A Creamy Pumpkin Bourbon Cocktail That Tastes Like Fall Decided to Have Some Fun

Pumpkin pie decided it had responsibilities to avoid.

Meet The Drunken Pumpkin.

This creamy fall cocktail combines bourbon, real pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice into one dangerously drinkable glass of autumn.

It’s rich without being ridiculous, sweet without tasting like melted candy, and ridiculously easy to make at home.

And because apparently bourbon wasn’t enough, we’re giving the glass a maple cinnamon-sugar rim.

Because it’s fall.

We have standards.

Well… some standards.

🎃 What Does The Drunken Pumpkin Taste Like?

Imagine pumpkin pie and a bourbon cocktail had a very cozy baby.

You get the warmth of bourbon, creamy pumpkin, vanilla, maple and those familiar cinnamon-and-spice flavors that immediately make your brain think:

Sweater. Leaves. Firepit. Halloween. Give me another one.

The bourbon keeps the drink from becoming overly sweet while the cream gives it that decadent pumpkin-pie quality.

It’s essentially dessert with considerably better decision-making potential.

Or worse.

Results may vary.

🍹 The Drunken Pumpkin Recipe

Makes: 1 cocktail
Prep time: About 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1 oz pumpkin puree
• 1 oz half-and-half or heavy cream
• ½ oz pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Ice

For the Maple Cinnamon-Sugar Rim

• 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Small amount of maple syrup

Optional Garnishes

• Whipped cream
• Sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
• Cinnamon stick

🍁 Step 1: Make That Cinnamon-Sugar Rim

Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a small plate.

Put a little maple syrup on another plate or shallow dish.

Lightly dip the rim of your glass into the maple syrup, then dip it into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Rotate until you’ve got a beautiful fall-flavored rim.

Try not to eat it before the cocktail gets there.

🧊 Step 2: Build The Drunken Pumpkin

Add the following to a cocktail shaker:

Bourbon + pumpkin puree + cream + maple syrup + vanilla + pumpkin pie spice.

Fill the shaker with ice.

Now shake it.

And we mean SHAKE IT.

Pumpkin puree and cream need a little persuasion to become friends with everything else.

Shake for around 15–20 seconds, until everything is thoroughly combined and nicely chilled.

🍹 Step 3: Pour

Fill your prepared glass with fresh ice.

Strain The Drunken Pumpkin over the ice.

You should end up with a creamy, lightly orange cocktail that already looks suspiciously like dessert.

✨ Step 4: Make It Ridiculous

You could stop here.

It’s delicious.

But we’ve already put maple syrup around the rim of a bourbon cocktail, so pretending we’re suddenly committed to restraint seems dishonest.

Top it with a little whipped cream.

Dust it with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

Add a cinnamon stick.

Now that’s a Drunken Pumpkin.

🥃 Why Bourbon Works So Well

Pumpkin cocktails are often made with vodka or rum, and both can work.

But we’re going with bourbon.

The caramel, vanilla and oak flavors naturally found in bourbon pair beautifully with pumpkin, maple and baking spices.

Instead of simply tasting like a pumpkin-flavored cocktail, the whole thing tastes warmer, deeper and considerably more fall-ish.

Scientific term.

🍁 Can I Use Rum Instead?

Absolutely.

Swap the bourbon for 2 ounces of dark or spiced rum.

Dark rum will give you deeper caramel and molasses notes, while spiced rum pushes the cinnamon-and-spice flavors even further.

The result will be sweeter and a little more tropical than the bourbon version.

Not exactly a tragedy.

☕ Make It a Drunken Pumpkin Coffee

Now things are getting interesting.

Make the cocktail without ice and add the mixture to a cup of hot coffee.

Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Congratulations.

You’ve turned your morning pumpkin coffee into something HR would probably prefer you wait until after work to drink.

🍨 Turn It Into Dessert

Want to abandon all remaining pretense that this is merely a beverage?

Blend:

• The Drunken Pumpkin ingredients
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream
• A handful of ice

Top with whipped cream, cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

You’ve now created something halfway between a cocktail, milkshake and pumpkin pie.

We regret nothing.

🎃 When to Serve The Drunken Pumpkin

This cocktail was basically built for September through Thanksgiving.

Serve it for:

• Halloween parties
• Fall movie nights
• Thanksgiving
• Football Sundays
• Friends around the firepit
• Fall dinner parties
• Pumpkin-carving night
• A chilly Friday evening when you’ve decided pajamas are formalwear

It also makes a fantastic signature cocktail for a Halloween or Thanksgiving gathering.

Put a little sign next to the ingredients reading THE DRUNKEN PUMPKIN, and people will want one before they even know what’s in it.

That’s the power of branding, kids.

🍂 The Ultimate Fall Cocktail?

We’re not saying The Drunken Pumpkin is going to replace your pumpkin spice latte.

We’re saying the latte should probably be nervous.

You’ve got bourbon.

Real pumpkin.

Maple syrup.

Vanilla.

Cream.

Pumpkin spice.

And a cinnamon-sugar rim.

It’s cozy. It’s creamy. It’s ridiculously easy to make.

And it tastes like pumpkin pie finally decided to stop being responsible.

So grab the shaker.

Break out the bourbon.

Put on your favorite Halloween movie.

And raise a glass to fall.

Cheers to The Drunken Pumpkin. 🎃🥃

Make Life Awesome.

DOOZY DRINKER | DOOZYDOO