Amaretto Sour

This amaretto sour recipe is an updated take on the classic cocktail. Easy to make with 5 ingredients, it's nutty and bright, with a delicious foamy top.

This amaretto sour recipe is frothy, nutty, and bright. Easy to make with just 5 ingredients, it’s such a festive cocktail for Christmas or New Year’s Eve. The amaretto’s almond notes remind me of marzipan (or the almond extract I use in many of my favorite Christmas cookies). It feels perfect for the season. When I was in college, I had a good friend who always ordered an amaretto sour when we went out. The first time I tried one was with her. I remember liking the nutty flavor but thinking it was too sweet for me. I recently learned…

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

This homemade hot chocolate is creamy, thick, and flavorful, made with both melted chocolate and cocoa powder. It's a perfect cozy treat for a cold day!

winter / beverage

This hot chocolate recipe is so much better than a powdered mix! Made with two types of chocolate—a chopped bar and cocoa powder—it’s deliciously rich, creamy, and just the right amount of sweet. It’s super easy to make too—it comes together with 5 simple ingredients in under 10 minutes. We’ve already made this homemade hot chocolate a few times this December, and I have a feeling that it’ll stay on repeat all month long. It’s the perfect warming treat for a cold winter night, especially if you have a kid (like ours) who loves cozying up under the Christmas tree…

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15 Best Thanksgiving Cocktails

Our best Thanksgiving cocktails! Find simple classics like an Old Fashioned as well as fun, festive fall drinks. You and your guests will love them!

I love adding a few Thanksgiving cocktails to my holiday menu each year. Sometimes, I stick with the classics, serving up warming mulled wine or dry martinis. Other years, I lean into the season, making signature Thanksgiving drinks that are packed with fall flavors—think cranberry margaritas or apple cider sangria. Either way, they put the perfect festive finishing touch on the meal. I’ve rounded up my best Thanksgiving cocktail recipes below. Check them out if you’re looking for drink ideas for your celebration. I hope you find some you (and your guests) love! Our Best Thanksgiving Cocktails Apple Cider Sangria This…

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Cranberry Margarita

This cranberry margarita is the perfect festive cocktail for the holiday season! Sweet, tart, and delicious, it's easy to make with 4 ingredients.

Cranberry margarita, anyone?! This 4-ingredient cocktail is a holiday twist on my classic margarita recipe. I keep the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime, but I replace the simple syrup with cranberry juice. It’s sweet and tart, fruity and refreshing, and a gorgeous ruby red. Garnished with fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig, it’s so darn fun and festive! I developed this recipe with Thanksgiving in mind—we’re celebrating in Austin this year, so serving margaritas just felt right. But honestly, I think this cranberry margarita would be perfect for the rest of the holiday season too. With its bold color and seasonal…

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Classic Martini

Classic and classy, a martini is one of our favorite cocktails to make at home. This 2-ingredient recipe uses gin and dry vermouth. We love it with a twist!

This classic martini recipe was one of the first cocktails Jack learned to make at home. It entered our rotation years ago, back when we had regular poker nights with a group of friends. I would always lose, but I still joined in every time for the company—and the drinks. Jack thinks (and he’s convinced me too) that a martini is a cocktail that’s actually best made at home. You only need 2 ingredients—gin and dry vermouth—and you have complete control over the ratios. We both like ours dry, which is how I’ve written the recipe below, but I’ve also included notes…

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Apple Cider Sangria

I'm making this apple cider sangria for every party this fall! Made with white wine, fresh apples, and warm spices, it's fruity, festive, and serves a crowd.

This apple cider sangria recipe is my new favorite cocktail for fall entertaining! It’s my family’s favorite too—they liked it so much the first time I served it that I made it again for another family gathering the next weekend. It’s been a staple at our fall get-togethers ever since. Sweetened with apple cider, packed with fresh apples, and warmly spiced with cinnamon and star anise, it’s full of festive fall flavor. If you’re looking for a fun cocktail to serve at Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any celebration this season, I can’t recommend this apple cider sangria enough. It’s easy to…

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Whiskey Sour

This classic whiskey sour recipe is sweet, tart, rich, and refreshing. Easy to make with 4 simple ingredients, it's one of our favorite whiskey cocktails.

A whiskey sour is one of Jack’s favorite cocktails to order when we go out to dinner. Made with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and optional egg white, it’s brighter than most whiskey drinks, which Jack thinks makes it the perfect start to a good meal. It also means that though I’m not usually a whiskey drinker, I do enjoy a whiskey sour. I love its sweet/tart flavor, rich texture, and foamy top. Since we’re both fans of this classic cocktail, Jack and I have gotten into making whiskey sours at home. Turns out, you don’t need to be at a…

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Apple Cider Cocktail

This apple cider cocktail is my idea of the perfect fall drink. Easy to make with 5 ingredients, it's bright, boozy, and packed with warming fall flavors.

Jack and I love making this apple cider cocktail recipe for cozy fall nights in. It combines some of his favorite cocktail ingredients (bourbon and Angostura bitters—this man loves an old fashioned!) with some of mine (ginger beer and a squeeze of lemon). Then, we throw apple cider into the mix for a sweet, seasonal finishing touch. As much as we enjoy making this apple cider cocktail for ourselves at home, I really wanted to share it with you because it’s perfect for fall entertaining. This fruity, fizzy, and warming drink fits right in at a holiday party or gathering…

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Moscow Mule

Learn how to make a Moscow mule! Served in an iconic copper mug, this classic cocktail is a refreshing combination of vodka, ginger beer, and lime.

Have you ever made a Moscow mule? Served in a copper mug, this cocktail looks fancy, but don’t be fooled. With just three ingredients—vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime juice—this classic drink couldn’t be easier to make at home! A Moscow mule is fizzy and refreshing, with a delicious gingery bite. I love sipping one on a warm summer evening or a crisp fall night. The combination of bright lime, warming ginger, and, well…being served in a mug makes it a great all-seasons drink. I’m sharing my go-to Moscow mule recipe at the bottom of this post, with my best tips…

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Affogato

An affogato is an Italian dessert made with two simple ingredients: hot espresso and cold gelato. It's the perfect easy, delicious treat for a hot day!

Let’s make an affogato! This classic Italian dessert is a delicious marriage of two simple ingredients: espresso and gelato or ice cream. You barely need a recipe to make one (it’s as easy as pouring hot espresso over cold ice cream). But because I think an affogato is the best way to enjoy coffee on a hot day, I couldn’t resist sharing this simple affogato recipe—my preferred ratios and variations included. I hope you’ll take it as an invitation to enjoy this delightful Italian treat for the rest of the summer, no trip to Italy required! How to Make an Affogato…

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Homemade Lemonade

This homemade lemonade recipe is just the thing for a hot summer day. Made with 3 simple ingredients, it's sweet, refreshing, and deliciously tart.

summer

This homemade lemonade recipe is so refreshing on a hot day! Made with 3 simple ingredients—water, lemon juice, and simple syrup—it’s sweet, citrusy, and deliciously tart. In the summer, I’d happily drink an ice-cold glass every day. (Not surprising given that you’re on Love & Lemons, right?) This lemonade recipe makes a big batch, so it’d be a great refreshment for your next cookout or BBQ. However, you can easily scale it down if you’re serving a smaller group. Garnish glasses with fresh mint leaves or basil for an aromatic, summery twist, or keep things classic and top each one…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.