Pumpkin Martini

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/28/23
Tested by
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Tested by Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
A pumpkin martini garnished with a cinnamon stick

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

A favorite fall cocktail for good reason, this irresistible pumpkin martini offers the sweet taste of traditional pumpkin pie in a glass. Made with vanilla vodka, cream liqueur, pumpkin purée, and pumpkin pie spice, this pumpkin pie martini is quick and delicious. It's a great start or finish to a holiday meal, and also a fabulous way to use up excess ingredients from your holiday pie-making endeavors.

What's You'll Need to Make This Fabulous Fall Cocktail

  • Vanilla vodka—While you can certainly use plain vodka for this cocktail, vanilla vodka has a slight sweetness and its vanilla flavor makes it an excellent base for a pumpkin martini.
  • Irish cream—This creamy liqueur delivers a lusciousness that transforms the drink into the ultimate dessert cocktail.
  • Pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice—A combination of pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice gives this martini the flavor of a real slice of pumpkin pie. You can make both the purée and spice mix from scratch rather quickly—or pick them up at the store to make this drink even easier.
  • Finely crushed graham crackers, granulated sugar, and cinnamon sticks—Rimming the cocktail glasses with sweetened and spiced graham crackers and adding a cinnamon stick garnish completes the pumpkin pie experience. This recipe makes enough of the rimming mixture for four cocktails but it's easily scaled up for more drinks.

How to Serve Pumpkin Martinis

This cocktail is thick and rich and can act as a dessert on its own for Thanksgiving or other holiday meals or whenever you crave a yummy pumpkin cocktail. It's also fantastic when paired with non-pumpkin autumn desserts like apple crumble or vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Martini

  • Skip the pumpkin pie vodka—While pumpkin pie vodka does exist, using it along with the spices and flavorings that are already in this recipe can lead to a cloying, overly spiced drink, so we recommend sticking to vanilla vodka. If you do use pumpkin vodka, give it a taste first and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
  • Don't confuse pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie filling—This recipe calls for pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin purée typically contains just mashed winter squash, while pumpkin pie filling includes sweetener and spice, and will naturally create a slightly sweeter pumpkin martini. If you substitute pumpkin pie filling for pumpkin purée, use just 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice and expect your drink to be a bit sweet.
  • Don't stress if you don't have pumpkin pie spice—You probably already have all the ingredients in your spice rack. To make a quick pumpkin pie spice, combine two tablespoons of ground cinnamon, one tablespoon of ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves. This blend also makes an excellent pumpkin spice coffee.
  • Shake the cocktail very well—Using pumpkin purée creates a very thick cocktail, so extra dilution is essential. To lighten it up, be sure to shake the cocktail very well, and much longer (30 seconds or more) than you would other cocktails.
What You'll Need to Make This Pumpkin Martini Recipe
A Good Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail Glasses
Irish Cream Liqueur

"If you like to drink your dessert, then this is the fall cocktail for you. It's truly a boozy pumpkin pie in a glass. Make sure to shake it for a full 30 seconds and, if you'd like a super smooth cocktail, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into the glass." —Laurel Randolph

pumpkin martini
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons finely crushed graham crackers, for rimming

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for rimming

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided

  • 1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka

  • 1 1/2 ounces Irish cream liqueur, plus more for rimming

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin purée

  • Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make a pumpkin martini

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. In a small dish, combine 2 tablespoons finely crushed graham crackers, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, mixing into an even consistency. Pour a bit of Irish cream into a second small dish. Rim a cocktail glass by dipping the rim into the Irish cream, then rolling it in the graham cracker mixture, tapping off any excess. Place the glass in the freezer for a quick chill while making the cocktail.

    A shallow bowl of graham crackers mixed with sugar and pumpkin pie spice, a shallow bowl of Irish cream, and a stemmed cocktail glass rimmed with pumpkin spice graham crackersgraham cracker

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. In a cocktail shaker, pour 1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka, 1 1/2 ounces of Irish cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin purée, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. Fill the shaker with ice.

    A cocktail shaker and a stemmed cocktail glass rimmed with pumpkin spice-seasoned graham cracker crumbs

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.

    A hand shaking a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass.

    A cocktail shaker with a Hawthorne strainer next to a pumpkin martini in a stemmed cocktail glass

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

    A pumpkin martini garnished with a cinnamon stick

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Switch out the cream liqueur—Rather than Irish cream use another cream liqueur, such as RumChata.
  • Swap rum for the vodka—While vanilla vodka is a natural choice for a pumpkin pie martini, this drink is also really interesting when made with vanilla or spiced rum.
  • Add some intrigue with rye—For extra spice, replace the vodka with a bold rye whiskey.


How Strong Is a Pumpkin Martini?

This pumpkin martini is similar in strength to other vodka martinis. The average vanilla vodka is bottled at 70 proof (though some are 80 proof), and that lowers the cocktail's alcohol content slightly, but not too much. Generally, this pumpkin martini will weigh in around 21 percent ABV (42 proof). It's a strong drink, though it's so thick and luscious that you'll likely only want one in a night.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
373 Calories
2g Fat
45g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 373
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 61mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 119mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)