Thanksgiving is all about family and friends coming together to celebrate the year’s harvest and reflect on what we’re grateful for.
Whether you’re hosting the whole family or simply attending, there will most likely be plenty of alcohol flowing in addition to your grandma’s famous pumpkin pie recipe.
Use this list of traditional Thanksgiving drinks to spice up the festivities and help you get through the day!
However, For some, the holidays are about spending time with loved ones and reminiscing about days gone by.
For others, it’s about giving thanks for all the good things you’ve had so far – including delicious food!
If that describes you, include these traditional Thanksgiving drinks in your celebration this year so your guests can give thanks while they drink!
1. Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule
You can’t say Thanksgiving without thinking about pumpkin pie. To make this traditional Thanksgiving drink even better, we’ve created a seasonal twist: the pumpkin pie Moscow mule.
The simple recipe includes three ingredients – vodka, ginger beer, and pumpkin puree.
In a glass filled with ice, combine two ounces of vodka, one ounce of pumpkin puree, and four ounces of ginger beer. Garnish with a slice of fresh or canned (unsweetened) ice cream.
2. Apple Cider Mimosas
The apple cider mimosa is a variation of the classic champagne mimosa. It adds a sweet, spiced flavor to the bubbly drink.
The ingredients are simple: sparkling wine, apple cider, and orange juice. Mix them and serve over ice in a tall glass.
Garnish with fresh cranberries or grated cinnamon sticks as you enjoy traditional Thanksgiving drinks.
3. Pecan Pie Martini
Vodka, Kahlua coffee liqueur. Cream or milk, Tbsp of maple syrup or sugar, to taste, Tbsp of butter, tsp of vanilla extract, tsp ground nutmeg, whole pecans, chopped finely in a food processor or blender.
Combine the vodka and Kahlua in a shaker with ice cubes and shake until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, top off with cream, stir in the maple syrup or sugar to taste, and garnish with pecans sprinkled on top.
4. Apple Cider Prosecco Spritz
Apple cider and pumpkin spice make the perfect autumnal traditional Thanksgiving drinks! A Prosecco Spritz is a great way to kick off Thanksgiving, mixing apple cider, pumpkin spice, and prosecco.
Apple cider is even more festive when garnished with a cinnamon stick stirrer. In addition to being a drink, you can use it as a base in other recipes, like soups or stews.
5. Spiced Cranberry Hot Toddy
Combine cranberries and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes until the berries have broken down and the liquid is slightly thickened. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool.
In the meantime, combine sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in a saucepan with 1 cup of water and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes without stirring or removing from heat; remove from stove top when the syrup has reduced by about half (to about 1/4 cup). Let cool to room temperature.
6. Apple Cider Old-Fashioned
Nothing is more traditional than apple cider, and this drink will be perfect to get you in the mood for Thanksgiving.
Here’s how to make an apple cider old-fashioned: Fill a rock glass with ice. Pour 3 ounces of bourbon whiskey on top of the ice. Add 1 ounce of simple syrup or sugar. Stir well until sugar is dissolved.
Add a splash of water to thin out the drink if desired (optional). Fill the rest of the rocks glass up to the brim with apple cider, which should be chilled beforehand.
Mix it all by stirring, and then enjoy old-fashioned apple cider as one of the traditional Thanksgiving drinks!
7. Pumpkin Spice White Russian Cocktail
You’ll need 1.5 oz of pumpkin puree and 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice. Add 2 oz of milk, 3 oz of white chocolate liqueur, and 3 oz of vanilla vodka.
Nevertheless, Stir all ingredients together until smooth and frothy. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with cinnamon whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Serve chilled as traditional Thanksgiving drinks or on the rocks.
8. 3-Ingredient Pomegranate Ginger Smash
Combine the pomegranate juice, ginger syrup, and club soda in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a glass over ice.
Top with a splash of seltzer water, if desired. Add Gin-Gin Mule and gin or vodka. Remove from heat; add liqueur (optional).
9. Pomegranate French 75
Add pomegranate, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass. Top off the drink with champagne or sparkling wine.
10. Pear Aperol Spritz Cocktail Recipe
It’s the season of festivity, and what better way to get in the spirit than to choose from one of the traditional Thanksgiving drinks?
However, with a Pear Aperol Spritz Cocktail Recipe, you are covered. This easy-to-make cocktail tastes like a fall in a glass!
You’ll need pear nectar, Aperol, lemon juice, and club soda over ice for this recipe.
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled halfway with ice and shake for about 15 seconds or until chilled.
Pour into a coupe glass and top with club soda to create foam! If desired, garnish with a fresh slice of pear.
11. Cranberry Apple Sangria
- Bottle of red wine
- Cup of sugar
- Lime
- Cups cranberry juice
- Apples (sliced)
- Orange (sliced)
- Tsp ground cinnamon
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Freshly grated ginger root, to taste.
Mix the ingredients in a large pitcher and let it sit overnight. Serve chilled and enjoy traditional Thanksgiving drinks.
12. Mulled Wine
A gallon of mulling spice cider, whole cloves, sticks of cinnamon, and cups of raisins. Fill your pot about halfway with water, add in all ingredients, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the liquid reaches desired flavor. Add milk or cream if you want it sweeter. Serve mulled wine hot or chilled!
13. Hard Apple Cider
Consider hard apple cider if you’re looking for traditional Thanksgiving drinks to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s easy to make and can be served cold or warm. To make hard apple cider, you’ll need apples and water.
You can also add spices like cinnamon or cloves to suit your taste. Moreover, you’ll need a large pot to hold the number of apples you want to use, plus some water (enough water to cover the top).
Place the pot on the stove on high heat and let it come up to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed into the apples, about 15-20 minutes.
14. Pumpkin Spice Latte
When it comes to traditional Thanksgiving drinks, there are few better choices than the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
The drink is synonymous with the holiday season, and it tastes even better when you are bundled up from head to toe in your favorite winter coat.
As we celebrate this time of year, let’s examine some facts about this delicious drink we all love so much.
Starbucks first introduced it in 2003 as a seasonal item. Last year, Starbucks released its PSL on Instagram Stories, which was one of the most popular posts they had ever created.
15. Cranberry Cocktail
Cranberries are a great fruit to serve as one of the traditional Thanksgiving drinks at traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Cranberries have a tart flavor and can be easily made into sauces, compotes, and cocktails. One of the most famous cranberry cocktails is the Cosmopolitan.
To make this cocktail, you will need ounces of vodka, an ounce of triple sec, an ounce of cranberry juice, an ounce of lime juice, and an orange peel.
Combine all ingredients but the orange peel in a shaker filled with ice cubes.
Shake well until it’s nice and cold, then strain into your glass. Garnish with the orange peel, and then enjoy this refreshing cocktail on a chilly fall day.
16. Plain Tea
Steep black tea in hot water. Add sugar and ice cubes. Enjoy!
17. Spicy Tea
Add cinnamon sticks and cloves to your boiling water before steeping your tea bag.
Then, add sugar and ice cubes after straining the leaves out of the pot to cool them down.
A spicier option that pairs well with sweet flavors like honey or lemonade.
18. Kir Cocktail
The Kir cocktail is a French apéritif made of white wine, crème de cassis, and dry white wine. It’s typically served in a champagne flute or coupe glass.
The drink can also be served on the rocks or shaken with ice. ounce crème de cassis .1 ounce dry white wine (e.g., Sauternes).
Combine the ingredients in a shaker over ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled glass and enjoy!
19. Apple Butter Old Fashioned
The apple butter old-fashioned is a delicious and easy-to-make drink. It combines two traditional Thanksgiving drinks: apple cider and bourbon.
All you need are some basic ingredients, which can be found at your local grocery store.
This recipe is perfect for those who want to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving.
But they don’t have time or access to many specialty ingredients or spirits.
- Cup apple butter
- Tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 cup bourbon (or more, if desired)
- Dashes Angostura bitters Cinnamon stick for garnish (optional)
20. Spiced Wine
Spiced wine is the perfect drink for a cold fall day. It’s easy to make and tastes just like apple pie.
To make this drink, you need:
- A gallon of red wine
- Sugar, cinnamon sticks
- Cloves and nutmeg.
Pour the wine into a pot and add sugar and spices. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
Then, turn off the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving it in mugs or cups with whipped cream.
21. Mulled Cider
Mulled Cider is a hot apple cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The spices give it a warm, wintery feel.
For those who are gluten-free or vegan and want traditional Thanksgiving drinks, coconut milk can be used instead of cow’s milk.
Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat on the stove over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve in mugs or cups if desired.
22. Traditional Pumpkin Spice Latte
This is an easy recipe for a pumpkin spice latte that you can make at home!
23. Hot Toddy
This drink is a great way to warm up and get your stomach ready for some food. The drink consists of hot water, lemon juice, honey, and bourbon.
The Toddy is a great drink for those who want something warm. It is a traditional Thanksgiving drink, but it doesn’t like coffee or tea.
Plus, it’s easy to make! You only need boiling water, lemon juice, honey, and bourbon.
Mix the first three ingredients in a mug with a little bit of boiling water, then add the rest of your ingredients.
Once mixed, you can drink it as it is or let it cool down with ice cubes before drinking if you’re not daring!
24. Wassel
This is a traditional drink in New England and Pennsylvania, often served as part of traditional Thanksgiving drinks.
It’s made with hard cider, ginger beer, iced tea, and cranberry juice. To make a Wassel in your kitchen, pour two cups of hard cider into a large glass.
Add one tablespoon of freshly grated ginger (or one teaspoon of ground ginger) and stir until well combined. Add ice cubes or some cold water to fill the glass three-quarters full.
Finally, fill the rest with cold ginger beer or any cola. Top it off with iced tea (use either black or green), sweetened with honey if desired, and topped off with a splash of cranberry juice for color.
25. Eggnog
Eggnog is a traditional Thanksgiving drink served at many celebrations. It is a rich and creamy drink made with either milk or cream, sugar, eggs, and nutmeg.
The recipe for eggnog varies from person to person, but the key ingredients are always eggs, milk, cream, and sugar.
The most important thing to remember when making eggnog is not to use alcohol, as it will curdle the milk or cream.
If you’re looking for more adult traditional Thanksgiving drinks with ties to tradition, try spiked cinnamon whipped eggnog.
For those watching their waistline on Thanksgiving day this year, a lighter version of eggnog can be made with skim milk instead of regular milk and light cream in place of heavy cream.
26. Sangria
Sangria may be most closely associated with summer, but it’s also a perfect fall and winter drink among traditional Thanksgiving drinks.
Whether you’re hosting a party or want something to sip while you cook, these traditional Thanksgiving drinks will warm up your chilly day.
27. Cranberry Sangria
Mix four cups of cranberry juice, one cup of orange juice, one cup of pineapple juice, one-half cup each of brandy and red wine (preferably a cabernet sauvignon), four tablespoons superfine sugar, and one tablespoon each of orange zest and lemon zest.
Add ice cubes and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving in tall glasses garnished with fresh cranberries or orange slices.
Conclusion
You may be thinking, There are a few traditional Thanksgiving drinks on this list! And you’re right.
But there are so many different combinations that you can make with these beverages that you’ll never get bored of the same old thing again.
Above is a brief overview of how each drink tastes and what you might want to serve it with. Now go forth and celebrate!
And if you like any of these traditional Thanksgiving drinks or just want to explore new flavors, take a look at the page for some new ideas. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
