If I were putting three drinks on a Friendsgiving menu, I’d pick an Apple Cider Mule, a Maple Old Fashioned, and an Apple Cranberry Fizz. That gives the table something crisp and gingery, something to sip slowly, and an alcohol-free drink worth making its own batch for.
If you’re the friend bringing drinks, my pick changes to Fall Sangria. You can make it before you leave, carry it in a sealed container, and pour it when the appetizers come out. Here’s how to choose from seven Friendsgiving drink ideas based on who’s coming and how much time you want to spend behind the bar.
Which Friendsgiving drink fits your party?
Choose a drink name to open its serving notes.
| Best fit | Drink and serving notes |
|---|---|
| A round as friends arrive | Apple Cider MuleChill the vodka, cider, and lime together. Pour over ice and finish each glass with ginger beer. See the mule recipe. |
| A tequila crowd | Apple Cider MargaritaPrep the cinnamon-sugar rims before guests arrive. Shake each portion when someone orders so it lands cold in the glass. See the margarita recipe. |
| A pitcher to bring | Fall SangriaBring the cold sangria in a leakproof container. Transfer it to a wide-mouth pitcher at the house and set out a spoon for the fruit. See the sangria instructions. |
| A welcome toast | Cranberry MimosaChill both bottles. Pour the cranberry juice first and open the sparkling wine when the group is ready to toast. See the mimosa recipe. |
| A drink with pie | Pumpkin Spice MartiniSave the shaker for dessert. This creamy drink works well as one small round after the dinner plates are cleared. See the martini recipe. |
| Whiskey drinkers | Maple Old FashionedPortion the whiskey, maple, and bitters ahead. Stir each serving with ice and finish with a fresh orange peel. See the Old Fashioned recipe. |
| An alcohol-free option | Apple Cranberry FizzGive the juice base its own labeled pitcher. Top each glass with ginger ale and garnish with an apple slice. See the mocktail recipe. |
Free printable Friendsgiving drink menus
Serving the mule, Old Fashioned, and fizz? Print the finished menu and stand it beside the glasses. If your group has other favorites, the fillable version has room for two cocktails, an alcohol-free drink, and the ingredients in each.
Ready to print
Apple Cider Mule, Maple Old Fashioned, and an alcohol-free Apple Cranberry Fizz, with ingredients listed.
Download finished menu (PDF)
Make it your own
Fill in two cocktails, one alcohol-free drink, and their ingredients. You can also print it blank and write by hand.
Download fillable menu (PDF)Both print on US Letter paper. For the fillable menu, download the PDF, enter your drink names and ingredients in a PDF reader, and save a copy before printing. You can also print it blank and write by hand.
6 Friendsgiving Cocktail Ideas and an Apple Cranberry Mocktail
1. Apple Cider Mule
Apple cider gives a Moscow Mule a fall flavor without adding another syrup to your shopping list. This is the drink I’d choose if I were also responsible for getting dinner on the table.
For one glass · 2 oz vodka, 2 oz nonalcoholic apple cider, ½ oz fresh lime juice, and 3½ oz ginger beer.
Fill a tall glass or mug with ice. Add the vodka, cider, and lime. Top with ginger beer and give it one gentle stir.
Bartender’s tip. Try your serving glass before the party. This recipe has eight ounces of liquid before the ice goes in. An eight-ounce cup won’t hold a full pour.
2. Apple Cider Margarita
Pick this one for friends who order margaritas year-round. Fresh lime keeps the cider bright, and a little cinnamon on the rim gives the first sip its fall flavor.
For one glass · 2 oz blanco tequila, 2 oz apple cider, 1 oz orange liqueur, and ¾ oz fresh lime juice.
Run a lime wedge around half the rim and dip that side in cinnamon sugar. Shake the liquid ingredients with ice, strain over fresh ice, and garnish with a thin apple slice.
Bartender’s tip. Taste the finished drink before reaching for agave. A sweet cider and orange liqueur can supply all the sweetness the drink needs. The half rim lets each guest choose a sweeter or tarter sip.
Watch our Apple Cider Margarita tutorial and get the full recipe.
3. Fall Sangria
This is my potluck pick because almost all the work happens in your own kitchen. The host only needs fridge space and a spot to set the pitcher.
For the pitcher · Use the measurements in our Fall Sangria recipe for the red wine, apple cider, brandy, orange liqueur, fruit, and cinnamon. Combine in a covered container and refrigerate for at least four hours.
Transport it cold, then transfer it to a pitcher at the party. If you want a sparkling finish, add a splash of club soda to each glass.
Bartender’s tip. Skip the narrow-spout dispenser when you’re serving sliced fruit. A wide-mouth pitcher pours more easily, and a long spoon lets guests add apple pieces without fishing them out with their fingers.
4. Cranberry Mimosa
For a Friendsgiving brunch or an early toast, this is the shortest shopping list on the menu.
For one glass · 2 oz chilled cranberry juice and 3 oz chilled dry sparkling wine. For a hint of orange, add ½ oz orange liqueur.
Pour the cranberry juice into the glass. Add the sparkling wine slowly, pausing as the foam rises.
Bartender’s tip. Check which cranberry juice you bought. Unsweetened cranberry juice makes a much tarter drink than cranberry juice cocktail. Taste one small pour with your wine before lining up glasses for the toast.
5. Pumpkin Spice Martini
Serve this alongside pumpkin pie, or offer it to the friend who would rather drink dessert. Three equal pours make the recipe easy to remember.
For one glass · 1 oz vanilla vodka, 1 oz pumpkin liqueur, 1 oz Irish cream, and a small pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Shake with ice until the shaker feels cold. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass and finish with a light dusting of spice.
Bartender’s tip. Set the coupe in the fridge before dinner. A cold glass buys you time to finish a second drink while the first stays chilled. List Irish cream on the menu so guests can see what’s in it.
6. Maple Old Fashioned
A little maple gives whiskey drinkers a seasonal option that still tastes like their usual order. Bourbon makes a rounder drink, while rye brings a peppery edge.
For one glass · 2 oz bourbon or rye, ¼ to ½ oz pure maple syrup, 2 dashes aromatic bitters, and a strip of orange peel.
Start with ¼ oz maple. Stir the whiskey, syrup, and bitters with ice until chilled. Strain over a large cube and squeeze the orange peel over the glass to release its oils.
Bartender’s tip. If you combine the ingredients ahead, still stir each portion with ice before serving. The small amount of water from stirring softens the whiskey and brings the maple into balance.
7. Apple Cranberry Fizz Mocktail
Give the alcohol-free drink a name and a spot on the printed menu. Apple, cranberry, and ginger make this one feel like it belongs at the same table as the cocktails.
For one glass · 3 oz nonalcoholic apple cider, 2 oz cranberry juice, ½ oz fresh lemon juice, and 3 oz chilled ginger ale.
Pour the cider and juices over ice. Top with ginger ale, stir gently, and add an apple slice. For a drier finish, replace some of the ginger ale with plain sparkling water.
Bartender’s tip. If you’re serving this alongside the mule, label both bases before they go into the fridge. Write “Apple Cranberry Fizz · Alcohol-free” on the container and give it its own measuring cup. The two cider bases can look surprisingly similar across a busy counter.
How to batch eight Apple Cider Mules
Mix the still ingredients in one container and keep the ginger beer unopened. You’ll have a measured base that any friend can pour while you’re carving the turkey.
| Ingredient | For eight drinks |
|---|---|
| Vodka | 2 cups (16 fl oz) |
| Nonalcoholic apple cider | 2 cups (16 fl oz) |
| Fresh lime juice | ½ cup (4 fl oz) |
| Ginger beer | 3½ cups (28 fl oz), kept separate |
Prep the base. Combine the vodka, cider, and lime in a sealed container and refrigerate. You’ll have 36 fl oz of base. One 750 mL bottle of vodka covers this batch. Measure out the two cups and save the rest.
Write this on the bottle. “Apple Cider Mule · Contains vodka. For one drink, pour 4½ oz base over ice and add 3½ oz ginger beer.” Leave a small marked measuring cup beside it so the eighth glass tastes like the first.
This batch makes eight cocktails. To decide how many servings to prepare alongside beer, wine, water, and mocktails, use our party drink planner. For larger batches, see our fall batch cocktail guide.
What to bring when you’re on drink duty
At a corporate event we worked in New York City, Bubbles & Brews brought the bar and our Bartend Long Island team served the cocktails. I’d borrow that division of jobs for a Friendsgiving potluck. When someone volunteers to “bring the mules,” agree on whether that includes the ginger beer, cups, and ice. Those are the things you’ll miss when the first guest asks for a drink.
- For the ride: A leakproof, labeled container for the cold base, a cooler, and unopened bottles or cans of mixer.
- For the pour: A measuring cup or jigger, cups large enough for the drink and ice, and a spoon or ladle for sangria.
- For the ice: Clean ice for drinks, its own scoop, and separate ice or cold packs for chilling bottles.
- For the table: The printed menu, garnishes in a covered container, water, and a clearly labeled alcohol-free option.
One setup choice that helps. Put the drinks where guests can reach them without crossing between the oven and the dinner table. Stand where a guest will stand and make one full drink. If you have to reach past the carving board for ice, move the ice before everyone arrives.
Friendsgiving drink questions
What’s the easiest cocktail to bring to Friendsgiving?
Bring Fall Sangria if you want to set down a pitcher and join dinner. Bring an Apple Cider Mule base if your friends prefer vodka and ginger. For the mule, pack the ginger beer separately and write the pouring instructions on the base.
Which drinks can I make the night before?
Sangria is a good overnight choice because the fruit and cinnamon need time in the wine. You can also measure the whiskey, maple, and bitters for Old Fashioneds ahead. Squeeze fresh citrus closer to service and open sparkling mixers as you pour.
How many different drinks should I offer?
If you’re cooking and handling drinks yourself, one cocktail and one mocktail are plenty. The mule and fizz share apple cider and can both be finished in the glass. Add the Maple Old Fashioned if you have whiskey drinkers and someone happy to stir a round.
What’s a good Friendsgiving drink without alcohol?
The Apple Cranberry Fizz uses nonalcoholic cider, cranberry, lemon, and ginger ale. Chill the juice mixture ahead, pour over ice, and give each glass its ginger ale just before serving.
Hosting Friendsgiving on Long Island?
If you’d like a bartender to handle the drinks, send us your date, town or venue, guest count, and service hours. We can help choose the menu and put together a shopping list for your gathering.
Planning another fall gathering? Browse our Thanksgiving cocktail recipes and fall cocktail guide.