Thanksgiving Sides & Cocktail Recipes

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 28, but it's the night before that is usually big business for bars and restaurants. If you're looking to add some holiday flair to your cocktail or food menus for the holiday week, check out the round-up of Thanksgiving recipes below!

 

Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Tequila Komos

Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients:

2 oz Komos Reposado Rosa

1 oz pomegranate juice

.75 oz lime juice

.5  oz agave nectar

Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Shake all ingredients and strain over fresh ice in a double rocks glass. 
  2. Garnish with half cinnamon sugar rim. 

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Michael Giambrone, bartender, Bramàre Las Vegas

Rosso Sotto

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Cierto Tequila Private Collection Reposado

0.75 oz. Svol Aquavit

1 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

0.75 oz. Organic Agave Nectar

0.75 oz. Free Range Egg White

0.25 tsp. Beet Root Powder 

Directions:

  1. Dry shake all ingredients together, add ice, shake and double strain into a coupe glass.  
  2. Add a light dusting of beet root powder and semi-course ground pepper.  
  3. Express a lemon peel and place on the rim for garnish.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Recipe & photo: Mash & Mallow Whiskey

S’More Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

2 oz Mash & Mallow Whiskey

0.5 oz coffee liqueur

2 oz hot espresso 

2 dashes coffee bitters

Three coffee beans (optional for garnish)

Directions: 

  1. Add Mash & Mallow, coffee liquor, hot espresso, bitters in a shaker. 
  2. Add three cubes of ice and shake vigorously until ice is melted entirely. 
  3. Double strain into a coupe glass. 
  4. Garnish with three coffee beans.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Recipe & photo: Jeptha Creed

Count Your Blessings

Ingredients:

2 ½ oz Jeptha Creed Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon

1 oz Spiced Simple Syrup (Made with Cinnamon, Cardamom, & Clove)

¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice

1 ½ oz Cranberry Juice

1 oz Apple Brandy

Directions: 

  1. Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. 
  2. Shake thoroughly. 
  3. Strain into highball glass filled with ice. 
  4. Garnish with apple slices and freshly grated cinnamon. 

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Recipe & photo: Grand Marnier

Grand Cider

Ingredients:

1 part of Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge 

0.25 parts Lemon Juice

3 parts Apple Cider

1 Dash Aromatic Bitters

1 bar spoon of butter

Garnish with a cinnamon stick

Directions:

  1. Warm all the ingredients inside a kettle or a sauce pan. 
  2. Serve in a 6 oz Irish coffee glass. 
  3. Add a bar spoon of butter on top.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Rosa Regale

Rosa Spiced Sangria

Ingredients:

3 bottles of Rosa Regale Red

3 cups cranberry juice

1 ½ cups blood orange juice

¾ cup mulling spice syrup

3 cups fresh cranberries

3 blood oranges, sliced

Directions: 

  1. Mix the bottles of Rosa Regale Red, cranberry juice, blood orange juice, and mulling spice syrup in a large pitcher or punch bowl. 

  2. Add the cranberries and blood orange slices. 

  3. Serve in wine glasses and garnish each glass with additional fruit, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise.

     

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Recipe & photo: Redemption Rye

Almost Normal

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Redemption Rye

1 oz. Allspice Syrup

0.5 oz. Ardbeg 10

0.5 oz. Simple Syrup

1 oz. Lime Juice

Directions

  1. Shake and strain into a rocks glass.
  2. Top with apricot foam lime zest garnish.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Cantera Negra

Gingerbread Café

Ingredients:

1 ½ parts Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila

½ part Cantera Negra Café

1 shot Espresso

½ part Frangelico

¼ part Gingerbread syrup (equal parts cinnamon syrup to ginger syrup)

Barspoon Crème fraiche

2 dashes of Pecan bitters

Grated cinnamon garnish

Directions:

  1. Build in tin. 
  2. Dry shake. 
  3. Wet shake. 
  4. Strain into Old Fashioned rocks glass (“served down”). 
  5. Garnish.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Recipe & photo: Jeffrey Naples, Reyka Vodka Ambassador

Autumn Aurora

Ingredients:
8 – 10 parts Reyka Vodka
4 Cups Apple Cider
1 can Apple Pie Filling
5 Cinnamon Sticks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange zest (optional)
Clove or star anise (optional)
Red wine to top

Directions: 

  1. Heat all ingredients except for vodka and wine in a saucepan over medium heat. 
  2. Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and stir until ingredients are combined. 
  3. Add 1 part Reyka Vodka to 4 parts batch cocktail mixture. 
  4. Serve warm and top with 1 part red wine. 
  5. Garnish with apple pie filling, sliced apple, or sliced apple wedges.
     
thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Argonaut Brandy

Barbary Punch

Ingredients: 
24 oz. Argonaut Brandy
48 oz. Pineapple Juice
8 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
4 oz. Simple Syrup

Directions: 

  1. Combine all ingredients.
  2. Garnish each cocktail with a fresh pineapple, a brandied cherry or fine Amarena cherry, and lime wheel.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Hpnotiq  

Frosted Orchard

1.5 oz Hpnotiq 

1 oz Deep Eddy Vodka 

.25 oz Vanilla Syrup 

1 Barspoon Lemon Juice 

3oz Sparkling Apple Cider 

1 Sprig of Rosemary 

1/4 tsp Blue Spirulina 

Garnish: Apple Slice, Rosemary Sprig, Cinnamon Sprinkle 

Directions: 

  1. A unique apple cider cocktail. 

  2. Tastes like holiday cheer with notes of rosemary, vanilla, and apple. 
     

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe drinksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Maestro Dobel

Maestro Dobel Mulled Apple Cider

Ingredients:

2 oz Maestro Dobel Reposado Tequila

4 oz Mulled Apple Cider

Spiked Heavy Cream Float

Grated Nutmeg

Cinnamon Stick

Directions:

  1. Add Maestro Dobel Reposado Tequila and warm mulled cider to a mug and stir
  2. Add spiked heavy cream float, grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick to garnish.

 

thanksgiving cocktail recipe
Photo & recipe: Danny Ojinaga and Will Young, Picazo Kitchen & Bar, Sonoma, CA.

Bramble Bee

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Novo Fogo Cachaca infused with juniper berries
1/2 oz. Amontillado Sherry
3/4 oz. The Perfect Purée Blackberry Puree, thawed
3/4 oz. Lemon juice
1/4 oz. Simple syrup

Directions:

Method for the Infused Gin:

Add 50 grams of juniper berries to 1 liter of Novo Fogo.
Set aside for 2-3 days.
Strain berries using a cheesecloth.
Bottle.

Method for Cocktail:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake hard, then double strain into a rocks glass filled with pebble/crushed ice. Garnish with lemon verbena sprig.

 

Thanksgiving Food Recipes

 

Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower

Recipe: Ray's Restaurants

Ingredients:

16 oz Brussel Sprouts, halved      

6 oz Cauliflower Florettes   

Salt and Pepper Mix

2 oz Onion Gastrique:

1 T Canola Oil Blend   
1 Qt Yellow Onions, julienned 
0.5 Qt Apple Cider Vinegar
0.5 Qt Granulated Sugar
  
Directions:       

For the Onion Gastrique:

  1. Lightly caramelize onions in oil.
     
  2. Add vinegar and sugar and bring to a hard simmer.
     
  3. Cook for 1 hour or until reduced by 1/3 and sauce is clear.
     

For the brussel sprouts & cauliflower:

  1. Deep fry brussel sprouts and cauliflower until golden brown and tender.            
     
  2. Season with salt and pepper and toss with gastrique.            
     
  3. Serve immediately.            
     
thanksgiving recipe
Recipe: Ray's Restaurants. Photo: Brandon Amato

Truffle Parmesan Fries            

Ingredients:
32 oz 5/16" Straght Cut French Fries    
1.5 fl oz Truffle Oil  
2 tsp Truffle Salt      
1 tsp Salt and Pepper Mix    
1.5 T Fresh Parsley, chopped   
1.5 oz Aged Parmigiano Reggiano 
 

4 fl oz Roasted Garlic Aioli:     
1 c Mayonnaise  
2 oz Roasted Garlic Puree  
2 tbs Lemon Juice 
1.5 oz Water  
1 T Parsley, chopped
Kosher Salt

Directions:

For the Roasted Garlic Aioli

  1. Place all ingredients in an adequate sized mixing bowl and whisk well until incorperated.
  2. Season to taste.
  3. Store under refrigeration until ready for use.
     

For the fries:

  1. Deep fry french fries at 350 until golden brown.            
  2. Allow to drain then toss with truffle oil, truffle salt, S&P and parsley.            
  3. Place in a fry basket and fine grate cheese over top.            
  4. Serve immediately with roasted garlic aioli.            
     

 

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