Thanksgiving Margarita

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Thanksgiving Margarita is an autumn cocktail that was created by bartender Naren Young at Dante in New York City, New York. Meant to be a holiday-inspired variation of the iconic lime Margarita, the recipe calls for the classic mixture of tequila, lime, agave syrup, and salt, but it adds a layer of autumnal complexity with a spoonful of pumpkin purée and a ground ginger rim.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Tequila Reposado: This is a type of tequila made in Mexico with blue agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged from two to twelve months. I used Arette Tequila Reposado.

Pumpkin Purée: This is cooked pumpkin that has been blended into a smooth pulp. I used Farmer’s Market Foods Organic Pumpkin Purée.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Agave Syrup: This is a sweetener made with the liquid inside agave plants, sugar, and water. I made mine at home using this recipe.

Allspice Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries, spices, sugar, and rum. I used St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram.

Amaretto Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Italy with almonds, spices, and alcohol. I used Di Amore Amaretto Liqueur.

Ground Ginger: This is a spice. I used Simply Organic Ground Ginger.

Salt: This is a mineral. I used Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.

Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Roasted Pumpkin Slice: This is a slice of pumpkin that has been roasted and cut into a moon shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-07.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Warm orange color

• Aroma: Ginger, agave, and pumpkin

• Taste: Salt and ginger followed by a pumpkin-forward flavor accented with tequila, nuttiness, and baking spices

• Finish: Tangy lime and pumpkin notes

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “I tried two or three versions of a fall Margarita this year, and I think this version is as close as you can get to a palatable take that still uses lime. I ended up preferring lemon over its tangier sibling in the Pumpkin Spice Margarita, and although I do think this one would taste better with lemon too, leaving it as the more pure Margarita template works. It has a thicker texture because of the pumpkin purée/butter, so be warned. That could be a little off-putting for some. Overall though, the Thanksgiving Margarita is good, but I think I prefer the lemon variations quite a bit more.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.