As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us are feeling the stress of the holiday season, making a festive cocktail seem like a perfect way to unwind. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or enjoying a quiet evening alone, Thanksgiving cocktails can add an extra touch of celebration to the occasion. These drinks, featuring seasonal flavors such as warming spices, crisp apples, and cozy citrus, help create a warm and inviting atmosphere as friends and family come together.

While wine is typically the beverage of choice with traditional Thanksgiving meals, there are delightful cocktails that can complement each part of the feast. The right cocktail not only makes the holiday feel more special but also balances the flavors of the dishes served.

Here are some excellent cocktail recipes to try this Thanksgiving:

Maple Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Four Roses Small Batch
• ½ oz Maple Syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 2 dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
• Garnish: Orange Peel

Directions:Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about thirty seconds until chilled. Strain over ice and garnish with an orange peel.

Midnight Orchard

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Fear City Spirits Gin
• 1 oz Apple Brandy
• 1 oz Blackberry Syrup (or muddled fresh blackberries)
• ½ oz Lemon Juice
• Garnish: Blackberries and sage

Directions:Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with blackberries skewered on a sprig of sage.

Count Your Blessings

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

Directions:Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake thoroughly, and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with apple slices and freshly grated cinnamon.

Thanksgiving Rum Punch

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

Directions:In a small saucepan, combine honey, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and ½ cup cider over medium heat. Cook until honey dissolves and is fragrant (about 7 minutes), then cool and steep for 15 minutes before discarding spices. Mix the spiced cider with remaining ingredients in a punch bowl and serve over ice.

Maestro Dobel Pumpkin Spice Reposado

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Maestro Dobel Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz Orange Juice
• ¾ oz Lime Juice
• ¾ oz Pumpkin Spice
• Garnish: Cinnamon Salt Rim

Directions:Rim a cocktail coupe glass with cinnamon salt. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into the chilled glass.

Calvados Sidecar

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Boulard Calvados VSOP
• 0.75 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
• 0.75 oz Lemon Juice

Directions:In a shaker, combine the liqueur, lemon juice, and Calvados with ice. Shake and strain into a glass, garnished with orange zest.

Galliano Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Galliano Espresso
• 1 oz Espresso

Directions:Blend all ingredients together and enjoy.

Apple Cider Bourbon Sour

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon
• ¾ oz Apple Cider
• ½ oz Lemon Juice
• ½ oz Maple Syrup

Directions:Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.

These cocktails offer a festive way to toast the holiday as you gather around with family and friends. Enjoy the flavors of the season and make some cherished memories this Thanksgiving!