Frozen Pumpkin Pie Shake
A frozen pumpkin pie shake with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla ice cream and optional spiced rum — made in a Margaritaville frozen concoction maker.
Jump to recipe ↓Pumpkin pie in a glass. Canned pumpkin, warm spice and vanilla ice cream make a thick fall dessert drink, and a frozen concoction maker gives it a light, frosty texture instead of a heavy blender shake.
The rum is optional, so the same recipe works for the grown-ups’ table and the kids’ table.
Pumpkin Pie Shake recipe
Ingredients (1 drink)
- 1¼ oz spiced rum or bourbon (optional)
- 2 oz whole milk or half-and-half
- ½ oz pure maple syrup or simple syrup
- 2 Tbsp canned 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 4 Tbsp vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1 pinch pumpkin pie spice
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice, graham cracker rim. Glass: Milkshake glass.
Instructions
- Rim glasses with a little maple syrup and crushed graham crackers (optional).
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add rum, milk, syrup, pumpkin, ice cream and spice to the jar.
- Run the cycle (Slides/Smoothies program if available). If pumpkin clings to the jar, finish with a few seconds of Blend Only.
- Top with whipped cream and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| spiced rum or bourbon (optional) | 2¾ oz | 3¾ oz | 2½ oz | 3¼ oz | 6⅓ oz |
| whole milk or half-and-half | 4½ oz | 6 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 10¼ oz |
| pure maple syrup or simple syrup | 1¼ oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
| canned 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) | 4½ Tbsp | 6 Tbsp | 4 Tbsp | 5 Tbsp | 10¼ Tbsp |
| vanilla ice cream, softened | 9 Tbsp | 12 Tbsp | 8 Tbsp | 10¼ Tbsp | 20⅓ Tbsp |
| pumpkin pie spice | 2½ pinch | 3 pinch | 2 pinch | 2½ pinch | 5 pinch |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- Dairy and cream liqueurs make a thick, shake-like drink. Use the Slides setting on the Fiji (the Tahiti manual also lists Mudslides), soften ice cream for five minutes first, and rinse the jar soon after serving.
- The ingredient list is written for a single 12 oz drink, which matches the 1-drink setting on Key West and Fiji dials. Multiply by 2 or 3 and set the Number of Drinks dial to match.
- This batch uses about 3.75 fl oz of liquid for 1 drink. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Pumpkin purée brings flavor and body without much liquid; milk and syrup make up the volume so the shaved ice blends smooth. Spiced rum or bourbon echoes the pie spice.
About boozy milkshakes
Ice-cream drinks use the shaver differently: the fat and sugar in ice cream and cream liqueurs make the texture thick and creamy. Soften the ice cream for 5 minutes, measure it in tablespoons, and rinse the jar promptly afterward — dairy residue is harder to clean once it dries.
Tips for the best texture
- Use 100% pure pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so if that’s all you have, skip the syrup and the extra spice.
- Soften the ice cream for five minutes so it blends evenly.
- Freeze leftover pumpkin in 2-tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray for the next batch.
- Rinse the jar soon after — dairy and pumpkin dry onto the blade.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice, graham cracker rim and serve in a milkshake glass. Serve boozy milkshakes in chilled glasses with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate or crushed cookies. They are rich, so a 6–8 oz pour is plenty per person. Rinse the jar and blade soon after, following your manual’s cleaning steps, because dairy dries onto plastic quickly.
Variations
- Pumpkin spice latte: Replace half the milk with cold brew coffee.
- Pumpkin cheesecake: Add 1 Tbsp softened cream cheese to the jar.
- Dairy-free: Use oat milk and a dairy-free vanilla frozen dessert.
Mocktail swap
Leave out the rum and add 1 oz more milk. Kids love it with a graham cracker rim.
Making this for a holiday party, or giving a machine as a gift? Our Margaritaville Machine Gift Guide 2026 covers every model plus mixers, rim salt and glassware.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make 3 drinks?
Triple everything and set the Number of Drinks dial (if your machine has one) to 3. The batch table below shows other machine sizes.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
Yes, if it’s roasted and puréed smooth. Canned pure pumpkin is more consistent.
No pumpkin pie spice?
Use a pinch each of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
