If you are hosting a Friendsgiving or an adult-only Thanksgiving dinner, consider throwing a holiday-themed cocktail party instead.
Cooking a Thanksgiving meal is time-consuming and often leads to an excess of food waste. According to Refed, a nonprofit fighting against food waste, 312 million pounds of food is thrown away each Thanksgiving.
So this year, try something new and host a cocktail party rather than the conventional plated meal.
If you’re worried about missing traditional Thanksgiving flavors, the recipes below blend classic flavors with a modern twist. Plus, if you’re spending your Thanksgiving in your second home, these recipes don’t require some of the specialized cookware that you may not have there.
Food
Food and Wine magazine has curated a list of easy-yet-impressive appetizer recipes that you can make ahead.
Chipotle cranberry glazed turkey meatballs
Ditch the traditional turkey and try these metaballs seasoned with smoked paprika, ancho chile powder, and other herbs. Its sweetened glaze is made from an orange-infused cranberry sauce and has your traditional Thanksgiving cranberries. Get the recipe.
Mini deviled crab cornbread muffins
This recipe combines the tenderness of corn muffins with the mild, spicy taste of deviled eggs. Top it with butter, and your guests will forget all about their regular cornbread. Get the recipe.
Sausage and apple stuffing bites
Turn stuffing from a side dish into a hors d’oeuvre. This recipe includes sweet Italian sausage, Granny Smith apples, and homemade croutons. Get the recipe.
Drinks
Delish is one of our favorite places to get experimental drink recipes. Here are some standouts that add holiday-inspired twists to classic cocktails.
Cranberry Aperol spritz
Cranberries can do more than dress up a turkey. This drink upgrades the classic Aperol spritz and will help get your guests in the holiday mood. Get the recipe.
Big Apple Manhattan
If you went apple picking this fall and have frozen or canned apples left over, this recipe will help you get rid of them while also upgrading the classic Manhattan. It uses apple brandy, and each glass is topped with a slice of apple. Get the recipe.
Pumpkin Margarita
You might not think pumpkin and margarita could make an excellent combination, but this drink is a pleasant surprise for your palate. It includes a pumpkin pie filling and reposado tequila. Get the recipe.
Sweet potato pie cocktail
For some families, Thanksgiving isn’t complete without pumpkin pie. But for others, there is only one actual Thanksgiving dessert: sweet potato pie. This recipe combines RumChata, pureed sweet potatoes, rum, and toasted marshmallows. If you’ve never had sweet potato pie, try this– you might find out why some say sweet potatoes are the supreme Thanksgiving flavor. Get the recipe.
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