Updated October 2026
The best Thanksgiving cocktails lean on fall flavors and easy prep: an Old Fashioned or Manhattan before dinner, a bourbon and apple cider punch made by the pitcher, a cranberry mule, and an Espresso Martini or Alexander with dessert. Batch your main drink ahead of time so you can host instead of shaking cocktails all day, and keep a non-alcoholic option on the table for every guest.
Thanksgiving is a long day of cooking, eating and visiting, so the best drinks are simple, seasonal and easy to scale. This guide covers classic cocktails using International Bartenders Association (IBA) specifications, apple, cider and cranberry drinks, a big-batch punch with the alcohol math worked out, after-dinner drinks and non-alcoholic choices. Recipes marked “house build” are our own versions, not official specs.
Classic cocktails that suit the meal
Brown spirits fit the season. Under 27 CFR § 5.143, bourbon must be made from a mash of at least 51% corn and aged in charred new oak containers, which gives it the caramel and vanilla notes that pair so well with fall food. For bottle ideas, see the best bourbon for Thanksgiving.
Old Fashioned (IBA specification)
Soak 1 sugar cube with a few dashes of Angostura bitters in an old fashioned glass, add a few dashes of plain water and muddle until the sugar dissolves. Fill with ice, add 45 ml (about 1.5 oz) bourbon or rye whiskey and stir gently. Garnish with an orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry.
Manhattan (IBA specification)
Stir 50 ml (about 1.7 oz) rye whiskey, 20 ml sweet red vermouth and 1 dash Angostura bitters with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry. Many drinkers swap in bourbon; see the best bourbon for a Manhattan and the best sweet vermouths for a Manhattan.
Whiskey Sour (IBA specification)
Shake 45 ml bourbon, 25 ml fresh lemon juice, 20 ml sugar syrup and, if you like, a few drops of egg white with ice. Strain into a cobbler glass, or over ice in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with half an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Apple and cider drinks
Bourbon cider highball (house build)
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add 1.5 oz bourbon and 4 oz cold apple cider, then top with 2 oz ginger beer. Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.
Hot spiced cider (house build)
Heat 5 oz apple cider with a cinnamon stick and two cloves until steaming but not boiling. Pour into a mug and stir in 1.5 oz bourbon or aged rum.
More ideas live in our guides to the best alcohol to mix with apple cider and the best bourbon for apple cider. Flavored apple whiskeys also work; see what to mix with Crown Apple and what to mix with Jim Beam Apple.
Cranberry drinks
Cranberry mule (house build on the IBA Moscow Mule)
The IBA Moscow Mule calls for 45 ml vodka, 120 ml ginger beer and 10 ml fresh lime juice, stirred gently and garnished with a lime wedge. For a Thanksgiving twist, add 1 oz cranberry juice and garnish with a few fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig.
Cranberry bourbon smash (house build)
Shake 1.5 oz bourbon, 1 oz cranberry juice, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice and 0.5 oz maple syrup with ice. Strain over fresh ice and top with a splash of soda water.
See alcoholic drinks with cranberry juice for more.
Big-batch pitcher drinks for a crowd
Bourbon apple cider punch (house build, 8 servings)
- 12 oz bourbon (80 proof)
- 32 oz apple cider
- 4 oz fresh lemon juice
- 16 oz ginger beer, added just before serving
Stir the bourbon, cider and lemon juice in a large pitcher and chill. Add the ginger beer and serve over ice in 8 oz cups, with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
How strong is it? The NIAAA defines a US standard drink as 14 grams of pure alcohol, the amount in 1.5 oz of 40% ABV spirits. The punch contains 12 oz of 80-proof bourbon, which is 4.8 oz of pure alcohol, or 8 standard drinks. The full batch is 64 oz before ice, so each 8 oz cup holds about 1 standard drink. If you use a 90-proof bourbon, the batch rises to 9 standard drinks, about 1.1 per cup.
Batched Old Fashioned (house build, 8 servings)
Stir 12 oz bourbon, 1 oz rich simple syrup and 16 dashes aromatic bitters in a bottle or pitcher, then add 3 oz water to stand in for the dilution you would get from stirring. Chill for at least two hours, then pour 2 oz over a large ice cube for each guest and garnish with an orange peel. Each pour holds 1.5 oz of bourbon, or 1 standard drink at 80 proof.
After-dinner drinks
Espresso Martini (IBA specification)
Shake 50 ml vodka, 30 ml Kahlúa, 10 ml sugar syrup and 1 shot of fresh espresso hard with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Out of coffee liqueur? See our Kahlúa substitute guide.
Alexander (IBA specification)
Shake 30 ml cognac, 30 ml brown crème de cacao and 30 ml fresh cream with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Brandy fans can also sip a neat pour; see the best way to drink brandy.
Non-alcoholic options
Offer at least one drink everyone can enjoy, including drivers, kids and anyone who is not drinking.
- Cider spritz: 4 oz apple cider, 2 oz ginger beer and a squeeze of lemon over ice.
- Cranberry fizz: 2 oz cranberry juice, 0.5 oz lime juice and soda water, garnished with rosemary.
Our best virgin drinks guide has more.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Thanksgiving cocktail for a crowd?
A batched punch, such as bourbon and apple cider, is easiest. Mix the base ahead, add bubbles at the last minute and serve over ice.
How far ahead can I batch cocktails?
Spirit-only batches such as an Old Fashioned can be mixed a day or more ahead and kept cold. Add citrus the same day and carbonated mixers just before serving.
How strong is a Thanksgiving punch?
Divide the total alcohol by the number of servings. In our recipe, 12 oz of 80-proof bourbon spread across eight 8 oz cups works out to about 1 standard drink per cup.
What wine should I serve with dinner?
Light, fresh styles such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Riesling. See the best wine for Thanksgiving.
How do I host responsibly?
Measure your pours, serve food with drinks, offer non-alcoholic options and make sure every guest who drinks has a safe ride home. Never drive after drinking.
Need to shop before the holiday? Check whether liquor stores are open on Thanksgiving, or explore the Bourbon Guide.
Sources
- International Bartenders Association, Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Moscow Mule, Espresso Martini and Alexander specifications (iba-world.com)
- 27 CFR § 5.143, whisky class and type standards, including bourbon (eCFR / Cornell LII)
- NIAAA, What Is a Standard Drink?