Spiced Thanksgiving Cocktails

While turkey and cranberry sauce take center stage at most Thanksgiving celebrations, it's important to remember that the drinks selection matters almost as much grandma's pumpkin pie — and should be as full of spices. From classic mulled wine to something a little more spirited, there's no better complement to your holiday feast than a spiced drink.

Thankfully, our partners in the Food Network Community Table, Thanksgiving Edition have put together a long menu of delicious dishes for you to serve (see the list below), and that leaves us to think about the beverages.

So while you've got your saucepans at the ready and the spices out of the cupboard, don't forget to brew up a scrumptious spiced libation — you'll be thankful you did.

If your Thursday will be a frosty one, go with a hot concoction. Warmth tends to intensify spice flavors, which gives these drinks a little extra oomph. Traditional Scandinavian glögg is always a good choice, with its combo of fruit, red wine, port, and just a little vodka, as is the more modern Hendrick's Hot Gin Punch, which calls for gin, a spirit too often reserved for warmer seasons.

At the end of the meal, it's a great time to break out a bowl of Tom & Jerry, an indulgent rum-based holiday treat with nearly 200 years of history. It's the perfect companion to football and a food coma.

And should guests catch you unawares, fix our last-minute mulled wine (pictured above). It uses ingredients you probably have on hand — bourbon, half a bottle of red wine, sugar, citrus peel, cinnamon, and star anise (you can substitute cloves or allspice, too).

Click here for more food and cocktail pairings from Liquor.com. 

This story was originally published at Spiced Thanksgiving Cocktails. For more stories like this, subscribe to Liquor.com for the best in all things cocktails and spirits.