This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy here.
Cocktail History
The Pumpkin Cider is an autumn cocktail that was created by bar manager and author Nick Mautone and was first published in his book The Artisanal Kitchen: Holiday Cocktails. It mixes a brandy and rum base with apple cider, fresh pumpkin, and baking spices to create a warm batch drink that’s great for fireside or holiday party sipping.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with apples, pears, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Laird’s Applejack because it’s a high quality and flavorful. For a mocktail version of this drink, try apple cider or unsweetened apple juice in place of the apple brandy.
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and alcohol that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Mount Gay Eclipse Rum because it has notes of banana, vanilla, caramel, and spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative in place of the rum.
Apple Cider: This is a beverage made with freshly pressed apple juice and baking spices. We used The Glass Orchard Apple Cider because it’s fresh, delicious, and made locally to us.
Pumpkin Cubes: This the flesh of a pumpkin that has been cut into a cube shape.
Butter: This is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components in churned cream. We used Westby Cooperative Creamery Sweet Cream Butter.
Sugar: This is white sugar that has been processed, crystallized, and dried so the crystals don’t clump together. We used C&H Pure Cane Granulated Sugar.
Whole Cloves: This is the flower bud from the clove tree. We used whole cloves from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Star Anise: This is the seed pod from the fruit of the Illicium verum plant. We used star anise from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Cinnamon Stick: This is a dried spice that has been rolled into a stick. We used cinnamon sticks from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Grated Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seed of a nutmeg tree. We used whole nutmeg from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
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.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut the pumpkin into cubes. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Saucepan: This is used to warm the ingredients. We used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.
Spoon: This is used to stir the ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon.
Ladle: This is used to transfer the drink to cups. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Ladle.
Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. We used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Tasting Notes
The Pumpkin Cider features aromas of apple and baking spices and tastes mostly like apple cider with notes of pumpkin, rum, cloves, and nutmeg throughout and in the aftertaste.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This cider is everything you’d want in a boozy hot pumpkin beverage, and we thought it tasted as expected. It’s essentially a potent apple cider with a lot more spice, a hint of the spirits, and a warmth that hits just the right spot on a chilly fall day.
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.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Artisanal Kitchen: Holiday Cocktails by Nick Mautone.
Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add butter, sugar, and pumpkin cubes.
Sauté pumpkin for 7-8 minutes until slightly caramelized on all sides.
Stir in apple cider, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
Reduce heat to simmer and cook until hot.
Remove cinnamon sticks.
Stir in apple brandy and rum.
Ladle into mugs.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add butter, sugar, and pumpkin cubes.
Sauté pumpkin for 7-8 minutes until slightly caramelized on all sides.
Stir in apple cider, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
Reduce heat to simmer and cook until hot.
Remove cinnamon sticks.
Stir in apple brandy and rum.
Ladle into mugs.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Make It a Mocktail: Use apple cider or unsweetened apple juice in place of the apple brandy and Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative in place of the rum to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
Find collections of cocktail glassware and bartending tools we recommend for your home bar in our Amazon shop.
More Pumpkin Cocktails
If you like this pumpkin-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini: A vanilla vodka cocktail made with espresso, coffee liqueur, pumpkin spice syrup, and grated nutmeg
Smashed Pumpkin: A bourbon cocktail made with lemon juice, pumpkin spice syrup, orange bitters, and an egg white
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
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-04-15.
