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Cocktail History
The Pecan Pie Martini is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created in 2023. Considered one of the most-searched recipes during the autumn season, the recipe pairs rum cream liqueur, white chocolate, hazelnut, bourbon, and flavored bitters along with a dollop of whipped cream and a crunchy pecan rim to make a drink that encapsulates the flavors of a beloved fall dessert.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
RumChata Cream Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Caribbean rum, Wisconsin dairy cream, Mexican spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try heavy cream in place of the bourbon cream liqueur.
White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with cacao, citrus extract, sugar, and alcohol. We used Bols Cacao White Liqueur because it has a delicous white chocolate flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium White Chocolate Syrup in place of the white chocolate liqueur.
Hazelnut Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with toasted hazelnuts, vanilla, baking spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Frangelico because it has a unique sweet and nutty flavor with notes of cocoa. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Hazelnut Syrup in place of the hazelnut liqueur.
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. We used Knob Creek 9 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon because it’s rich and full bodied with notes of smooth vanilla and caramel. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Cardamom & Caramelized Raisin Bitters: This is a food product made with cardamom, caramelized raisins, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Crude Bitters & Sodas Limited Edition Cardamom & Caramelized Raisins Bitters.
Caramel Sauce: This is a sweetener made with sugar, salt, vanilla, butter, and cream. We used Torani Puremade Caramel Sauce because it’s flavorful but has a thinner texture.
Pecans: This is a smooth brown nut that is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy. We used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping because it offers easier application than making whipped cream at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Ground Cinnamon: This is a spice. We used Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Mortar & Pestle Set: This is used to crush ingredients. We used the Gorilla Grip Heavy Duty Granite Mortar & Pestle Set.
Tasting Notes
The Pecan Pie Martini has a nutty, sweet aroma and a flavor that starts with the creaminess of Rumchata followed by noticeable hazelnut, all of which is chased with the right amount of alcohol burn from the bourbon.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Admittedly, decadent dessert drinks aren’t typically a go-to in our house, but the Pecan Pie Martini hit the spot for both of us. And even though, we have yet to try pecan pie and know hazelnut isn’t a perfect stand-in for pecan, we think you can still forego the dessert altogether in favor of this drink after your next fall meal.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Flavor wise, you can’t go wrong with the ingredients combined here. RumChata does a lot of the heavy lifting with its creaminess and baking spices, and the addition of Frangelico lends its nuttiness to the finish. The bourbon, which ends up being the only strong alcohol-flavored ingredient in the whole drink, is a cask strength we decided to use for its punchiness, and it ended up giving the sweetness some much-needed balance. While not an overly complex or thought-provoking cocktail, it’s certainly delicious and worthy of making yourself.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t know that I’ve ever had pecan pie, so it’s hard to know if this recipe is a true interpretation of it in drink form. That said, it is incredibly delicious either way, and I can guarantee it’d be a well-loved dessert cocktail at a fall gathering. I could just about always do without a kitschy rim, but the caramel and pecan do add a touch more complexity to the drink in this case so it’s worth doing the work to add that, in my opinion.”
Recipe
Pour crushed pecans on a plate, rim a lowball glass with ¼ oz caramel sauce, and dip glass in pecans until coated.
Add RumChata cream liqueur, white crème de cacao, hazelnut liqueur, bourbon, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with whipped cream, pecan half, and cinnamon.
Ingredients
Directions
Pour crushed pecans on a plate, rim a lowball glass with ¼ oz caramel sauce, and dip glass in pecans until coated.
Add RumChata cream liqueur, white crème de cacao, hazelnut liqueur, bourbon, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with whipped cream, pecan half, and cinnamon.
Make It a Mocktail: Use heavy cream in place of the bourbon cream liqueur, Monin Premium White Chocolate Syrup in place of the white chocolate liqueur, Monin Premium Hazelnut Syrup in place of the hazelnut liqueur, and Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Autumn Cocktails
If you like this autumn-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Thanksgiving Nog: A dark rum cocktail made with water, heavy cream, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground mace, whipped cream, and a cinnamon stick
Spiced Pumpkin Punch: A gin cocktail made with apple cider, pumpkin purée, honey syrup, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon sticks
Flannel Shirt: A Scotch cocktail made with apple cider, Amaro Averna, lemon juice, simple syrup, St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, and an orange peel
Pumpkin Spiced Russian: A vodka cocktail made with coffee liqueur, milk, caramel sauce, pumpkin spice syrup, and a cinnamon stick
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