The holiday party season is upon us so being the active, childless couples we are (the collective we is being used here since Amanda and I suck at the party hosting thing), we can have parties with booze and not worry who is of age.

I thought we’d offer some suggestions in keeping with a Thanksgiving theme. As a general rule, I never use top shelf liquor to mix drinks. The ingredients will just hide the quality, so the cheap stuff works in most cases.

Thanksgiving Punch
Ginger ale
1 part cranberry juice
1 part pink lemonade
1 slice lemon

Fill a chilled rocks glass with ice cubes. Add cranberry juice and pink lemonade. Top up with ginger ale, garnish with lemon.

Bourbon Spiked Hot Apple Cider
4 cups apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon orange juice
3 whole cloves
1 bourbon

Place the apple cider, cinnamon stick, orange juice, cloves and bourbon in a small pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer for 5-­10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a pitcher.

To make the drink: Add 2 oz bourbon and 1 cup of the cider mix to a glass. Garnish with an orange slice and stick of cinnamon.

Recipe by Vindulge

Naughty Pumpkin Cocktail
2 ounces pumpkin pie infused vodka
1 ounce dark rum ½ ounce kahlua
1 barspoon brown sugar simple syrup
Optional: splash of half and half

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass. Add ice if desired.

Optional: Top with a splash of half and half before serving.

To make brown sugar simple syrup: Mix 2 parts brown sugar with one part water on stove. Stir to combine and boil until thickened. Cool before using. Store in the fridge and use as needed.

Recipe by One Martini

Frosty the Caramel Apple Pie
1 -1/2 oz. vodka or tequila
1 oz. butterscotch schnapps
1 -1/2 oz. apple cider
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Apple slice for garnish
Crushed graham crackers

First, rim the lip of a chilled cocktail glass with your crushed graham crackers. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into your chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

Serve over ice in a large wine goblet.

Recipe by Food Network

Hoppin’ Hot Scotch
2 oz. butterscotch schnapps
8 -10 oz. hot chocolate (water or milk)
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate shavings (optional)
1/2 oz. amaretto (optional, but gives off a warm, almond aroma)

In an Irish coffee mug, add schnapps followed by hot chocolate. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream. Top off with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings.

Recipe by Food Network

Apple Cider Margaritas
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce gold tequila
5-6 ounces sweet apple cider
orange segments and apple slices
cinnamon + cane sugar + coarse sugar for glass rimming
cinnamon sticks for garnish

Add a few spoonfuls of cane sugar, coarse sugar and cinnamon to a plate. Run an orange segment around the edge of the glass, then press into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat the rim. Add a few orange slices in the bottom of the glass, fill with ice, then add the Grand Marnier, tequila and apple cider and stir to mix. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Enjoy.

Recipe by How Sweet Eats 

Honeycrisp Apple Sangria
3 cinnamon sticks
2 honeycrisp apples, chopped
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 750ml bottle of red wine
1 and 3/4 cups of apple cider
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange juice
juice from a lemon
club soda

Place the cinnamon sticks, apples, and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice and lemon juice. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 6 – 24 hours. Taste; if you’d like it to be sweeter, add 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, honey, or agave. If you’d like a cinnamon-sugar rim (highly recommended), simply moisten the rim of your glasses with water, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pour in the sangria with fruit and add a splash of club soda (this unsweetened fizz is wonderful with the sangria!). Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. Cheers!

Recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction