6 Thanksgiving Cocktails to Sip & Celebrate

As the season turns and gatherings start to fill the calendar, there’s something special about slowing down to craft a cocktail that feels as beautiful as it tastes. For us, creating is part of the joy, mixing flavors, styling garnishes, and designing drinks that capture the essence of the moment. Each cocktail in this Thanksgiving lineup was chosen with intention: balanced in flavor, stunning in presentation, and made to bring that little wow to your table.

Because when it comes to gathering, especially around the holidays, it’s the small, thoughtful touches that make the moment feel memorable. Whether you’re shaking up one of these cocktails for friends, family, or a quiet evening for two, our hope is that you find joy in both the process and the pause it creates. Here’s to slowing down, savoring beauty in the details, and toasting to connection, which to us, is at the heart of every great celebration.

Jump to a Recipe

• Blood Orange Bourbon Smash

• Pomegranate Mule

• Pumpkin Pie Martini

• Smoky Maple Margarita

• Rosemary Gimlet

• Maple Beer Foam Old Fashioned

6 Thanksgiving Cocktails to Sip & Celebrate

Blood Orange Bourbon Smash

A stunning show-stopper for your Thanksgiving table. This bourbon cocktail balances the rich warmth of whiskey with bright citrus and a touch of maple for sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon

• 1 oz fresh blood orange juice

• ¾ oz lemon juice

• ½ oz maple syrup

• Splash of club soda

• Crushed ice

Instructions:

1. Add bourbon, citrus juices, and maple syrup to a shaker with ice.

2. Shake until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.

3. Top with a splash of soda water.

Notes from the Bar:

• Garnish with a blood orange slice and a sprig of fresh sage.

• For a deeper, herbal note, lightly muddle a sage leaf in the shaker before adding the other ingredients.

• Try swapping maple syrup for honey for a brighter finish.

Pomegranate Mule

A bright, jewel-toned mule with the perfect balance of tart pomegranate and spicy ginger beer.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka

• 1 oz pomegranate juice

• ½ oz fresh lime juice

• 3–4 oz ginger beer

• Garnish: lime wheel + pomegranate seeds + optional rosemary sprig

Instructions:

1. Fill a copper mug with ice.

2. Add vodka, pomegranate juice, and lime juice; stir gently.

3. Top with ginger beer.

4. Garnish with lime wheel and pomegranate seeds.

Notes from the Bar:

• To make rosemary syrup: simmer ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, and 3 rosemary sprigs. Cool and strain.

• If you don’t want to make syrup, simply smack your rosemary sprig before adding it as garnish to release the aroma.

• You can also muddle a small bit of rosemary directly into the drink for more flavor.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

A creamy, spirit-forward twist on the dessert classic. Not overly sweet, with warm spice and a graham-cracker rim.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka (vanilla or plain)

• 1½ oz Irish cream

• 1½ oz pumpkin purée

• 1 oz heavy cream

• ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

• Dash of vanilla bean paste or extract

Instructions:

1. Rim your glass with crushed graham crackers or pumpkin-spice sugar.

2. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until chilled and frothy.

3. Strain into a Nick & Nora or coupe glass.

4. Top with whipped cream and garnish with star anise or a cinnamon stick.

Notes from the Bar:

• Use vanilla bean paste if you don’t have vanilla vodka — we love the one from Trader Joe’s.

• For a sweeter version, add ½ oz simple syrup.

• Whipped heavy cream or ready-whip both work beautifully.

Smoky Maple Margarita

A fall riff on the margarita—balanced smoke, maple sweetness, and a dramatic smoked-salt rim.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz mezcal

• 1 ½ oz reposado tequila

• 1 ½ oz fresh lime juice

• 1 oz maple syrup

• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

• Smoked salt rim + lime wheel

Instructions:

1. Rim glass with flavored cocktail glue and dip in smoked salt.

2. Shake all ingredients with ice.

3. Strain over fresh ice and garnish with lime wheel.

Notes from the Bar:

• Make your smoked-salt rim with our Flavored Cocktail Glue: combine ¾ oz Cointreau, 15 g agave (≈1 tsp), and 0.5 g citric acid (a small pinch). Mix and brush onto the glass before dipping in salt.

• The glue keeps indefinitely — store it in your pantry and use it for future rims.

Rosemary Gimlet

A refreshing gin classic brightened with house-made rosemary syrup.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin

• ¾ oz fresh lime juice

• ½ oz rosemary simple syrup (see below)

Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients with ice until chilled.

2. Strain into a coupe glass.

3. Garnish with fresh rosemary.

Notes from the Bar:

• Rosemary Syrup: Simmer 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water + 3 sprigs rosemary for 10 minutes; cool and strain.

• Batch Friendly: Multiply by 4 for a pitcher.

• Serve Chilled: Best straight up in a cold coupe.

Maple Beer Foam Old Fashioned

A bold, spirit-forward cocktail topped with creamy maple stout foam and a subtle orange mist. It’s elegant, unexpected, and the perfect slow sipper to close out Thanksgiving night.

Maple Stout Foam

Make this first — it’s the signature element that sets this cocktail apart.

Ingredients

• 7.5 oz stout beer

• 0.25 oz maple syrup

• 0.5 g (small pinch) xanthan gum

• 4 drops 20% saline solution

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and fully combined.

2. Pour into a cream whipper (we use the iSi Gourmet Whip and Pure Whip Cartridges).

3. Charge with one N₂O cartridge, shake, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

4. The foam will keep chilled for up to 3 days. Shake gently before each use.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Jameson Black Barrel (or other quality Irish whiskey)

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• ¼ oz rich demerara syrup

• 1 drop 20% saline solution

• Large clear ice cube

Instructions:

1. In a mixing glass, stir whiskey, bitters, demerara syrup, and saline with ice until well chilled.

2. Strain into a double Old Fashioned glass over a large ice cube.

3. Top with maple stout foam from the iSi Gourmet Whipper.

4. Finish with an orange mist (made by combining 1 oz vodka + 6 drops orange essential oil in a small spray bottle).

5. Optional: Garnish with a light orange peel zest or chocolate shaving.

Notes from the Bar

• The stout foam adds a creamy, velvety texture with a hint of maple, perfect for fall.

• You can adjust sweetness by increasing or reducing the demerara syrup.

• If you don’t have a cream whipper, try spooning a small layer of beer froth on top as a rustic alternative.

• The foam is shelf-stable for a few days. Keep it chilled and shake before each use

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This Thanksgiving lineup is just the beginning. Our full cocktail collection includes classics, seasonal favorites, and creative twists for every occasion.

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Hi, we’re Kevin & Kate, the husband-and-wife team behind Date Nite. Each week, we craft a thoughtful date night experience, ccomplete with a restaurant-quality menu, elevated cocktail, and curated playlist, designed to help couples slow down, connect, and savor the beauty of love and food together.

Explore more of our cocktail recipes to find your next favorite pour.

Or, discover Date Nite, our weekly at-home experience for couples who want to make connection a delicious ritual.