Russian Food

17 Thanksgiving Drinks to Hand Out Before the Awkward Questions Start

You haven’t even taken your coat off when the questions start. “So, any news? Still at that job? Seeing anyone?” By the third one, you’d trade your dessert for a glass to hold.

I host Thanksgiving every year, and my Colombian canelazo tastes like Bogotá at midnight: smoky, sweet, and just a little wild. A warm cup like that gives anyone something to hold.

These 17 Thanksgiving drinks, from fizzy mocktails to that warm canelazo, give every guest something to sip before the real questions start. Hand over a glass, and the conversation turns to “What’s in this?”

Stemless glasses of pear punch garnished with cranberries, rosemary, and star anise.
Pear Thanksgiving Punch. Photo credit: Feast and West.

Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Spritzer Mocktail

A glass of red drink with ice, cranberries, and mint, surrounded by lemon, orange slices, and loose cranberries.
Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Spritzer Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Tart cranberry, fresh lime, and fizz come together in a drink that takes just minutes to mix. It’s crisp, refreshing, and the perfect first glass to hand someone at the door.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Spritzer Mocktail

Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail

Vibrant pomegranate ginger mocktail in a textured glass, garnished with fresh ginger slices and a pomegranate wedge on a pink tiled background.
Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Sharp pomegranate juice, spicy ginger beer, and fresh mint make a bubbly drink from basic fridge staples, in about two minutes. Pour it fast, and everyone has something in hand.
Get the Recipe: Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail

Spicy Pickle Martini

Two martini glasses with spiced rims, garnished with pickles, next to a bottle of Absolut Tabasco vodka.
Spicy Pickle Martini. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Pickle juice does the work in this cold, salty, spicy martini. Five minutes and one shake, and you’ve got a conversation starter, which comes in handy before the questions begin.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Pickle Martini

Non-Alcoholic Cherry Martini Mocktail

A mocktail in a glass with a gold rim is filled with a red liquid and a large round ice cube. A lemon slice is on the rim. A halved lemon and a cherry are nearby on a white surface.
Non-Alcoholic Cherry Martini Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Hand a guest a crimson cherry martini in real stemware, and they’ll be too busy admiring it to launch into questions. Cherry juice, a tiny drop of almond extract, and a splash of lemon make it smooth and bright.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Cherry Martini Mocktail

Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Punch

A glass of red punch with ice, cranberries, orange slice, and rosemary garnish on a marble surface.
Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Punch. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Cranberry, pomegranate, citrus, and warm spices make a party punch with a sparkling finish. Ladle it for the whole crowd at once, and the questions can wait.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Punch

Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

A festive drink garnished with cranberries, pomegranate seeds, ice, and a striped straw in a glass.
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Pass every guest, kids included, a glass with a cinnamon stick stirrer, and everyone has the same festive drink to clink. The gentle bubbles feel like champagne, so nobody is stuck holding a paper cup.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Kir Royale

Two glasses of a dark red drink are on a marble surface, each garnished with a skewer of blueberries. A small bowl of blueberries and a glass pitcher with the same drink are in the background, with warm, blurred lights creating a cozy ambiance.
Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Kir Royale. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Deep purple blueberry syrup under alcohol-free sparkling wine makes a fancy toast every guest can share. Raise a glass, and let the toast do the talking.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Kir Royale

Easy Apple Cider Martini Mocktail

Two elegant cocktail glasses filled with amber liquid, garnished with star anise, on a wooden table.
Easy Apple Cider Martini Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

A rim of maple syrup and cinnamon sugar makes this the drink guests compliment first, and compliments beat questions every time. Shake apple cider with lemon juice and caramel syrup over ice, and it tastes like autumn.
Get the Recipe: Easy Apple Cider Martini Mocktail

Colombian Canelazo Cocktail

A glass filled with a dark beverage, garnished with a lime wedge and cinnamon stick, and rimmed with coarse salt. Another drink and halved limes are on a rustic wooden surface in the background.
Colombian Canelazo Cocktail. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Save this one for adults who want a real drink to warm their hands, and for questions that feel a little softer. It tastes like Bogotá at midnight, smoky, sweet, and just a little wild, with panela’s deep, caramel-like richness and aguardiente in the cup.
Get the Recipe: Colombian Canelazo Cocktail

Non-Alcoholic Old Fashioned Mocktail

A glass of whiskey with a large ice cube and a twist of lemon peel, standing on a wooden board beside slices of orange.
Non-Alcoholic Old Fashioned Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Skip the spirits and keep the Old Fashioned: this mocktail captures the flavors of the original without the hangover. It’s a good sip for anyone who’d rather not explain why they’re not drinking.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Old Fashioned Mocktail

Shirley Temple Mocktail

Two red cocktails with ice, garnished with lime, cherries, and mint, on woven coasters with lime slices nearby.
Shirley Temple Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Give the youngest guest a Shirley Temple, and they’re busy with the cherries instead of the grown-up conversation. Sweet grenadine over cold lemon-lime soda turns the whole glass bright pink.
Get the Recipe: Shirley Temple Mocktail

Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale

A glass of brown juice with apple chips, next to an orange cloth and a pumpkin on a light surface.
Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Pumpkin ale fans get their favorite fall flavor, warm and spiced, with no alcohol at all. Pour it for the designated driver, and nobody has to ask why.
Get the Recipe: Non-Alcoholic Pumpkin Ale

Thyme Cranberry Orange Mocktail

A tall, ribbed glass filled with an orange and pink gradient cocktail, topped with ice cubes, cranberries, and a sprig of thyme. The glass is on a pink tiled surface with scattered cranberries and thyme sprigs.
Thyme Cranberry Orange Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Fresh thyme steeped into warm simple syrup adds a subtle herbal note to tart cranberry and sweet orange juice. It tastes complex and special, and guests will ask what’s in it. That’s a better question than the usual ones.
Get the Recipe: Thyme Cranberry Orange Mocktail

Apple Cider Ginger Beer Mocktail

Iced apple cider drink garnished with apple slices, a lime wheel, and a cinnamon stick on a marble tray.
Apple Cider Ginger Beer Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Five minutes before the doorbell, mix apple cider, spicy ginger beer, and citrus, then add cinnamon and an apple slice on top. It’s bright, spiced, and fizzy, and it’s in their hands before the first question lands.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cider Ginger Beer Mocktail

Virgin Pomegranate Fizz Mocktail

A glass of pomegranate drink with ice, mint, lime slice, and a straw, surrounded by pomegranate seeds.
Virgin Pomegranate Fizz Mocktail. Photo credit: My Mocktail Forest.

Pomegranate, lime, and bubbles make a crisp, refreshing fizz that’s quick to mix. It’s pretty in a glass, which is half the point when your hands need something to hold.
Get the Recipe: Virgin Pomegranate Fizz Mocktail

Colombian Cafe Tinto

A cup of black coffee with a cinnamon stick, on a saucer, surrounded by scattered coffee beans.
Colombian Cafe Tinto. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Making tinto at home always takes me back to that foggy mountain in Colombia. Pass small cups after dinner, when the conversation needs a pause, because coffee brewed with panela has an earthy sweetness rounder than refined sugar. No panela? Regular sugar works in a pinch.
Get the Recipe: Colombian Cafe Tinto

Pear Thanksgiving Punch

Stemless glasses of pear punch garnished with cranberries, rosemary, and star anise.
Pear Thanksgiving Punch. Photo credit: Feast and West.

Looking for a Thanksgiving drink with no cranberry and no apple cider? This pear punch is the unexpected one, so guests ask about the punch instead of everything else.
Get the Recipe: Pear Thanksgiving Punch

The turkey can take its time. The drinks should be ready before the relatives start asking questions. Which one are you making?

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