Top 10 Thanksgiving cocktail recipes

by Jen

The main rule of thumb for selecting Thanksgiving cocktails should be: does it make you want to curl up by a fire and sip? Then it’s a potential Thanksgiving cocktail.

If you want to get even more of a Thanksgiving or autumn feel, think about fall harvest and all the traditional foods of Thanksgiving. Look to flavors like apple, pumpkin, cranberry, ginger and other spices. Consider warm drinks with or without coffee, and drinks featuring heavy cream or eggs.

There are a number of very traditional cocktail recipes that work, but I’ve also collected some more inventive ones you might enjoy.

Classic Cocktails for Thanksgiving

First of all, there are some classic cocktails already featured here at Mix that Drink that will get your Thanksgiving off to a wonderful start, or finish:

1. You can’t get much more autumnal than a Brandy Alexander. Brandy, creme de cacao, half-n-half and nutmeg.
2. The B-52 is a delicious layered cordial made from Grand Marnier, Bailey’s and Kahlua. Or you can substitute amaretto for the Grand Marnier. Either way, it tastes something like caramel candy and looks very festive.
3. The Stinger pairs brandy with creme de menthe for a unique flavor that goes equally well with deeply chocolate desserts or a cigar.

Original Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes

There are variations of several of these all over the internet, but these specific recipes are ours.

4. Pumpkin pie Martini

• 2 ounces vanilla vodka
• 2 ounces creme de cacao
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1.5 tablespoons of pumpkin puree (pie mix)
• 1 dash of ground nutmeg (for garnish)
• Powdered graham cracker (for the rim)

Rim two martini glasses with crushed graham cracker. Fill a shaker with ice and add the vodka, creme de cacao, cream and pumpkin puree. Shake well until it’s chilled. Strain into the martini glasses. Sprinkle the ground nutmeg on top for garnish.

5. Caramel Candy

• 1/2 ounce cognac
• 3/4 ounce vanilla liqueur
• 3/4 ounce caramel vodka
• 1/2 ounce half-n-half
• Sugar (for the rim of the glass)

Rim a cocktail glass with sugar. Shake the ingredients together with ice. Strain them into the glass.

6. Pumkpin Pie Shot

• 1/2 ounce Irish Cream
• 1/2 ounce amaretto
• 1/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps

Layer the ingredients in the order listed here.

7. The Chocolate Raspberry

• 1.5 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1 ounce chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce Chambord
• 1 ounce half-n-half

Shake the ingredients together for twenty seconds, then strain into a chilled glass.

8. Butterscotch Coffee

• 1 ounce butterscotch schnapps
  
• 1 ounce Irish cream
• Hot Coffee
• Whipped cream
• Nutmeg

Pour the liqueurs into a coffee cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with hot coffee. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg

9. Caramel Apple Martini

There are a number of different “Caramel Apple Martini” recipes out there – this is ours.

• 1.5 ounces DeKuyper Sour Apple Schnapps
• 1/2 ounce butterscotch schnapps
• 1/2 ounce cinnamon schnapps
• 1.5 ounces half-n-half or heavy cream
• Cinnamon sugar (for rimming)

Rim a martini glass with cinnamon sugar. Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

10. Ginger Spice

• 1 ounce spiced rum
• 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur
• 1 ounce apple juice
• Cinnamon stick

Shake ingredients together and strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, optionally.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Subscribe to Mix That Drink!
Email Post | Print This
Posted in Amaretto, Brandy, Coffee Liqueur, Cranberry, Creme de Menthe, Featured, Grand Marnier, Irish Cream, Schnapps, Vodka on November 24, 2009