Cozy Maple Pumpkin Bourbon Cocktail with Apple Cider

Pumpkin bourbon cocktail in short glass with cinnamon stick inside and pumpkins in background.

5 from 10 votes

Cozy Maple Pumpkin Bourbon Cocktail with Apple Cider

Toast to fall and cooler weather with this maple pumpkin bourbon cocktail! It has hints of cinnamon and apple and is made with real pumpkin to give it a cozy fall flavor.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple bourbon cocktail, bourbon pumpkin cocktail, maple bourbon cocktail, pumpkin cocktails

Servings: Cocktail

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Ansley Beutler

Ingredients

2 tablespoon cane sugar optional, for the rim
1 ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice divided
2 teaspoon pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp apple cider use 2 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon water if you don't like your cocktail too sweet
2 teaspoon maple syrup
1 ½ oz bourbon sub. whiskey or rye
orange bitters

Instructions

For the rim, place the cane sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice in a shallow dish. Mix around with a spoon so they are well incorporated. Use a paper towel or a cloth and dip it in some extra maple syrup. Hold your cocktail glass upside down and run the paper towel around the edge of the glass to coat it. Then, still holding the glass upside down, gently dip the rim into the sugar mixture to coat. Do a few circle motions with the glass without letting it scrape the bottom of the dish to fully coat. Set the glass aside to allow the rim to set and dry while you prepare the cocktail.
2 tablespoon cane sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
In the bottom of your cocktail shaker or a separate glass, mix the pumpkin puree, apple cider, and pumpkin spice well with a spoon or whisk. Mix until the pumpkin is dissolved into the liquid. There will be some bits of pumpkin spice remaining and that's okay.
2 teaspoon pumpkin puree, 3 tablespoon apple cider, 1 ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the pumpkin mixture if it's in a separate glass. Add the maple syrup, bourbon, and two dashes of bitters. Place the other half of the cocktail shaker on top and shake vigorously for 10 - 15 seconds.
2 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 ½ oz bourbon, orange bitters
Add a large ice cube to your cocktail glass and pour the cocktail through a drink strainer and over the ice. If you don't have a drink strainer, use the side of the cocktail shaker to hold the ice while you pour. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a thinly sliced apple slice if desired and enjoy!

Notes

Making ahead of time - Go ahead and prepare the pumpkin and apple cider mixture ahead of time so it's ready to go when you want to make the cocktail. Follow the steps as directed and mix the pumpkin puree, apple cider, and pumpkin spice well. Store in an air tight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days before using.

Make a large batch - This recipe was developed for 1 single cocktail so it's easy to make for a crowd. You will be able to fit 2 - 3 of these cocktails in a shaker at once. Simply multiple the ingredients below by the number of cocktails you want to make.
If you are making this for a larger crowd, I recommend blending the pumpkin, apple cider, and pumpkin spice mixer in a blender (again, multiply the ingredients below by how many people you are serving). When ready to shake over ice, use 2 oz of the pumpkin mixture per cocktail and add the bourbon, maple, and bitters separately.

Storing extra pumpkin - Wrap the can tight with some aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place a rubber band (or old hair tie) around it to keep it sealed. Store the can in the fridge were it will keep for over a month.

Mocktail version - Omit the bourbon and add a tablespoon of water and an extra tablespoon of apple cider or ginger beer.

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