Supercharge Your Halloween With a Pumpkin Espresso CBD Martini

Halloween is just around the corner which means you might be searching for a festive drink to keep you feeling energized during the spookiest night of the year. Whether you’re trick-or-treating or celebrating with friends, a non-alcoholic Pumpkin Espresso CBD Martini will invigorate your senses this All Hallows' Eve.

If you’ve never combined coffee and cannabis before, prepare yourself for a unique experience. Much like cannabis, coffee beans are terpene-rich and display a variety of aromas, flavors, and benefits. Coffee can also enhance your brain’s ability to fully utilize serotonin, which elevates your mood. Miraculously, CBD interacts with your serotonin receptors as well (namely serotonin receptor 5-HT1A), to produce feelings of relaxation. To help mitigate caffeine jitters, anecdotally, CBD can also provide a more balanced experience when drinking coffee. I think you’ll agree this special blend is a dynamic duo, and when mixed with pumpkin spice flavors, this stimulating beverage is guaranteed to excite your palate.

For the best pumpkin flavor, I recommend making spiced pumpkin milk using pumpkin purée. To create the spiced pumpkin milk at home, simply add the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat on low, constantly stirring with a whisk until the mixture is blended together well. You’ll also need espresso or strong coffee to mix into this recipe, so be sure to head to your local grocery store and stock up on your favorite blend.

To enhance this festive pumpkin drink with CBD, Care By Design Hemp “Uplift” Sublingual Drops make a perfect addition. This energizing blend is rich in CBD and CBDA, plus it features over 16 terpenes, formulated to boost your mood and spirits. The “Uplift” sublingual drops also present citrus notes, which highlight the drink’s garnish - a cinnamon stick wrapped in an orange peel. Don’t forget to add the freshly grated nutmeg to amplify the beverage’s aromas and flavors!

Ready to try this delicious pumpkin drink this Halloween? Keep reading for the full recipe and be sure to stay tuned for more Herb Somm x Care By Design Hemp drink collaborations as part of the Elevated Elixirs series that we’ll be featuring this fall and holiday season. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Espresso CBD Martini

Servings: 1 drink

Target Dose: 12 mg blend of CBD and CBDa per drink (using .50 ml Care By Design Hemp “Uplift” Sublingual Drops)

Equipment:

Small saucepan

Whisk

Shallow saucer

Shaker tin

Hawthorne strainer

Chilled martini glass

Ingredients:

Spiced Pumpkin Milk

(Yield = about 7 ounces)

¼ cup canned pumpkin purée

¾ cup milk (I prefer 2% dairy milk with this recipe)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of Salt

Pumpkin Spice Rim

Orange wedge

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend

Pumpkin Espresso CBD Martini

2 ounces espresso or strong coffee, room temperature

1 ½ ounces spiced pumpkin milk, chilled

¾ ounce Bailey’s non-alcoholic Irish coffee creamer (I highly recommend this brand for the most authentic taste, but feel free to use your preferred Irish creamer)

½ dropper (.50 ml) Care By Design Hemp “Uplift” Sublingual Drops (or your preferred dose)

Freshly grated whole nutmeg

Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans and a cinnamon stick wrapped with an orange peel

Directions:

Begin by preparing the spiced pumpkin milk. Add the pumpkin purée, milk, sugar, spices, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Begin to heat on low, using a whisk to stir the blend until the sugar fully dissolves. Be sure to whisk the mixture extremely well, creating a slight froth to best combine the ingredients! Remove from heat, then transfer the thick and creamy spiced pumpkin milk into a Mason jar. Store in the refrigerator until it’s cool. During this time, you’ll also want to prepare the espresso. Similar to the spiced pumpkin milk, allow the coffee to cool before creating this spirit-free mixed drink.

While the spiced pumpkin milk and espresso are cooling, rim the martini glass. Combine the sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a shallow saucer. Mix well using a spoon. Next, use an orange wedge to rim the glass and then dip the top of the glass into the pumpkin spice blend to create a sugared rim. Set the glass inside the freezer to chill as you prepare the drink.

Add the espresso, spiced pumpkin milk, Bailey’s Irish creamer, and Care By Design Hemp “Uplift” Sublingual Drops to the bottom of a shaker tin. Add ice, then shake for 15 seconds or until very cold, creating as much foam as possible. Carefully strain the liquid over the chilled martini glass. Dust the top of the drink with freshly grated nutmeg, then garnish with whole coffee beans and a cinnamon stick wrapped with an orange peel before serving. Enjoy!

About the Author:

Jamie Evans is the founder of The Herb Somm and author of The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore the World of Cannabidiol and Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home. She is an author, entrepreneur, and writer specializing in cannabis, food, recipes, wine, and the canna-culinary world. In addition to her work in the cannabis industry, Jamie has over a decade of wine industry experience and is a Certified Specialist of Wine. Having represented a wide array of organizations and wineries, she is best known for her literary work and producing high-end events. She was also named as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers in 2018. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @TheHerbSomm.