A Grateful Meal

Cocktail

Pumpkin Spice Margarita

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This Pumpkin Spice Margarita is the perfect drink for holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving or any crisp fall day!

I know that liking anything pumpkin spice-related is very basic, cliché, or whatever. But, I do not care one bit. I like what I like, and based on the fact that you are reading this, I think you agree too.

Two glasses of pumpkin spice margaritas with an orange kitchen towel, sliced oranges, a lit candle, and cinnamon sticks next to it. The background is white and there is a tequila bottle in the light gray background.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Margarita

  • Pumpkin puree: I always go with just the plain canned kind. Just make sure you’re getting the 100% pure pumpkin. Libby’s is a go-to brand.
  • Orange juice: I love the taste of oranges with winter squashes like pumpkin or butternut squash, so it’s a perfect choice as a mixer in this margarita.
  • Orange liqueur: There are many types of orange liquors. Some of the most popular orange liqueurs are Grand Marnier and Cointreau.
  • Tequila: I used silver tequila for this recipe. I tend to stick to silver tequilas when I make margaritas. It’s a personal preference, but go with what you like.
  • Ground cinnamon and sugar: There is no added sugar in the actual margarita, but the cinnamon-sugar rim is the perfect hint of sweetness that makes the drink taste well balanced.
  • Garnishes – orange peel or cinnamon stick: Garnishes are always optional, but they make a drink feel extra special even if it is a regular weekday evening.

How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Margarita

First, you’ll wet the rim of the glass with either water or the juicy side of an orange wedge and roll the rim in the ground cinnamon and sugar. You can add ice to the glass if you want it on the rocks, as I did, but you can also serve it straight up. All of the rest of the ingredients except for the garnishes are added to a cocktail shaker with ice. After shaking well, you strain into the cinnamon-sugar rimmed glass. Top with your favorite garnish, and you are good to go.

An overview of the pumpkin spice margaritas in two glasses with a cinnamon sugar rim. There are whole cinnamon sticks, slice oranges, and orange kitchen towel, and springs of rosemary in a white cup - all on a gray background.

How to Serve for a Halloween or Thanksgiving Margarita

This Pumpkin Spice Margarita is so incredibly perfect for the fall holidays – Halloween and Thanksgiving. For Thanksgiving, I usually break out the cocktails while I cook and prep – it makes it a lot more fun. Although be careful you don’t have a kitchen accident because you imbibed a bit too much. I typically go with wine with the actual Thanksgiving dinner,  but this cocktail would be excellent with the meal as well. The recipe can easily be multiplied and put into a pitcher if you have a crowd of people.

For Halloween, since I’m childfree, I tend to enjoy Halloween sitting on my porch passing out candy while drinking a cocktail – and this one would be an excellent option for that. It’s usually still pretty hot outside in the south for Halloween, so I tend to like nice icy and festive drinks instead of warm or hot drinks. But if you’re located in a colder climate, you might want to check out my spiked Apple Cider Hot Toddy. It’ll definitely keep you warm. Fun fact – two years ago, my friends and I passed out candy to the kids and a cocktail to all the parents. It was a super simple one with just juice and vodka. Needless to say, we were pretty popular that night. We had a few repeat trick-or-treaters on the count of parents wanting more of their “treat.” It was really fun and a great way to strike up a conversation with new people.

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Pumpkin Spice Margarita

An close up of the pumpkin spice margarita that has a orange peel and whole cinnamon stick on top. The margaritas have a cinnamon sugar rim. There are whole cinnamon sticks, slice oranges, and orange kitchen towel, and springs of rosemary in a white cup.
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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This Pumpkin Spice Margarita is the perfect drink for holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving or any crisp fall day!

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 0 min
  • Total Time: 5 min
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Category: cocktails
  • Method: Mixing

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp. pumpkin puree
  • 3 oz. of  orange juice
  • 1 oz. orange liqueur
  • 2 oz. of tequila
  • Ground cinnamon and sugar, to taste for the rim
  • Orange peel and/or cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions

  1. For the cinnamon-sugar rim, add your desired amount of ground cinnamon and sugar to a small plate. Wet the rim of the glass with water or the fleshy part of a citrus wedge, if available. Roll the rim in the cinnamon and sugar on the plate. Fill the glass with ice if you want the margarita on the rocks.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, orange juice, orange liqueur, and tequila with some ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour the margarita mix into the glass and top with an orange peel or cinnamon stick (if using garnishes).

Keywords: Pumpkin spice margarita, thanksgiving margarita

Apple Cider Hot Toddy

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This apple cider hot toddy will warm you up during the cold fall and winter months. Made with honey, apple cider, cinnamon, and bourbon, it tastes just as good as it feels to cozy up with a hot toddy.

‘Tis the season for warm beverages. Hot tea, coffee, cocoa, I just can’t get enough. I also like to make a nice hot toddy when I need something extra cozy and boozy.

My fall allergies were flaring up last week, so I thought an apple cider hot toddy sounded really good. Obviously, it didn’t clear up my allergies (I’ll leave that to my Allegra), but it tasted and felt so good. I love a good hot toddy, not only when I’m feeling poorly, but it makes a great festive cocktail. The first time I had a hot toddy was a few years ago at Thanksgiving. My brother made a round of hot toddies that evening to sip on while watching rest of the Thanksgiving football games.

Overview of two apple cider hot toddy with a pot of honey with a spoon and towel on the side on a white countertop.

What is a Hot Toddy?

Hot toddies have been around for centuries. They’re usually drunk as nightcaps on cold evenings or when someone is feeling under the weather. They’re typically made from whiskey, hot water, and honey as a basic recipe, but I’ve seen variations using apple cider (like mine) or even tea as well.

Overview of a apple cider hot toddy with an apple slice and cinnamon stick on a white countertop.

Does a Hot Toddy Help with Cold-like Symptoms?

There’s no clinical evidence that hot toddies will cure or shorten the common cold or other ailments. There is potential harm in mixing alcohol with certain medications, including those used for cold and flu symptoms. So always check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking alcohol while on medication. Antidotally, they soothe my symptoms (which could be a placebo), but so do most warm beverages when I’m feeling under the weather. If you have a healthy relationship with alcohol and you’re not taking medications that could interfere, then you do you.

Ingredients for the Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Apple cider: Apple cider screams fall and winter, so it’s natural to use to sweeten this hot toddy.   

Honey: While you could use other sweeteners, there is a tiny amount of evidence that honey may suppress a cough. It is also traditional for a hot toddy recipe to use honey.    

Bourbon: There are other whiskey types you could use, but I’m a little partial to bourbon. My favorite bourbon is from my favorite local Charleston distilleries – Cannon and High Wire.  

Cinnamon stick: I like using a cinnamon stick because the bourbon and hot liquid will extract the flavor without overpowering the drink. I wouldn’t use ground cinnamon because it would be too much, and it won’t dissolve very well. You can find cinnamon sticks just about everywhere, but you can also get them on Amazon.

Two apple cider hot toddies with a pot of honey and spoon on the side with a tea towel on a white countertop.

How to Make Hot Toddy with Apple Cider

It’s a simple recipe. You’ll need to heat your apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave. It needs to be hot enough to dissolve honey. After the cider is hot, you can add the honey and pour it into a mug or heatproof cup (one that you won’t burn your fingers when you try to hold it). Then you’ll add the bourbon, cinnamon stick and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water. After stirring, I added a slice of apple, but that’s optional for aesthetics mostly.

Obviously, you’ll need to cozy up under a blanket and maybe even by the fireside for the complete aesthetic. 😊

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Apple Cider Hot Toddy

Apple cider hot toddy with a slice of apple and cinnamon stick with a towel and little jar of honey on the side with a yellow spoon on the side. In the background is another cocktail and sliced apples with a knife on the side.
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  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
  • Category: cocktail

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 – 1 ½ ounce of bourbon
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ – ½ c hot water
  • Apple slices, optional

Instructions

1. Heat apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave to the desired temperature (should be hot enough to dissolve honey). Add honey to apple cider and stir until honey is dissolved.

2. Pour honey cider mixture into a mug or heatproof cup. Add bourbon, cinnamon stick, and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water (about ¼ -½ cup). Top with an apple slice if using. Stir and serve immediately. 

Keywords: cocktail, hot toddy, bourbon, honey, drink

El Diablo Cocktail

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The El Diablo cocktail is exactly what you need for Halloween. It’s simple and the perfect drink to for any fall gathering or to sip on while sitting the porch handing out candy, which is exactly my plan. (Don’t worry, this year the candy will remain at the end of my driveway for adequate social distancing!) I mean how can you not have a cocktail named “el diablo” on Halloween.

Overview of an el diablo cocktail with limes and blackberries on the side on a white countertop.

This classic cocktail is just slightly sweet and a little spicy thanks to the addition of ginger beer and creme de cassis. To give the drink an extra tang, make sure that you use a good quality ginger beer that will give you the spice required for this drink. I recommend Fever Tree or Q Mixers ginger beer – I have used both with great results in the past. The creme de cassis adds a deep earthy sweetness as it is a liquor made from black currant berries. It adds a nice deep reddish/purple hue that just screams Halloween. The drink hits all the key flavor points of a quality cocktail (at least in my book): slightly sweet, a tad spicy, and a good bit tart.

You can serve the drink on the rocks or neat in a champagne coupe for a little extra drama. Top it with an extra lime wheel and some blackberries, and you’re golden.

Close up of an el diablo cocktail garnished with a blackberry and lime with a bottle of tequila in the background.

Ingredients

Tequila: I use white tequila or “blanco” for this cocktail. Sometimes this tequila is called “silver” tequila. Either way, it’s unaged and does best in cocktails vs. the darker tequila (amber tone, not the one colored with caramel color that looks gold) is aged and does better for shots.

Crème de cassis: As I mentioned, this is a liquor made from black currants. They have a strong berry flavor. It typically hails from France and is a key ingredient in another classic cocktail, Kir – which is white wine topped with crème de cassis. For a Kir Royale, you swap the white wine for champagne.

Limes: Fresh lime juice is always best in cocktails and gives a fresh punch of acidity, which works so well in this cocktail.  Keep a few wedges or wheels of lime for garnish or extra squeezing on top.

Quality ginger beer: As mentioned, Q Mixers or Fever Tree are my favorite high-quality ginger beers. A higher quality ginger beer will let the ginger flavor come through more for a sweet and spicy kick.

Blackberries: This is optional but is a nice touch. Black currants are hard to find for garnish so blackberries are a good sub. Tip: If you freeze the berries in advance, you can use them as ice cubes.  

Picture of two el diablo cocktails on a white background with a bottle of tequila, limes, and blackberries on the side

How to Make an El Diablo Cocktail

All of the ingredients except the ginger beer and garnishes go into a cocktail shaker with ice. After shaking them all up, you strain the cocktail in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice (or champagne coupe for neat) and top with the ginger beer. Don’t put the ginger beer in the shaker – you might end up with a huge mess by shaking up something with carbonation!

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El Diablo Cocktail

Close up of an el diablo cocktail garnished with a blackberry and lime with a bottle of tequila in the background and blackberries and limes on the side.
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  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Category: cocktail

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tbsp. (or 1.5 oz) tequila blanco
  • 1 tbsp. (or 1/2 oz.) creme de cassis
  • 1 tbsp. (or 1/2 oz.) lime juice
  • 6 tbsp. (or 3 oz.) quality ginger beer (such as Q Mixers or Fever Tree)
  • Extra lime wedges or wheels and blackberries for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pour tequila, creme de cassis, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake, then strain into a glass filled with ice for on the rocks or without ice for neat. Top with ginger beer.

Keywords: cocktail, halloween, blackberries, tequila, creme de cassis

Limoncello Spritz: The Ultimate Summer Mood

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Move over, Aperol Spritz. There’s a new refreshing summer cocktail on the block, the Limoncello Spritz, made with bubbly prosecco, soda water, and the sweet and tart taste of limoncello. This one will be on repeat all summer long. 

Limoncello spritz with lemon, ice, and basil as garnish on a white countertop.

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is an Italian liqueur made from soaking lemon rinds in neutral-flavored alcohol. It results in a thick, sweet, and tart liqueur that can be drunk by itself as a digestif – something to sip on after a meal to help “digest.” It really delicious on its own but also makes for a phenomenal cocktail ingredient. 

Limoncello Spritz Ingredients

You’ll need:

  • Limoncello: You can find limoncello at most liquor stores without any issue. Bigger stores like Total Wine carry several brands of limoncello. I have yet to find a limoncello that I haven’t liked.
  • Prosecco: Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine made from the Glera grape. Most proseccos are dry, but brut or extra dry are good options to ensure the cocktail is refreshing and not too sweet.
  • Soda water: Use plain sparkling water/club soda, or you can make some sparkling water with a Soda Stream. 
  • Lemons: Sliced-up lemons are the perfect garnish and add a little extra lemon flavor to the drink. 
  • Basil: Basil is a perfect Italian ingredient for an Italian cocktail. It’s a member of the mint family, so if you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute fresh mint. 

How to Make a Spritz

There aren’t any special techniques for making a spritz, but here are few tips for making a tasty and refreshing spritz. 

  • Avoid shaking the cocktail since so much of it is bubbly – it’ll just make a mess. 
  • It might seem weird to serve a cocktail that contains wine over ice, but it works in the case of spritzes. Fill a large wine glass 2/3 of the way up with ice to make sure the cocktail is ice cold and super refreshing. Add a few wheels of lemon and the basil to the ice before pouring in the cocktail ingredients. 
  • Pour the limoncello, prosecco, and soda water, and stir lightly. Garnish with extra basil. 
Two glasses limoncello spritz with lemon, ice, and basil as garnish on a white countertop.

How to Serve a Limoncello Spritz

While limoncello is a digestif, it can be enjoyed with other parts of a meal in cocktail form. Lemon flavors help cleanse the palate (another reason why Italians love limoncello at the end of the meal), so it’s a great cocktail to serve between different parts of a meal like after appetizers or before dessert, etc. How do I enjoy my Limoncello Spritz? Preferably on an Italian vacation to the Almafi Coast, but floating in a pool comes in second, even if it means a kiddie pool (which I totally did over Memorial Day weekend!) 😉

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Limoncello Spritz

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  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Category: Cocktail
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 oz. limoncello
  • 3 oz. prosecco
  • 1 oz. soda water
  • Sliced lemons and basil for garnish

Instructions

  1. Fill a large wine glass 2/3 of the way up. Add a sliced lemon and basil to the ice.
  2. Pour limoncello, prosecco, and soda water. Stir gently. Garnish with more lemon and basil. 

Keywords: Limoncello, Cocktail, Summer

Easy Cranberry Margaritas for a Crowd

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Glasses of cranberry margaritas with a large pitcher of margarita
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It’s no secret around here that I’m kind of obsessed with cranberries. Not only do I like cranberry sauce, but I also like spicy cranberry shrimp. I mean, what says “the holidays” like bright, colorful, and tart cranberries? Let me tell you that these easy cranberry margaritas sure do say it loud and proud.  

Overview of three glasses of cranberry margaritas with fresh limes, rosemary, and cranberries

One of the challenges during the holiday season is choosing what cocktails, wine, or beer are served at gatherings. Often, wine and beer are natural choices. No mixing involved, and they can be bought in bulk. Cocktails are a little more challenging since they require mixing and matching. What you really need at your holiday gatherings is an easy and festive cocktail that can be mixed in a pitcher or punch bowl to be enjoyed by the masses. These easy cranberry margaritas are just the ticket.

I made these recently at Thanksgiving to accompany the beer and wine selection. These margaritas were gone in a blink of an eye. The empty pitcher was met with disappointed comments like “aw, the margaritas are gone already?” Not to worry, they took just a few minutes to whip another batch, and all was well again in the world. If you know you’ll need a large amount, this recipe can easily be multiplied using the handy feature in the recipe card below.

Glass of cranberry margarita garnished with rosemary, lime, and fresh cranberries

These margaritas are also just so naturally pretty and festive. With the bright red cranberries and green limes, it a natural fit for a Christmas party or gathering. I like to garnish with a sprig of rosemary for fun too. Fresh cranberries naturally float in liquid, so if you freeze them in advance, you can actually use them as “ice cubes” without watering down the cocktails. I like to use a combination of ice cubes and frozen cranberries to ensure they stay nice and cold. 

I didn’t add any salt to the rims of the glasses, but you certainly could. The margaritas themselves are a little sweet and tart, but if you prefer a sweeter margarita, you could try a sugar rim to balance the tart. I got no complaints with the margaritas as is, but I am all for you doing you. 

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Cranberry Margarita

Glass of cranberry margarita garnished with rosemary, lime, and fresh cranberries
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  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cocktails 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups cranberry juice
  • 1 1/2 cups tequila blanco
  • 1/2 cup lime juice (or the juice of about 3 medium-large limes)
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, for garnish 
  • Additional lime wedges and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Instructions

  1. Stir cranberry juice, tequila, and lime juice in a pitcher with ice. Add cranberries and a few lime wedges, which will float for garnish. 
  2. Serve cocktails with a sprig of rosemary and additional lime wedges. 

Notes

Tip: freeze cranberries in advance and use as “ice cubes” to keep drinks cold

Bourbon Mule

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Overview of bourbon mule in copper mugs with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
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Cheers to the weekend, friends! We did it, we made it! Now let’s go celebrate with this Bourbon Mule. A bourbon mule is a Moscow mule’s American cousin. He’s got a deeper flavor, but still bright and spicy thanks to apple cider and ginger beer. And it still looks fabulous in those pretty copper mugs.

I mentioned in my last newsletter that I can always count on my brother to bring some bourbon for Thanksgiving. Over the years, he’s made some pretty awesome cocktails, and this a variation of one of his creations that he made for us. 

Of course, the key to any great cocktail is starting with some good quality liquor. Bourbon is definitely one that you don’t want skimp on for sure. Sometimes you can get away with some milder spirits on the cheaper end, but you will never be able to pull it off with something as complex as bourbon. Two of my favorite bourbons are made locally in Charleston. This is not an ad for either, but I really enjoy Cannon Distillery and High Wire’s bourbon. In this bourbon mule, I used Cannon Distillery’s Double Barrel Bourbon. 

Overview of bourbon mule in copper mugs with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

I definitely think that this will be a part of our holiday celebrations this year. The husband has already been asking for more, and I have a feeling we’ll be making this again real soon. Cheers!

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Bourbon Mule

Close up of bourbon mule in copper mugs with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
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  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 oz. bourbon
  • 4 oz. apple cider
  • ginger beer, to taste
  • apple slice and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake bourbon and apple cider together. Strain into a copper mug or glass filled with ice. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with apple slice and cinnamon stick.