Our Wild Turkey Thanksgiving cocktail is made with three simple ingredients, bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, and a homemade honey simple syrup. Maybe it as a batch cocktail, shake it up, and serve it as guests arrive for dinner!

Wild Turkey Bourbon cocktail in a floral cup.

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It’s a tradition for us to serve a Thanksgiving cocktail while snacking on appetizers before dinner. We’ve made serval apple cider punches but this year, here at the cabin wanted to do something with bourbon.

The flavors of vanilla, caramel and oak felt just right for a festive cocktail. To make it even more festive, we used the Wild Turkey bourbon whiskey. It’s all about the small details when entertaining and we couldn’t pass up that charming bottle for Thanksgiving!

Pouring a Thanksgiving cocktail into a glass

How to Make a Wild Turkey Thanksgiving Cocktail

The first step to making this cocktail is quickly whipping up an easy batch of honey simple syrup. It’s squeal parts honey and water that simmers on the stovetop until he honey is melted.

Next, squeeze fresh lemon juice from a few lemons. Make enough so you can serve a few cocktails!

Then, add the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake for 20 seconds with ice.

Strain over ice, garnish with an edible flower and enjoy!

Bourbon Thanksgiving cocktail on a gold platter with an edible flower.

Tips for Making this Cocktail

Always use the best ingredients you can. A good quality bourbon, fresh lemons and local honey.

Shake the cocktail for 25 seconds with ice. This is crucial to creating the perfect balanced cocktail. The water needs to dilute the ingredients. The cocktail can sit in the ice for a few minutes too.

This is a sipping cocktail, so serve it over large ice cubes. The flavors together are really beautiful.

Also, check out our guide to making simple syrup and mocktails for any guests who won’t be partaking in alcohol.

Bourbon cocktail on a flower glass on a log.

Depending on where you love, November can have some beautiful, fall sunny days that are perfect for a cocktail hour outside.

An old vintage table or a stack of hay bales will work to create a cocktail station outside. Have the cocktails already made on a pretty tray with flowers, or set out the ingredients for guests to make their own.

Garnish the drinks with edible flowers. Pansies are perfect as they thrive in the fall and winter, come in beautiful colors and they’re edible.

We used these stunning floral glasses from Williams Sonoma as well as a beautiful gold platter to serve them on.