How To Make Pumpkin Pie "Moonshine"

Fall is upon us; the leaves are changing, pumpkins and pumpkins are on display. This time of year there are always quite a few "pumpkin pie moonshine" recipes being posted on the Internet, so we decided to try our hand at making one.

We searched until we found a good "base recipe" then made it a few times, tweaking each round to try and improve it. For example, the first thing we noticed was that the pumpkin pie drink recipe we found called for only 2 cups of alcohol. Since we're more or less professional drinkers, we made a couple modifications to the recipe and created two different versions.

Pumpkin pie not your thing? Check out the rest of our moonshine recipes.

First, we modified the recipe to give it more of an alcohol kick. We also modified the spice content, pumpkin puree content, etc. Finally, we went rogue and used an actual pumpkin pie and some vodka to see if we could make an improvement while also dramatically simplifying the recipe (see version 2 below).

Overall, we're very happy with the results. We found both of these recipes were more suited for an after dinner drink. They aren't really something we would want to pass around the fire.

Version 1: Pumpkin Pie "Moonshine" (From Scratch)

Ingredients

• 1 big can pumpkin puree ( 100% pure pumpkin) 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice mix 
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) of thawed frozen apple juice concentrate. 
• 2 pints of high proof alcohol - vodka, everclear, or moonshine (i.e. Ole Smokey)

Directions

In a blender we combined the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1 can of thawed frozen apple juice concentrate, and 2 pints of alcohol.

We blended until smooth and then poured the mixture into mason jars. We stored in the refrigerator until the tasting. For the tasting we also added whipped cream for a bit of sweetness and a great creamy mustache. 

Version 2: (Food Hack) Real Pumpkin Pie Flavored Vodka *Updated Recipe Click Here*

Ingredients

• 1 pumpkin pie 
• 2 pints of vodka, corn whiskey, "moonshine" (ole smoky, etc.)*

Directions

We added an entire pumpkin pie to a blender along with 2 pints of alcohol and blended the mixture until it was smooth. After the mixture was completely blended we poured the mixture into mason jars, sealed and refrigerated. We always add whipped cream as it really ties the drink together. This drink was absolutely incredible and was a great way to get a buzz while drinking desert.

Bonus Drink: Spicy Fall Whiskey

Fall is a great time of year for pumpkin drinks, but it's an even better time for spicy drinks. The weather is cooler so a bit of heat in the drink is generally welcome. That's why we created our FireBomb Cinnamon Spice Whiskey kit. It's packed full of cinnamon for flavor but also contains 4 kinds of peppers and peppercorns to help warm you from the inside out. The amount of heat can be controlled by you. Take out the thai peppers and leave it sit for 12 hours and the heat will be slight, but perceptible. Leave the peppers in and let it sit for 12 hours and it'll be nice and warm but definitely not too hot for most people. Leave the peppers in and let it sit for 24 hours and it'll nice and spicy, but maybe not for everyone. Let it sit for 48 hours and you might need to call the fire department after drinking. Click here to check out our cinnamon spice whiskey kit.

*Remember, distilling alcohol at home (for consumption), otherwise know as "making moonshine," is illegal. For this reason, this recipe utilizes store bought Ole' Smokey.