Thanksgiving, the time of year we wear our comfiest, loosest pants. If you're hosting Thanksgiving or even Friendsgiving, it's important to look beyond cocktails. Adorn your table with mocktails!
Thanksgiving mocktails are just as crucial as the stuffing and the choice of cranberry sauce on your turkey day menu. These nonalcoholic Thanksgiving drinks are all perfect for a holiday that's all about cozy flavors.
Ginger-Cranberry Sparkler Thanksgiving Mocktail
Cranberry is a classic Thanksgiving flavor, and this nonalcoholic sparkler is both colorful and festive — not unlike your sweater. If you're someone who can't get enough of tart cranberry, then give thanks this turkey day that there's a whole world of cranberry mocktails.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 3 ounces ginger ale
- Ice
- Fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass, add ice, cranberry juice, and ginger ale.
- Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.
Zero-Proof Pink Champagne Mocktail
It's no secret that sparkling wine and Chambord is a popular festive cocktail during the holidays. This zero-proof mocktail version is perfect to serve for Thanksgiving dinner, and it won't give you any buzz.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces sparkling cider, chilled
- 1 ounce raspberry syrup
- Blueberries and raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute.
- In a chilled glass, add raspberry syrup and sparkling cider.
- Garnish with blueberries and raspberries.
Nonalcoholic Applejack Mulled Cider
A hot drink is great when the weather is cool, and this one makes use of some of the best produce of the season: apples. Apple cider mocktail dreams forever! Or however that Beatles lyric goes.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 2 peeled, but not sliced apples
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 10 cloves (whole, not ground)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- Nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Using a paring knife or apple corer, core apples and place six cloves in the hollows you create.
- In a slow cooker, add apple cider, apples, cinnamon sticks, and brown sugar.
- Cover and cook on low for four hours.
- Reduce heat to keep warm and serve directly from the slow cooker.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Mimosa Mocktails for Thanksgiving
While a mimosa is usually a breakfast beverage, this nonalcoholic mimosa for Thanksgiving dinner is sure to please. Or at least it's a nice dose of vitamin C for when you're fending off that cold that's going around.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces orange juice, chilled
- 3 ounces sparkling cider, chilled
- Fresh cranberry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Champagne flute.
- In a chilled glass, add orange juice and sparkling cider.
- Garnish with a cranberry
Fall in Love Punch Mocktail
If you'd like to dress up your buffet table, you can live your festive dreams by adding a bowl of this colorful orange drink right in the center of it all. There's more than enough punch to go around. Makes eight 8-ounce servings.
Ingredients
- 6 cups of water
- 4½ cups of sugar
- 2 packets of orange-flavored Kool-Aid
- 16 ounces of pineapple juice
- Ice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a punch bowl.
- Stir to mix.
Nonalcoholic Autumn in a Glass Punch
This fizzy orange-cranberry punch is festive, pretty, and oh-so Instagrammable. If you find yourself falling for those nonalcoholic fall flavors, there are plenty of autumn mocktails waiting for you. It makes 16 8-ounce servings.
Ingredients
- 32 ounces cranberry juice
- 32 ounces orange juice
- 2 liters lemon-lime soda
- Ice
- Orange slices and fresh cranberries
Instructions
- In a punch bowl, add ice, cranberry juice, orange juice, and soda.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with orange slices and fresh cranberries.
Zero-Proof Apple Pie Punch Mocktail
Apple pie is a classic fall flavor, and this easy punch is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. You have enough errands to run. Or give the kids something to toast about with their own fun mocktail. This makes 14 8-ounce servings.
Ingredients
- 32 ounces apple cider
- 16 ounces sparkling apple pear cider
- 2 liters ginger ale
- Ice
- Sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise for garnish
Instructions
- In a punch bowl, combine the apple cider, apple-pear cider, and ginger ale.
- Add the ice and stir.
- Float sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise on the punch as garnish.
Pumpkin Pie Punch Mocktail
Whether you have this for dessert or with dinner, it's the perfect combination of tasty fall flavors. It makes around 17 8-ounce servings.
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 liters cream soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 liter ginger ale
- 1 750 mL bottle sparkling apple cider
- Ice
- Cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cream soda.
- Pour into a punch bowl.
- Add ginger ale, sparkling cider, and ice.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Nonalcoholic Spiced Cranberry Mocktail
A bottle of nonalcoholic spiced rum takes this cocktail all the way to ten, all while staying zero proof. If you don't have any on hand, go right ahead and use a splash of cinnamon simple syrup instead.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces nonalcoholic spiced rum
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- ¼ ounce orgeat syrup
- 2-3 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Ice
- Cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic spiced rum, cranberry juice, orgeat, and cinnamon bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cranberries.
Thanksgiving Margarita Mocktail
A margarita? In this season? Oh, heck yeah! Not only is it a nonalcoholic option, but it's a great alternative to sitting through another board game.
Instructions
- Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
- 4 ounces apple cider
- 1 ounce pear juice or nectar
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce nonalcoholic triple sec
- Ice
- Apple slice and cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, apple cider, pear juice, lemon juice, and nonalcoholic triple sec.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.
A Thanksgiving Shrub Is Better Than a Christmas Tree Mocktail
The bright, sweet, and perfect acidity of the rhubarb shrub makes for a dangerously delicious mocktail. Don't forget you'll need to leave room for dessert.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces nonalcoholic silver rum
- ¾ ounce rhubarb shrub
- ½ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- 3 ounces club soda to top off
- Mint sprig and raspberry for garnish
Instructions
- In a wine or rocks glass, add ice, nonalcoholic rum, rhubarb shrub, and grenadine.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and a raspberry.
Honey Badger Don't Care Mocktail
Despite the beer in its name, ginger beer is naturally free from alcohol. Making it the perfect way to add those zingy spiced flavors without any booze.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic spiced rum, optional
- 1½ ounces honey syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Lemon wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic spiced rum, honey syrup, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel if desired.
The Girl With the Rosemary Mocktail
Despite ginger ale and bitters being the bartender's cure, I am a major fan of enjoying ginger ale with a few dashes of bitters, no matter how I'm feeling. A little bit of rosemary simple syrup and a touch of grapefruit, and you're in flavor heaven.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- ¾ ounce rosemary simple syrup
- 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Ginger ale to top off
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, grapefruit juice, rosemary simple syrup, and bitters.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with ginger ale.
- Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Zero-Proof Red Carpet Faux-Mojito
Coconut water isn't just for those sunny zero-proof mocktails. It's for post-turkey trot rehydration. Even if that rehydration is from cheering on the runners. It's hard work being supportive!
Ingredients
- 4-5 fresh mint leaves
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces coconut water
- 1 ounce tart cherry juice
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3-4 dashes cranberry bitters
- Ice
- 1½ ounces club soda
- Mint sprig and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup.
- Add ice, coconut water, cherry juice, lime juice, and cranberry bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Double strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and a cherry.
Mocktails for Thanksgiving Dinner
Celebrate your thanks for those zero-proof, nonalcoholic, mocktails that are all flavor, no buzz, and always in style. Or, try a few warm and sippable nonalcoholic winter mocktails to boost the menu a little further. They're so delicious and festive that you may find yourself saying, "Cocktail, who?"
