Pumpkin Juice

When I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood last month, one of my favorite finds was the Pumpkin Juice and Pumpkin Fizz (a carbonated version of the juice).  It is apple juice  based but has the perfect blend of pumpkin spices to give it a nice pumpkin flavor without a weird texture.

There are several copy-cat recipes online.  I combined 2 to get the look and flavor I was going for: Food In Literature (a super great website btw) and Favorite Family Recipes.

I needed to fill a large drink dispenser so it was a go big or go home situation.

15 oz pumpkin puree
4 cups water
4 cups apple juice
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (can add more, to taste)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Additional gallons of apple juice (as much as you need)


To make the "Pumpkin Juice" that mixes with the additional apple juice:

1. In a sauce pan mix pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.
2.  Add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of apple juice.
3.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes to infuse liquids with pumpkin flavor.
4.  Strain through metal mesh sieve.
5.  Return pumpkin to pan and add remaining juice/water.
6. Simmer for at least 30 minutes to infuse liquids with pumpkin flavor.
7.  Strain through metal mesh sieve.
8.  Allow pumpkin juice to cool completely, discard rest of pumpkin mush.

Mix pumpkin juice with additional apple juice and ice.  Stir occasionally.

Notes:  Since I was experimenting with this recipe, I simmered only a couple cups of liquid at a time because I wasn't sure how much "pumpkin Juice" I would want.  I also originally added 2-3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, but ended up adding more in between each simmering time (I simmered 4 different times about 2 cups of liquid each).  I would imagine if you wanted to make Pumpkin Fizz you could just add club soda to the apple juice and pumpkin juice.