Thanksgiving serves as the perfect occasion to spend some quality time with your family as you count all of the blessing in your life.
While there's no denying that we should grateful for things like our health and our loved ones, there's one thing in particular that deserves a little extra praise during the holidays.
Yep, if you ask me, the thing we should be most thankful for on Thanksgiving is booze.
Because let's be real: Your annoying siblings would be a whole lot less bearable if it wasn't for alcohol.
Plus, having a stiff drink in your hand really eases the pain of having to tell Aunt Betty why you're still single for the 10th time since dinner started.
If you're looking for a festive way to chug all of your troubles away, look no further.
We recently set out to find a bunch of epic autumn cocktails that will help you deal with your dysfunctional family on Turkey Day. Cheers!
Shimmery Seasons Cocktail
Ingredients: 2 ounces Viniq Glow 1 ounce pomegranate juice
Directions: Chill all ingredients at least two hours before serving, then simply pour ingredients into a glass and stir before serving.
Apple Cider Mule
Ingredients: 1.5 ounces SMIRNOFF No. 21 Vodka 3 ounces ginger beer 2 ounces apple cider Splash Simple Syrup Apple slice and caramel sauce for garnish
Directions: In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, ginger beer, apple cider and simple syrup and shake. Rim a copper mug with caramel sauce. Pour cocktail over ice into the copper mug and garnish with an apple slice.
Tequila Pumpkin-tini
Ingredients: 1.5 ounces Casa Noble Reposado Tequila 3 ounces half-and-half milk 0.5 ounce pumpkin spice syrup
Directions: Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled martini glass with a brown-sugar-cinnamon rim.
Autumn Meade Sangria
Ingredients: 5 bottles Chardonnay 1 bottle Everclear 3 cups honey 4 Red Delicious apples 4 oranges 4 cups peach slices 2 cinnamon sticks 3 stalks fresh rosemary 3 stalks fresh thyme
Directions: Peel zest from oranges and place in a large, sealable container. Add honey and Everclear, seal and let steep for at least one hour.
Make a bouquet using rosemary, thyme and cinnamon sticks. Set aside.
Chop apples, peeled oranges and peaches into roughly 1-inch cubes.
Place chopped fruit and bouquet of herbs into a large serving container of at least 2 gallons. Add Chardonnay to chopped fruit and spices.
Using cheesecloth and a mesh strainer, strain the honey, orange and Everclear infusion into the serving container. Gently stir, refrigerate to store. May be served warmed or chilled.
Boozy Pomegranate Cider
Ingredients: 2 cups pomegranate juice 1 cup apple cider 4 tablespoons Urban Accents Mulling Spice Two shots Dark Rum
Directions: In a small sauce pan, add all ingredients except rum. Turn heat to medium and let the liquid come to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove mulling spice. Divide liquid between two mugs and add one shot of rum to each mug.
Apple Pie Margarita
Ingredients: 1 ounce Sauza Gold Tequila .5 ounces DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps 3 ounces apple juice .25 ounces lime juice .25 ounces Simple Syrup Apple slice Cinnamon
Directions: Add all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon.
Pumpkin Spice Cocktail
Ingredients: 1 ounce Baileys Pumpkin Spice 1 ounce Captain Morgan Spiced Rum One-and-a-half scoops vanilla ice cream Cola to top Mint sprig for garnish
Directions: Combine Baileys Pumpkin Spice, Captain Morgan and vanilla ice cream in a highball glass. Top with cola and stir. Garnish with mint sprig.
Fall Orchard Punch
Ingredients: 4 bottles Angry Orchard Crisp Apple 8 ounces vodka, gin or white rum 1.5 ounces Grand Marnier 3 ounces lemon juice 6 ounces cranberry syrup 3 ounces raspberry puree
Directions: Add ingredients to a punch bowl, except the cider. Stir to combine and then top with Angry Orchard Crisp Apple. Garnish with ice cubes and cranberries.
Mandarin Spice Mulled Wine
Ingredients: 2 clementines 1 bottle red wine 1/4 cup brandy 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons mulling spice
Directions: Cut clementines in half and squeeze juice into a small pot, then drop in the "squeezed" halves. Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove mulling bag and divide between four mugs.
Red Apple Cherry Crush
Ingredients: 2 ounces Whiskey Girl Apple & Maple 2 ounces apple juice 1 ounce ginger beer .25 ounces lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar
Two cherries
Directions: In a mixer, muddle cherries, lemon juice and sugar. Add ice then top with Whiskey Girl Apple & Maple. Shake. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a cherry.
