Fall Pumpkin Spice Margarita

Calling all pumpkin spice lattes and margarita fans! This Fall Pumpkin Spice Margarita recipe has all of the flavors of fall rolled into one perfect cocktail.

This is a cocktail that will get you through the entire fall season – everything from the start of leaves changing in September to Halloween and all the way to Thanksgiving.

The fall girls (and everyone else) are going to love this Pumpkin Spice Margarita. Well, at least for September and one day in November. (You know what I’m talking about if you watch any fall-inspired Instagram reels.)

Ingredient Notes

Pumpkin purée: Make sure to use 100% canned pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie mix.

Triple sec: Just use your favorite, but I do have suggestions for triple sec in a section below.

Orange juice: Not sure if you’ve ever tried it, orange flavors pair really well with winter squashes like pumpkin. Plus, it complements the orange flavor in the triple sec.

Lemon juice: This is a little change up from a traditional margarita that usually uses fresh lime juice. Something sour tasting is essential to balance the sweetness of the orange. If you want to use the classic lime juice, by means, go for it!

Tequila: Use your favorite silver or blanco tequila, but if you want more options make sure to check out the next section.

Orange bitters: Adding a few dashes of orange bitters not only goes well with the orange flavors but also adds a tiny bit of complexity to balance all the flavors. It might seem odd but it works well.

Pumpkin pie spice and sugar for the rim: There is no added sugar or simple syrup in this cocktail, so the pumpkin spice-sugar rim is the perfect hint of sweetness that makes the drink taste well-balanced.

Garnishes: An orange peel and/or cinnamon stick are great garnishes.

Best Tequila for This Recipe

I recommend going with your favorite silver or blanco tequila to allow the pumpkin flavors to shine through. If you prefer gold tequila, like a reposado, you can certainly use it. The flavor will be a bit different as it’ll give this fall margarita an oaky, woodsy flavor. Save the expensive aged añejo tequila for something like my Tequila Old Fashioned.

Best Triple Sec to Use 

Triple sec is an orange liqueur. My go-to triple sec is Cointreau. I know, I know, it’s a wee bit pricey, but hear me out. It truly makes a huge difference in the taste of a margarita and a little goes a long way. Another option that gives a lot of flavor is Grand Marnier, and it is also in that same price category.

Here’s the difference between Cointreau and Grand Marnier: 

• Grand Marnier is a French brandy-based orange liqueur. Brandy-based orange liqueurs are considered a type of traditional orange curaçao. Side note: Blue curaçao is also an orange liqueur, but it is not made in the traditional way. 
• Contreau is also from France and is considered a true triple sec. It doesn’t say it on the bottle, they dropped that part from the label to try to distinguish themselves above standard triple sec.

Substitutions and Expert Tips

• Instead of regular orange juice, try using blood orange juice or apple cider instead.
• You can sub regular ground cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have any available. 
• Try using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for the rim for a more complex flavor profile. If you don’t want to use sugar at all, you can go with classic margarita salt. 
• For a sweeter fall margarita, add some simple syrup or agave nectar. (My homemade pumpkin spice simple syrup would be an excellent option to intensify the pumpkin flavor!)
• If you like your Pumpkin Spice Margarita more sour or tart, increase the amount of lemon or lime juice. 
• Make it frozen! Instead of pouring over ice, simply add everything to a blender with the ice and pour it into the cocktail glass.

Making a Big Batch Pitcher 

With a few key changes to the technique, a big batch of this Pumpkin Spice Margarita recipe is quite easy to make for a crowd. Of course, that will be necessary if you want to serve it at a Halloween party or Thanksgiving. 

• First scale up the recipe: Simply, multiply the ingredients by the number of servings you need. I’ve included measurements for making a batch of 8 in the recipe card notes below to make things a little easier. 
• Make it smooth: Add the ingredients to a blender (without ice) to really blend in the pumpkin puree before adding it to a serving pitcher. You don’t want clumps of pumpkin floating around in the pitcher.
• Serve over ice.
• If the pitcher sits out for a while, make sure you have a long spoon to stir it up if the pumpkin settles to the bottom, or give it another whirl in the blender.

Make Ahead Tips

You can make a batch up to one day in advance and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Before serving, use the blender technique outlined above to ensure the pumpkin doesn’t clump.