Two Cocktails for Thanksgiving

I'm planning to offer my guests a choice of these two cocktails on Thursday. One is cranberry-based, and the other is apple cider-based. They're pretty easy to make, and I'm planning to make them on the spot, but if I had more guests, I could multiply the recipes and add them to pitchers. Anyway, if you'd like to offer your guests something to sip on while they nibble their hors d'oeuvres and socialize, here are two options to consider!

Grown-Up Apple Cider
2 oz apple cider
1/2 oz curaçao orange liqueur (get the clear kind, not the blue kind)
1 1/2 oz rye or whiskey, your choice
1 tsp simple syrup

Mix all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a Old Fashioned glass. If you like, garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Cranberry Relish
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz vodka
1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
Maraschino cherries

Combine all ingredients except the cherries in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain and serve in a martini glass. Garnish with cherries.

(Image: Kathryn Hill)

Comments (7)

I was just looking for Thanksgiving cocktails to make! Thanks! I'm going to consider these, but the more I think about it, the more I'm going with pear margaritas. It's a strange Thanksgiving cocktail, but we are doing a Mexican-themed Thanksgiving (with turkey mole and chorizo stuffing)! Plus we are students living in a small apartment that get verrry hot when the oven is on. I think everyone might welcome a margarita in that case.

If anyone else has suggestions for cocktails on Thanksgiving, I'd love to hear them.

posted by andrennabird on November 23rd 2009 at 4:36pm
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I adapted this recipe to include Pomegranate Black Tea plus Cinnamon Stick Tea instead of blackberry tea, and added cardamom pods to make a rustic Thanksgiving Sangria. It tasted just like fall!

Here's my version.

4 Pomegranate tea bags (prepared in 2 cups boiling water)
2 Cinnamon Stick tea bags (prepared in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods shell removed
4 cups of Carlo Rossi Paisano
1 cup of orange juice
1 cup of fresh cherries
1 large orange, sliced

Prepare tea and allow to cool. Mix all remaining ingredients. Serve over ice or if you prefer, like I do, serve at room temperature.

posted by gabrielaskitchen on November 23rd 2009 at 8:51pm
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I'll be making this spiced cranberry sangria:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/13694

I made the simple syrup today, and now it's just a matter of marinating the fruit on Wednesday and mixing it all up on Thursday.

posted by sjbreeze on November 23rd 2009 at 11:54pm
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I'm planning this: cranberry liqueur (Clear Creek Distillery recently debuted its liqueur--and it's beyond fantastic), mixed with simple syrup and an lemon Italian soda.

posted by krister on November 24th 2009 at 1:15am
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that apple cider sounds outstanding. Perfect.

posted by mlleErica on November 24th 2009 at 9:53am
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i wonder - could you do the apple cider cocktail served hot? hmmm

posted by hoboken_melanie on November 24th 2009 at 6:07pm
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Oooh ooh I made some! You can find them here: http://www.ellenfork.com/ellenfork/2009/11/seasonal-sips.html

I like them both but the Pear Snap is my fave...

posted by EllenFork on November 24th 2009 at 9:23pm
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