Thanksgiving Cocktails: Four Festive Libations For Your Feast

We’ve covered pretty much everything you need for a fabulous Thanksgiving menu — from brining the turkey, to making the side dishes and more. But what about the cocktails? As you prepare your Thanksgiving feast, add some festive cocktails to the mix — we think cocktails are pretty much essential when slaving over the hot stove and oven all day and sometimes, necessary to also deal with the various family personalities we host on the big day.

So, to get the hottest, must-have Thanksgiving cocktails, we turned to two party planning experts–Jennifer Sbranti from HostesswiththeMostess.com and Jes Gordon, author of Party Like a Rock Star–to share their favorite recipes for drinks with Thanksgiving flair.

Jennifer Sbranti’s picks:

Vanilla Pumpkin Pie Martini
.5 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur
2 oz Vanilla vodka
.5 oz Pumpkin liqueur (or pumpkin spice syrup)
1 tsp Whipped cream
Garnish: cinnamon stick

Pour the Sylk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Add the pumpkin liqueur or syrup. Shake again. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with a teaspoon of whipped cream. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Gobbletini
1.5 oz Cranberry flavored vodka
.5 oz Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
1.5 oz Cranberry juice
1 tsp Lemon juice
Garnish: 3 cranberries

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with 3 cranberries on a stick.

Note: For a festive, non-alcoholic version, serve the cranberry garnished glass with sparkling cranberry-apple cider instead.

Jes Gordon’s faves:

Easy as Apple Pie Martini
1 ½ parts Vanilla Liqueur
1 part good vodka (we like Ciroc or Belvedere)
2 parts apple cider
Cinnamon Sugar for rimming

Pour the ingredients (except for cinnamon sugar) into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass that has been rimmed with cinnamon sugar.

Good for Ya Cocktail
Pomegranates are full of healthy antioxidants… so one could argue that this cocktail is actually good for you – a health drink almost, right?!

2 parts good vanilla vodka
1 ½ part Pomegranate juice like POM
1 part Rose’s Lime Juice
Dash of cranberry juice
Lime wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.