28 Of The Best Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes To Serve This Year

04.11.2023 - 00:37 / forbes.com

A festive holiday like Thanksgiving calls for the kind of cocktail that induces nothing short of delight—and not just because it makes dealing with ornery family members much easier. After all, a traditional Turkey Day menu is filled with once-a-year dishes so why not pair them with a equally exceptional (and seasonal) drinks that work perfectly with the feast?

Take for example the spiced pecan old fashioned that Boss Molly cofounder Victoria Horn is making this year. The drink, which uses orange and Angostura bitters alongside an easy-to-make spiced pecan syrup, makes for an amazing pre-dinner drink and “tastes like Thanksgiving in a glass.” And if you’re hosting a number of guests, you certainly can’t go wrong with a batched cocktail that you can make ahead of time without Herculean effort—like a pomegranate-forward sangria or a gin-based holiday punch rich with cranberry juice and Prosecco. Not really into pumpkin pie? Then the espresso caramel brownie, made with caramel sauce and chocolate coffee liqueur, is your best bet for dessert.

Just know this: Whatever your Thanksgiving situation may be—whether it’s a large gathering with friends and family or an intimate dinner for two or even a solo affair—there’s a killer cocktail for you. Here, 28 cocktail pros share what they’re making this year—all of which are as tasty as they are easy.

“Our Green Tea Gimlet features Guilder’s Gin Green Tea, which captures high-quality, tournament-grade tea at its flavor peak. The key ingredient really reimagines this simple, classic cocktail. The notes of lemongrass in the gin plays well with the refreshing lime undertone in the gimlet.” —Songrae Choi, lead bartender Seoul Salon (New York, NY)

Ingredients

60 ml. Guilder’s Green Tea Gin

25 ml. fresh lime juice

30 ml. simple syrup

Rosemary sprig, garnish

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice until chilled. Strain into a gimlet glass. Optional: garnish with a rosemary sprig.

“The fat wash and the mushrooms strike a fall note for me and they’re robust enough flavors to stand up to all of the rich Thanksgiving foods. It’s a bit more savory with wonderful umami, so it’s a great complement to the traditional holiday menu. I used Cut Above whiskey because it holds its own in this cocktail and doesn’t disappear.” —Kristine Nguyen, bartender at Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge (Houston, TX)

Ingredients

2 oz. fat-washed mushroom* Cut Above whiskey

8 tbsp. butter

2 oz. fresh porcini mushroom

2 oz. fresh shiitake (if using dehydrated mushrooms, follow instructions on package for rehydrating)

0.25 oz. 2:1 simple syrup (Or any other syrup you’d like. Maple would also be nice, just adjust to taste)

2 dashes non-alcoholic aromatic bitters (such as Bab Louie & Co.)