Before you start
- Simple syrup: stir equal parts sugar and hot water until dissolved. For rosemary syrup, steep 3 sprigs in 1 cup of hot syrup for 20 minutes, then strain. Keeps a week in the fridge.
- Juice: cranberry juice cocktail is sweeter than 100% cranberry juice. If you use 100%, add a little more syrup.
- Ice and garnish make it feel like a cocktail. Big ice cubes, a rosemary sprig, a few cranberries or a cinnamon stick.
For the whole table
These six have no botanicals, so anyone can drink them, kids included.
1. Cranberry rosemary spritz
- 3 oz cranberry juice
- 1 oz fresh orange juice
- ½ oz rosemary syrup
- Sparkling water, to top
Shake the juices and syrup with ice, strain into a glass over fresh ice, and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a few cranberries.
2. Apple cider ginger fizz
- 4 oz apple cider
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- Ginger beer, to top
Pour the cider and lemon over ice, top with ginger beer, and stir once. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an apple slice.
3. Pomegranate thyme smash
- 2 oz pomegranate juice
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water)
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- Club soda, to top
Gently press the thyme in a shaker, add the juice, lime and honey syrup with ice, and shake. Strain over ice, top with club soda, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
4. Maple pear sour
- 3 oz pear nectar
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz maple syrup
- A pinch of cinnamon
Shake hard with ice and strain into a coupe or a rocks glass. Garnish with a thin pear slice.
5. Big-batch harvest punch (serves about 12)
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups ginger ale, added just before serving
- Sliced apples and oranges, cranberries and cinnamon sticks
Stir everything but the ginger ale in a punch bowl or drink dispenser and chill. Add the ginger ale and fruit right before guests arrive so it stays fizzy.
6. Warm spiced cider (slow cooker or stovetop)
- 8 cups apple cider
- 1 orange, sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
Warm everything on low for 1 to 2 hours in a slow cooker, or simmer gently on the stove for 20 minutes. Keep it on warm and let guests ladle their own.
For adults 21+: one-can spritzes
These three start with one ready-to-drink can of kava or kanna. One can is one serving, so build each drink in its own glass, never in a shared punch bowl, and tell guests what's in it.
7. Orange Dream cranberry highball
- 1 can Botanical Brewing Co. Kava Orange Dream, chilled
- 1½ oz cranberry juice
- A squeeze of lime
- A rosemary sprig
Fill a tall glass with ice, add the cranberry juice and lime, and slowly pour in the can. Garnish with rosemary.
8. Tutti Frutti cider spritz
- 1 can Botanical Brewing Co. Kava Tutti Frutti, chilled
- 2 oz apple cider
- An apple slice and a cinnamon stick
Pour the cider over ice, top with the can, and garnish. The fruit-forward can plays well with cider.
9. Pomegranate Fusion thyme spritz
- 1 can Botanical Brewing Co. Kanna Pomegranate Fusion, chilled
- 1 oz pomegranate juice
- A squeeze of lime
- A sprig of thyme
Pour the pomegranate juice and lime over ice, top with the can, and garnish with thyme. It pours pink, so it looks great on the table.
Serving kava or kanna at Thanksgiving
- Adults 21+ only, and one can per drink. Don't add a second can to the same glass.
- Don't mix them with alcohol, and don't serve a kava drink and a kanna drink to the same guest.
- Never serve kanna to anyone taking antidepressants. Read who should skip each plant below.
- Nobody drives after a kava or kanna drink. Plan rides the same way you would with wine.
More alcohol-free ideas
Planning ahead? See our Christmas mocktails. Want a bottle for the host instead? See the best non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic spirits. For a can that stands in for a cocktail, see the best social tonics, and for gifts, our non-alcoholic gift guide.
Who should skip kava
- Kava drinks are for adults 21+. Skip them if you're under 21.
- Skip kava if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Skip kava if you have a liver condition or drink heavily. Kava has been linked to rare cases of serious liver injury.
- Skip it if you take antidepressants (including SSRIs), sedatives, sleep aids or medications that affect the liver, unless your doctor says it's OK.
- Rules on kava vary by place. Check your local rules before you buy.
- One can or shell is one serving. Don't mix kava with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it.
Who should skip kanna
- Kanna drinks are for adults 21+. Skip them if you're under 21.
- Skip kanna if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Never combine kanna with antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs) or other serotonergic medications.
- Talk to your doctor first if you take sedatives, sleep aids or any other daily medication.
- Rules on botanical products vary by state and country. Check your local rules before you buy.
- One can is one serving. Don't drink it with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it.
These are general cautions, not medical advice. If you're unsure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Questions people ask
What's a good Thanksgiving mocktail?
A cranberry rosemary spritz: cranberry juice, fresh orange juice and rosemary syrup, shaken with ice and topped with sparkling water. It's easy, festive and works for the whole table.
How do you make a big-batch Thanksgiving mocktail?
Mix 4 cups apple cider, 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup orange juice and ¼ cup lemon juice, chill it, and add 3 cups of ginger ale and sliced fruit right before serving. It serves about 12.
What flavors go with Thanksgiving dinner?
Seasonal ones: cranberry, apple cider, pomegranate, pear and orange, with ginger, cinnamon, rosemary or thyme.
Can kids drink these mocktails?
Recipes 1 to 6 have no botanicals and are fine for everyone. Recipes 7 to 9 use kava or kanna cans and are for adults 21+ only.
Can I put a kava can in a punch bowl?
We don't recommend it. One can is one serving, and guests should know what they're drinking, so build kava and kanna drinks one glass at a time.
