The best part of Thanksgiving is easily the buffet of desserts that await you at the end of the day. Except for when you don't have room, even after undoing your belt buckle or rolling down your waistband. Luckily, Thanksgiving dessert cocktails are here to save the day. Plan ahead and have the ingredients on hand or whip up a dessert riff with just a few modifications. And if you did pace yourself? Several of these drinks pair quite well with actual dessert.
Pumpkin Pie Martini
Imbibe in the most classic of Thanksgiving desserts: pumpkin pie. Easily enjoy this martini solo as a treat before dinner, or double up on the flavors by sipping this while noshing on a slice of pumpkin pie. No pumpkin liqueur on hand? Use pumpkin puree instead, with a half ounce of heavy cream and a smidge more of maple syrup to sweeten it to taste.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vanilla vodka
- ¾ ounce pumpkin cream liqueur
- ½ ounce pumpkin puree
- ¼ ounce maple syrup
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick and grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, pumpkin cream liqueur, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and grated nutmeg.
Pecan Bourbon Martini
This pecan bourbon beauty goes excellent with any pie, cookies, or even cake you may find on the dessert table at Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- Honey and crushed pecans for rim
- 2 ounces bourbon
- ½ ounce praline syrup
- 1-2 dashes toasted almond bitters
- 3-4 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- To prepare rim, dip the rim of the glass in a saucer with honey.
- With the crushed pecans on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the pecans to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, praline syrup, toasted almond bitters, and aromatic bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
Caramel Apple Pie Martini
Close your eyes and imagine the dreamiest, warmest caramel apple pie. Then open your eyes and quit dreaming because this martini is minutes away from being yours.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
- 1½ ounces caramel vodka
- ¾ ounce apple cider
- ¼ ounce red apple liqueur
- Ice
- Apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- 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, caramel vodka, apple cider, and red apple liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned
Sip this slightly sweeter old-fashioned and enjoy everything it has to offer with a sugar cookie or two. It also goes incredibly well with a slice of apple pie.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 brown sugar cube
- ¼ ounce molasses
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
- 3-4 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle brown sugar cube with molasses.
- Add ice, bourbon, and bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cherry.
Pumpkin Pie Cocktail
Take your slice of pumpkin pie and transform it into a sippable highball. Think of it as a walking, mobile pumpkin pie for wandering from room to room, conversation to conversation.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vanilla vodka
- 2 ounces pumpkin pie puree
- ½ ounce cinnamon whiskey
- ½ ounce Irish cream
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- Ice
- Whipped cream and grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, pumpkin pie puree, cinnamon whiskey, Irish cream, and heavy cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with whipped cream and grated nutmeg.
Caramel Hot Toddy
Take a sip of a warm and familiar candy transformed into a hot toddy. If you're feeling extra, drop a Werthers into the bottom of the glass just before serving.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces caramel whiskey
- 1 ounce caramel syrup
- ½ ounce butterscotch liqueur
- Hot water to top off
- Lemon 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, add whiskey, caramel syrup, and butterscotch liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with hot water.
- Stir gently to mix.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Pumpkin White Russian
Pop the classic '90s film on tv when you serve up this White Russian riff to family. Perfect for winding down with all the pies.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and cinnamon sugar for rim
- 2 ounces pumpkin vodka
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur
- 1 ounce Irish cream
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick and marshmallows for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the cinnamon sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pumpkin vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and heavy cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and marshmallows.
Irish Coffee Confection
Serve an Irish coffee with a few tricks up your sleeve. After you volunteer to serve up this version, your family may find themselves relying on an old Dutch saying, "Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve" (in other words, it's delicious). But they'll be more than happy with your motives.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce whiskey
- 1 ounce cake vodka
- ½ ounce hazelnut liqueur
- Hot coffee
- Whipped cream and grated cinnamon 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 whiskey, cake vodka, and hazelnut liqueur.
- Top off with hot coffee.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with whipped cream and grated cinnamon.
Chocolate Pie Martini
Serve with or without a generous topping of whipped cream - or save the whipped cream for the slice of pie.
Ingredients
- Chocolate syrup for rim
- 1½ ounces chocolate vodka
- ¾ ounce brown crème de cacao
- ¾ ounce Irish cream
- Ice
- Chocolate shavings 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.
- Add the vodka, crème de cacao, Irish cream, and ice to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Mudslide
Slide back into your seat with a plate full of cookies, this mudslide in hand. Now you don't need to take up any space with chocolate cookies, not with a chocolate dessert cocktail in hand. Or double up and live a death by chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces chocolate vodka
- ¾ ounce Irish cream
- ¾ ounce crème de cacao
- ½ ounce coffee liqueur
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, chocolate vodka, Irish cream, crème de cacao , coffee liqueur, and heavy cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Apple Pie Cocktail
The apple pie cocktail is your answer when someone else swoops in and takes the last slice of apple pie. Consider this your prize as you nibble on another pie or maybe even a bit of vanilla cheesecake.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and brown sugar for rim
- 3 ounces apple cider
- 1½ ounce cinnamon whiskey
- 1 ounce vanilla vodka
- ½ ounce butterscotch liqueur
- Ice
- Apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the brown 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, cinnamon whiskey, vanilla vodka, and butterscotch liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with apple slice.
Apple Butter Old-Fashioned
Shaking apple butter into an old-fashioned gives it a new level of fruity complexity. It'll go perfectly with anything pecan - or amp up the apple with an apple dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce apple butter
- ¾ ounce apple cider
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 3-5 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick and apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, whiskey, apple butter, apple cider, simple syrup, and bitters.
- Shake rapidly to chill cocktail and dissolve apple butter.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice.
S'More Martini
No one brought any marshmallow dessert or tasty cookies for Thanksgiving dessert? Were you the one in charge of those desserts? Solve all the problems with a s'mores martini cocktail.
Ingredients
- Simple syrup and cocoa powder for rim
- 1 ounce chocolate vodka
- 1 ounce marshmallow vodka
- ¾ ounce crème de cacao
- ½ ounce Irish cream
- Ice
- Toasted marshmallow for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, dip the rim of the glass in simple syrup.
- With the cocoa powder on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the cocoa powder to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, chocolate vodka, marshmallow vodka, crème de cacao, and Irish cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with toasted marshmallow.
Maple Swirl
Sweeten your dessert cocktail the natural autumn way: maple syrup. Sip this sweet treat with cheesecake or pumpkin bread in hand.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon or vodka
- ¾ ounce maple syrup
- ¼ ounce cinnamon liqueur
- ¼ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Orange ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, maple syrup, cinnamon liqueur, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with orange ribbon.
Honey Fig Martini
Steer away from the topical dessert flavors with a sweet and earthy martini that'll go down smoother than the pumpkin pie you nibble on the side.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces fig-infused vodka or bourbon
- ¾ ounce elderflower liqueur
- ¾ ounce honey syrup
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Thyme sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, fig vodka, elderflower liqueur, honey syrup, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with thyme sprig.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Dive into the flavors of a liquefied, adultified candy bar with caramel, peanut, and chocolate flavors abound in a boozy hot chocolate. Consider this a match made in heaven alongside any cakes or nutty pies.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces hot chocolate
- 1½ ounces peanut butter whiskey
- 1 ounce caramel vodka
- Whipped cream, chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, and crumbled stroopwafel 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 peanut butter whiskey and caramel vodka.
- Top off with hot chocolate.
- Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, and crumbled stroopwafel.
Gingersnap Cocktail
Settle your belly with some ginger in this tasty gingersnap cocktail. Once you've taken that first sip, go right ahead and grab some dessert.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce ginger liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Buttered Rum Apple Pie
Indulge in a Thanksgiving dessert cocktail that will butter up anyone after a full meal. Maybe leave the pun out of it when you're serving these, though.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 3 ounces warm apple cider
- ¾ ounce cinnamon liqueur
- Hot water to top off
- Whipped cream 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 brown sugar, butter, and warm apple cider.
- Stir well to mix.
- Add dark rum and cinnamon liqueur.
- Top off with hot water.
- Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon stick.
Caramel Pecan Manhattan
Lighten up the Thanksgiving dessert cocktails with a Manhattan that has a bit more of a bite that won't upset anyone that might be a bit lactose intolerant.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces caramel whiskey
- ½ ounce praline cordial
- ½ ounce sweet vermouth
- 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, caramel whiskey, praline cordial, sweet vermouth, and aromatic bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with cherry.
Creamy Pecan Pie Martini
Flip the script on the whiskey pecan cocktails with something more indulgent and rich. Not unlike someone your family keeps telling you to date.
Ingredients
- Caramel and finely chopped pecans for rim
- 1½ ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce Irish cream
- ½ ounce crème de cacao
- ¼ ounce maple syrup
- Ice
- Whipped cream and whole pecan for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, dip the rim of the glass in a saucer with caramel.
- With the finely chopped pecans on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the pecans to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, Irish cream, creme de cacao, and maple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
Apple Crisp Martini
A hint of butter, a little bit of brown sugar, packed in with sharp apple flavors, will have you happy to find yourself not covered in butter, making apple crisp from scratch. Speaking of, while this pairs exceptionally well with apple desserts, it'll go well with cookies, cheesecake, or coffee cake.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and brown sugar for rim
- 1½ ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce apple cider
- ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce melted butter
- 1-2 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Ice
- Apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the brown sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, apple cider, lemon juice, melted butter, and cinnamon bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with apple slice.
Chocolate Espresso Martini
If you can't imagine slurping down an entire Irish coffee, indulge yourself instead in a post-dinner espresso martini pick-me-up that doesn't skip the dessert flavors you want in a Thanksgiving cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces bourbon or vodka
- ¾ ounce crème de cacao
- ¾ ounce fresh espresso or coffee
- ¼ ounce almond liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, crème de cacao, espresso, and almond liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
Boozy Affogato
Already a dessert, the Affogato needs no improvement. But if you want something that's a bit of an espresso martini meets dessert, then, by all means, allow yourself to be the MVP of your Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1½ ounces vodka
- 1 ounce espresso
- ¾ ounce crème de cacao
- Ice
- Chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, espresso, and crème de cacao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into wine glass over vanilla ice cream.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Thanksgiving Dessert Cocktails for Any Sweet Tooth
Cater to any and all sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) and dreams with a Thanksgiving dessert cocktail. Some are stand-alone desserts, and others will serve as the perfect complement to the sweet slice of pie on your plate. It doesn't matter which way you go with it, these are the best way to close out your Thanksgiving meal.
