Average
Sweet & Creamy
3 Minutes
Cocktail Glass
Ingredients
The Pumpkin Pie Martini is a dessert-style cocktail made with vanilla-flavored vodka, cinnamon syrup, milk and pumpkin purée. And yes, it tastes just like grandma’s pumpkin pie.
The Pumpkin Pie Martini is the quintessential Thanksgiving cocktail but a great addition to any fall gathering, perfect as a digestif at dinner parties or for adding a festive twist to Halloween celebrations.
How To Make a pumpkin pie martini
Bar tools you’ll need
Fine Strainer
Jigger
Boston Shaker
Hawthorne Strainer
How to Mix
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Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
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Use a jigger to measure and pour Absolut Vanilia into the shaker.
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Add a tablespoon of cinnamon syrup.
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Measure and add milk.
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Add two tablespoons of pumpkin purée.
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Add a teaspoon of sugar.
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Seal the shaker and then shake vigorously until the shaker is ice-cold.
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Separate the shaker and place a Hawthorne strainer over its opening. With your other hand, hold a fine-mesh strainer over a martini glass.
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Pour the cocktail into the martini glass, allowing it to pass through both strainers for a smooth finish.
All about the Pumpkin Pie Martini
The Pumpkin Pie Martini is a dessert cocktail made with vanilla vodka, pumpkin, cinnamon syrup, milk and pumpkin purée. It’s shaken with ice and served in a pre-chilled martini glass. It’s the perfect cocktail to drink in the fall.
Take one guess. You got it – a Pumpkin Pie Martini tastes just like pumpkin pie! You get the warm vanilla notes from the vanilla-flavored vodka, the creamy sweetness of milk, the distinct cinnamon spice mixed with sweet syrup, and the rich, smooth, slightly earthy taste of pumpkin. The only thing missing is the crust!
The Pumpkin Pie Martini is a modern cocktail that gained popularity in the early 2000s, quickly becoming a seasonal fall favorite in the United States and Canada.
It’s a prime example of how “martini” started to mean any flavored drink served in a martini glass, even if it shares little resemblance to the classic vodka/gin and dry vermouth martinis.
- Make your own pumpkin purée
The difference in taste between homemade pumpkin purée and the canned stuff in supermarkets is huge. Canned versions often have preservatives and sweeteners, while homemade purée is simply pure pumpkin. To get that authentic pumpkin taste, be sure to make your own pumpkin purée.See the FAQ to see how to make it. - Double strain your Pumpkin Pie Martini
Use a Hawthorne strainer together with a fine mesh strainer to strain your drink ensuring you get the smoothest texture without any ice shards or pumpkin pieces in your drink. Check out our article on how to double strain a cocktail. - Chill your martini glass
A chilled cocktail is always better in a chilled glass. Pop your martini glass in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes so that it’s ice cold and remains cold from the first sip to the last.
- Add whipped cream
As if the Pumpkin Pie Martini was decadent enough, add some whipped cream on top for the ultimate dessert cocktail. - Spooky Pumpkin Martini
This Halloween cocktail is made with original Absolut Vodka instead of vanilla-flavored vodka, together with milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon syrup and pumpkin purée. Trust us, it’s frighteningly delicious. Check out the recipe for a Spooky Pumpkin Martini. - Pumpkin Spice Martini
Add 30 ml Absolut Vanilia and 15 ml of Irish cream liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass and then sprinkle pumpkin pie spice over your drink. Pumpkin pie spice consists of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Even if it bears little resemblance to a classic Vodka Martini, we suggest serving a Pumpkin Pie Martini in a martini glass – after all, it’s called a martini!
- While our recipe skips the garnish, you can finish off your Pumpkin Pie Martini with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. A pinch of nutmeg also works very well.
- To capture the full pumpkin pie experience with crust, crush some graham crackers to sprinkle on top, or dip the rim of your glass in crushed graham crackers. For dipping, wet the rim first with honey or maple syrup.
- Another garnish idea that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin pie theme is to rim your glass with brown sugar. Again, wet the rim with honey or maple syrup.
Pumpkin Pie Martini FAQ
To make your own pumpkin purée, all you need to do is cut up a pumpkin, peel it, remove the seeds, and bake it in the oven for about an hour until it’s soft. Once it’s cooked, let it cool. Then, blend the softened pumpkin pieces until smooth. Once done, chill it in the refrigerator.
Now you’ve got fresh pumpkin purée ready for your Pumpkin Pie Martini!
Yes, we recommend double straining your Pumpkin Pie Martini to achieve a silky smooth consistency without any ice shards.
Yes. If you don’t have a vanilla-flavored vodka, you can use unflavored vodka. However, we’d recommend adding a dash of vanilla extract so that you get that warm vanilla taste.
