Last Minute Thanksgiving And Holiday Weekend Cocktail Ideas

The holidays bring the chance to incorporate some of our favorite seasonal flavors. If you also adore traditional Thanksgiving ingredients like pumpkin, sweet potato, cranberry, and apples, here are eleven Turkey Day inspired cocktails to enjoy over the start of the season of giving.

Reserva Sparkler and Cranberry Toddy. (Courtesy Photos)

1. Reserva Sparkler:

1 oz. Reserva de la Familia Tequila

Splash Simple Syrup

5 oz. Champagne

Chocolate Shavings for garnish

Directions: Add tequila and simple syrup in champagne flute. Top with Champagne and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Cutty Sark Hot Toddy. (Photo: Paul Wagtouicz)

2. Bacardi Apple Bite: (Created by Chef Ari Taymor)

2 parts Bacardi Gran Reserva Ocho Años

1 part Apple Gastrique*

Apple Chip for garnish

Directions: Stir all ingredients with ice until very cold, strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with an apple chip.

*Apple Gastrique

1 cup of fresh Apple Juice

1 cup of Rice Vinegar

1 cup of White Sugar

Directions: Mix all ingredients to dissolve the sugar, allow it to simmer over medium heat. Let it cool off and refrigerate after use.

3. Thanksgiving Cider:

1 part Pinnacle Pumpkin Pie Vodka

3 parts Apple Cider

Splash Club Soda

Directions: Build in order over ice in a tall highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Jaguar. (Courtesy Photo)

4. Skinnygirl Sweet Potato Pie Cocktail:

1 1/2 parts Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka

1 part Sweet Potato Puree

1/2 part DeKuyper Buttershots Butterscotch Schnapps

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Splash of Ginger Ale

Orange slice for garnish

Directions: Mix ingredients in a shaker and pour into a chilled glass over ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

5. Cutty Sark Hot Toddy: (Created by Kenneth McCoy, Ward III)

2 oz. Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition

1/2 oz. fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 oz. Honey Water Syrup

Splash of fresh pressed Ginger Juice (Note: You can also muddle fresh ginger in the glass)

Hot Water from a kettle

Directions: Combine everything into a mixing vessel stir with a bar spoon. Heat your glass with hot water to be sure the glass isn’t cold, when ready to pour contents into glass pour out the hot water now strain in your cocktail add hot water on top about 4 oz. of hot water. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a flamed orange peel.

6. Jaguar: (Created by Jane Danger, Mother of Pearl)

3/4 oz. Jägermeister

1/4 oz. Poire Williams (Eau De Vie)

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice.

Skinnygirl Sweet Potato Pie Cocktail, Basil Hayden’s Spiced Cocoa, Thanksgiving Cider, and Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini. (Courtesy Photos)

7. Hornitos Harvest:

2 parts Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila

1 part Pomegranate Juice

1/2 part Lemon Juice

1/2 part Simple Syrup

Lime Wedge

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Hornitos Harvest. (Courtesy Photo)

8. Basil Hayden’s Spiced Cocoa:

2 parts Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

1/4 part Nocello Walnut Liqueur

2 parts Spicy Hot Cocoa*

2 Chili Peppers for garnish

Directions: Pre-heat mug by filling it with hot water – discard water after 30 seconds. Add Basil Hayden’s Bourbon and Nocello Walnut Liqueur to the heated mug. Add the spicy hot cocoa and gently mix together. Garnish with chili peppers.

Spicy Hot Cocoa*

1/2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/2 Tbsp Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Cup Water

Directions: Mix dry ingredients together, add hot water and stir until dissolved.

9. Cranberry Toddy:

1.5 oz. Hangar One Straight

.65 oz. Simple Syrup

Top Mulled Cranberry Juice

Directions: (Note: Purchase your favorite mulling spices and mix with unsweetened cranberry juice) Add all ingredients in an 8 1⁄2 oz. Hot Toddy mug. Top with Hot Mulled Cranberry juice. Garnish with a long clove-spiked orange peel and cinnamon stick.

The Perfect Añejo Manhattan. (Courtesy Photo)

10. The Perfect Añejo Manhattan:

2 parts Patrón Añejo

1 part Sweet Vermouth

1-2 dashes of Dashfire Bitters

Orange Peel or Cherry for garnish

Directions: Fill a martini glass with ice so that it chills as you prepare your Manhattan. Combine Patrón Añejo, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass or shaker and stir or shake gently. Discard ice from martini glass and strain the Manhattan into the chilled glass. Garnish with orange peel or cherry.

11. Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Martini: (Created by Rob Bennett at Blu Wolf Bistro, Rochester NY)

1 oz. Soltado Tequila

1 oz. One Roq Chocolate Vodka

1 oz. Half and Half

Spoonful of Pumpkin Puree

Directions: Shake with ice. Strain into a martini glass.