A fall-inspired recipe that’s about to become your favorite new way of flavoring your homemade kombucha! This Pumpkin Kombucha recipe is full of fresh pumpkin puree and seasonal spices, making for a rich and delicious brew.
With the cold weather of autumn upon us, our kombuchas are brewing a bit more slowly than they were in the summer. But that just means we’re going to have to create some to-die-for flavors that are worth the wait. That’s right, friends, Pumpkin Kombucha!
Rather than adding fruit or sugar to this kombucha, we’ll add pumpkin puree, which is naturally high in sugars (perfect for feeding your kombucha). And then, of course, there are the spices. Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg transform this humble ‘buch into a beverage worthy of the Thanksgiving table.
There are two main fermentation phases when making homemade kombucha:
- First Fermentation: This is when you transform sweet tea into tart and delicious kombucha (see our comprehensive guide to homemade kombucha here)
- Second Fermentation: This is when you carbonate the kombucha by adding sugars (like pumpkin!) and bottling it.
In order to make this Pumpkin Kombucha, you will need to have completed the first fermentation already and have some kombucha that’s ready to be carbonated!
PUMPKIN KOMBUCHA INGREDIENTS
- Kombucha from a first fermentation: You’ve brewed your kombucha with the help of your SCOBY and it’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart (step-by-step first fermentation instructions here).
- Pumpkin: Pumpkin puree naturally contains sugar, which will be what feeds the kombucha to create fizzy carbonation!
- Spices: You can use pre-blended pumpkin spice, or quickly blend your own by combining allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Flavors: We’ll round it out with a touch of vanilla and freshly grated ginger.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN KOMBUCHA
Making your own flavored kombucha with pumpkin is super simple. The process goes something like this:
- Mix: Stir together pumpkin puree, spices, and a little kombucha (which will make the mixture more pourable, easier for transferring to bottles).
- Bottle: Transfer everything to fermentation bottles.
- Ferment: For 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like.
- Enjoy: The pumpkin creates some sedimenting in this ‘buch, so you can strain that out with a sieve or cheesecloth (optional), then chill in the fridge before serving.
For more winter-inspired kombucha recipes, be sure to try Mulled Wine Kombucha, Candy Cane Kombucha, or Banana Bread Kombucha!
Home Brewed Pumpkin Kombucha
Ingredients
- ½ gallon kombucha from a first fermentation this is not store bought kombucha, 1.9 L
- ½ cup pumpkin puree 120 g
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice or 1 tsp allspice, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Mix: In a large glass bowl or pitcher, stir together pumpkin puree, spices, ginger, vanilla, and about 1/2 cup of the kombucha.
- Bottle: Transfer kombucha into fermentation bottle* (I used 2 quart-sized bottles), leaving about 3 inches empty at the top. Pour in pumpkin mixture. Add cinnamon sticks to each bottle. Seal tightly.
- Ferment: Place in a dark, room temperature area for 3 to 10 days, until it reaches the carbonation level you like. This process will go faster in warmer climates, and slower in cooler climates.
- Enjoy: The pumpkin creates some sedimenting in this kombucha, so you can strain that out with a sieve or cheesecloth (optional), then chill in the fridge before serving. Can be stored in the fridge, tightly sealed, for several weeks.
Video
Notes
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
I first published this Pumpkin Kombucha on my vegetarian food blog, Live Eat Learn.
Hi! Thank you so much for these recipes! I am currently fermenting my first batch of kombucha after the successfully completing the first step of creating a scoby. (yay!) So I have a silly question. I saved a bunch of Brew Dr. bottles only to find that the necks are too short for the re-useable stoppers I bought from amazon. I am now planning to reuse some wine bottles I have on hand. The plastic bottle I have to use for a gauge during the carbonation process is considerably smaller (maybe 16 oz v. the 750 ML wine bottle). Does the difference in ounces matter? Should I try to find a plastic bottle that is more similar in size? Thanks for your help!
Hi Stephanie! The size will matter a little bit, but it’s more just a general gauge of the fermentation anyways, so use what you have.
These reusable stoppers – are they like flip tops of bottle corks? I would worry that a cork-like stopper wouldn’t be able to hold in the carbonation and would be pushed out with the carbonation built up too high. But test it and see! 😀