Pumpkin Spice Tamales
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Published Oct 05, 2021
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This Pumpkin Spice Tamales recipe features all your favorite fall flavors wrapped in one cozy bite. Inspired by the pumpkin spice latte, these sweet tamales are festive, fluffy, and perfect for Día de los Muertos, Thanksgiving, or anytime you’re craving a fall treat. Serve them after dinner, enjoy them with coffee for breakfast, or add them to your Dia de los Muertos ofrenda for a special seasonal touch.
Table of Contents
What are Pumpkin Spice Tamales?
Pumpkin spice tamales are a twist on tamales dulces (sweet tamales), a traditional Mexican treat. Made with masa harina, pumpkin purée, warm spices, and sugar, these tamales are steamed in corn husks until soft and fluffy. The flavor is a delicious cross between homemade pumpkin bread and Mexican tamales—sweet but not overly sweet, and perfectly spiced.
Traditionally served at celebrations, these tamales bring a festive fall vibe to any table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Seasonal & festive – pumpkin spice flavors make them perfect for fall gatherings.
- Sweet but not too sweet – tastes like pumpkin bread wrapped in a tamal.
- Easy ingredients – everything can be found at your regular grocery store.
- Perfect for Día de los Muertos – an ideal dish to honor loved ones.
- Make-ahead friendly – they freeze beautifully for up to 6 months.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these Mexican pumpkin tamales:
- Corn husks – soak until pliable for wrapping.
- Masa harina – instant corn flour (not cornmeal).
- Butter or shortening – for fluffy, tender masa.
- Sugar – adds sweetness.
- Baking powder – helps lighten the masa.
- Salt – enhances flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice – you can use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, or simply substitute with about 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin spice seasoning.
- Pumpkin purée – canned or fresh (just drain extra liquid if homemade).
- Milk (or evaporated milk) – for moisture and richness.
- Pecans (optional) – for added crunch.
- Vanilla extract – warm and aromatic.
See the printable recipe card below for exact measurements and directions.
Variations
This recipe is delicious as written, but you can switch it up!
- Add raisins or dried cranberries to the masa for extra sweetness, like these sweet raisin tamales.
- Swirl in cream cheese for pumpkin cheesecake tamales.
- Top with cajeta, piloncillo syrup, or sweetened condensed milk.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds for a festive holiday touch.
Note: This recipe has not been tested with all variations. If you try one, let us know in the comments!
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Tamales
Step 1: Soak corn husks. Place dried husks in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable. Pat dry.
Step 2: Make the masa. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add masa harina, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, pumpkin purée, and pecans. Gradually mix in milk until masa is the texture of thick peanut butter.
Step 3: Assemble tamales. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa onto the center of each husk. Fold sides over, then fold up the bottom to seal.
Step 4: Steam tamales. Arrange standing upright in a steamer with open sides up. Steam over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until masa peels away cleanly from husk.
Step 5: Serve. Let tamales cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with condensed milk, sprinkle with pecans, or garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Are you a visual learner? Then watch this video of me making sweet pumpkin spice tamales to see how easy it is!
Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Festive: Sweetened condensed milk, pecans, and pomegranate seeds.
- Classic: A dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
- Savory twist: Crumbled queso fresco or roasted pepitas.
- Pair with café de olla, champurrado, or Mexican hot chocolate for the perfect cozy combo.
Pumpkin Spice Tamales Expert Tips & Tricks
- Test doneness by peeling one husk—if masa pulls away cleanly, they’re ready.
- Keep extra water on hand for steaming; refill as needed.
- Make ahead: freeze individually wrapped tamales for up to 6 months.
- For the fluffiest masa, beat your fat (butter or shortening) with sugar until light before adding masa harina.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store cooled tamales in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Wrap each tamal in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Reheat: Steam until warmed through, or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 2–3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! They can be steamed, cooled, and stored in the fridge or freezer. Reheat when ready to serve.
Steaming gives the best texture, but microwaving in a damp paper towel works for quick reheating.
Absolutely—just roast and mash, then strain out excess liquid before mixing into the masa.
Yes, sweet tamales (tamales dulces) are traditional in Mexico. This is a modern seasonal twist using pumpkin spice flavors.
More Recipes
If you tried this Pumpkin Spice Tamales recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Summarize & Save This Content On
Pumpkin Spice Tamales
Ingredients
Tamales:
- 12 to 15 large corn husks, dried and soaked in warm water to soften
- 2 cups masa harina, corn flour
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened, 11 tablespoons
- 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 15-ounce can Simple Truth Organic pumpkin solid packed
- 8 to 10 ounces evaporated milk
Toppings:
- Condensed milk
- Pecan halves
- Pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Soak husks in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften. Remove husks from water; pat dry.
- In a stand mixer, beat together masa harina, butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices until well combined.
- Beat in vanilla, pecans, pumpkin, and slowly add in the milk until the masa is the consistency of peanut butter.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of mixture in the center of each corn husk. Bring in the sides of the corn husks, then fold in both ends to enclose filling.
- Lay each tamal fold-side down.
- Once the tamales are folded place each tamale standing open-side-up in a steamer on the steam tray rack. Add enough water as needed for your steamer and bring water to a boil.
- Lower heat to low and steam with the lid on for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove each tamal carefully with tongs and let cool slightly.
- Serve warm tamales drizzled with condensed milk and sprinkled with pecans and pomegranate seeds.
Video
Notes
- Pumpkin purée: Canned works great, but you can also use homemade roasted pumpkin—just drain excess liquid.
- Pumpkin spice swap: Instead of using individual spices, you can substitute with about 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin spice seasoning.
- Masa consistency: The dough should be spreadable, like thick peanut butter. Add a splash of milk if it feels dry.
- Toppings: Sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, cajeta, or piloncillo syrup are all delicious options.
- Make ahead: These tamales freeze beautifully for up to 6 months. Reheat by steaming until warm.
- Storage: Store leftover tamales in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap each in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Yvette / Video by Pure Cinematography
How to make sweet tamales. Especially the MASA.
My tamales were not very good: pineapple, strawberry.
I never learned.
I would sweeten masa with a piloncillo syrup. Please follow Sweet Raisin Tamales recipe: https://muybuenoblog.com/sweet-raisin-tamales-tamales-dulces/
Hello Ivette. I am also from El Paso Tx, and we just went this weekend to La Union Corn Maze, I am pretty sure you are familiar with this event. I brought home fresh pumkins from their pumking patch. Can I use fresh pumkin instead of the can punkin puree?
YES, absolutely!! Fresh is fabulous.
A mi familia y a mi nos gustó mucho la receta. Mi única queja es que ahora cada rato mi familia me pide que les haga.
Y no tienen relleno estos Tamales dulce? Seran mas buenos si tienen relleno de algo.
How much pumpikn spice seasing i add instead of all other spices?
I would recommend 1 1/2 teaspoons. Enjoy!
What a great Day of the Dead recipe. I’m going to make this for my Spanish club.
These sound so good! Very creative spin on sweet tamales.:)
Lola
These are delicious, I tasted them first hand, they are great with coffee for breakfast a snack or after dinner. The altar is so beautiful and colorful. Mom would have loved these tamales mija, con su tasita de cafe. Love you for making these in her memory,