Light the candles, gather the mugs, and prepare for the coziest of cozy warm Thanksgiving cocktails. Take it easy and let the slow cooker handle the cocktail-making for you. Serve up hot cocktails that anyone of any age can enjoy, or make them individually by hand. Whatever brings you the most joy or happiness on this, the day of regretting unforgiving pants, these hot Thanksgiving drinks have you covered.
Adult Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate isn't just for the ones at the kids' table on Thanksgiving -- although truth be told, the kid's table is getting a little older each year. Go ahead and be childish with this spiked adult hot chocolate, with a flavor that perhaps an older relative who is a fan of Andes Candies might enjoy.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dark hot chocolate
- 1 ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce peppermint liqueur
- Marshmallow, cocoa powder, and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add dark hot chocolate, vodka, and peppermint liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with marshmallow, cocoa powder, and mint sprig.
Ginger-Apple Hot Toddy
Soothe overly full bellies, comfort cold hands, and warm up hearts with this perfectly balanced hot toddy packed with fall flavors and helpful ginger notes. Use an extra slice of ginger for a stronger bite.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces whiskey
- 1 ounce apple cider
- ¾ ounce honey
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce ginger liqueur
- 1 slice fresh ginger, peeled
- Hot water to top off
- Cinnamon stick, star anise, and ginger slice for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, gently muddle fresh ginger with lemon juice.
- Add whiskey, apple cider, honey, and ginger liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with hot water.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick, star anise, and ginger slice.
Hot Buttered Rum
Stick to traditional and classic Thanksgiving drinks, perfect among the pecan and pumpkin pies or homemade stuffing with a hot buttered rum.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add brown sugar, butter, dark rum, vanilla liqueur, and cinnamon bitters.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with hot water.
- Carefully stir to combine well.
Rum Mulled Cider
Easily double this recipe or more as needed. No one wants a drink that's already cooled down.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces apple cider
- 2 ounces dark rum
- ½ ounce allspice dram
- ½ teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- Cinnamon stick and apple slices for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add apple cider, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a simmer, allowing it to warm for approximately five minutes.
- Strain out spices.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add rum, allspice dram, and warm cider.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slices.
Boozy Chai Tea
A complex and creamy hot toddy riff, a boozy chai tea is the perfect warm drink that won't be too filling.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces prepared chai tea
- 1½ ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce milk
- ½ ounce honey
- Star anise for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add chai tea, dark rum, milk, and honey.
- Carefully stir to combine and dissolve honey.
- Garnish with star anise.
Slow Cooker Warm Apple Pie Cocktail
Indulge your senses in a slice of warm apple pie -- only it's a tasty cocktail that won't leave you overly full. And with plenty of room for an actual slice of pie, all while warming you up from the inside. Toss the ingredients into a slow cooker for an easy drink. This makes enough for approximately twelve servings.
Ingredients
- 9 cups apple cider
- 8 whole cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons whole cloves
- 6 whole star anise
- 2½ cups spiced rum
- ½ cup vanilla liqueur
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, add apple cider, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise.
- Allow to warm for approximately 90 minutes.
- Just before servings, stir in spiced rum and vanilla liqueur.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- Remove spices from apple cider.
- In warm mug, add warmed cider, spiced rum, and vanilla liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with whipped cream.
Cranberry Hot Toddy
Cranberry is a pretty quiet star during fall until Thanksgiving day when cranberry sauce is a staple at the table. Honor your love for this dish with a cranberry hot toddy. Skip the liquor and add a splash of honey to make this a nonalcoholic drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cranberry vodka
- ½ ounce cinnamon liqueur
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Hot water to top off
- Orange slice and cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add cranberry vodka, cinnamon liqueur, cranberry juice, and lemon juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with orange slice and cranberries.
Coconut Hot Chocolate
Go right ahead and dip your toes into a more unusual side of boozy hot chocolate: coconut! It's a decadent version of the classic that'll instantly warm up any Thanksgiving feast with its summery flavors.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces hot chocolate
- 2 ounces coconut rum
- ¼ ounce almond liqueur
- Marshmallows for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add hot chocolate, coconut rum, and almond liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with marshmallows.
Almost Classic Hot Toddy
Indulge your purist Pilgrim family members that aren't quite open to change by having a classic hot toddy on hand, although it does come with a subtle twist.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces fig-infused bourbon
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce honey syrup
- Hot water to top off
- Orange slice pierced with whole cloves for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add fig bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with hot water.
- To prepare garnish, pierce orange slice with cloves.
- Garnish with pierced orange slice.
Mulled White Wine
Skip the purple lips and teeth this year; no one will know if you've enjoyed a glass ahead of time with mulled white wine.
Ingredients
- 750 mL dry white wine, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
- ½ cup brandy
- ¼ cup honey liqueur
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
- 2 oranges sliced
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add white wine, brandy, honey liqueur, orange liqueur, orange slices, and spices.
- Allow to simmer for approximately twenty minutes to two hours, but do not allow to boil.
- Strain out oranges and spices.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add mulled wine.
- Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Warm Bourbon Cider
Assemble a three-ingredient cocktail in the blink of an eye -- or make it two if you're short on time or others are short on patience. Now that's what I call something to be grateful for.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 5 ounces apple cider
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add bourbon, apple cider, and lemon juice.
- Allow to heat through for approximately five minutes.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add warmed bourbon cider.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Mulled Wine
The hardest part about making cranberry mulled wine is dusting off your slow cooker; after that, this recipe takes care of itself. Which is phenomenal since who needs something else to add to their to-do list?
Ingredients
- 750 mL red wine, merlot or zinfandel
- ½ cup brandy
- 2½ cups cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce cherry juice
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 1 cup cranberries
- 2 oranges, sliced
- ½ tablespoon whole cloves
- ¾ tablespoon star anise
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- Orange slice and cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, add red wine, brandy, cranberry juice, cherry juice, apple cider, cranberries, sliced oranges, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
- Cook on low for approximately one to three hours.
- Strain out spices and orange slices.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add mulled wine.
- Garnish with orange slice and cranberries.
Hot Penicillin
A traditional penicillin cocktail, scotch, honey, and lemon, meets hot toddy in this warm Thanksgiving cocktail. And someone at the dinner is bound to have a cold, anyway. This makes two servings.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces scotch
- 3 ounces freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 4 ounces honey
- 4 ounces water
- ¾ ounce single malt scotch
- Orange wheel and whole cloves for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add honey and water.
- Simmer and stir until honey dissolves.
- Add scotch and lemon juice.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add warmed mix.
- To prepare garnish, pierce orange wheel with cloves.
- Garnish with pierced orange wheel.
Spiced Coffee
This Irish coffee riff calls for a little bit more work than usual, but if you're set on making this the easiest way possible, you can always mix half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into your coffee grounds before brewing. From there, just add whiskey as usual.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces spiced rum
- ½ ounces orgeat
- 2-3 dashes cinnamon bitters
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Freshly brewed coffee
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add spiced rum, orgeat, and bitters.
- Top off with fresh coffee.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with whipped cream.
Warm Cider Donut Drink
No need to take the time to mull it over whether you want to try this cocktail or not.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cake vodka
- 6 ounces apple cider
- ½ ounce cinnamon liqueur
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add cake vodka, apple cider, cinnamon liqueur, and simple syrup.
- Heat until warmed through, approximately three to five minutes.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add apple cider mix.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Warm Thanksgiving Mocktails
Satisfy that itch for something warm and delicious without piling more booze into a glass with these nonalcoholic hot Thanksgiving drinks.
Mulled Caramel Apple Cider
Sweeten up the traditional mulled apple cider with this caramel version of the classic. Give it extra flair and a nice surprise by dropping a few caramel candies in while you serve it.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces apple cider
- 3 ounces caramel syrup
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add apple cider, caramel syrup, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a simmer, allowing it to warm for approximately five minutes.
- Strain out spices.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add warmed cider.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Loaded Hot Chocolate
Don't think you can't doctor a simple cup of hot chocolate with just booze. The secret ingredient is hiding in your liquor cabinet.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces hot chocolate
- ¼ ounce almond syrup
- 3-4 dashes cherry bitters
- 1-2 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Marshmallows, cocoa powder, and cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add hot chocolate, almond syrup, and bitters.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with marshmallows, cocoa powder, and cinnamon stick.
Slow Cooker Nonalcoholic Mulled Wine
You don't need to sit out a round of enjoying a glass of warm mulled wine with a nonalcoholic version. Better yet, this is great to keep on hand and allows guests to add brandy to individual servings. Perfect for everyone, and this makes approximately ten servings.
Ingredients
- 5 cups grape juice or nonalcoholic wine
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- ½ cup cherry juice
- 2 ounces simple syrup
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 oranges, sliced
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, add grape juice, cranberry juice, cherry juice, simple syrup, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and orange slices.
- Cook on low for approximately 90 minutes.
- Strain out spices.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add mulled mix.
- Garnish with orange wedge.
Nonalcoholic Hot Toddy
You can still warm yourself up from the inside out with a hot toddy mocktail. All of the flavors, none of the booze.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces brewed black or rooibos tea
- 1½ ounces honey
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Orange slice, cinnamon stick, and star anise for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add tea, honey, lemon juice, and bitters.
- Stir to combine well.
- Garnish with orange slice, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
Nonalcoholic Hot Cranberry Drink
Stir up warming flavors with a hot Thanksgiving cranberry drink to take the volume down on the chatter and make everyone happy.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cranberry juice
- 3 ounces apple cider
- 2 ounces freshly-squeezed orange juice
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- Cinnamon stick and star anise for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add cranberry juice, apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon sticks.
- Allow to simmer for approximately ten minutes.
- Strain out cinnamon sticks.
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In warm mug, add warm cranberry mix.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and star anise.
Thanksgiving Drinks to Warm You From Toes to Nose Tip
Sometimes it takes more than a sweater and good company to warm up on Thanksgiving day. Turn to hot Thanksgiving drinks to speed up the toe-tingling warmth that'll have everyone rosy-cheeked with joy and gratitude.
