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Cocktail History
The Thanksgiving Margarita is an autumn cocktail that was created by bartender Naren Young of Dante in New York City, New York. Meant to be a holiday-inspired variation of the iconic lime Margarita, the recipe calls for the classic mixture of tequila, lime, agave syrup, and salt, but it adds a layer of autumnal complexity with a spoonful of spiced pumpkin butter and a ground ginger rim.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Tequila Reposado: This is a type of tequila made in Mexico with blue agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged from two to twelve months. We used Arette Tequila Reposado because it has a light and peppery flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Ritual Zero-Proof Tequila Alternative in place of the tequila.
Spiced Pumpkin Butter: This is a butter made with pumpkin purée, apple cider, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. We made ours at home using this recipe.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Agave Syrup: This is a sweetener made with the liquid inside agave plants, sugar, and water. We made our own using Alex’s recipe.
Allspice Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries, spices, sugar, and rum. We used St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram. For a mocktail version of this drink, try homemade allspice Demerara syrup in place of the allspice liqueur.
Amaretto Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Italy with almonds, spices, and alcohol. We used Di Amore Amaretto Liqueur because it has a strong almond flavor and a smooth texture. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Amaretto Syrup in place of the amaretto liqueur.
Ground Ginger: This is a spice. We used Simply Organic Ground Ginger.
Salt: This is a mineral. We used Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Roasted Pumpkin Slice: This is a slice of pumpkin that has been roasted and cut into a moon shape.
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 citrus into slices or wheels. 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 Thanksgiving Margarita has the aromas of slightly agave-accented pumpkin and a flavor that begins with the sharpness of salt and ginger followed by a pumpkin-forward flavor accompanied by nuttiness and spices, and it’s all chased with a unique combination of tangy lime and pumpkin.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Although definitely tasty, neither of us was overly crazy about the Thanksgiving Margarita since we’re both firm believers that you really just can’t beat the original lime Margarita. But we will say that, of the seasonal variations we’ve tried, this one worsk in the flavor combinations the best. Happy Thanksgiving, friends! We’re off to enjoy some leftovers.
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: ⭐⭐⭐
“As far as pumpkin Margaritas go, you could certainly do a lot worse than this, and many websites do just that. This version, created by well-known bartender Naren Young and almost totally unaltered by us, utilizes pumpkin purée along with amaretto and allspice liqueur in place of the orange liqueur and a ground ginger and salt rim. The result is a pretty fascinating mix that tastes mostly like a Margarita with but definite accenting notes of nuttiness, warm spice, and pumpkin. I think you could get away with about a quarter ounce less lime (or just sub lemon altogether), but the feat this accomplishes is impressive!”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“We tried two or three versions of a fall Margarita this year, and I think this is this version is as close as you can get to a palatable take that still uses lime. We ended up preferring lemon over its tangier sibling in the Pumpkin Spice Margarita, and although I do think this one would taste better with lemon too, leaving it as the more pure Margarita template works. It has a thicker texture because of the pumpkin purée/butter, so be warned. That could be a little off-putting for some. Overall though, this is good, but I think I prefer the lemon variations quite a bit more.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Mix ground ginger and salt onto a plate, rub outer rim of a lowball glass with lime slice, and roll glass in mixture until coated.
Add tequila, spiced pumpkin butter, lime juice, agave syrup, allspice liqueur, amaretto liqueur, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a ginger and salt-rimmed glass.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix ground ginger and salt onto a plate, rub outer rim of a lowball glass with lime slice, and roll glass in mixture until coated.
Add tequila, spiced pumpkin butter, lime juice, agave syrup, allspice liqueur, amaretto liqueur, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a ginger and salt-rimmed glass.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin slice.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Ritual Zero-Proof Tequila Alternative in place of the tequila, homemade allspice Demerara syrup in place of the allspice liqueur, and Monin Premium Amaretto Syrup in place of the amaretto liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Autumn Cocktails
If you like this autumn-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Applejack Rabbit: An apple brandy cocktail made with lemon juice, orange juice, spiced maple syrup, and a lemon twist
Calico Tea: A barleywine ale and apple brandy cocktail made with lemon juice, sage black tea syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, and sage leaves
Weeknight Wassail: An apple brandy and sherry cocktail made with apple cider, brown sugar, whole cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and an apple slice
Apple Brandy Sour: An apple brandy cocktail made with lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, Angostura aromatic bitters, and a cherry
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