s a suitable drink in its own right, why not kick things up a notch in celebration of Thanksgiving? This spiced version of a hot toddy includes the standard trio of ingredients plus cardamom pods, star anise, fresh lemon juice, and honey. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 21 Cider Bellini Getty Images If you need a drink before the festivities begin, this one might just do the trick. Instead of the peach purée you’ll find in a standard bellini, this seasonal offering calls for apple cider. Need to prepare drinks for a crowd? Go ahead and adjust the recipe so you can make a batch of bellinis instead. GET THE RECIPE 17 Recipes For Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu 20 of 21 Cranberry-Lemon Spritz Greg DuPree When you’re grocery shopping for Thanksgiving, don’t just stock up on canned cranberries. Swing by the beverage aisle and pick up some cranberry juice so you can make this seasonal spritz, which also features fresh lemon juice, vodka, club soda, and a dash of sugar to balance out the tart cranberries. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 21 Coffee Spritz Greg DuPree Thanksgiving is a time to sip some cocktails that are a little different than the usual. So forgo the espresso martini when you need that post-Thanksgiving meal reviving refreshment. Give this coffee spritz a try instead. It mixes cold brew with bourbon, coffee liqueur, orange juice, and club soda—and it's even lighter than an espresso martini, which you won't have room for after all that Thanksgiving food anyway. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit