Frangelico Pumpkin Monk Cocktail

Last Friday night I threw a really fun holiday party with Frangelico. I like to kick-off the season early and be the first to start the party season with a bang.I have always loved Frangelico; it is a hazelnut liqueur that is traditionally served as an after dinner digestivo. There is a legend that Frangelico was made by Friars in the Piedmont region of Italy where hazelnuts are abundant, it has a beautiful, nutty flavor profile. My party was themed La Bella Vita which as you all know, is really my motto for life.Part of the fun was enjoying various cocktails that contained Frangelico as one of the ingredients. Fun, right? The cocktail that most surprised me was the Pumpkin Monk. First of all, the name is fantastic and the flavor was really delicious. Every year I try to come up with our signature Thanksgiving cocktail. I usually enjoy it while preparing Thanksgiving dinner. This year, I will be making the Pumpkin Monk cocktail for myself as well all of my Thanksgiving guests.It has a nice top note of citrus and with a hint of hazelnut, the pumpkin spice syrup rounds out all the flavors nicely. It's not too sweet, the citrus notes take care of the sweetness. Plus it has a lovely mouth feel.The party was a big hit. I will have lots of holiday Frangelico cocktails to share, so stay tuned throughout the holiday season. In the meantime, first up is the Pumpkin Monk. Grab a coupe and enjoy the season.xx

The Pumpkin Monk

- 1 oz. Frangelico- 1 oz. Appleton Reserve Rum- ¾ oz. lemon juice- ½ oz. pumpkin spice syrupShake all ingredients and either pour over ice in a rocks glass or serve up in a coupe,* optional: run it through a strainer. Garnishwith a cinnamon stick.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup Recipe  (*this makes 1 cup which is 16 servings)- 4 teaspoons cinnamon- 2 teaspoons ginger- 1 teaspoon nutmeg- 1 teaspoon allspice- 1 cup water- 1 cup sugarPlace in a pot, then bring to a boil and reduce about 10 minutes, set aside to cool.

Photo Credit: Dane SponbergThis is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.