Pumpkin Spice Martini: Creamy Fall Cocktail
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Pumpkin pie meets White Russian in our Pumpkin Spice Martini recipe. Learn how to make the creamy autumn cocktail at home in just five minutes.
Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice owns the fall season. It’s a popular latte flavor at coffee shops like Starbucks and practically fills an entire aisle at Trader Joe’s.
While we haven’t (yet) joined the pumpkin spice craze, we dipped our toes into the mania upon discovering Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup at a local liquor store. This Pumpkin Spice Martini recipe is our first (but not last) experiment with the seasonal syrup, and it’s a doozy.
This decadent cocktail channels everything people love about the flavor (allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and a hint of pumpkin) into a creamy martini. Sweet without being cloying, it tastes like dessert because that’s essentially what it is. This drink is rich, warming and pleasantly sweet. It’s almost like a more sophisticated autumnal cousin of Christmas’ eggnog.
📋 This Recipe at a Glance
- Base: Vanilla vodka
- Glass: Martini glass
- Method: Built in the shaker and strained
- Garnish: Pumpkin candy and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice
- Time: 5 minutes
- Strength: Light to medium (about 11% ABV after shaking)
- Calories: About 400
- Flavor: Creamy, sweet and warmly spiced with notes of coffee and vanilla
- Best for: Autumn gatherings including Halloween and Thanksgiving
What Is the Pumpkin Spice Martini?
The Pumpkin Spice Martini is a modern dessert cocktail that’s built on vanilla vodka, Irish cream liqueur, Kahlua, pumpkin spice syrup and half-and-half. Despite the name, it has little in common with a classic gin or vodka Martini. The ‘martini’ moniker refers to the glass as opposed to the drink itself.
Our recipe leans on the same flavor trio that makes a White Russian work: vodka, coffee liqueur and cream. Irish cream adds body and sweetness, while pumpkin spice syrup brings seasonal warmth. And, like the classic pumpkin pie spice blend, no actual pumpkin product is required.
Fun Fact
Pumpkin pie spice is older than you might think. McCormick started selling its OG pumpkin pie spice blend in 1934.
Ingredients
You need five liquid ingredients to craft this cocktail. You probably have the three spirits in your liquor cabinet. Since you can easily find half-and-half and pumpkin pie spice at most grocery stores, the pumpkin spice syrup is the only item that may require a special purchase.
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Pumpkin Spice Martini
Step 1: Measure the coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, vanilla vodka, pumpkin spice syrup and half-and-half. Pour each liquid into the shaker. We use a Japanese jigger to measure the liquids to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.
Step 2: Drop a handful of ice into the shaker and vigorously shake until the liquids are chilled and combined (approximately 20 seconds). We use a Boston shaker for this step since it doesn’t leak and is easy to clean.
Step 3: Strain the shaken cocktail into a martini glass.
Step 4: Add a light dusting of pumpkin pie spice and optionally garnish with a pumpkin candy.
You’re going to love sipping your crafted cocktail whether or not you self-identify as a pumpkin spice fan. And, if you serve Pumpkin Spice Martinis at your Halloween party or for Thanksgiving dinner, your friends and family will love theirs too.
Variations
This cocktail recipe is easy to tweak by swapping a spirit, changing the dairy or adjusting the garnish to suit your taste. Here are some ideas to get you started on your Pumpkin Spice Martini journey:
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Pumpkin Spice Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce coffee liqueur
- 3/4 ounce Irish cream liqueur
- 1 1/4 ounces vanilla vodka
- 2 ounces half-and-half
- 3/4 ounce pumpkin spice syrup
- 1 pinch pumpkin pie spice ( garnish)
- 1 pumpkin candy (optional garnish)
- 1 handful ice cubes (for shaking)
Instructions
- Pour the five liquids into a shaker.
- Add ice cubes and shake until the liquids are chilled and combined (approximately 20 seconds).
- Strain into a martini glass.
- Garnish with pumpkin pie spice and an optional candy pumpkin.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
A Pumpkin Spice Martini is a creamy dessert cocktail made with vanilla vodka, Irish cream liqueur, Kahlua, pumpkin spice syrup and half-and-half. It’s shaken with ice and served in a martini glass.
The ingredients in a Pumpkin Spice Martini are coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, vanilla vodka, pumpkin spice syrup and half-and-half. Pumpkin candy and pumpkin pie spice make good garnishes.
The Pumpkin Spice Martini is shaken, not stirred. Shaking mixes the half-and-half with the spirits and creates a frothy texture.
Yes. Replace the syrup with 3/4 ounce of simple syrup and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice in the shaker. The spice flavor will be lighter, so add more to taste. You can alternatively add a tablespoon of pumpkin puree if you prefer a stronger pumpkin flavor. Double strain the drink if you opt to add pumpkin puree.
Yes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract to replicate the vanilla flavor.
Yes. Mix the vodka, Irish cream, Kahlua and syrup in a pitcher ahead of time and refrigerate. Add the half-and-half and shake individual servings with ice right before serving.
The Pumpkin Spice Martini is fairly light at about 11% ABV after shaking. That’s a bit lower than a typical glass of wine. Note that adjusting our recipe’s ingredients will impact the cocktail’s ABV percentage.
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