Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
When the air is crisp and the leaves are falling, there’s nothing like treating yourself to the coziest drink autumn has to offer: a homemade pumpkin spice latte.
Sure, you can probably get one from your coffee shop. Or, to make the experience even more special, you could bring the taste of autumn to your kitchen with this from-scratch recipe. Is it a little extra? Yes! But isn’t that kind of the point?
This homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe makes two servings, so you can share a cup with a friend. Enjoy hot or cold!
Ingredients
We’ll list out the ingredients you’ll need for the whole recipe (or your grocery list) and then by step, in case you’re planning on skipping any steps.
All together:
1 sugar pumpkin
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups coffee or cold brew
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup cream or coconut milk, cold
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups milk (whole, almond, or oat)
2 cinnamon sticks
By step:
1. For the pumpkin puree: ¼ cup pumpkin puree OR 1 sugar pumpkin + 1 teaspoon sea salt
2. For the coffee or cold brew: 2 cups coffee or cold brew
3. For the pumpkin pie spice: 1 tablespoon cinnamon + 2 teaspoons ground ginger + 1 teaspoon nutmeg
4. For the whipped cream: Store-bought whipped cream OR 1 cup cream + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon vanilla extract + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend (from step 3)
5. For decorating your glasses: 1 tablespoon maple syrup + 1 tablespoon cinnamon + 1 tablespoon sugar
6. To make your drinks: 2 cups milk + 2 tablespoons maple syrup + ¼ cup pumpkin puree (from step 1) + 1 tablespoon vanilla extract + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend (from step 3) + 2 cups coffee or cold brew (from step 2)
7. To serve and garnish! Whipped cream (from step 4) + pumpkin pie spice (from step 3) + 2 cinnamon sticks
Materials
Keep these on hand unless you’re skipping any steps.
- Baking sheet, blender, and saucepan, if making pumpkin puree
- Coffee grinder and filters, if making coffee or cold brew
- Glass jar, if making cold brew
- Small bowl for your pumpkin pie spice blend
- Mixing bowl and hand mixer, chilled in the refrigerator, if making whipped cream
- 2 small plates, if decorating your glass rims
- 2 mugs or Mason jars, for your hot or cold lattes
- Saucepan, for mixing your drink
1. Make Pumpkin Puree
Preheat oven to 400 F. Halve a small sugar pumpkin and remove the stem and seeds. Sprinkle sea salt on the halves and place them on a baking sheet cut side down. Bake for 1 hour.
Scoop the softened flesh of the pumpkin into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour your pumpkin puree into a saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced by one-third. This process will enhance the pumpkin taste. Set saucepan aside, keeping in ¼ cup of pumpkin puree.
Cheat: You can buy canned pumpkin puree at the store. We won’t tell.
2. Brew Coffee or Prepare Cold Brew
If serving hot, brew hot coffee to your liking. If serving cold, make cold brew a day ahead.
To make cold brew (optional): Grind ¼ cup of coffee beans to make 1/3 cup of coffee grounds. Add to a glass jar with 1 ½ cups of water and leave somewhere dark and cool overnight. In the morning (after 8-12 hours), strain or filter your cold brew three times or until clear of silt. Add water until you have 3 cups. (You’ll only use 2.)
Pro tip: Your favorite brand of coffee will work for this recipe, but for an extra kick of pumpkin, try a pumpkin-flavored coffee bean! We said we’re being extra.
3. Make Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to make 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice. This will give you more than enough for this recipe, so save your extra for more of your favorite fall drinks and desserts!
4. Make Whipped Cream
Whisk chilled cream, or coconut milk for a dairy-free latte, in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer (both chilled) until cream is smooth and fluffy. Sprinkle in powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice blend, and vanilla. Whip until cream forms stiff peaks, then refrigerate.
Cheat: We suppose you can also buy whipped cream — but this is so much better!
5. Prepare Cups
If you want to be fancy and add a rim to your cups (and who doesn’t?) spread maple syrup evenly onto a small plate and mix cinnamon and sugar on another. One at a time, place mugs (if making hot lattes) or Mason jars (if making iced lattes) upside down on the first plate to rim with maple syrup, then the second plate to rim with cinnamon sugar.
If you’re making iced lattes, fill your Mason jars with ice.
6. Make Your Mixture
Add milk and maple syrup to your pumpkin puree and stir over medium heat until combined and warm (but not boiling). Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice. Finally, pour in your coffee!
7. Enjoy!
Pour your homemade pumpkin spice latte into your prepared cups. Top with whipped cream, sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice blend, and garnish with cinnamon sticks.
No such thing as too much pumpkin? We agree. Explore more recipes here!
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