Spirits 17 Fall Cocktails for Thanksgiving Imbibing 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 Updated on January 13, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Predictably so, the turkey, potatoes, 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 boozy beverages that power us through challenging conversations and unexpected kitchen hiccups alike. We've asked our editors to weigh in on some of their favorite autumnal cocktails — think punches with layers of apple flavor, a smoky mezcal-fig sour, and a hard cider sangria. Need something warming to combat the chilly weather? We've got coffee drinks and hot mulled cider for that, too. Here are even more Thanksgiving cocktails and drinks to enjoy this holiday season. 01 of 17 Hard Cider Sangria Christina Holmes Instead of wine, this juicy sangria is made with hard cider spiked with lemon juice and apple brandy. Get the Recipe 02 of 17 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 03 of 17 Apple Old-Fashioned Eva Kolenko With a deep warmth from applejack, this variation on an Old-Fashioned lets floral honey and fresh apple flavors shine without getting overpowered. For a hot drink, combine ingredients in a heatproof glass with two ounces boiling water. Get the Recipe 04 of 17 Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies © Rob Howard A hot toddy is basically a shot or two of any potent spirit added to a cup of hot water. Bartender Suzanne Bozarth puts a French spin on this warming drink with a slug of apple brandy, such as Calvados. Get the Recipe 05 of 17 Dominicana © Tina Rupp The late, great mixologist Sasha Petraske taught Richard Boccato this White Russian variation when Boccato worked for him at Milk & Honey. Boccato makes it with Caffé Lolita coffee liqueur. Get the Recipe 06 of 17 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 07 of 17 Cava and Pomegranate Cocktail © Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle Removing seeds from a pomegranate can seem tricky. "Don't worry, it is easy!" chef José Andrés says. His method: Cut the pomegranate in half across the middle, not through the stem; then wrap each half in cheesecloth and, holding it over a large bowl, hit it hard with a spoon or rolling pin. "Just hit it! Really hit it!" Andrés urges. Then open up the bundle and pick out the seeds, which should practically pop out. Get the Recipe 08 of 17 Gaelic Punch © Tina Rupp For hot punches, young Irish whiskeys work best. Heat intensifies the tannic edge of older whiskeys; young ones stay smooth. Get the Recipe 09 of 17 Bacchanalian © Lucas Allen Spirited Award-winning bartender Chris Hannah loves serving this drink in the fall and winter — especially during Mardi Gras and the carnival season in New Orleans, from January to March. Get the Recipe 10 of 17 Rum and Orange Cocktail Justin Walker Amaro Montenegro, an Italian digestif, brings strong flavors of orange to this pleasantly bitter cocktail. The drink starts out warm, with light, molasses-y sweetness coming through the first sip but packs a pleasantly bitter bite. It's a touch smoky and delightfully strong. Finish it with a dash of grapefruit bitters and garnish with a grapefruit peel twist. Get the Recipe 11 of 17 Far from the Tree Christopher Testani Brooklyn bartender Ivy Mix, the award-winning co-owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, shares this cardamom-scented holiday punch. Layers of apple flavor (from cold-pressed juice, apple brandy, hard cider, and fresh apple slices) give the not-too-boozy punch an autumnal feel. Get the Recipe 12 of 17 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 13 of 17 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 17 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 17 Mott & Mulberry © Nicole Franzen Bar director Leo Robitschek uses fresh apple cider and maple syrup in his perfect cold-weather cocktail. Get the Recipe 16 of 17 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. Using tonic syrup instead of tonic water is crucial to the drink; hot water does the same trick that effervescent bubbles do to ferry the aromatics in the gin and syrup right up to your nose. The result is an ingeniously simple warm cocktail, perfect for a snowy winter day. Get the Recipe 17 of 17 Oaxacan Coffee Victor Protasio With a float of whipped cream and just enough sweetness to temper the bitter coffee and herbal notes in the mezcal, this spiked coffee cocktail is well-balanced and fortifying. To make piloncillo syrup, simmer an eight-ounce cone of piloncillo in one cup of water in a small saucepan until dissolved, about 10 minutes. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? 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