Pumpkin Cider Margarita

This Pumpkin Cider Margarita is like an autumn party in a glass.

It’s kinda creamy, kinda sharp and kinda spicy (in the cinnamon-y kind of way).

It’s very easy to make and even easier to drink. Make one for yourself (no judgement here) or enough for a crowd  – this fun margarita recipe will be your new favorite fall cocktail.

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Pumpkin Cider Margarita

You’ve maybe seen pumpkin margaritas. You’ve probably seen apple cider margaritas. But here we’re combining them for the best of both worlds. When it comes to fall flavors, some are #teampumpkin and some are #teamapple.

This drink will bring everyone together! Unity!

Plus there’s no refined sugar.

And pumpkin is a vegetable and apples are a fruit so you’re basically drinking a salad.

A boozy salad. In a glass.

You’re welcome.

What you need for this Pumpkin Cider Margarita

Ingredients for 1 cocktail:

• 2.5 oz. pure apple cider
• 2 oz. tequila (silver, reposado or anejo)
• 1.5 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1-2 tablespoons spiced simple syrup, to taste (see below)
• 1 apple slice and/or cinnamon stick for garnish, if desired

Ingredients for the simple syrup:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 8 whole cloves
• 5 slices ginger, unpeeled
• 4 cinnamon sticks

Ingredients for the salted rim:

• one orange, lemon or lime
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt

Equipment:

• a cocktail shaker
• measuring spoons
• a small mixing bowl
• a margarita glass
• a small saucepan
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife

How to make a Pumpkin Cider Margarita

To make the simple syrup:

step 1: Combine honey, water and spices in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the honey has dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Pour into a glass or metal container (including the spices) and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

To make the salted rim:

Step 1: Cut a small notch into the cut side of the orange wedge. Stick the wedge onto the rim of the glass, inserting the rim into the notch, and run the wedge around the whole rim to make it evenly sticky.

Step 2: Mix your salts in a small bowl that will just contain the rim of your glass. Holding the glass upside down, dip the rim into the salt, pushing the salt back and forth and rotating the salt so it evenly coats the inside and outside of the rim.

To make the margarita:

Step 1: In a cocktail shaker, combine the pumpkin, cider, tequila and spiced syrup (up to 2 tablespoons worth if you’d like it a little sweeter). Add 3-4 ice cubes and shake vigorously until cold.

Step 2: Add ice to your glass and strain in the margarita. Add your apple slice and a cinnamon stick, if desired.

And voila! Your cocktail is ready to go!

I also provide instructions below the recipe for how to scale up the amounts to make the margarita for a group.

Pro tip: If you can get 100% natural spiced cider (meaning it’s just apple cider and spices, no extra sugar or other ingredients), you can skip making the simple syrup! And then it’ll be a 3-ingredient margarita – the cider, the pumpkin and the tequila (OK, plus the salt rim if you want that).

What else to do with the spiced simple syrup

The best part is, if you make the syrup, you can use it for so many other things. It would be fantastic in this Pomegranate Old Fashioned.

You can use it in any pumpkin cocktail (like a pumpkin martini) or any drink with apple cider, with alcohol or without.

An apple cider martini would have so much more flavor with cinnamon, clove and ginger mixed in.

The syrup would also easily upgrade an apple cider sangria (or any fall sangria) or any apple cider cocktail.

A cranberry margarita would feel so much more festive with these fall flavors.

 

Is tequila paleo?

…sure.

What I mean is, is it a part of a perfectly historically accurate recreation of what our ancestors ate? Probably not. But we live in modern times and drinking is a part of that for some of us. Tequila is low calorie, has no carbs and made without grains so it’s gluten-free.

For this drink, you can go with a clear or silver tequila. I also sometimes use an aged tequila, meaning it’s rested in wood barrels, such as añejo or reposado. They’re a little more expensive but they have a smoother, richer flavor that’s great in this cocktail or on their own.

No matter what kind you choose, make sure it’s 100% agave. One of the benefits of using legit tequila is that it doesn’t have all the sugars and additives of the cheap stuff and margarita mixes.

 

Other recipes you might like:

1. Sparkling Winter Sangria
2. Pomegranate Old-Fashioned
3. Carrot Bloody Mary
4. Mulled Apple Cider
5. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
6. Sweet Potato Smoothie

 

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