6 Thanksgiving drinks for the whole dinner, with and without alcohol

A drinks table should make the next pour obvious. Some guests want a bright glass while they cook, some want a warm mug after dinner, and some would rather have a cocktail. A large bowl of punch is one answer, but it is not the only answer.

These six drinks go to their makers' complete recipes. The first three are made without alcohol as written; the last three contain tequila, wine or bourbon. Plan separate serving vessels and label them clearly. The illustrations here are original H&P AI-assisted interpretations of written recipe facts, not photographs of drinks we made or tested.

Shanika Graham-White roasts pears and apples with maple and warm spices, then muddles some of the roasted apple with lemon, water and more maple. The glasses get ice, the apple mixture, roasted pear garnish and cold ginger beer. Her recipe lists four to six servings.

The maker says the muddled apple base can be refrigerated for up to one day. That is the useful advance step; keep the ginger beer cold and add it when you pour so the glass stays lively. Her stated yield can exceed the four roasted pear halves in the ingredient list, so divide the garnish or plan extra fruit if you want a large piece in every glass.

Jess Thomson mixes pomegranate molasses and honey into a syrup, then stirs it with chilled tonic water over ice and adds a lime twist. The direct recipe serves four. Pomegranate molasses gives the drink its tart depth; it is not a glass of plain pomegranate juice.

The syrup can be refrigerated ahead, but Jess says the completed tonic is best made just before serving because the mixture foams and loses its fizz. Put the syrup beside cold tonic and glasses, and leave enough room at the top as you pour.

Kristina Razon browns butter, mixes it with dark brown sugar and apple pie spice, then whisks the mixture into hot apple cider. Whipped cream and a cinnamon stick can finish the mug. The recipe makes about four and one-third cups and serves four to six as written.

It takes a saucepan and roughly 15 minutes, so plan it for after dinner rather than during the busiest last stretch of cooking. Kristina's published version is alcohol-free; she also notes that adults can add a spirit to individual mugs. Keep that optional addition separate from the labelled alcohol-free pot.

Jeanine Donofrio combines cranberry juice, blanco tequila, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker. The complete recipe makes one drink. The salty rim is optional, while fresh cranberries and rosemary give a clear festive finish.

Choose this when guests would enjoy an individual cocktail rather than a pitcher. Keep the tequila and orange liqueur behind a separate, clearly marked alcoholic station; a red glass should never be mistaken for the pomegranate tonic. Follow Jeanine's quantities and shaker directions at the source.

Jeanine Donofrio combines chopped apples, cinnamon sticks and star anise with dry white wine, apple cider and orange liqueur. Her recipe serves eight. It is an alcoholic sangria, not an apple-cider mocktail; the pale wine can make that easy to miss at a busy buffet.

Mix the base the day before and refrigerate overnight as Jeanine directs. Add ginger beer only just before serving to preserve the fizz, then pour over ice. A pitcher label should name wine and liqueur, and a separate alcohol-free option should be equally easy to reach.

Jeanine Donofrio's apple cider cocktail combines bourbon, cider, Angostura bitters and ginger beer over ice; lemon is optional. The recipe serves one and needs no shaker. An apple slice or cinnamon stick can mark the glass without loading it with every garnish in the list.

Keep this as a made-to-order option, not a pre-mixed bowl beside the mocktails. The recipe has bourbon even though ginger beer is commonly non-alcoholic. Check the exact brand and follow Jeanine's written proportions for each glass.