This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.

These festive Thanksgiving cocktails and drinks feature seasonal flavors like apple cider, pomegranate, cranberry, bourbon, and warming spices. They’re easy drink recipes perfect for your holiday celebration!

Thanksgiving sangria in glass
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Thanksgiving is full of traditions, and at my house I’m all about the signature drink. As cocktail experts, my husband Alex and I love to create a fun drink each year to add a sparkle to the meal.

I’ve spent years perfecting my approach to holiday drinks, moving away from overly sweet punch bowls toward balanced cocktails that complement the meal. The best Thanksgiving drinks are deliciously balanced with the flavors of fall, starring apple cider, pomegranate, cranberry, bourbon, infused with cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Here are the drinks that consistently get rave reviews from my friends and family!

Best Thanksgiving cocktails and drinks

Want to search by liquor? Try our Fall Bourbon Cocktails or Fall Vodka Cocktails.

Nonalcoholic Thanksgiving drinks

Not everyone drinks alcohol, and frankly, I’ve also been drinking a lot more nonalcoholic options lately! I always make sure to offer at least one or two mocktails alongside the cocktail menu. Here are my favorite nonalcoholic Thanksgiving drinks:

  • Mulled Cider remains my gold standard for fall entertaining. I make a big pot on the stove with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange slices, then keep it warm in a slow cooker.
  • Pomegranate Punch or Holiday Punch tastes just as good without alcohol. The combination of pomegranate, citrus, and maple syrup creates enough complexity that nobody misses the booze.
  • Homemade Hot Chocolate is a crowd-pleaser that works for all ages. I make mine with real chocolate and cocoa powder for a rich flavor.
  • Masala Chai hits all those warming, spicy notes that make Thanksgiving feel cozy.
  • Apple Cider Slushie is my secret weapon for keeping kids happy while the adults sip their cocktails.

Pairing drinks with Thanksgiving dinner

The right drink can make the entire meal. Here’s how I think about pairing:

Make-ahead cocktail strategies

Thanksgiving is chaotic enough without adding complicated cocktail recipes to the mix. Here’s what I prep ahead:

Spiced simple syrups can be made a few days in advance and stored in the fridge. I make my spiced syrup for the sangria or apple cider syrup for margaritas the day before.

Pre-batch stirred cocktails like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan in a pitcher. They just need ice and a garnish when it’s time to serve.

Prep garnishes the morning of: slice citrus, prepare apple garnishes in lemon water, and portion out pomegranate arils into small containers.

Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Print

Thanksgiving Sangria (& More Cocktails!)

Thanksgiving Sangria in glass with fruit and spice garnish

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This Thanksgiving sangria is a festive cocktail for serving to a crowd! Made with red wine and spiced simple syrup, it’s infused with cozy, fruity flavor. Making up a pitcher is our pick for a fun holiday drink!

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Chill Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Pitcher
  • Cuisine: Cocktails
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

For the spiced simple syrup (see Notes)

  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • ¼ cup water
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 orange, juiced (about ⅓ cup juice)

For the sangria

  • 1 green apple, sliced
  • 1 red apple, sliced
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 750 ml bottle fruity, full-bodied red wine (we prefer a Crianza from the Rioja region of Spain)
  • ⅓ cup triple sec or Cointreau
  • For garnish: pomegranate arils, more chopped fruit, whole spices

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise for 3 minutes until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low. Add the water, sugar and fresh orange juice, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Strain the sugar mixture into a large pitcher. Stir in the wine and triple sec, adding the whole spices from the sugar mixture. Add the chopped fruit and stir. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours before serving. Taste, and adjust sweetness by adding additional simple syrup if desired (here’s how to make simple syrup).
  3. To serve, pour the sangria into ice-filled glasses, garnished with more sliced fruit, lemon wedges, and if desired, pomegranate arils and whole spices. 

Notes

If you prefer a very sweet sangria, consider making a double batch of the spiced syrup. Add half to the pitcher to start, then taste and add more to taste.

You can make Thanksgiving sangria up to 4 hours in advance, but longer storage makes the fruit become soggy and discolored. You can make the spiced simple syrup up to 1 week in advance. If you want to make the pitcher in advance, you can mix up everything but the fruit and refrigerate, then add the fruit 1 to 4 hours before serving.

Did you love this recipe?

Get our free newsletter with all of our best recipes!

More Thanksgiving recipes

We’ve got a full suite of Thanksgiving resources to help you plan for this holiday! Whether it’s mains, sides, appetizers, or desserts: we’ve got you covered! Here are a few lists of recipes:

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi there! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of two cookbooks, busy parents, and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share simple, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking. We now offer thousands of original recipes, cooking tips, and meal planning ideas—all written and photographed by the two of us (and tested on our kids!).

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

3 Comments

  1. Sabrina says:

    a great checklist, which cocktails haven’t my guests had recently? Even after Thanksgiving it works well for the whole holiday season, so thank you

  2. Bisrat Abraha says:

    It was very helpful for me to prepare a cocktail list for my upcoming Thanksgiving Dinner at my restaurant. Since we are having apples, cranberry and pumpkins on the set menu, why not pair it up with some of the apple, cranberry and pumpkin drinks.

    Thanks a lot!

  3. Sonja Overhiser says:

    Let us know if you have any questions!