Pumpkin Spice Mule

Singing with warming spices, the Pumpkin Spice Moscow Mule is a spicy, crisp drink. This twist on a classic cocktail gets fall flavors from homemade pumpkin spice syrup. Makes 1 drink.

Love unique Moscow Mules? Don’t miss Dark and Stormy (Rum Moscow Mule), Apple Pie Moscow Mule and Gin Gin Mule!

Hooray, hooray! It’s time for me to present September’s Moscow Mule to y’all, and I’m really pumped to share this one… because I was unsure how I’d feel about it.

Real talk: Pumpkin spice has not been my jam for a long time because I loathe nutmeg. Which is why we’re making our own pumpkin spice syrup for this cocktail so that I could omit it and bring it all the other warming spices we know and love and associate with the fall. 😉

So… this Pumpkin Spice Mule is the stuff dreams are made of—sugar, spice, everything nice (which includes vodka and ginger beer. Because #duh.)

And once you make that homemade pumpkin simple syrup, you can make Pumpkin Spice Mules all fall long!

More Moscow Mule recipes: Raspberry Moscow Mule | Blood Orange Mocktail Mule | Strawberry Moscow Mule | Irish Mule

Looking for some more fall recipes? Check out my Fall Recipe Index.

What you’ll need to make a Pumpkin Spice Mule

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• Copper mugs or any other glasses you’d like to serve your Pumpkin Spice Mule in
• Citrus juicer or a citrus reamer
• A jigger or a mini stainless steel angled measuring cup

In addition to these products, you’ll also need Pumpkin Spice Syrup to make this cocktail. I made mine at home, but you can always purchase stuff from the store if you don’t want to go to the trouble of making it from scratch.

How to make a Pumpkin Spice Mule

Scoop ice into your glass of choosing—a copper mug would look super pretty, though I personally like these smaller glasses that I used to showcase the ombre look of this drink!

Measure in the ginger beer, lime juice and vodka, and stir.

Top with the pumpkin simple syrup to create the ombre look, then stir with a cocktail spoon.

Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy immediately.

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Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—mules are fun party drinks! They require few ingredients and are incredibly easy to prep. They are also simple for your guests to put together on their own if given the option.

If you’re going to host a gameday get together, serve these festive twists on classic mules on a “Mule Bar” in your kitchen. This is a fun way to transform a space in your home and make it fun—for both you and guests.

How do you make a mule bar? Here’s what you do…

• Set out measuring tools for your guests. If you’re feeling fancy (and I advise to always feel fancy!), use large mason jars to store (and showcase!) the vodka, lime juice and pumpkin spice syrup. Add labels so guests know which is which.
• One to two hours before the party, squeeze the limes. You can also purchase freshly squeezed lime juice in the refrigerated section of your grocery. Don’t purchase the shelf-stable stuff—we want this to be as fresh as possible!
• Quarter your limes in advance, too. Keep ‘em in a food storage container in the fridge for up to a few days before your gathering. On the Mule Bar, put them in a bowl where they’re easily grabbed.
• Print out the ingredients and measurements, and place them in a frame (or in a place on the bar where spilled ingredients won’t bother them.)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make this Fall Moscow Mule stronger?

If you don’t think this drink is strong enough for you, add additional vodka by the ½ oz. until it reaches the alcohol level you’d like it to be.

This drink is really bitter to me. Can I add extra sweetener to make it taste more palatable?

If you find this drink not sweet enough, add extra pumpkin simple syrup by the ¼ oz. The Pumpkin Spice Syrup is really strong, though, so you might reach the territory of overwhelming the rest of the drink with the spices in that, so sip and decide what works best for you.

Also, if it’s not sweet enough, you could add a splash of ginger ale, too, for sweetness and to not overwhelm the flavor balance.

Can I mix a Pumpkin Spice Mule in advance and store it for later?

You can… to an extent. However, if you add the ginger beer and store it in the fridge for hours, the ginger beer will go flat.

If you want to mix this in advance, I suggest mixing the vodka, lime juice and pumpkin spice syrup, then topping them off with ginger beer when the time to sip comes.

Do I have to make my own pumpkin spice syrup? Could I just use the kind from the store?

If that makes making this vodka cocktail easier on you, absolutely do that.

Is there a specific brand of vodka I should use?

Nope—you can use whatever vodka you’ve got on hand in your kitchen. I like to recommend using a brand that’s not the bottom shelf vodka since you’re going to taste it in this drink, but you do you.

Our favorite brand is Tito’s * (affiliate link) because, well, #texasforever.

Can I make this into a pitcher drink?

Absolutely! To make a pitcher to serve six, combine the following in a pitcher.

• 18 oz. ginger beer
• 9 oz. vodka
• 3 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 4 ½ oz. pumpkin spice syrup

Serve over ice with a lime wedge garnish.

If you’re going to mix this pitcher drink in advance, I would leave out the ginger beer but mix the rest of the ingredients. Stir them up and right before you’re ready to serve the pitcher mules, add the ginger beer. If you add it too early, it will go flat.

What is the best brand of ginger beer?

Our family really likes Sprouts’ brand ginger beer, as well as Fever Tree. Be forewarned if you purchase the Fever Tree that it is extremely spicy and that it could be overwhelming for some.

Is ginger beer alcoholic?

Look at the label of your ginger beer, but generally speaking, it is not. That said, there are trace amounts of alcohol in ginger beer due to how it’s brewed, but the levels are similar to that of kombucha.

Quick tips for making a Pumpkin Spice Moscow Mule

• Make your pumpkin spice syrup in advance. It keeps in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, so put it together, and let it hang out until it’s Pumpkin Spice Mule time!
• Always use fresh lime juice! It makes all the difference.
• Turn it into a pitcher drink! Quadruple the recipe (or multiply it by six) to turn this festive mule into a Pumpkin Spice Mule Pitcher.

Other pumpkin drinks to mix up:

• Pumpkin Whiskey Smash
• Pumpkin Spice Kombucha Cocktail
• Sparkling Bourbon Pumpkin Apple Cider Punch