Cocktail Builder
Tips, tricks, and advice for mastering mixology.
Pumpkin: The Cocktail Ingredient You Should Be Using

Fall is in full swing and you know what that means: We’ve said goodbye to summer’s tangy margaritas, and we’re ushering in cocktails that pair better with the brisk and chilly autumn weather. You’re sure to be crafting cocktails with seasonal ingredients like apples, cranberries, and pears, but we think you’d be remiss to forget about the most famous fruit of the season. That’s right, we’re talking about the pumpkin. While the fruit is most frequently seen as a Halloween decoration or baked into a pie, the sweet and earthy squash goes equally well when mixed into a drink. Don’t believe us? Try one of the four recipes below. If you don’t become a convert, well… we’ll bite the bullet and take those cocktails off your hands. Pumpkin Old Fashioned We’ve never met a whiskey lover who doesn’t enjoy a good Old Fashioned. If this is you, we strongly recommend stepping outside your comfort zone with a version that incorporates pumpkin puree and ginger snap liqueur. It’s like your favorite cookie as a child, but way better because booze. See recipe Spiced Pumpkin Shrub If vodka’s more your speed, you won’t want to miss the Spiced Pumpkin Shrub. This full-bodied cocktails calls for a homemade syrup of pumpkin, cider vinegar, cinnamon, and ginger. The mixture blends perfectly with vodka, ginger ale, and maple syrup for a drink that’s somehow clean, spicy, and sweet all at the same time. See recipe Spiced Pumpkin Punch Hosting a Halloween party and need enough booze for the entire crew? Look no further than this Pumpkin Punch. The recipes delivers a double whammy of festive flavor with spiced rum and spiced simple syrup. Pair those with cinnamon, pumpkin, and a bit of fresh citrus, and you’ve got fall in a glass. (Or a punchbowl.) See recipe Fireball Pumpkin Pie Shots What to have your drink and eat it, too? These Fireball Pumpkin Pie Shots are where it’s at. The best part is that they can be served in two different ways: either as boozy popsicles or a creamy dessert mousse. Just be careful: These bad boys sneak up on you. You’ve been warned. See recipe But don’t stop at cocktails! Pumpkin can used in any number of ways, and not just during fall. Find recipes for using this ingredient all year long in DeeDee Stovel’s book, Pumpkin, a Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year. Photo credit: Some rights reserved by Carrie A.