pumpkin chai old fashioned
It’s Friday, I’m chowing down on chips and salsa, and eagerly anticipating my day off tomorrow. Hurrah!
‘Twas a LONG day in the neighborhood that is My Existence, so we’re late-ish to the Friday cocktail punch. But not too late – we’ve still the whole weekend ahead, and that means plenty of time to whip up this cozy and spicy Pumpkin Chai Old Fashioned.
If you haven’t noticed, my simple homemade chai syrup is popping up in many a drink lately, because it’s wonderfully appropriate for our autumn concepts and pairs well with many a mixer. Here, we combine a few spoonfuls with pumpkin puree, orange bitters, and a big splash of bourbon, then top off the glass with sparkling water or cider (just a touch!) for a pretty finishing sparkle.
I don’t know about you, but cozying down sounds great right about now, so I won’t waste your time with a long babble. Ain’t nobody got time for that on a Friday.
The Great Bumpkin
That’s what I feel like being right about now.
For our friend the chai syrup, throw into a saucepan some sugar with an equal amount of water, simmer until dissolved, and toss in a few chai tea bags. Brand doesn’t matter, just choose one you like. Steep 10-12 minutes for a nice strong infusion. Toss the tea bags thereafter.
For the drink, find your favorite rocks glass and combine pumpkin puree, some of the syrup, orange bitters, and bourbon. Mix until combined. Add some ice (cubes or crushed), stir, then top with a sparkling beverage of choice. If I’m feeling a little sweet I’ll do sparkling cider, otherwise fizzy water is good too.
Garnish with a cute little star anise and a cinnamon stick, and you’re ready to sip!
Hope ya’ll had a fabulous week, and if you didn’t, that this weekend brings the chance to unwind and decompress. You deserve at least a short span to let out some air. Breathing or farting. Or both. Whatever you need to do, man.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Gotta get down on chai-day:
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon Bourbon Frosting
pumpkin chai old fashioned
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 chai tea bags
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
- sparkling water or cider, to top
Instructions
- In a small saucepot, simmer the sugar in 1 cup of water until dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and drop in the tea bags. Steep 10-12 minutes. Squeeze excess syrup from the used tea bags back into the pot and discard the bags.
- In a cocktail glass, combine the bourbon, pumpkin puree,1 oz chai syrup (or more to taste), and the bitters. Stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice and stir again, then top with sparkling water or apple cider and garnish with a star anise and/or cinnamon stick, as desired.
