10 Thanksgiving Gin Cocktails To Elevate Your Feast

Maligned and misunderstood for many years, gin is finally receiving the love it deserves, especially now that the spirit is made around the world with ingredients that tell a story of its origins. It’s incredibly versatile, and its savory, herbal flavors make it ideal with a variety of cocktails, from refreshing to dry and boozy, and even some on the sweeter side.

Whether using your favorite brand and style, or enticing you to try something new and different, here are 10 gin cocktails that will liven your Thanksgiving gathering.

Kick Things Off In Style

Gin Tai G&T

Created by Marshall Minaya, Beverage Director at Valerie in New York City.

• 1 ½ oz Principe Apostoles Gin
• ¼ oz roasted walnut orgeat
• 1 tsp Giffard Apricot Liqueur
• 2 drops orange blossom water
• Fever Tree Premium Tonic

Add ingredients to a goblet glass, fill with ice and stir. Pour 6oz of tonic and garnish with fresh mint and orange slice.

Festivo

Founded by Alessandra Camino Creel and her brother Jose Luis in Chihuahua, Mexico, Acrónimo Spirits makes the world’s first gin finished with sotol, giving the spirit a hint of the herbaceous flavor of the Dasylirion plant.

• 1 oz. Acrónimo Gin
• 1 oz. Fino Sherry
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes orange bitters (preferably Regan’s)

In a mixing glass, add gin, sweet vermouth, dry sherry, and orange bitters. Fill the mixing glass with ice. Stir gently for about 30 seconds until well chilled. Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Mine Hill Martinez

The Mine Hill Distillery Martinez brings seasonal warmth and complex flavors to the table, with a holiday-forward character that will complement traditional Thanksgiving flavors. The gin’s subtle juniper, sweet middle, and long finish add depth without overpowering, making it a well-balanced choice for pairing with appetizers.

• 1 ½ oz Mine Hill Gin
• 1 oz Mine Hill Amaro
• ½ oz Luxardo Liqueur
• Garnish: orange twist

Add the gin, amaro, and Luxardo liqueur to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir well until chilled and slightly diluted. Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe. Express the oils of an orange twist over the drink, then garnish with the twist.

Take The Edge Off

Chivalry’s Gin Fizz

• 1 oz Joseph Magnus Vigilant District Dry Gin
• .5 oz cranberry juice
• 1 egg white
• Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Add gin, cranberry juice, and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Coppercraft Smoked Gin & Tonic

• 2 oz Coppercraft Gin
• 1 oz grapefruit juice
• Tonic water, to top
• Rosemary, to smoke

Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with ice. Smoke cocktail with rosemary.

Fat Washed Gin Old Fashioned

This fat washed cocktail features Rachael Ray’s new to market Staple Gin, which earned a rating of 94 from VinePair and a spot on the outlet’s “30 Best Gins for 2024” guide, as well as a Double Gold award in this year’s New York International Spirits Competition.

For the fat-washed gin:

• 2 cups Staple Gin
• 1/3 cup worth of the fat from your turkey drippings or use chicken or duck fat

Add the turkey or duck fat and gin to a jar or container. Seal the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 2-4 hours (or overnight). Place the jar in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until the fat has solidified. Remove the jar from the freezer and skim off the solidified fat. Strain the gin through a very fine strainer (or a cheesecloth or coffee filter would be even better) into a clean container.

To make the Gin Old Fashioned:

• 2 oz turkey/duck fat-washed gin
• .25 oz. simple syrup
• 2-3 dashes orange bitters
• Garnish: orange twist

Add the gin, simple syrup, and bitters into an ice-filled mixing glass and stir until well-chilled. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass or over one large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist.

After Dinner

Smoked Chai

• 2 oz Coppercraft Gin
• .5 oz agave syrup
• 8 oz water
• 4 oz whole milk
• 2 oz black tea
• 4-5 cardamom pods, smashed
• 2 cloves
• cinnamon stick
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 8 fennel seeds
• Star anise, for garnish

Bring water and milk to a simmer with spices in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low and add black tea. Steep for 3 minutes while stirring occasionally. Strain into a mug. Add Coppercraft Gin and agave syrup and stir well. Garnish with star anise.

Harvest Reverie

This Thanksgiving-inspired cocktail brings together the warmth of Conniption Barrel Aged Gin and Calvados, with the richness of demerara and black walnut bitters.

• 1.5 oz Conniption Barrel Aged Gin
• 1 oz Calvados (or apple or pear brandy)
• 0.25 oz Demerara simple syrup
• 6 dashes black walnut bitters

Add all ingredients to mixing glass with ice, stir, and strain over ice or a singular ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with pear slice and thyme sprig.

Matcha Martini

• 1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru
• .50 oz white creme de cacao
• .50 oz vanilla syrup
• 1 oz oat milk
• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 6 mint leaves

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and strain into a small tin. Dry shake to froth cocktail and then strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Lighthouse Gin Wassail

This warming Thanksgiving-themed gin cocktail features New Zealand’s Lighthouse Gin, known for its famous Yen Ben Lemons. The recipe makes enough wassail for all your guests.

• 2 oz Lighthouse Gin
• 5 honey crisp apples
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 10 cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• Fresh ginger root

To make the wassail, bring ingredients to a boil then lower heat to low simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and once cooled, mash the fruit in liquid then strain.

To craft the Lighthouse Gin Wassail, add 2oz Lighthouse Gin and 6oz hot Wassail to a cup. Serve hot. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise, dehydrated apple, and a dried orange curl.