Pumpkin Spice Tamales
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Updated Oct 11, 2026
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These Pumpkin Spice Tamales are my fall-inspired twist on traditional Mexican sweet tamales (tamales dulces). Made with pumpkin purée and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, they’re soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet. Think pumpkin spice meets Mexican tamales!
My grandma loved all things pumpkin, and I know she would have adored this variation. My mom even said so after tasting them! I especially love serving these tamales during the fall holidays, including Día de los Muertos and Thanksgiving, with a warm cup of café de olla. They’re delicious on their own or drizzled with sweetened condensed milk for an extra-special treat.
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 warmly spiced.
Why This Is Muy Bueno
- A little family connection. My grandma loved all things pumpkin. When my mom tasted these tamales, she said Grandma would have loved them, too. That made this recipe even more special to me.
- A seasonal twist on tradition. These tamales bring together the familiar flavors of pumpkin spice and traditional Mexican sweet tamales.
- Perfect for fall gatherings. They’re a fun addition to Día de los Muertos celebrations, Thanksgiving, or a cozy afternoon with a cup of coffee.
- Make ahead and enjoy later. Like other tamales, these can be prepared ahead and reheated when you’re ready to serve.
Reader Review
★★★★★
“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.” ~Juanita
“My family and I really enjoyed the recipe. My only complaint is that now my family keeps asking me to make them!”
Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these sweet pumpkin tamales. Here are a few things to know before getting started.
- Corn husks: Soak in warm water until soft and pliable so they’re easier to fold around the masa.
- Masa harina: Use instant corn masa flour for tamales, not cornmeal.
- Butter or shortening: Beating the fat with sugar until light and fluffy helps create a tender masa.
- Sugar: Sweetens the masa without overpowering the pumpkin and spices.
- Baking powder: Helps the tamales turn out light and fluffy.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves give these tamales their pumpkin spice flavor. You can substitute 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices.
- Pumpkin purée: Canned pumpkin purée works beautifully, but you can also use cooked, puréed fresh pumpkin. If it’s especially watery, drain off the excess liquid.
- Milk or evaporated milk: Adds moisture to the masa.
- Pecans (optional): Add a little crunch.
- Vanilla extract: Adds another layer of flavor.
See the printable recipe card below for exact measurements and instructions.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Tamales
Step 1: Soak the corn husks. Place dried corn husks in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until soft and pliable. Drain and pat dry.
Step 2: Make the pumpkin masa. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the masa harina, baking powder, salt, spices, vanilla, pumpkin purée, and pecans. Gradually add the milk, mixing until the masa has the consistency of thick peanut butter.
Step 3: Assemble the tamales. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa onto the center of each corn husk. Fold the sides inward over the masa, then fold up the bottom.
Step 4: Steam the tamales. Add water to the steamer, making sure the water level stays below the steamer basket so the tamales don’t sit in water. Arrange the tamales upright with the open ends facing up. Cover and steam over low heat for 1 to 1½ hours, checking the water level periodically and adding more hot water as needed. The tamales are ready when the masa pulls away cleanly from the corn husks.
Step 5: Serve. Let the tamales rest briefly before unwrapping. Enjoy warm, plain or with your favorite toppings.
Want to see the process? Watch my step-by-step video for making pumpkin spice tamales, from preparing the masa to steaming the finished tamales.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
These pumpkin spice tamales are delicious warm and straight from the corn husk, but I especially love dressing them up for fall celebrations.
- A little extra sweetness: Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Festive for the holidays: Add pomegranate seeds for a colorful finishing touch.
- Simple and cozy: Enjoy plain or with a light dusting of cinnamon.
- Something warm to sip: Pair with café de olla, champurrado, or Mexican hot chocolate.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- For fluffy masa: Beat the butter or shortening with the sugar until light and fluffy before adding the masa harina and remaining ingredients.
- Check for doneness: Carefully unwrap one tamal. The masa should pull away cleanly from the corn husk when it’s ready.
- Keep an eye on the water: Make sure the water stays below the steamer basket so the tamales don’t sit in water. Replenish with hot water as needed to prevent the pot from running dry.
- Make ahead: Freeze individually wrapped, cooked tamales for up to 6 months.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Let cooked tamales cool, then store them in their corn husks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Keep the corn husks on and wrap cooled tamales individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Reheat: For the best texture, steam refrigerated tamales until heated through. You can also remove the husks, wrap the tamales in a damp paper towel, and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or until warm.
- From frozen: Steam frozen tamales until heated through, allowing extra time. There’s no need to thaw them first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can roast or cook fresh pumpkin until tender, then purée until smooth. If it’s watery, drain off any excess liquid before adding it to the masa. For another way to prepare fresh pumpkin, see my conserva de calabaza recipe, but omit the added sugar when preparing pumpkin for these tamales.
Yes! You can substitute 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in this recipe.
Not necessarily! Unlike tamales with a savory filling, these pumpkin spice tamales have their flavor mixed right into the masa. They’re delicious without a filling, especially when served warm with your favorite sweet toppings.
More Recipes
Have you tried making these Pumpkin Spice Tamales? I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below, and let me know if you served them plain or dressed them up with your favorite toppings.
Video
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 pumpkin purée
- 8 to 10 ounces evaporated milk
Toppings:
- Condensed milk
- Pecan halves
- Pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Soak the corn husks. Place the dried corn husks in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until soft and pliable. Remove from the water and pat dry.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Prepare the pumpkin masa. Add the masa harina, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Mix until combined. Add the vanilla, chopped pecans, and pumpkin purée. Gradually pour in the evaporated milk, mixing until the masa has the consistency of thick peanut butter.
- Assemble the tamales. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa in the center of each corn husk. Fold the sides inward over the masa, then fold up the bottom to enclose it.
- Prepare the steamer. Arrange the tamales upright in a steamer basket with the open ends facing up. Add water to the pot, keeping the water level below the steamer rack, and bring to a boil.
- Steam the tamales. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 1 to 1½ hours. Check the water level periodically and add more hot water as needed. The tamales are ready when the masa pulls away cleanly from the corn husks.
- Let rest. Carefully remove the tamales with tongs and let them cool slightly before serving.
- Serve. Enjoy warm, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and topped with pecans and pomegranate seeds, if desired.
Notes
- Fresh pumpkin: You can substitute cooked, puréed fresh pumpkin for canned pumpkin purée. Drain any excess liquid if needed.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Substitute 1¾ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, or use 1½ teaspoons as a slightly lighter-spiced variation.
- Masa consistency: The masa should be soft and spreadable, similar to thick peanut butter. Add a little more milk if it feels too dry.
- Fluffy masa: Beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy before incorporating the remaining ingredients.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate cooked tamales for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat by steaming until warmed through.
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,