15 Thanksgiving Cocktails That Take Inspo from the Sides

• By WineBottleMag
• October 23, 2025
• Cocktails Inspo Sides Thanksgiving
• With 0 comments

The turkey’s in the oven. The cranberry sauce is simmering. The table is set. As guests start to arrive, how about handing them a Thanksgiving-themed cocktail to set the mood? 

For what’s sure to be a long, joyous celebration, we like to have a few different drinks on hand to make it through the night. Wines, of course, are a classic pairing with meals (and these bottles go wonderfully with Thanksgiving menus of all stripes), but there’s nothing quite like a cocktail to get the festivities off to a festive start.

To honor the holiday, we’re going deep on flavors and ingredients that represent the bounty of autumn—the ones that are front and center on the T-Day table. Think: apples, cranberries, pumpkins, baking spices, citrus, and more seasonal ingredients that peak in fall. From a couple of boozy PSL variations and big-batch sangria to cozy NA concoctions, mix up these seasonally-appropriate cocktails for your Thanksgiving celebration this year.

Candied Sweet Potato Sidecar

Even if you’re not a fan of your mom’s candied sweet potato casserole, you’ll probably want a second helping of this candied sweet potato sidecar. Barrel-aged sweet potato liqueur, with all its brown sugar-spiced goodness, supports modest amounts of Cognac-infused orange liqueur and lemon juice.

The Allen Parsnips Project

The humble root vegetable takes center stage in the Allen Parsnips Project. Once juiced, parsnip’s mildly sweet, slightly earthy flavor profile “screams autumn,” according to The Punch Room’s Bob Peters.

Sparkling Cranberry Sangria

While we love cranberries as a side dish, these tart fruits are also perfect for a Thanksgiving-themed cocktail. This sparkling cranberry sangria, made with Lambrusco and rosemary, has sweet and savory notes. Plus, it’s easy to batch for a crowd.

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Poinsettia Holiday Cocktail

While these deep red flowers are often associated with Christmas, this poinsettia-themed cocktail brims with the Thanksgiving-friendly flavors of cranberry and orange. Topped off with Prosecco, it’ll help coax out fizzy feelings in whoever drinks one.

Waiting for Chinola

This one’s for the beer lovers. Made with lager beer and passionfruit syrup, Waiting for Chinola is garnished with fresh pomegranate—a fruit that is in season throughout the winter holiday season.

Stone Fence Riff #1

In the Colonial era, alcohol was an everyday drink—considered safer than water—so hard ciders were everywhere. The highball Stone Fence Riff #1 is made with the ingredient, plus aged rum and allspice syrup for a spicy kick.

Whiskey-Spiked Mulled Cider (NA Friendly)

A warm cider simmering away is the ultimate cozy-making drink. This whiskey-spiked mulled cider—steeped with ginger and orange—can be made non-alcoholic, too.

A Slice of Pie

We love a good apple-flavored cocktail and this one channels the dessert course. A Slice of Pie is mixed with crème de cacao, the herbaceous Spanish spirit Licor 43, and apple brandy.

Autumn Mule

Mules, or drinks made with ginger beer, citrus, and a spirit, are simple to mix, which makes them easy cocktails to serve at a party. But for a holiday where you want to impress, it’s nice to add a bit extra to this refreshing drink. This Autumn Mule recipe uses cardamom pods, mint, and allspice dram for a festive flavor profile.

Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

A trendy drink meets a trendy flavor in the Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini. This recipe is made with vanilla vodka and coconut milk for a frothy, caffeinated experience.

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Pumpkin Spice Latte (NA Friendly)

Need another riff on the perennially popular Pumpkin Spice Latte? You can easily make this one at home. Leave it non-alcoholic or dose it with Cognac for a spirit-warming element.

Pumpkin Painkiller

Many cocktails can be modified with Thanksgiving-themed ingredients and this Pumpkin Painkiller, made with pumpkin-infused coconut cream, is one of the best variations we’ve tried.

Classic Hot Toddy

Perhaps you’re a purist and like classic drinks. You can’t go wrong with a classic hot toddy. With just a few ingredients, it may also help calm your stomach after dinner.

Mulled Wine

Is there a more Thanksgiving-adjacent drink than mulled wine? Doctor this with cranberries, cinnamon, star anise, and more for a warming libation.

Apple Cider Spritz

Almost every aspect of this apple cider spritz is customizable. You can swap in all sorts of spirits and tweak the flavors of the syrup using whatever’s in your spice rack. The only ingredient you absolutely need is cider, which gives the drink its autumnal warmth.

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More Holiday Entertaining Coverage

• Making mulled wine? Then buy one of these expert-approved bottles of vino for your recipe.
• How Wine Enthusiast’s staffers celebrate the holidays.
• Read our wine guide to Thanksgiving sides.
• Five tips for making holiday meals more wine friendly.
• The eight best digestifs to sip after a big meal, according to pros.
• Avoid Thanksgiving nightmares with these tips.

The post 15 Thanksgiving Cocktails That Take Inspo from the Sides appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

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