7 Big-Batch Cocktails to Get Your Family Drunk on Thanksgiving

It's my favorite time of year! Yes, it's holiday season but it's also the time of year to unknowingly get your family and friends drunk! We've divided our list of big-batch options into seven main alcohol food groups in order to include something for everyone. 

VODKA

Blueberry Lemonade Vodka Spritzer

Ingredients:

• 3½  cups of lemonade
• 2 cups blueberry-flavored vodka
• 1 cup soda water
• 3 cups of ice
• 3 tbs. sugar (to taste)
• 2 cups of fresh blueberries
• Lemon slices and fresh mint to garnish

Instructions:

1. Mix blueberries and sugar in a large container and lightly muddle the berries, keeping most of them whole.
2. Add ice, lemonade, vodka, and soda water and stir gently.
3. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint.

Note: You may add more lemonade, vodka, or soda to suit your taste.

RUM

Gingerbread Egg Nog

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs, yolks and white separated
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups dark rum
• 1/2 cup ginger liqueur
• 8 gingersnap cookies, finely ground 

Instructions:

1. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on low speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until they are about the consistency of shaving cream, about 90 seconds. Reduce speed to medium. With mixer running, add half of sugar and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer whites to a large bowl. Do not wash bowl.
2. Add egg yolks and remaining sugar to now-empty stand mixer bowl and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow and ribbony.
3. Add milk, cream, rum, and ginger liqueur and mix on low speed to combine.
4. Using a rubber spatula or handheld whisk, fold the whipped whites into the egg yolk/milk mixture until completely incorporated.
5. Place ground ginger snaps in a shallow pie plate. Drip rim of each glass into eggnog and press into ground ginger cookies.
6. Pour eggnog into glass, dust with more ground gingersnaps, and serve.

WHISKEY

Sparkling Bourbon Lemonade Punch

Ingredients:

• 6 shots bourbon
• 2 shots St. Germain
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 large lemons)
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (1 large orange)
• 4 cups club soda, chilled
• Lemon slices (about 4 large lemons)
• Orange slices (1 large orange)
• 1 bunch fresh mint sprigs, plus more for garnish
• Crushed ice

Instructions:

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Cool the simply syrup completely. This simple syrup can be made 1 week in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the St. Germain, simple syrup, lemon juice and orange juice in a pitcher. Mix in the club soda. Add the lemon slices, orange slices and mint.
3. Fill glasses with crushed ice.
4. Add 1 shot bourbon to each glass and fill to the top with the sparkling lemonade. Garnish each glass with mint.

TEQUILA

Knock Me Out Punch

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white tequila
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 2 cups grapefruit juice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 8 orange slices
• ice, for serving

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the liquid ingredients in a pitcher.
2. Garnish with the orange slices and serve over ice.

GIN

The Collins Punch

Ingredients:

• 7 1/2 oz. gin
• 3 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 3 oz. simple syrup
• 5 oz. Earl Grey Tea
• 5 oz. club soda

Instructions:

1. Build with ice in punch bowl and stir.

 

WINE

Apple Cider Sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 green apple, cored and sliced
• 1 red apple, cored and sliced
• 1 orange, seeded and sliced
• 1 large bottle of ginger beer
• 1 bottle of prosecco
• 1 bottle of apple cider (add to taste, ~4-5 cups)
• A few shots of vodka (optional)

Instructions:

1. Slice apples and oranges and place into a large pitcher or punch bowl.
2. Add ginger beer, apple cider, and sparkling white wine. A few shots of vodka can also kick it up a notch!

BEER

Grapefruit Beer Punch

Ingredients:

• 4 cups gin 
• 2 cups fresh grapefruit juice (about 4 large grapefruits)
• 5 cups India Pale Ale, chilled

Instructions:

1. Combine the gin and grapefruit juice in a large pitcher.
2. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Add the IPA just before serving and ladle into ice-filled punch.

These big-batch cocktails are sure to be crowd-pleasers! Don't forget to make up the extra bedroom for overnight guests, just in case someone has their fare share of fun on Thanksgiving night. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!