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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.
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
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DIRECTIONS
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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.
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For Pepita Salt Rim: In a food processor pulse until coarse. If the mix is moist, add salt.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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In a pitcher combine tequila, pumpkin liquid and Cointreau. Add lime juice teaspoon by teaspoon until you reach desired lime taste.
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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.