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Craft the ultimate Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe in your own kitchen using pumpkin puree, coffee, milk, and Fall spices. It’s SO delicious, and the best part is that this DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte has no artificial flavors or colors.
If you’re in the mood for more cozy sips, try my homemade Irish coffee or whip up a cinnamon dolce latte for a café-style treat at home!
Ah, the Pumpkin Spice Latte – a quintessential flavor that heralds the arrival of fall. Raise your hand if you’ve visited Starbucks thrice this week just to get your hands around a warm cup of their pumpkin latte. 🙌 With a slice of pumpkin bread and a pumpkin muffin to go with it! No? Just me!? Uhm okay.
Every fall, countless of us coffee lovers eagerly anticipate the return of the iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks because it’s just so darn good. And it smells amazing! Amiright? BUT! What if you could replicate that beloved flavor from the comfort of your own kitchen? Look no further! With this recipe, you can make the best Pumpkin Spice Latte, harnessing the rich tastes of pumpkin, coffee, creamy milk, and a combo of warm spices. Not only is it satisfying to make, but I believe it’s even better than the store-bought version.
Why I Love This Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
- Fresh Ingredients: Making it at home ensures you use fresh and wholesome ingredients without any preservatives or additives commonly found in store-bought versions.
- Budget-Friendly: Save money by making this classic beverage at home instead of splurging at coffee shops every time the craving for a pumpkin spice latte hits.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness, spice intensity, and milk preference to your liking. Want it dairy-free? No problem. Need extra cinnamon? Go for it! Once you have a pumpkin spice latte recipe in your back pocket, you can add (or take away) whatever you want.
- Convenience: No more waiting in long lines or facing the disappointment of your local coffee shop running out of the seasonal treat.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Latte
Below, I will guide you step-by-step through conjuring up this heartwarming drink, ensuring every sip is as delicious as the one before! The complete recipe with measurements and thorough instructions is in the recipe card below.
- Milk: Opt for traditional dairy or a non-dairy alternative. My personal favorites for this drink are whole milk or oat milk.
- Pumpkin Puree: Go for store-bought canned puree or create your own by following my easy slow cooker pumpkin puree recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar: You can also use regular granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or even your favorite sweetener.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall taste and smell. It adds a warm, sweet, and slightly floral flavor that complements the pumpkin.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: A blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves (sometimes allspice too). These spices complement the mild sweetness of pumpkin, enhancing the overall flavor of the latte.
- Espresso: Coffee shop lattes include espresso, producing a more robust coffee flavor. When making lattes at home, if you don’t have an espresso machine, brew your own coffee, but make it stronger. Alternatively, for an iced version, you can use chilled coffee.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Latte
All I know is that making this at home saves me time, money, and gas for my car. That’s important. Another good thing is that I can control the amount of coffee, the type of coffee, and the spices that end up in my cup. You can either use your microwave to make this happen or your stovetop. I go the stovetop route because I am quicker at removing the saucepan before the milk boils over. In the microwave, I try to watch it closely, but it takes a millisecond for it to boil over, and I end up crying over spilled milk. Literally.
Stovetop Method
- Combine milk, pumpkin puree, and light brown sugar in a saucepan, and heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is hot but not boiling.
- Once off the heat, whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Add the coffee, whisking it in until the mixture turns frothy.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into two coffee cups. Taste and adjust the sweetness according to preference.
- Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg for garnish.
Microwave Method
- Whisk together milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat for about 1 to 1.5 minutes, or until the milk froths and begins to rise. Transfer the mixture to a mug and stir in the coffee. Garnish and serve.
Tips And Variations For Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Quality Ingredients: The taste of your PSL can be influenced by the quality of your ingredients. Opt for fresh pumpkin puree, pure vanilla extract, and good espresso.
- Adjust to Taste: Always taste and adjust the sweetness or spice level of your PSL according to your personal preference. The measurements I suggest are just something to start with. You can add more or less of the spice, vanilla, sugar, etc. You can also substitute the pumpkin pie spice with equal amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
- Use Real Espresso: If you have an espresso machine, consider using real espresso instead of regular coffee for an authentic coffeehouse experience. Ensure your coffee is freshly brewed. Stale or lukewarm coffee can detract from the overall taste of the PSL.
- Spice Toppings: Apart from the classic nutmeg sprinkle, consider using cinnamon or even a light dusting of cocoa powder for a twist on the traditional garnish.
- Dairy & Non-Dairy Options: While dairy milk is common, non-dairy alternatives like almond, oat, or coconut milk can offer a unique flavor profile and are great for those with dietary restrictions.
- Avoid Overheating: Do not boil the milk mixture. Overheated milk can develop a scorched taste, which can overshadow the flavors of the pumpkin and spices.
ENJOY!
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Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup brewed espresso, or brewed strong coffee
Optional
- granulated sugar, to taste
- whipped cream
- ground nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon, for garnish
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, and light brown sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and steamy. Do not boil.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and the vanilla. Whisk in the coffee and continue to whisk until frothy.
- Divide the mixture between two coffee mugs. Taste and adjust to your taste.
- Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg and serve.
Microwave Method
- Pour the milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, and vanilla into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Cook for 1 minute to 1 minute 30, or until the milk starts to rise up and is frothy. Remove it from the microwave.
- Divide the mixture between two coffee mugs, and stir in the brewed espresso or coffee. Taste and adjust to taste.
- Garnish with whipped cream and serve it hot.
Notes
- Ingredients: Use fresh pumpkin puree, pure vanilla extract, and freshly made coffee for the best flavor.
- Adjust to Taste: Everyone’s palate is different. Always taste and adjust the sweetness or spice level of your PSL.
- Use Espresso: If possible, use espresso for an authentic coffeehouse flavor.
- Dairy Options: While dairy milk is standard, you can use non-dairy alternatives like almond, oat, or coconut milk.
- Avoid Overheating: Do not boil the milk mixture. Overheated milk can develop a scorched taste.
- Pumpkin Flavor: If you want a more robust pumpkin flavor, add more pumpkin puree or cook down the pumpkin puree on its own before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
- Experiment: Feel free to experiment once you’re comfortable with the base recipe. Add a drizzle of caramel or chocolate for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
It’s SO delicious, and the best part is this DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte does have any artificial flavors or colors……
I’m thinking you’d like this sentence near the top of this page to include the word NOT – does NOT have any artificial flavors or colors. Looking forward to trying the recipe, thanks!
Nothing like PSL. This required more pumpkin and more sweetener and it still fell short. On the hunt!
Is pumpkin puree made from fresh or bake pumpkin?
I am super excited about this recipe 🙂
Hi!
It’s made from baked pumpkin, but you can also buy it in a can, all ready to go –> https://amzn.to/36mxQXl (affiliate link)
I have a recipe for Slow Cooker Pumpkin Puree and you can see that here ➡️ https://diethood.com/slow-cooker-pumpkin-puree/
I hope this helps! 😊
I just love making my own fancy coffee drinks. This pumpkin spice latte sounds fun to try and it looks so pretty in the glass cup too!
Why do people insist on putting actual pumpkin in a pumpkin spice latte? It’s ‘pumpkin spice’, as in the spice you use with pumpkin, not ‘pumpkin, spice’. Starbucks just uses a pumpkin spice flavored syrup.
Hi!
I use the pumpkin puree for a more intense pumpkin flavor and to avoid making the syrup because of all the extra sugar.
the pumpkin syrup they use has actual pumpkin puree in it…. 🤦🏻♀️
That, too! 😆
They actually have pumpkin puree listed as an ingredient on the bottle that they use (from a barista friend). Idk about the sauce they sell in the bottle to consumers but the one they make or drinks in the store with have pumpkin in them. I personally don’t taste it at all and when I put it in my diy drinks at home, I feel it tastes more like a pure and does NOT taste like Starbuck’s. Weird.
How do you achieve that lovely “layered” look?
I promise I didn’t do anything special. 😄 It actually happens naturally because of density. Apparently, pouring hot espresso into warm milk at a certain speed (while stirring) creates an interaction that causes the drink to separate into layers because of the different densities.
This looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it! No more waiting in long lines at Dunkin for my pumpkin spice latte hahaha
Your presentation is beyond stunning! I am so incredibly impressed!
live in israel and when i was abroad fell in love with pumpkin spice latte from starbucks. loved to try it at home but dont know where to find pumpkin pie spice 🙁
What a terrific fall coffe drink. I haven’t gotten this at Starbucks before because they had too many calories. I like your version much better.
I have never had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks but it looks like I never have to! This pumpkin lover would love to try your version instead. Would be perfect right about now. 🙂