17h • Herbal Medicine
Pumpkin Spice Tincture
Yes, you read that right.
𝑷𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒌𝒊𝒏. 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑻𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆.
This warming seasonal digestive is traditionally indicated for acute autumnal disorders including oversized sweaters, leggings, ankle boots, plaid scarves, and an uncontrollable urge to photograph leaves. A dropperful and suddenly it’s 58 degrees outside, you’re wearing excessive amount of flannel, and there’s a suspiciously large decorative gourd collection on the porch.
Seriously, though, this is more of a culinary botanical extract than a traditional tincture. Its goodness draws on traditional food and herbal wisdom. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg have long traditions as warming aromatic digestive herbs. Vanilla brings its wonderful aromatics, while pumpkin contributes its own plant compounds. This recipe is mostly about flavor, craft, preserving a little piece of the season—and having some fun with herbalism.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: I make this a little differently by separating it into two extractions. Cinnamon and clove extract so quickly and can easily overpower everything else. Separating them lets me control how much ends up in the finished extract.
For the menstruum, I prefer rum rather than a neutral spirit because its subtle vanilla, oak, and warmth complement the pumpkin and baking spices. I also have an Everclear/vodka version if a neutral spirit is preferred. I start with a high-proof menstruum because fresh pumpkin contains a lot of water. As that water moves into the alcohol during extraction, the ABV drops substantially. The goal is a finished pumpkin spice extraction around 40% ABV, although that’s an estimate rather than a laboratory measurement.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞 — 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟖 𝐨𝐳 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭:
• 1 lb fresh raw pumpkin, cut into ½–¾” chunks
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 whole nutmeg, coarsely cracked
• ½ oz cinnamon chips (Cinnamomum burmannii)
• 1 Tbsp whole cloves
• 18 oz Don Q 151-proof rum
• 2 oz 80-proof vodka
• 1 half-gallon wide-mouth Mason jar
• 1 quart Mason jar
• 1 half-pint Mason jar
𝐑𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐮𝐦: In the quart jar, combine 18 oz Don Q 151 + 2 oz 80-proof vodka. This makes 20 oz of approximately 72% ABV (144 proof) menstruum.
𝐏𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞: Into the half-gallon jar add 1 lb pumpkin, 1 split vanilla bean, 1 cracked nutmeg, and 16 oz prepared menstruum. Cap and shake occasionally. Start tasting around two weeks. Expect roughly 3–4 weeks, but ultimately the flavor—not the calendar—determines when it’s ready.
𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 & 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭: Into the half-pint jar add ½ oz cinnamon chips, 1 Tbsp whole cloves, and 4 oz prepared menstruum. Start tasting around day 3 and expect to strain around 5–10 days. Once strained, set it aside until the pumpkin base is ready.
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫: When the pumpkin base tastes right, press and strain it. DO NOT blend the entire batch yet. Start with a small test blend of 1 oz pumpkin base + ¼ tsp cinnamon-clove extract, taste, and adjust from there.
I don’t judge it straight from the bottle, either. I test it where I actually intend to use it—like coffee with a little cream and honey. Once I find the balance I like, I record the ratio and use it to blend the rest of the batch.
The finished extract should be wonderful in coffee and lattes, hot chocolate, chai, pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, pumpkin bread, cookies, cheesecake, whipped cream, frosting, ice cream, maple syrup, and spiced honey. I suspect it’ll find its way into a few cocktails and mocktails, too.
Now is a good time to prepare this wonderful extract so it’ll be ready for use when the seasons shift. 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 🎃
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Pumpkin Spice Tincture
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