Enjoy all the flavors of fall in this Pumpkin Martini. Made with homemade pumpkin spice syrup, Irish cream liqueur and vanilla vodka, this dessert cocktail is delicious and perfect for the fall season and Thanksgiving.
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2023 update: This post was originally a guest post written by my friend Katie, who no longer has a blog. I updated her recipe and took new photos. You’re going to love this fall drink!
Pumpkin Martini recipe
With fall officially here, the air is crisp and the leaves are starting to change. I can’t get enough fall-favored food: anything pumpkin, cinnamon or spice will do!
If you love a good pumpkin spice latte and wondered how that syrup would taste in a cocktail, wonder no more.
You can whip up a batch of pumpkin spice syrup and create the perfect fall cocktail, the Pumpkin Spice Martini. (I highly recommend making your own pumpkin syrup, but store-bought work just fine.)
This drink is bursting with flavors of ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and, of course, pumpkin.
More fall cocktail recipes: Cranberry Mimosa • Cinnamon White Russian • Apple Cider Mule
Why you’ll love this recipe
This pumpkin spice martini is a delicious drink to finish off a great meal. It’d be extra delightful at Thanksgiving dinners or any fall celebration.
- This cocktail is made with a homemade spiced pumpkin syrup that’s great in coffee drinks too.
- It takes just like fall in a glass. If you like pumpkin pie, you will love this drink.
- It’s the perfect way to enjoy pumpkin spice flavor in a drink.
Tools & glassware
To make this pumpkin spice martini recipe, you’ll need a basic bar tool set that includes the following:
- jigger for measuring
- cocktail shaker for mixing
- Hawthorne strainer for pouring
You’ll also want to serve this dessert martini in martini glasses or coupe glasses.
Ingredients
To make this perfect drink, you will need to grab these items from the supermarket and liquor store:
Pumpkin spice syrup
Pumpkin spice syrup is very easy to make with brown sugar, canned pumpkin purée and ground spices. (If you make your own, be sure to use pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling.)
However, you can also buy it. Check out this Torani pumpkin sauce or this Monin pumpkin spice syrup,
Vanilla vodka
You can use any brand here, or you can make homemade vanilla vodka. Absolut Vanilia is my favorite store-bought version.
Regular, plain vodka will work too! You may want to add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract for that vanilla flavor. Whipped cream vodka or pumpkin spice vodka are both solid options as well.
Irish cream liqueur
Irish cream is a sweet, creamy liqueur that packs a boozy punch. There are several Irish cream brands out there. Baileys is most common, but St. Brendan’s, Carolans and Kerrygold are others to try. There is also pumpkin spice-flavored Irish cream liqueur which would bring this cocktail even more fall flavor.
Also, I would like to take a moment to shout out my homemade Irish cream recipe, which is SO GOOD. I love making this for my husband and myself at the holidays.
Heavy cream
For the dairy component, you can choose what you like. Heavy cream makes this drink nice and thick, but you can go thinner. Half-and-half is a little lighter and 2% milk would be a lot thinner.
Feel free to choose a non-dairy milk such as oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or almond milk. Pumpkin spice creamer would be a good shortcut, but may be on the sweeter side.
Garnish
There are a few garnishes you can use on this cocktail to give it more of a creative presentation.
- Don’t skip the cinnamon sugar rim. It adds some extra fall flavor, sugary texture and sweet flavor to your pumpkin martini. Plus it makes it look so professional.
- You could also do a rim of graham cracker crumbs! A crushed graham cracker rim would certainly make this creamy cocktail more like a slice of pie.
- One other option for the rim is caramel sauce. It makes such a statement!
- If you want to make it more like a PSL, you can add a dollop of whipped cream. You can use store-bought whipped cream from a can or Cool Whip if you like, but to me homemade whipped cream makes a big difference.
- You can also finish things off with cinnamon sticks or star anise.
Variations & substitutions
Try one of these variations on this recipe:
Dairy-free pumpkin martini: Instead of heavy cream, use a non-dairy milk such as oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or almond milk.
Sugar-free pumpkin martini: Use a sugar-free substitute when making the pumpkin spice syrup.
Non-alcoholic pumpkin martini: For a virgin version of this cocktail, combine the pumpkin spice simple syrup with milk and an ounce of strong coffee.
How to make a pumpkin spice martini
Ready to make this pumpkin cocktail? Here’s what to do!
1. Rim the glasses. Hold the glass upside-down. Pour some cinnamon sugar on a plate and some maple syrup or honey on another. Dip the rim of the glass in the sticky substance and let any excess drip off. (Spread it around with your finger if needed!) Then roll the edge of the glass in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
2. Make the cocktail. Fill a shaker to the gill with ice, vanilla vodka, Irish cream, pumpkin simple syrup and heavy cream. Shake vigorously and strain into a prepared cocktail glass.
3. Garnish. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Tips & tricks
Want to make this drink your own? Here are my top tips on how to enhance the drinking experience.
- If you plan to make homemade simple syrup, be sure to factor in the extra time it takes to make and cool. Once your pumpkin spice syrup is ready to go, you can start to put the cocktail together.
- Making your own syrup gives this cocktail the best flavor. Plus it’s made with real pumpkin.
- Top it off with whipped cream and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice if you like!
What to serve with Pumpkin Spice Martinis
With flavors of vanilla and pumpkin, this drink is so festive and perfect for the season. Pumpkin spice is a staple for the fall season and Thanksgiving celebrations.
Serve this decadent pumpkin pie martini at any fall occasion or holiday party.
They’d be so good as a Thanksgiving cocktail after a great big dinner with turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. For dessert, this drink goes well with (or instead of) a piece of crustless pumpkin pie!
FAQ
You can use plain vodka and mix it with a little bit of vanilla extract. You can also use pumpkin spice vodka or whipped cream vodka.
If you make your own pumpkin spice simple syrup, store it in the fridge and use it within 2 weeks. Since it contains real pumpkin puree, it won’t keep as long as a regular simple syrup sweetener.
More pumpkin cocktails
If you have any syrup left over after making this fall martini, you can make so many delicious fall drinks with pumpkin flavor!
Try it in a Pumpkin Spice White Russian or a Pumpkin Spice Mule, which are both vodka drinks like this martini.
Or you can mix it with whiskey to make a Pumpkin Spice Old-Fashioned.
Pumpkin Martini
ingredients
Pumpkin Martini
- 1 ounce vanilla vodka
- 1 ounce Irish cream liqueur
- ½ ounce pumpkin simple syrup
- ½ ounce heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup for rim
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar for rim
- pinch pumpkin pie spice for garnish
- 1 cinnamon stick for garnish
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup cane sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
instructions
Pumpkin Martini
- Pour cinnamon sugar onto a plate and maple syrup on another. Dip the rim of a martini glass in maple syrup, and let any excess drip off. Then, roll it in the cinnamon sugar.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vanilla vodka, Irish cream, pumpkin spice syrup and heavy cream. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice and a cinnamon stick.
Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together sugars and water until the sugar has dissolved. Don’t let it boil.
- Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla until dissolved. Stir in the spices.
- Cook for about 10 minutes total, being careful not to boil. Turn off the heat and let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Store in a glass jar for up to 1 week.
notes
- graham cracker crumb rim
- whipped cream
- star anise
- pinch of cinnamon
- caramel sauce rim
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Madison | Wetherills Say I Do says
These look incredible, Katie! I hope these make an appearance at the holiday party! 🙂
Susannah says
Don’t they? We’ll have to see about that!