This cocktail is a great drink to serve your Thanksgiving guests. (I like to drink it while preparing the Thanksgiving meal before the guests arrive.)

I’m hesitant to call it a pumpkin spice martini, lest it become the but of a yuppie joke. Plus, the vanilla notes in this cocktail and the restraint on the sweetness make it less reminiscent of your holiday latte and more reminiscent of your favorite pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:
1 oz. Homemade Pumpkin Vodka (see recipe below)
1 oz. Vanilla Vodka (such as Stoli Vanil)
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
Pinch of Salt or 3-4 Drops Saline (Optional)
Cinnamon Stick for Garnish (Optional)

Assembly:
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice for 15-20 seconds. Double strain (through a Hawthorne strainer and fine mesh stainer) into a martini glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy.

Makes 1 drink; this recipe can easily be doubled to enjoy with a friend.

Recipe for Pumpkin Vodka

In a blender, combine:

  • 2 cups neutral vodka
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves

Blend on high for 30-45 seconds until ingredients are fully combined and aerated and friction from blender has slightly warmed mixture.

Let mixture rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

If using a centrifuge, add a 6-8 drops of Pectinex Ultra SPL and let sit another 30 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. For extra clear vodka, you can secondarily strain through a coffee filter or nut milk bag.
OR
Spin in a centrifuge for 15-20 minutes.

Will yield 12-14 oz in a centrifuge or 8-12 oz if passed through a strainer.