This delicious Autumn Rum Smash is the perfect cocktail for fall. It combines warm spices, dark rum, and pumpkin with a traditional smash.
If you’re looking for a delicious cocktail to serve this fall, look no further than this Autumn Rum Smash cocktail recipe! It is full of rich and complex flavors but is easy to make at home. It’s the perfect cocktail for the Fall and Winter holidays! All you need are eight simple ingredients, a cocktail shaker, and a muddler.
If you love spiced rum or pumpkin spice recipes, then this is the cocktail for you! It has a rich blend of maple syrup, spiced rum, mint, pumpkin pie, and ginger.
What is a Rum Smash Cocktail?
A “Smash” cocktail is a type of Julep. Juleps are a classic cocktail made with spirits, mint, and sugar. But the difference between the two is that a Smash traditionally contains muddled fresh fruit. A Rum Smash is a smash made with rum. This Smash is unique because it muddles pumpkin and spices with mint, rather than fresh fruit.
This Autumn Smash recipe is a great cocktail for the fall and early holiday season. Serve it at your next Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving celebration.
Ingredients Needed for This Autumn Rum Smash
- Mint Leaves – Use fresh mint leaves to muddle for that distinct Julep flavor.
- Pumpkin Purée – Canned pumpkin puree works well for this recipe. If you’re baking any pumpkin treats, set aside a few tablespoons for fall cocktails! Don’t use pumpkin pie filling!
- Maple Syrup – Delicious maple syrup gives the cocktail a richer flavor than just regular simple syrup. It tastes rich and caramelized, which complements the rum and gives this drink a Fall flavor profile.
- Lemon Juice – Add brightness and acidity to this cocktail with fresh lemon juice.
- Cinnamon Syrup – This delicious simple syrup is infused with whole sticks of cinnamon. The result is a sweet syrup full of warm cinnamon spice.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend – Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of warm, aromatic spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg. That pumpkin spice flavor is what most people associate with pumpkin treats since the pumpkin flavor is so mild.
- Spiced Rum – This spirit is a dark rum with rich spices added to it. The most commonly used spices are cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, and cloves. Some spiced rum may also have notes of nutmeg or caramel. The rich, spicy flavor is perfect for autumnal cocktails.
- Ginger Beer – This spicy carbonated beverage is like ginger ale but with a lot more flavor. The ginger almost burns your throat it’s so strong. That strong ginger taste mellows out a bit when mixed with the sweet maple and cinnamon syrups.
Make Your Own Cinnamon Syrup
The key to this delicious pumpkin cocktail is the cinnamon syrup. You can save money by making your own syrups at home. To make cinnamon syrup all you need are cinnamon sticks, water, and sugar.
First, combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan.
Heat the saucepan on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes. Be sure to stir it every few minutes.
The liquid should be light brown when it is finished. Allow the syrup to cool in the refrigerator. Then transfer to a bottle for easy pouring. I leave the cinnamon sticks in the syrup so the flavor intensifies over time.
Homemade syrups last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator!
Cocktail Tools You’ll Need
- Muddler – You need a muddler to smash the mint leaves. It releases the flavors of the herb into the cocktail.
- Strainer (Optional) – I don’t like chunky cocktails. So I prefer to use a strainer to remove them from my drinks. However, many people like the additional flavor of having the smashed mint leaves in the cocktail glass. This is a personal preference. The cocktail tastes great either way!
How to Make an Autumn Rum Smash
Step 1 – Add 2-3 mint leaves, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, cinnamon syrup, pumpkin spices, and lemon juice to the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to smash (aka muddle) the leaves.
Step 2 – Add the spiced rum to the smashed mint and pumpkin mixture.
Step 3 – Add a handful of ice cubes to the shaker. Then firmly place the lid on the cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds to combine the cocktail ingredients and chill them.
Step 4 – Use a mesh strainer to strain the cocktail into a glass over ice. Top with ginger beer.
Step 5 – Garnish the cocktail with a cinnamon stick and mint leaves.
What Type of Glass Do I Use?
- Lowball or Old Fashioned Glass – These glasses, also called rocks glasses, are short and sturdy. They are typically thicker than the standard cocktail glass so that you can muddle in the glass directly. They have a wide mouth that lets the cocktail breathe. And so the drinker can inhale the smells of the spirits as they drink.
Shop This Post
These are affiliate links. I earn a small commission from affiliate links that go towards supporting this blog. Thank you!
Can I Make Autumn Rum Smashes In Advance?
Yes! This autumn cocktail is great for making ahead of time! Combine all of the ingredients except the ginger beer, without ice. Store in an airtight jar or glass bottle until it is time to serve. Strain the cocktail when serving. After straining the stored smash over ice, top it with ginger beer and garnish.
You may store this cocktail in the refrigerator for up to a week. However, the flavor may change and develop over time as the spices and sugars meld together.
More Delicious Fall Cocktail Recipes
Autumn Rum Smash
Equipment
- muddler
- strainer
Ingredients
- 2-3 mint leaves
- 1/2 oz maple syrup
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz cinnamon syrup
- 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
- 2 oz spiced rum
- 2-3 oz ginger beer
Instructions
- Add mint leaves, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, cinnamon syrup, pumpkin spices, and lemon juice to the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Use a muddler to smash (aka muddle) the leaves, puree, and spices.
- Add the spiced rum to the smashed mint and pumpkin mixture.
- Add a handful of ice cubes to the shaker. Firmly place the lid on the cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds to combine the cocktail ingredients and chill them.
- Use a mesh strainer to strain the cocktail into a glass over ice. Top with ginger beer.
- Garnish the cocktail with a cinnamon stick and mint leaves.
