This festive Pumpkin Martini recipe combines all the flavors of fall in one delicious drink! With warm seasonal spices and your favorite vodka, this is a fun drink to toast your friends and family with.
Made in just minutes, this is one of my favorite vodka recipes to serve all autumn long. So grab that canned pumpkin and get shaking!
Whether you like it or not, pumpkin season is here. This means you’re about to see all kinds of recipes to sip and share with friends and family.
This tasty pumpkin cocktail recipe is easy to make and delicious to drink. Have one or two and you won’t care about all the pumpkin spice nonsense that you can’t escape from at this time of year.
Why this recipe works
Yes. I agree. I’m part of the problem. For someone who is not a pumpkin lover, I certainly have ended up with a bunch of pumpkin cocktails and desserts over the years…
But a Pumpkin Dump Cake is just too easy to not make it. And a Pumpkin Mug Cake is like the best microwave dessert you can make yourself at this time of year. A Pumpkin Spice Margarita? I mean, it would almost be a crime not to make one.
This recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Martini is easy enough that even beginners can mix up one up. It also doesn’t require flavored liqueurs that you’ll have to store the rest of the year.
It combines fall flavors (pumpkin and pie spices) and pairs them with creamy half and half (which adds richness) and vodka (which adds the fun, wink).
It only takes about four minutes to make one of these cocktails leaving you plenty of time to dress up or play host before company arrives. Or plenty of time to curl up on the couch with a Hallmark movie.
Using canned pumpkin puree makes it easy for you to make several of these cocktails for a crowd. Or if you have a little leftover from another recipe, you can throw this together as a reward for, whatever you want to be rewarded for.
Serve this Pumpkin Martini at Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or any happy hour or get-together you host during fall.
Or browse this list of 15 Flavorful Fall Cocktails for even more recipes.
Ingredient Notes
This vodka martini with pumpkin is quick and easy to make with things you may have already. If you don’t have them, stock up so you can make these all season long.
Canned pumpkin keeps things super easy when making this flavorful drink. It is far too much work to cook and puree your own pumpkin so keep a few cans on hand. (I always pick up a few when I see them because sometimes they are sold out when you need them!)
After using it in my Pumpkin Spice Moscow Mule, I knew that it would work well in a martini too.
Pie spice and vanilla give this pumpkin-flavored martini tons of flavor. If you prefer to just use cinnamon or make your own spice blend, that’s fine too.
Maple syrup (real maple syrup – not the corn syrup over-sugared kind) adds the perfect amount of sweetness and adds richness to the drink. You can use agave nectar if you prefer or even simple syrup. But I very much prefer maple syrup.
Half and half makes this drink super creamy and smoothes everything out. You may think that sounds like an odd cocktail ingredient but if you like a White Russian, you’ll enjoy this cocktail.
You could use whole milk or even cream if you prefer, or even something creamy like RumChata – you have many options if you want to skip the half and half.
Use your favorite vodka or whatever you have on hand to make this Pumpkin Martini.
Step-by-Step Instructions
If you will be rimming the martini glass with cinnamon and sugar, as I’ve done in the photos, you will do that first.
Dip the edge of the martini glass in a small, shallow plate filled with water. Then dip the wet edge into a small, shallow plate holding a few tablespoons of cinnamon and sugar.
Set aside to dry while you’re making the cocktail.
To a cocktail shaker, add the vodka.
Add canned pumpkin pie.
Pie spice and heavy cream are added next. (Really it doesn’t matter what order you add these things.)
Finally add the vanilla and maple syrup.
Add ice and shake well! Strain the Pumpkin Martini into a cinnamon sugar-rimmed martini glass and enjoy.
The flavor is creamy and delicious. It’s not in-your-face with pumpkin flavor but tastes balanced. You get hints of the sweet pie spices and it’s creamy and easy to drink.
You’re going to love this recipe and sip this martini all fall long.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t have canned pumpkin? There are other ways to get pumpkin pie flavors into a martini. Use pumpkin coffee syrup or a pumpkin-flavored liquor like Baileys Pumpkin Pie. (You could probably even try it with pumpkin rum like I use in my Pumpkin Moscow Mule.)
- To make this feel more like a dessert cocktail (or if you want to call it a Pumpkin Pie Martini) garnish this drink with a dollap of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- If you want to make this non-dairy, you can use a cream liqueur like RumChata or Baileys.
- Want a super boozy Pumpkin Martini? Total Wine has a recipe that is basically 3 types of liquor plus spices. That will really turn things into a party.
Fequently Asked Questions
Use whatever vodka you prefer. If you are not sure of what brand to get Tito’s is a decent price point and has a great reputation and a decently mild taste. They also make pumpkin-flavored vodka but that wouldn’t give a cocktail that rich delicious pumpkin flavor that this one has. You could use vanilla vodka to add some flavor but you may want to add that first then add vanilla extract only if needed.
Yes, you can. Use the recipe calculator in the card for more servings. Make it ahead of time and chill until ready to use. Serve in a punch bowl or a pitcher.
This pumpkin martini doesn’t require too many tools. I use a cocktail shaker, and this measuring jigger which keeps things super simple. 2 small Mercer appetizer plates are perfect for rimming cocktails. And these martini glasses are really pretty.
This Pumpkin Martini recipe will be an instant hit with guests on Thanksgiving afternoon and beyond.
More Pumpkin Cocktails
More Pumpkin Recipes
Shop my Pumpkin Cookbook
Want more pumpkin recipes? Check out the digital cookbook I created with some of my favorite bloggers.
Pumpkin Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce half and half
- 1/2 ounce canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 ounce maple syrup
- 1/4 ounce vanilla
- 1 tablespoon white sugar (optional for rimming glass)
- 1/4 teaspoon pie spice or cinnamon (optional for rimming glass)
Instructions
- If rimming the cocktail in cinnamon and sugar: Mix the cinnamon (or pie spice) and sugar in a small, shallow dish. Dip the rim of the martini glass in a small, shallow dish of water. Then dip the wet rim into the dish with cinnamon sugar. Gently shake off excees. Set aside.
- To a cocktail shaker, add vodka, pumpkin puree, pie spice, half and half, vanilla and maple syrup.
- Add ice and shake well.
- Strain the Pumpkin Martini into prepared martini glass.
Notes
- Don’t have canned pumpkin? There are other ways to get pumpkin pie flavors into a martini. Use pumpkin coffee syrup or a pumpkin-flavored liquor like Baileys Pumpkin Pie. (You could probably even try it with pumpkin rum like I use in my Pumpkin Moscow Mule.)
- To make this feel more like a dessert cocktail (or if you want to call it a Pumpkin Pie Martini) garnish this drink with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- If you want to make this non-dairy, you can use a cream liqueur like RumChata or Baileys.
- You can use vanilla vodka but you may want to remove the vanilla extract from the recipe.
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