5 Thanksgiving Mocktail Recipes Everyone Will Love (Alcoholic-Free!)

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Every Thanksgiving table deserves a drink that feels as special as the meal — and that includes the guests who aren’t drinking alcohol.

Whether you’ve got kids at the table, pregnant family members, designated drivers, or just people who prefer to skip the wine, these Thanksgiving mocktail recipes make sure no one feels like an afterthought.

The best part? They’re easy to pull together with ingredients you can find at any grocery store, and a few of them can be made as a big batch ahead of time so you’re not playing bartender all day.

These five nonalcoholic Thanksgiving drinks cover everything from warm and spiced to sparkling and festive — and honestly, even the wine drinkers at your table are going to want one.

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The 5 Thanksgiving Mocktail Recipes

Recipe	What Makes It Special
Cranberry Apple Cider Mocktail	Tart, sweet, and ready in 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients — the easy crowd-pleaser
Warm Spiced Apple Cider	A cozy, warming drink that fills your kitchen with the best fall smell — works in a crockpot all day
Sparkling Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail	The showstopper — deep ruby red and bubbly, perfect for the Thanksgiving toast moment
Pumpkin Spice Mocktail	Creamy and indulgent, served warm or cold — the one kids and pumpkin spice lovers will fight over
Cranberry Orange Sparkling Punch	Big-batch, make-ahead punch for a crowd — gorgeous in a bowl and guests serve themselves

Mocktail #1 | Cranberry Apple Cider Mocktail

This one is the MVP of the bunch. Tart cranberry, sweet apple cider, and a splash of ginger ale come together in about two minutes — and the color is absolutely gorgeous on a Thanksgiving table. It looks fancy, but it couldn’t be easier.

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 5 minutes | No cooking required

Ingredients

• 1 cup pure apple cider (not apple juice — the real stuff makes a difference)
• ½ cup 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)
• ½ cup ginger ale or sparkling water
• Fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig for garnish
• Ice

Instructions

1. Fill two glasses with ice.
2. Pour ½ cup apple cider and ¼ cup cranberry juice into each glass.
3. Top each with a splash of ginger ale or sparkling water.
4. Stir gently and garnish with a few fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig.
5. Serve immediately.

To make a pitcher: Combine 4 cups apple cider, 2 cups cranberry juice, and 2 cups ginger ale in a large pitcher. Add ice and garnish. Serves 8.

💡 Quick tip: Freeze a few cranberries into ice cubes the night before for a beautiful touch that keeps the drink cold without watering it down.

Mocktail #2 | Warm Spiced Apple Cider

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Some guests want something warm in their hands while dinner finishes up, and this delivers. This is a stovetop version that takes about 15 minutes and fills your kitchen with the best fall smell imaginable. It also works beautifully in a slow cooker if you want to keep it warm all day.

Serves: 6–8 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes (or 2 hours on low in crockpot)**

Ingredients

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 star anise
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup (optional, to taste)

Instructions

1. Pour apple cider into a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, orange slices, and nutmeg.
3. Heat until steaming but not boiling, about 15 minutes.
4. Taste and add brown sugar or maple syrup if you’d like it a little sweeter.
5. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until serving.
6. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick or orange slice.

Slow cooker version: Add everything to a crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. Switch to warm setting for serving.

💡 Tip: The whole spices are key here — don’t substitute ground spices or the cider will get cloudy and slightly bitter. Keep them whole and just let them steep.

Mocktail #3 | Sparkling Pomegranate Ginger Mocktail

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This is the showstopper. Deep ruby red, a little bubbly, with a kick from ginger beer — it looks like champagne and feels just as celebratory. This is the one you put in a coupe glass and bring out when it’s time for a toast.

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 5 minutes | No cooking required

Ingredients

• ¾ cup 100% pomegranate juice
• ½ cup ginger beer (non-alcoholic)
• ¼ cup sparkling water
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• Pomegranate arils and fresh mint for garnish
• Ice

Instructions

1. Fill two glasses with ice (or use coupe glasses with no ice for a more elegant presentation).
2. Pour pomegranate juice and lime juice into each glass.
3. Top with ginger beer and a splash of sparkling water.
4. Stir very gently — you want to keep the bubbles.
5. Garnish with pomegranate arils and a sprig of fresh mint.

To make a pitcher: Combine 3 cups pomegranate juice, ¼ cup lime juice, 2 cups ginger beer, and 1 cup sparkling water. Add arils and mint right before serving. Serves 8.

💡 Quick tip: POM Wonderful is the go-to here — the flavor is much deeper than store-brand pomegranate juice and makes a huge difference in how the drink tastes.

These mocktails also look great served in a coupe glass…

Recipe #4 | Pumpkin Spice Mocktail

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Yes, it’s pumpkin spice season — and yes, this one belongs on your Thanksgiving drink menu. This mocktail is creamy, lightly spiced, and totally indulgent without being too heavy. Think of it as the dessert drink. Kids especially love this one.

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 5 minutes | No cooking required

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla oat milk (or any milk of choice)
• 2 tbsp pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sparkling water or ginger ale
• Whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon for topping

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together oat milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Fill two glasses with ice.
3. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the ice, filling each glass about ¾ full.
4. Top with a splash of sparkling water or ginger ale for a little fizz.
5. Finish with whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

💡 Quick tip: For a warm version, skip the sparkling water and gently heat the pumpkin mixture in a small saucepan until steaming. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream. It’s basically a pumpkin spice latte — just without the coffee or the Starbucks price tag.

Recipe #5 | Cranberry Orange Sparkling Punch

This is the crowd drink — the one you make in a big bowl or pitcher and set out so guests can serve themselves. It’s bright, refreshing, festive, and absolutely beautiful. The orange adds sweetness to balance the tart cranberry, and the sparkling water keeps it feeling light even after a big meal.

Serves: 10–12 | Prep time: 10 minutes | No cooking required

Ingredients

• 4 cups 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)
• 2 cups fresh-squeezed orange juice (about 6 oranges)
• 2 cups sparkling water or lemon-lime soda
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 2 tbsp honey or simple syrup (optional, to taste)
• Orange slices, fresh cranberries, and fresh mint for garnish
• Ice ring or regular ice

Instructions

1. In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, and honey or simple syrup if using. Stir well.
2. Just before serving, pour in sparkling water and ginger ale. Stir gently.
3. Add ice (or an ice ring to keep it cold longer without diluting).
4. Float orange slices, fresh cranberries, and mint on top for a stunning presentation.
5. Serve immediately.

💡 Lynn’s tip: Make an ice ring the night before by filling a bundt pan with water, a few orange slices, and cranberries and freezing overnight. It keeps the punch cold for hours and looks absolutely gorgeous in the bowl.

Also, if you don’t have a punch bowl, there are some super affordable options on Amazon. Here’s one of the bestsellers…

Thanksgiving Mocktail Recipes: FAQs

Can I make these Thanksgiving mocktails ahead of time?

Most of these can be prepped partially ahead of time. Mix your juices and syrups the night before and refrigerate. Add sparkling water, ginger ale, or any fizzy element right before serving so you don’t lose the bubbles.

Are these mocktail recipes kid-friendly?

Yes! All five are completely nonalcoholic and great for kids. The pumpkin spice mocktail and cranberry orange punch tend to be the biggest hits with younger guests.

How do I make a big batch for a crowd?

The cranberry apple cider mocktail and the cranberry orange punch both scale up beautifully. See the pitcher notes in each recipe. For the warm spiced cider, a large slow cooker keeps it warm all day without any effort.

What’s the difference between a mocktail and a regular nonalcoholic drink?

A mocktail is specifically designed to have the look, feel, and complexity of a cocktail — layered flavors, garnishes, a little something special — without the alcohol. These recipes are all designed with that intention: they’re not just juice in a glass, they’re drinks worth sipping slowly.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re hosting a big family Thanksgiving or just want something festive to sip while you cook, these nonalcoholic Thanksgiving drinks make the whole day feel a little more special. Pick one to try this year — or honestly, make all five and let guests choose their favorites.

Hope you have a relaxing, mocktail-filled Thanksgiving!

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