Put a fun, seasonal spin on tonight's happy hour with this festive pumpkin spice margarita recipe! Flavored with a homemade pumpkin simple syrup, this fall margarita features warming spices that pair beautifully with an aged tequila, and then the citrusy lime juice adds the perfect pop of brightness to make one well-balanced cocktail. You'll want to sip on this pumpkin margarita at every fall gathering and holiday this season.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Tastes like fall in a margarita glass: Margaritas aren’t just for the summer. The pumpkin spice syrup will give you those cozy fall vibes with every sip.
Prepared with fresh ingredients: For the best flavor, we use real lime juice and a homemade pumpkin syrup. The best margaritas ditch those sticky-sweet mixes, and that’s what you’ll find here and all the margarita recipes on Burrata and Bubbles.
Make ahead in a pitcher: Whether you’re hosting a fall or Halloween party or Thanksgiving dinner with the family, you can make a pitcher of pumpkin margaritas for easy entertaining. You’ll want to make this your go-to signature fall cocktail for any occasion.
Related: If you’d like more favorite fall cocktails, you’ll also love my apple cider margarita and maple syrup whiskey sour.
Ingredients
Tequila: I highly recommend reposado tequila rather than a blanco tequila, also known as silver tequila. Reposado tequila ages in oak barrels for two to 12 months, imparting rich vanilla and caramel notes that make the perfect pairing with the pumpkin spice.
Blanco tequila, however, doesn’t spend any time aging. It makes for a less nuanced flavor profile and more astringent finish.
Pumpkin spice simple syrup: To make our pumpkin syrup, we need water, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. For the brown sugar, I prefer dark brown sugar for the extra molasses flavor, but light brown sugar works too.
Orange liqueur: For a top-shelf margarita, Grand Marnier or Cointreau are perfect. Otherwise, triple sec is still a tasty option.
Fresh lime juice: Skip the bottled lime juice. It lacks the brightness of freshly squeezed lime juice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Pumpkin Syrup
Step 1: To make the spiced pumpkin syrup, we bring the water, brown sugar, pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to a boil. Once it boils, we turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, steel the mixture and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve (photos 1-4).
After straining, we want to let the syrup cool completely before storing in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make the Sugared Rim
Step 2: For a fun garnished glass, we cut a slit in a lime slice, rub it around the rim of the glass and then dip the moistened rim into a mixture of ground cinnamon and brown sugar on a small plate (photo 5). We set aside the glass for now.
Shake the Drink
Step 3: Now we pour our favorite tequila, pumpkin spice simple syrup, orange liqueur and lime juice into a cocktail shaker and add a handful of ice (photo 6).
Step 4: We secure the cocktail shaker top and shake the drink vigorously for about 15-30 seconds (photo 7).
Step 5: After shaking, we remove the top and strain the drink into an ice-filled glass (photo 8).
For our finishing touch, we garnish our pumpkin spice margarita with a cinnamon stick. A classic lime wheel or lime wedge is also welcome.
Raise a glass, take a sip and let those warm fall flavors put you in a festive mood. Serve it with a side of this spicy pumpkin hummus and you’re in for the perfect fall happy hour.
How to Prepare a Pitcher
A pitcher is perfect for serving a crowd, especially if this is your Thanksgiving signature cocktail when you’re already busy in the kitchen. Here’s how to make a big batch of pumpkin spice margaritas.
- Pour the tequila, pumpkin spice simple syrup, lime juice and orange liqueur into a large pitcher and stir well.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. After that, the lime juice starts to lose its brightness.
- Before serving, stir well again and pour about ½ cup per drink into a cocktail shaker and shake as originally directed. We still want to shake the drink for the proper dilution and aeration, especially since pumpkin syrup is a bit thicker.
You can find the exact ingredient proportions in the notes section of the recipe card.
How to Store and Use Leftover Pumpkin Spice Syrup
If you have leftover pumpkin spice syrup, you can store it in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for two to three weeks.
Of course, you can use this syrup to make more pumpkin cocktails, but that’s just one use. You can enjoy that pumpkin spice flavor in so many other ways.
- Make your own homemade pumpkin spice lattes or this pumpkin chai latte.
- Drizzle on your favorite sweet breakfast treats, like waffles, pancakes and French toast.
- Spoon on top of pumpkin ice cream.
- Flavor smoothies, oatmeal or tea.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, you can turn this into a pumpkin spice mocktail by using a zero-proof tequila or substituting the tequila and orange liqueur for orange juice, apple cider or sparkling water.
A lot of pumpkin spice margaritas use pumpkin purée, but I conducted side-by-side taste tests with a few friends using only pumpkin spice syrup and others with varying amounts of pumpkin purée. We all agreed the margarita without the pumpkin purée tasted much better. The pumpkin flavor overpowered the drink even in a small amount, and the syrup uses real pumpkin anyway.
While you technically can, I don’t vouch for this recipe with a store-bought pumpkin syrup. Our homemade pumpkin spice syrup adds a much richer flavor with more prominent spice notes, and you don’t have to worry about that artificial aftertaste you can get with so many mass-produced syrups.
Sure, you can simply blend the ingredients with ½ cup crushed ice. I prefer to make frozen cocktails with crushed ice because they blend much easier for a smoother texture.
Variations and Substitutions
Give it some sparkle: Make it a sparkling margarita and top it with a splash of ginger beer, ginger ale or club soda.
Make it smoky: Instead of 2 ounces tequila, use 1 ounce tequila and 1 ounce mezcal.
Add chai flavor to the syrup: With a chai bag or two added to the pumpkin syrup as it mixes, we can turn this into a pumpkin chai margarita.
Try another spirit: OK, it's technically not a margarita without tequila, but if any of your guests aren't tequila fans, try dark rum, vodka or bourbon.
Expert Tips
Shake the syrup before using: As mentioned, this syrup is a bit thicker, thanks to the pumpkin purée. A good shake brings everything together.
Pick ripe, juicy limes: The limes should have a bit of give when you press your fingers into them. Rock-hard limes are dried out.
Use a mason jar as a cocktail shaker replacement: While I definitely recommend buying a cocktail shaker if you enjoy making drinks at home, a mason jar works in a pinch.
Roll your limes and use a citrus juicer: Firmly roll the limes on the countertop a few times to get the juices flowing. A handheld citrus juicer is also great for making sure you get the most out of your limes.
Perfect Pairing
Of course, this pumpkin spice margarita is perfect with a pumpkin treat. These are a few of my favorites.
- Pumpkin pound cake
- Pumpkin cupcakes with bourbon caramel filling
- Pumpkin gingerbread loaf
- Bourbon-maple pumpkin pie
You might also enjoy this with some savory pumpkin dishes. Pair your margarita with any one of these recipes.
Enjoy the best of fall’s flavors with this pumpkin margarita recipe. You’ll love all those festive vibes in every delicious sip. Pumpkin spice season doesn't get better than this.
Cheers!
Sip on More Fall Cocktails
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Margarita
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger or small measuring cup
- Citrus juicer
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Margarita
- Lime slice for garnish, optional
- Brown sugar and ground cinnamon for garnish, optional
- 2 ounces reposado tequila
- 1 ounce orange liqueur such as Grand Mariner, Cointreau or triple sec
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce pumpkin spice simple syrup
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick for garnish, optional
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, stir together the water, dark brown sugar, pumpkin purée, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves and ground allspice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring every so often to help dissolve the sugar.
- When the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Allow the mixture to steep for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve over a shallow bowl in the sink. Stir the mixture in the fine-mesh sieve to help separate the syrup from the pumpkin purée. Let the mixture cool completely and then store in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake before using.
Pumpkin Spice Margarita
- If you'd like a garnished glass, cut a slit in the middle of the lime slice and run it around the rim of the glass to moisten. On a small plate, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and swirl the moistened rim into the mixture. Set the glass aside.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, pumpkin spice simple syrup and a handful of ice.
- Secure the cocktail shaker top and vigorously shake for 15-30 seconds.
- Remove the cocktail shaker top and strained into the garnished glass filled with ice. If desired, garnish with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can store leftover pumpkin spice simple syrup in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three weeks.
- Look for limes that have some give when you press your fingers into them to ensure they're ripe and juicy.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Pam says
This is FOR SURE my new favorite drink recipe. Love that pumpkin spice. Thank you!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Appreciate it, Pam!
Melanie says
Wow, this is now my fall fav! The reposado tequila added character to the cocktail, it harmonized beautifully with the pumpkin spice, it was so fun to have my girlfriends guess what was in this delicious treat.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That sounds fun!
Bethany says
Ohhh, these are festive and delicious! The pumpkin spice mixes so well and gives it great flavor. I'll be making these again for a girls night next week.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Sounds like a good time!
Reese says
I didn't realize the combination of pumpkin spice with tequila would work but it did! I would love to make this again this holiday season, but I'll have to drink moderately or I'll miss the celebration! lol! Thank you!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
LOL, I know that feeling, Reese! I can get how people might side eye a pumpkin spice margarita, but it really is delicious. Tequila is great in a mule with spicy ginger beer, so it totally makes sense that it'd be just as good with ginger as well as other complementary spices.
Rachel says
This was so good, and such a fun twist on the classic margarita for fall. I loved the sugar garnish on the rim. Served these at book club and they were a huge hit!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thanks, Rachel! I'm so glad everyone loved it!