This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy here.
Cocktail History
The Pumpkin Pie Mule is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as an autumn variation of our Holiday Gin Mule, Winter Gin Mule, and Spring Gin Mule. The recipe pairs the classic’s usual ingredients, vodka, citrus, and ginger, with a pumpkin and baking spice-flavored simple syrup to give an iconic drink some fall flair.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Vanilla Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with vanilla pods, grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka because it has a tasty vanilla flavor and is affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try STRYKK Not Vanilla V*dka in place of the vanilla vodka.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup: This is a sweetener made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, brown sugar, white sugar, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ginger Beer: This is a carbonated beverage made with ginger spice, yeast, and sugar. We used Q Mixers Ginger Beer because it has a delicious ginger flavor that is sweetened with agave syrup.
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.
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.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Pumpkin Pie Mule starts with strong aromas of baking spices and ginger, follows with a flavor that combines pumpkin, baking spices, and ginger heat, and finishes with a prominent ginger zing along with more seasonal spices.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both thought this drink was incredibly pleasant since the flavors already mingled so naturally. Kendall even found the Pumpkin Pie Mule to probably be one of her favorites for the whole season.
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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Of the seasonal Mules we’ve come up with, this one is, in my opinion, one of the more interesting. The combination of ginger and pumpkin was a bit difficult for me at first, but as I got used to the flavors and started to embrace them, it got better and better. While the classic Moscow Mule uses lime, our R&D showed us right away that lime and pumpkin don’t mix well, so we used lemon and it turned out much better. This isn’t exactly pumpkin-spice-latte levels of sweetness and sugar, but it’s all the better for its subtlety.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Who doesn’t love a Mule? The combination of vodka, lime, and ginger beer is already iconic, so when you pair it with the quintessential flavors of fall baking spices, they become a natural (and delicious) fit, in my opinion. I’m actually not one who’s on the edge of her seat each August waiting for the Pumpkin Spice Lattes to drop the following month, but I really loved the pumpkin spice flavors in this drink. When mixed with spicy ginger beer, it becomes equivalent to drinking a dessert but in a refreshing way. I loved this cocktail.”
Recipe
Add vodka, pumpkin spice syrup, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh crushed ice.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Ingredients
Directions
Add vodka, pumpkin spice syrup, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh crushed ice.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Make It a Mocktail: Use STRYKK Not Vanilla V*dka in place of the vanilla vodka 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 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
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 2024-04-28.
