Pumpkin Spice Latte
Updated Sep 28, 2026
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This homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte combines real pumpkin, coffee, creamy milk, and warm fall spices for an easy Starbucks copycat you can make right at home. It’s creamy, cozy, and SO good!
When 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!
My Favorite Homemade PSL Recipe
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is basically the flavor of fall. Honestly, it feels like the natural next step after spending the summer sipping on a boatload of vanilla bean frappuccinos.
Raise your hand if you’ve hit Starbucks three times this week just to wrap your fingers around a warm cup of that pumpkin-y goodness. With a slice of pumpkin bread and a pumpkin muffin to go with it, of course. No? Just me? Uhm… okay.
Every fall, countless of us coffee lovers eagerly anticipate the return of the iconic pumpkin spice latte at Starbies because it’s just so darn good. BUT with this recipe, you can make the best homemade pumpkin spice latte. It’s delicious, easy to make, and even better than the store-bought version, especially paired with a square of pumpkin baked oatmeal.
Why I Love This Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
- Made with real pumpkin. This latte gets its pumpkin flavor from real pumpkin puree, along with coffee, milk, vanilla, and warm fall spices.
- Budget-Friendly: Making your pumpkin spice latte at home means you can have one whenever the craving hits without paying coffee-shop prices every time.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness, add extra cinnamon or pumpkin spice, or use your favorite milk. Once you have a good pumpkin spice latte recipe in your back pocket, it’s easy to make it exactly how you like it.
- Convenience: I can whip one up at home in minutes, and while I’m at it, I’ll make my Starbucks copycat egg bites and skip the line altogether.
Ingredients For My Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Milk: Opt for traditional dairy or a non-dairy alternative. My personal favorites for this drink are whole milk or oat milk.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use store-bought canned puree or make your own with my 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 adds a warm, sweet flavor that complements the pumpkin.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: This blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice gives the latte its classic warm pumpkin-spice flavor. You can also substitute store-bought pumpkin pie spice with equal amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
- Espresso: Coffee shop lattes include espresso for 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
Making a pumpkin spice latte at home saves me time and money, plus I can make it exactly how I like it, from the coffee to the sweetness and spices. You can make it in the microwave or on the stovetop, but I prefer the stovetop because I can pull the saucepan off the heat before the milk boils over. In the microwave, I try to watch it closely, but it takes approximately one millisecond for that milk to boil over, and then I’m crying over spilled milk. Literally.
Stovetop Method
- Heat the milk, pumpkin, and sugar. Combine the milk, pumpkin puree, and brown sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is hot but not boiling.
- Add remaining ingredients. Once off the heat, whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Add the coffee, whisking it in until the mixture turns frothy.
- Serve. 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
- Combine all the ingredients. Whisk the milk, pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Warm it up. Place it in the microwave and heat it for about 1 to 1.5 minutes, or until the milk froths and begins to rise.
- Serve. Transfer the pumpkin latte mixture to a mug and stir in the coffee. Garnish and serve.
Make It an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
Add the milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Pour over ice, add cooled espresso or strong coffee, and stir. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients can affect the taste of your PSL. Opt for fresh pumpkin puree, pure vanilla extract, and good espresso.
- Adjust to taste: Always taste and adjust your latte’s sweetness or spice level to your preference. The measurements I suggest are just a starting point. You can add more or less of the spice, vanilla, sugar, etc.
- Use real espresso: If you have an espresso machine, consider using real espresso instead of regular coffee for an authentic coffeehouse latte.
- 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.
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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
- Warm the milk, pumpkin, and brown sugar. 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.
- Add the spices, vanilla, and brewed coffee. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and the vanilla. Whisk in the coffee, then continue whisking until frothy.
- Serve. 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
- Combine the ingredients. Pour the milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla into a microwave-safe bowl or drinking glass/cup.
- Heat it in the microwave. Cook for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, or until the milk starts to rise and becomes frothy. Watch it closely and remove it before it boils over.
- Add the brewed coffee. Divide the mixture between two coffee mugs and stir in the brewed espresso or coffee. Taste and adjust to taste.
- Serve. 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. 🙂