Pumpkincello!

Get started now on the the world's most versatile Thanksgiving pumpkin cocktail. 

Skins of the Flesh: Roasted and raw pumpkin skin, vodka and seasonal spices make pumpkincello, a holiday drink with a variety of uses.

Pumpkincello

Skins of the Flesh: Roasted and raw pumpkin skin, vodka and seasonal spices make pumpkincello, a holiday drink with a variety of uses.

Photo by: Photo courtesy of ONE. Midtown Kitchen

Photo courtesy of ONE. Midtown Kitchen

Skins of the Flesh: Roasted and raw pumpkin skin, vodka and seasonal spices make pumpkincello, a holiday drink with a variety of uses.

It’s perfectly acceptable to start planning your Thanksgiving menu after the Halloween decorations come down. But at ONE. Midtown Kitchen in Atlanta, Georgia, bar manager Dawn Jones has created a recipe that’ll inspire you to start cooking weeks in advance as well.

As a seasonal spin on limoncello, Jones is making pumpkincello, a recipe that requires three weeks for vodka to be infused with raw and roasted pumpkin skin. And it’s worth the wait: You can top it with Champagne; pour it over cheesecake; spike coffee with it or add it to half and half and sip it from a martini glass with a crushed graham cracker rim. Gravy’s not even that talented!

Pumpkincello

  • 2 baking size pumpkins
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 sticks cinnamon
  • 24 allspice berries, whole
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1 nutmeg clove, crushed

Preheat oven to 350. Cut pumpkins in half. Remove seeds and strings. Place one pumpkin on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until soft. Remove and let cool.

Remove the outer skin from the other pumpkin and chop into medium-sized pieces. Place the raw pumpkin in a glass jar. Cover with 1 liter of vodka. 

When roasted pumpkin has cooled, the skin should peel off easily. Chop and cover with 1 liter of vodka.

Store raw and roasted versions in separate containers in a cool dark place for 3 weeks.

Toast cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, green cardamom and nutmeg in a pan until fragrant. Combine sugar, water and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves.  Reduce heat and let simmer until reduced by half. Strain.

Combine roasted and raw pumpkin vodka mixtures. Add spiced simple syrup. Chill and serve.

Next Up

Hot White Russian With Salted Caramel Cocktail Recipe

With its rich flavor and kick of caffeine, this hand-warming version of the classic White Russian cocktail is a great adult alternative to hot chocolate.

Dia de los Muertos Mule Cocktail

The traditional Moscow Mule gets a spicy twist using tequila and a pinch of ancho chile powder. Plain mini sugar skulls can be purchased online, then decorated at home with our instructions.

Recipe: Cole DeBoer's Twist on a Shirley Temple Is So Tasty

Ring in the New Year with the Down Home Fab host’s fun kid mocktail and his cocktail twist for the adults.

Warm Old-Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Perfect for relaxing on a cold winter night, this drink will warm up the evening with a hot version of the classic cocktail.

Hot-Buttered Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

For a comforting and yummy twist on classic hot buttered rum, try this bourbon cocktail to keep you warm all winter. It’s a cozy drink that's perfect for chilly winter nights.

Amaretto Sugar Cookie White Cocoa Cocktail Recipe

Try this decadent twist on white hot cocoa during chilly months. The smooth almond flavor of Amaretto liqueur adds warmth, while the whipped cream and cookies are fun garnishes for this grown-up version of hot chocolate.

Blood Orange Hot Toddy Cocktail Recipe

Swap out the lemon in your standard hot toddy with the sweet raspberry citrus flavor of seasonal blood orange for a delicious variation on the classic cocktail.

Halloween Shimmering Cherry Mocktail or Cocktail Recipe

This bewitching concoction combines the deep, rich flavor of cherry with lime and presents a touch of eerie elegance with its shimmering appearance. Perfect for Halloween parties or simply indulging in the supernatural flavor of dark cherry.

How to Make Traditional Wassail in a Slow Cooker

The flavor of this aromatic holiday drink deepens as the ingredients steep in your slow cooker. Place all the ingredients in the pot to warm as you make preparations for your party. When guests arrive, they can help themselves to a cup of Christmas cheer.

Cocktail or Mocktail: Preserve Fresh Fruit as a Sippable Shrub

Got a bumper crop of berries? Lucky you! Learn how to turn fresh fruit into a centuries-old sip: a shrub, or drinking vinegar, that can be enjoyed as either a cocktail or an alcohol-free restorative. And, bonus, because shrubs rely on the juice extracted from fruit, you can use very ripe and even overripe fruit for maximum fruity flavor.

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.