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This pumpkin margarita is one of my favorite fall cocktails! It’s made with real pumpkin puree, tequila, maple syrup, fresh lime juice, and cinnamon, and takes about five minutes from start to finish.
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Pin ItI’m a margarita girl through and through, and I’ve made a LOT of them over the years. For this one, I skip the orange liqueur and finish it with fresh orange zest instead. It’s my little trick for giving the cocktail that fresh orange aroma without making it sweeter, and it’s SO good with the pumpkin and cinnamon.
If you love margaritas as much as I do, I have an entire collection of my best margarita recipes, too.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Margarita
Real pumpkin: This is made with actual pumpkin puree, not pumpkin-flavored syrup.
Ready in 5 minutes: Everything goes straight into a cocktail shaker. No homemade syrup required.
Perfect for fall: Pumpkin, maple, cinnamon, and reposado tequila give it those warm fall flavors while fresh lime keeps it bright.
No orange liqueur needed: Fresh orange zest gives this margarita a beautiful citrus aroma without adding another sweet ingredient.
Pumpkin Spice Margarita Ingredients
Reposado Tequila: I love reposado here because its aged, oaky flavor works so well with pumpkin, maple, and cinnamon. Blanco works too if that’s what you have. If you’re looking for more ways to use tequila, browse my favorite tequila cocktails.
Pumpkin Puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains added sugar and spices. If you have pumpkin left in the can, use it in my pumpkin bread or pumpkin pancakes.
Pure Maple Syrup: Sweetens the margarita and gives it a deeper fall flavor than plain simple syrup.
Fresh Lime Juice: Fresh lime is important in a margarita and keeps the pumpkin and maple from making the cocktail taste too heavy.
Ground Cinnamon: You only need a little. You can also use my homemade pumpkin pie spice if you want even more of that classic pumpkin-spice flavor.
Fresh Orange Zest: Optional, but I LOVE this addition. Zest it directly over the finished cocktail so all of those fragrant orange oils land right on top of the drink.
How to Make a Pumpkin Margarita
1. Fill the shaker: Add ice to a cocktail shaker, then pour in 2 ounces tequila, 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, ¾ ounce pure maple syrup, ½ ounce fresh lime juice, and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon.
2. Shake: Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Pumpkin puree gives the drink more body than a classic margarita, so give it a really good shake.
3. Strain: Strain into a margarita or rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Finish with orange: Zest fresh orange directly over the cocktail and sprinkle a tiny pinch of cinnamon over the top.
5. Garnish: Add a cinnamon stick and lime wheel or one of my dehydrated orange slices.
Eden’s Recipe Tips
Use reposado: It’s my favorite here because the slightly aged flavor is SO good with pumpkin and maple.
Shake it well: Give it a full 30 seconds to completely blend the pumpkin puree into the cocktail.
Add fresh orange zest: Zest it right over the glass. You smell that fresh orange with every sip, and it makes such a difference.
Serve it in a mini pumpkin: Cut the top off, scoop out the inside, and use it as your cocktail glass! I do this in the video and it’s such a fun way to serve these for a pumpkin carving party or Halloween.
How to Make a Pitcher of Pumpkin Margaritas
For a party, I still prefer making these 2 to 3 cocktails at a time in the shaker, then straining them into a pitcher. Shaking is important here because of the pumpkin puree.
Keep the pitcher refrigerated without ice, then give it a really good stir before pouring over fresh ice. Add the orange zest and garnishes to the individual glasses just before serving.
This is a great batch cocktail for a Halloween party, pumpkin carving party, or Thanksgiving. For more seasonal drink ideas, browse my fall cocktails.
Pumpkin Margarita FAQs
No. Use 100% pure pumpkin puree for this margarita. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices and will change the sweetness and flavor of the drink.
Not this one. I intentionally make this pumpkin margarita without orange liqueur. Maple syrup provides the sweetness, and fresh orange zest over the top gives it a beautiful citrus aroma. If you want a more traditional version, my classic margarita is a great place to start.
Both work, but I prefer reposado. Its slightly aged flavor pairs really well with pumpkin, maple, and cinnamon. Use blanco if you want the tequila flavor to taste a little brighter and cleaner.
Pumpkin puree naturally gives this margarita more body than a classic margarita. Shake it vigorously with plenty of ice for about 30 seconds. If you prefer it lighter, add a little more fresh lime juice and shake again.
Yes. For a party, make a few margaritas at a time in your cocktail shaker, strain them into a pitcher without ice, and refrigerate. Give the pitcher a good stir before serving over fresh ice.
More Fall Cocktail Recipes
If you’re making these for Halloween, browse my Halloween cocktails for more festive drinks, punches, martinis, and shots.
For Thanksgiving, I also have an entire collection of Thanksgiving cocktails, or browse all of my margarita recipes for more tequila favorites.
If you make this pumpkin margarita, leave a star rating and comment below. I want to know what you think!
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Pumpkin Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 3/4 ounce maple syrup
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon , with more sprinkled over the top.
- orange zest , optional
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add 2 ounces reposado tequila, 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, ¾ ounce maple syrup, ½ ounce fresh lime juice, and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until very cold and completely combined.
- Strain into a margarita or rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Zest fresh orange directly over the cocktail and add a small pinch of cinnamon.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lime wheel or dehydrated orange slice, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Pumpkin: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Tequila: Reposado is my favorite for this recipe, but blanco works too. Orange Zest: Optional, but I love the fresh citrus aroma it adds without needing orange liqueur. For a lighter margarita: If you want less pumpkin body, add a little more fresh lime juice and shake again. For a cinnamon-sugar rim: Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass, then dip it into cinnamon sugar before adding ice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
