Warming Thanksgiving Cocktails

By Food & Wine
Updated November 09, 2018
From apple-brandy hot toddies to mulled red wine, here are great warming cocktails for Thanksgiving.
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Tom & Jerry

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“It may seem like a bit of a nuisance to make such a labor-intensive drink,” says John Gertsen of this classic 19th-century eggnog. “But at the end of a long shift there’s nothing better than a nice, hot Tom & Jerry.”

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Gaelic Punch

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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For hot punches, young Irish whiskeys work best. Heat intensifies the tannic edge of older whiskeys; young ones stay smooth.

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Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies

Credit: © Rob Howard
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A hot toddy is basically a shot or two of any potent spirit added to a cup of hot water. At Paley’s Place in Portland, Oregon, bartender Suzanne Bozarth puts a French spin on this warming drink with a slug of apple brandy, such as Calvados.

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The Witches’ Coffee

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To underscore the rich flavor of dark Sumatra coffee, Bryan Dayton mixes it with aged rum, spicy, saffron-based Strega and molasses-y raw sugar. He even spices up the whipped cream, with bittersweet Italian Averna.

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Tante's Medicine

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
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At the time she was preparing her bar menu, mixologist Molly Finnegan felt under the weather and uninspired. After a 2 a.m. brainstorming session, this sensational hot toddy improved both her cold and her drink list.

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Snowstorm Café

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Bartender Denis Côté created this drink as a warmer-upper for guests who’ve just returned from skiing or snowboarding on Aspen Mountain, which is right outside the lounge.

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Mulled Red Wine with Muscovado Sugar

Credit: Terry Monk
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Faced with two half-empty bottles of Zinfandel, F&W Test Kitchen supervisor Marcia Kiesel came up with this warm mulled wine, spiced with fennel seeds and cinnamon.

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Hot Mulled Cider

Credit: © Keller & Keller
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Hot Spiced Wine

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Red wine and kirsch (a brandy made from cherries) are the base for this delicious seasonal drink, which is laced with citrus and warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper.

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