Pumpkin Margaritas Two Ways

A delicious pumpkin margarita made with fresh pumpkin puree or store-bought pumpkin puree is the ultimate Thanksgiving margarita.

Nothing makes me more excited than the Holidays! The Thanksgiving countdown has begun!! Are you excited?

I know I am. Thanksgiving, after all, is a day dedicated to stuffing your face with glorious food. 

Delicious food, family time and lounging on the sofa sipping an amazing margarita. Now that’s what I call a good time! 

I’ll be whipping up pumpkin empanadas, so I’ll have plenty of pumpkin puree on-hand to make plenty of pumpkin margaritas for Thanksgiving Day, pero I wanted to share with you how easy it is to make pumpkin puree so that you are able to sip on these babies.

If making homemade pumpkin is not your jam – no need to worry I’m also walking you through how to make pumpkin margaritas at home using store-bought pumpkin puree. Because after all, all I care about is that you are perfectly tipsy to take on all the family this Thanksgiving.

Let’s get shaking!

To make pumpkin puree at home you will need to use small baking pumpkins. Look for sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins in the produce department or at your local farmers market. Look for a bright-colored pumpkin, free of bruises that weighs 5 pounds, a 5-pound pumpkin will produce about 2-3 cups of puree.

You are looking at 45 to 60 minutes of roasting time, but that’s not too bad especially since it makes your home smell amazing.

You can make pumpkin puree in advance, too. It will keep for a week in the refrigerator. 

Cooking for the big day just got a lot less hectic with this margarita by my side.  Salud! 

Pumpkin puree is very easy to make, but I know sometimes life is busy.  If your schedule permits, please try making your own puree, but using store-bought pumpkin puree can also be used to make pumpkin margaritas.

Now let’s talk salt rim. I wanted festive, fun and color on my rim.  Pepitas!! Pull out that food processor and grind away, you won’t be disappointed.

Quick tip, after you strain your puree don’t toss it.  Before serving taste your margarita to make sure you have the perfect pumpkin taste.  If you need a little more bang whisk in a spoon of the leftover puree.

TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN MARGARITAS

• Look for sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins in the produce department or at your local farmers market.
• Look for a bright-colored pumpkin, free of bruises that weigh 5 pounds.
• A 5-pound pumpkin will produce about 2-3 cups of puree.
• You can make pumpkin puree in advance, too. It will keep for a week in the refrigerator
• After you strain your puree don’t toss it.  Before serving taste the pumpkin margarita to make sure you have the perfect pumpkin taste.  If you want more pumpkin flavor whisk in a spoon of pumpkin puree until you reach the desired flavor.
• Purchase pumpkin pie puree, not pumpkin pie filling to make these pumpkin margaritas.

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Pumpkin Margaritas Two Ways

A delicious pumpkin margarita made with fresh pumpkin puree or store-bought pumpkin puree is the ultimate Thanksgiving margarita.

Author: Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

• For Pumpkin Puree:
• 1 small whole pumpkin 4-6 pounds
• For Pepita Salt Rim:
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon pepitas
• For Pumpkin Margarita:
• lime wedges
• 1 cup tequila Blanco or reposado
• 1 cup homemade pumpkin puree or store-bought pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• ½ cup Cointreau
• ice cubes
• pepita salt

Instructions

1. DIRECTIONS
2. For the Pumpkin Puree: Preheat oven to 350. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon scoop out all seeds and fibers and use these to make pepitas. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast until fork-tender, 30-45 minutes. Remove pumpkin flesh from the skin. Place in a food processor and process until smooth.
3. For Pepita Salt Rim: In a food processor pulse until coarse. If the mix is moist, add salt.
4. Margarita: In a saucepan add pumpkin puree, water, brown sugar, and a cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, whisk to help the sugar dissolve. Remove from heat, cool completely.
5. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the pumpkin puree (what you are looking for is the pumpkin liquid). Do not toss the thick mix left in the strainer, you might need a tsp or so later.
6. On a small plate spread pepita salt mix or salt. With lime moisten rim of glasses, dip into salt and place in the freezer to chill.
7. In a pitcher combine tequila, pumpkin liquid and Cointreau. Add lime juice teaspoon by teaspoon until you reach desired lime taste.
8. If you feel your margarita mix needs an extra punch of pumpkin to add a bit of the pumpkin puree left in the strainer. I added an extra two tablespoons to mine, adjust to your taste.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE THANKSGIVING COCKTAIL IDEAS: 

Cranberry Champagne Cocktail + DIY Champagne Tower

Cranberry Pisco Punch

Cranberry Chilcano

Cranberry Margarita