This pumpkin pie martini is basically pumpkin pie in a cocktail glass. Made with pumpkin puree, vanilla vodka, and a pumpkin caramel syrup, it's a pumpkin cocktail that will have you in the fall spirit in no time at all!
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Listen up, all you pumpkin haters. It's time for you to simmer down. See, pumpkin spice sentiment has come a long way since I launched this blog back in 2008.
Back then, pumpkin was just starting to become super trendy. And then for quite a few years it was all the rage to the point where it became a bit, dare I say, basic? Yup, I think many would say pumpkin spice loving became basic.
But guess what? The times have changed. Now, I can barely get through a day where I don't see some sort of pumpkin hatred and vitriol out there. It's to the point that pumpkin hatred has now become trendy and yes, basic. It's almost like people enjoy bragging about how they don't like pumpkin and want some sort of medal for it.
Please just let us pumpkin lovers live in peace with something simple that makes us happy for a short period of time each year. I'd rather be a lover than a hater any day.
I'm happy to say I made a few improvements to the recipe from the first time I made it back in 2010. Now, this pumpkin martini is back and better than ever. And the photos don't look like they were taken with a camera phone in the middle of the night (at least I hope they don't. Please don't tell me if you think they do).
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Like an espresso martini, the pumpkin pie martini is more of a dessert, or at least after dinner, martini. Though I did have to recipe test these quite a few times and certainly wasn't opposed to enjoying them in the afternoon (all a part of the life of a blogger!).
These seasonal martinis are incredibly easy to make, though I do recommend making the pumpkin pie caramel syrup in advance so it can cool.
You can also feel free to buy a store-bought caramel syrup or even caramel sauce and add pumpkin pie spice in (or make your own) and use that instead! It will likely be thicker than the syrup, but when shaken up with the other ingredients, it should blend in (just make sure it's fully cooled to room temperature or it will harden when it hits the ice).
This cocktail is perfect for serving at a fall gathering or after your Thanksgiving dinner!
🗒 Ingredients
Here's what you need to make these pumpkin martinis (please see recipe card at bottom of post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Vanilla vodka: If you prefer, you can use plain vodka with 1 tsp vanilla extract added in instead. Whipped cream vodka also works well!
- Pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Caramel Syrup: You can use the recipe included for homemade or you can use store-bought caramel syrup with pumpkin pie spice mixed in (or even caramel sauce).
- Ice
- Pumpkin pie spice: For glass rim and cocktail garnish
- Granulated sugar: For glass rim
And here's what you need for the homemade pumpkin caramel syrup recipe:
- Granulated sugar
- Warm water
- Salt
- Pumpkin pie spice
👩🍳 How to Make Caramel Syrup
I highly recommend you make this caramel syrup since I think it makes for a much yummier martini than using store-bought caramel syrup. Making caramel can be a little bit finicky, but if you mess this syrup up, it's pretty fixable.
To make the caramel syrup, you simply need to caramelize granulated sugar and then add warm water and pumpkin pie spice to it. Place sugar in medium saucepan set over medium heat.
Without stirring, let sugar melt until it's completely liquid and a light amber color.
Remove pan from heat and pour in the warm water. The mixture will sizzle and bubble... If the sugar starts to harden (I've heard this feedback from some and had it happen to me once, as well), return saucepan to heat and simmer until mixture is liquid again.
Pour syrup in jar or heat-proof bowl, mix in pumpkin pie spice, and let cool completely before using in cocktail.
You'll definitely have enough syrup for quite a few cocktails and you may also be tempted to eat it with a spoon because it is ridiculous good.
But please, make sure you save some for the martinis!
🍸 How to Make a Pumpkin Pie Martini
Once you have your caramel syrup or store-bought caramel ready, making this martini is super easy!
Just put the caramel syrup in a cocktail shaker along with the pumpkin puree, vanilla vodka, and some ice.
Obviously, you're gonna want a sugar/pumpkin pie spice rim on those martini glasses, too. Simply put cinnamon sugar on a small plate, moisten rim of glass (either with water or caramel syrup) and roll in mixture to coat.
Now, strain the cocktail mixture into your martini glass and sprinkle some more pumpkin pie spice on top.
It's such an easy recipe and awesome for serving all fall season long!
I'm not even kidding when I say this martini tastes exactly like a piece of pumpkin pie. The pumpkin puree gives it a little thickness, but it's not too thick by any means. Next time I'm totally going to make little pie crust garnishes because yum.
This cocktail is packed with the flavors of autumn and is the kind of fall cocktail that will totally hit the spot once the temperature drops.
Of course, this pumpkin pie martini is the kind of drink you likely only want to have one of. OK, maybe two. But it is pretty sweet. Just like pumpkin pie š
💡 Alterations to recipe
If you don't have all the ingredients called for or you want to give this pumpkin spice martini your own spin, there are lots of alterations you can make. Here are some ideas:
- Instead of caramel syrup, try mixing a little maple syrup with pumpkin pie spice and using that instead.
- If you don't like the idea of using pumpkin puree in the drink, you can try using pumpkin liqueur instead. Just be aware you may want to use a little less vodka since the liqueur will also have alcohol in it!
- Add a splash of heavy cream for an extra creamy pumpkin drink.
- Instead using pumpkin spice and sugar on the rim, try a graham cracker rim. Just brush a little syrup on the glass rim and roll it in crushed graham crackers.
- Use a chilled glass for an extra refreshing martini.
- Add a cinnamon stick stir-er for a fun touch.
🎃 More Pumpkin Recipes
If you're not ashamed of your pumpkin obsession either, you'll want to enjoy it all season long any way you can. Here are some of my very favorite pumpkin recipes!
- Pumpkin Spice Syrup (you can make ALL kinds of cocktails with this!)
- Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Linzer Cookies
- Pumpkin Crepes (with maple cream cheese filling)
- Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Pie Applesauce
- Pumpkin Spiced White Russians (from Casa de Crews)
I don't even want to admit how many times I'll probably make this from now until Thanksgiving. That is, when I'm not enjoying pumpkin beer. Can we talk about how many pumpkin beers are on the market now?? It's absolutely insane. But I'm not complaining.
If you're not a pumpkin fan, stay far far away from this cocktail. But just maybe you can work to unite the world in some small way and make this for a friend who does like pumpkin. You can tell them, "even though I don't like pumpkin, I know you do and I want you to be happy."
And then you can gleefully accept your pumpkin haters medal with pride.
What's your favorite fall drink?
š Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Martini
Ingredients
- Pumpkin pie spice, for glass rim and cocktail garnish
- Granulated sugar, for glass rim
- 2 oz. vanilla vodka (you can also use regular vodka with 1 tsp vanilla extract added in)
- 3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Caramel Syrup recipe below (you can also use homemade or store-bought caramel with pumpkin pie spice mixed in)
- Ice
Pumpkin Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Ā½ cup warm water
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Mix pumpkin pie spice and sugar on a small plate. Moisten rim of glass (either with water or simple syrup) and roll in mixture to coat in pumpkin pie spice/sugar.
- In a shaker, combine the vodka, pumpkin pie puree, pumpkin caramel syrup (or caramel), and ice cubes. Shake well.
- Strain into prepared martini glass. Sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice over top.
Pumpkin Caramel Syrup
- Place sugar in medium saucepan set over medium heat. Without stirring, let sugar melt until it's completely liquid and a light amber color.
- Remove pan from heat and pour in the warm water. The mixture will sizzle and bubble and some of the sugar may harden. if this happens, return saucepan to heat and simmer until mixture is liquid again.
- Pour syrup in jar or heat-proof bowl, mix in pumpkin pie spice, and let cool completely before using in cocktail.
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Chris says
Delicious!
Kelsey says
What I really like about this is that it doesn't involve any obscure and expensive liqueurs
Spyder Darling says
Oh Great Pumpkin's ghost, this looks delish, how about a dollop of whipped cream for garnish?
Erica says
Dessert in a glass! Looks so pretty.
Lauren says
I'm not typically a cocktail drinker, but this looks amazing! I will definitely have to gather all of the necessary ingredients to make one (or a few) :).
This weekend, I will be sipping on mostly water - my husband and I are going hiking out in the Berkshires today! Oh, and I'm bringing a bottle of Kombucha because it's totally necessary ;).
Enjoy the weekend!
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
what a great idea for a fall dinner party or cocktail hour! impressive that you held out til friday:-)
Lizzy says
OMG! I'm sittin here getting ready for my long run and now I want that martini. Doesn't seem like good pre-run fuel though! Great idea with the simple syrup. I will be making this tomorrow!
Joanne says
Anything with this much pumpkin pie goodness in it seems like the perfect way to start a Friday night. I'm all over this.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Umm YUM! Think I will be trying these tonight!
Shannon says
wow. totally digging that, looks fabulous!
Bridget says
Mmmm that sounds delicious and I'm not usually a big martini fan!
Melissa says
Love this drink recipe!
sassy molassy says
Mmm...sounds fun. I tried making a homemade pumpkin spice latte and the pumpkin just made it too thick tasting for me. But a vodka based drink might be totally different. I'll be drinking red wine tonight. Simple, easy, yummy.
dinners and dreams says
Super cool drink. Happy Halloween!
Nisrine
emily says
nothing says happy fall weekend like a delish pumpkin cocktail! way to be creative, sues!
Chloe says
Definitely going to try these this weekend. Celebrating halloween moving into a new apartment. Cocktails are a must!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
Yummmm!! I love sweet, sweet martinis. I just got some pumpkin ice cream from Trader Joe's - maybe I should make some pumpkin martinis and call it a meal š
Katie@Cozydelicious says
Oooh, now this is my kind of pumpkin pie! Yum! I've actually been doing pomegranate martinis lately, but these look awesome!
Manon says
Pumpkin pie martini? PUMPKIN PIE MARTINI?!?!?! This just made my LIFE. And, I may finally have found a way to get my mom DRUNK! WOOT WOOT!
Maris (In Good Taste) says
I wish I had seen these last night! We made caramel apple martinis which were awesome but I do love me some pumpkin š
emily @ the happy home says
this is, like, the PERFECT "eh, it's noon on thanksgiving, let's start drinking while we cook" drink. LOVE IT.
Katie says
yummy!!! the perfect drink for the month of November!
Velva says
What an interesting martini-It tastes just like pumpkin pie? Really? You know I love cocktails and I am always searching for a new one. This is a cool one. I gotta tell you, I am planning to up the vodka in this one. š
Thanks for sharing this one with us!
Kerstin says
Wish I had one of these right now - looks so yummy!
sweetersalt says
This sounds so good! I made pumpkin bellinis for a Halloween party this weekend. I found them super tasty, others find them weird. Sigh. I guess they just don't understand the punkin' love.
Laura
Sophie @ yumventures says
Now that Halloween is over I'm definitely making these for Thanksgiving!
MichellePC says
This looks great! I have a bottle of vanilla vodka that I've been trying to use in new drinks - I recently saw a simple recipe for Shipyard Pumpkinhead with a shot of vanilla vodka in it. It's really tasty!
Pam @ Kitchen Cookware says
Wow, this pumpkin martini is cool, sounds like great! You are great as Martha in my opinion.
Bakeolicious says
Wow, I would never have thought of a pumpkin martini but this looks fabulous.
Iād love for you to submit one of your beautiful photos, and a link to your post, to my new baking photo gallery showcasing the beautiful baking, sweets and desserts, and of course cocktails.
Irina G says
AAAAAMAZING! I must try this immediately!
Rachel says
These look beautiful! I was going to try one similar to this with the addition of chocolate liquor š
Sharlene says
Heaven! This drink is right up my alley!
Daisy says
catcing up on some blog reading now that I'm home!! this looks delicious, l love a good pumpkin martini but have never made my own. sorry you guys didnt make it any further in the project. you shouldhave won! (i wonder who will.....)
Becki Sue says
I just made these. Delicious! I'm going to try to find another way to use up the rest of the caramel. That stuff is good!!
Sierra says
My only disappointment is that I found this recipe at 7am and now I want one! Can't wait to try this, thank you!!
Diane says
Success!! I tried another pumpkin martini recipe and gagged it was so bad...the one I made was not sweet at all and way too much booze! This one was perfect as is however for a pinch of creaminess that is reminicent of pumpkin pie I added a splash of cream....hey all the calories are already there...what's a splash of cream...it really bumps it up!! Thank you for this recipe...the carmel pumkin pie syrup is really the shining star in this drink!!
Ruth says
WAIT! Make it easier! Instead of the carmelized sugar syrup....just a LITTTTLE bit of REAL maple syrup! OMGoodness!!! All else is the same. I also grated orange zest and added an orange twist...simply marvelous!
Alex says
I thought the tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice was too much in the recipe. I like my drinks sweet, so I added half the amount of the pumpkin spice to the syrup and added more syrup to the drink
Krissy Allori says
This looks like the perfect drink recipe for the upcoming Fall season!
April says
OMG yaaassssss!! Pumpkin spice everything! Can't wait to try this one!
Erica Acevedo says
I'll never understand all the hate for pumpkin. I say PUMPKIN ALL THE THINGS! Including my martinis <3 This looks delightful and I can't wait to try it!!!