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Make your own deliciously light and creamy pumpkin spice coffee at home – it is budget-friendly, delicious, and a perfect comforting fall treat!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
Never buy a Pumpkin Spice Latte again
The minute I start getting back-to-school items together for my kids, I get the same craving for Pumpkin Spice everything – this latte hits the spot without tasting really artificial or overly sweet. My first job in high school was actually a barista in a specialty foods store – and this pumpkin spice latte is a simple, easy variation on the recipe I used way back then – it’s been my fall favorite for decades!
PSL Recipe Ingredients
- Milk: The traditional milk to use is whole milk, but you can adjust based on your fat/milk preferences. Non-dairy kinds of milk like almond milk and oat milk also work great with this latte recipe (see our notes below on picking milk).
- Espresso: If you have an espresso machine (this is mine, but I make myself espresso every day – so it’s paid for itself in terms of my budget in less than a year), that’s the ideal. Nespresso can work too! If you have neither, try a dark roast and brew it strong. Although technically coffee and milk is a cafe au lait, you’ll still love it!
- Flavor: I prefer to use Torani syrup. It has the perfect flavor and is the preferred choice by most coffee shops for it’s flavor and how easy it is to use. I’ve tried several versions of a pumpkin sauce that includes a pumpkin puree, and the consistency just never seems to work, it gets chunky and gritty.
- Toppings: Whipped cream is a natural choice here. I love to sprinkle a little of the pumpkin spice blend on top. Also, don’t be afraid of a bit of chocolate syrup or some caramel drizzled on top; both complement the pumpkin flavor well. Nothing, though, beats just whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
How to make the perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte at home
- Coffee and syrup. Add pumpkin pie syrup and espresso to a 5 1/2-ounce mug.
- Heat and froth milk. Steam and froth the milk then pour into a mug, using the back of a spoon to hold back the frothed milk, then spoon milk froth onto the top of the drink.
- Top and Enjoy! Top with whipped cream and spice.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Tips
Follow these steps for perfect pumpkin spice lattes at home every morning!
What is Pumpkin Spice Flavor? Pumpkin Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice is a spice blend that contains cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and sometimes allspice. You can find it in the spice aisle at most grocery stores. Although each company keeps proprietary ratios, you can make a custom blend if you’re interested in making your own.
Pumpkin spice is a blend of the following spices:
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Allspice
- Ginger
Get frothy milk. Getting perfect, light, and frothy milk is important for a delicious latte.
- If you have an espresso machine with a steamer that is built in (click here for mine – I LOVE it!), this is the easiest way to make steamed milk for a latte. Simply fill your milk frothing pitcher with milk and place the steaming wand in the milk and steam for about 30 to 45 seconds, then bring the wand just under the surface of the milk and continue to steam until the froth begins to build. You can use a beverage thermometer to make sure your milk reaches 160 degrees.
- If you have a handheld milk frother, you can heat the milk up on the stovetop in a small sauce pan until it reaches 150 to 160 degrees F. Do not let the milk simmer or boil. Remove from heat and froth until foamy. If you have a french press, you can add it to that and pump until foamy in a pinch!
- Don’t want an espresso machine or a frother? There is a secret trick to foamy milk with a bit of muscle power – put milk into a mason jar and cover with a lid and shake until super bubbly, then microwave until the foam rises to the top and the milk reaches the desired temperature, just be sure to not let it bubble over!
What Espresso To Use For Pumpkin Spice Latte. Using the right coffee will help your latte taste perfect!
- Having an espresso machine will make this recipe the easiest, but it is the most espensive.
- If you have a Nespresso machine, that works great as well to make espresso.
- The next best option is to use a bold roast in a french press, moka pot, ibrik, or other strong cafe au lait style coffee.
- Finally, if you don’t have any of the other items, you can use instant espresso powder to make espresso!
What syrup to use for pumpkin spice lattes. If you are unable to find the pumpkin pie flavored Torani syrup I used, 1 ounce of simple syrup mixed with ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice extract can be used. If you want to increase the pumpkin flavor without increasing sweetness, you can add ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie flavor extract to 1 one of the Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup.
Tips to Perfect Pumpkin Spice Lattes and FAQs
Try brown sugar. As a bit of variation, sometimes, if I’m heating milk in a saucepan, I will add a teaspoon of brown sugar with some spices and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously for a little bit of an extra kick.
Don’t add too much vanilla. Just be careful with the vanilla and only add a 1/2 teaspoon – it can overpower your latte easily.
Froth milk without a frother. If you don’t have an espresso machine with a steamer or a milk frother you can pour milk heated in a small saucepan over medium heat into your french press and pump it up and down to froth. If you don’t have any of that, fill a mason jar up a little less than halfway. Place the top on and shake until you get the desired frothiness. Then (take the top off) and place it in the microwave. Allow it to warm until the froth reaches the top of the jar.
If you get this milk frother, it comes with some fun stencils for dusting the top of your latte with the pumpkin pie spice.
I also really like these mugs.
They are simple, so they work for every season, but they also have those nice, oversized handles that make them comfortable to hold and warm up.
FAQs
It’s easy to get addicted to Pumpkin Spice Lattes – try this recipe to make them from home and save your household budget by getting the Pumpkin Spice coffeehouse taste without the fancy coffeehouse price tag.
I have tried several versions of pumpkin sauce for these lattes and just haven’t found a desirable consistency.
You can order this sauce on Amazon if you want that thicker consistency than just the flavoring.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Serving Suggestions
We love serving pumpkin spice lattes with cinnamon bread, apple fritter bread, or a delicious, easy Easy Eggs Benedict for a cozy fall breakfast.
Our SPAM and Eggs Breakfast Sandwiches are a budget-friendly brunch favorite (and will blow your mind with the hearty flavor), and our delicious Best Easy Blueberry Muffins Recipe is a can’t-miss breakfast favorite!
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PSL Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces steamed milk
- 1 ounces espresso
- ½ ounces pumpkin pie flavored Torani syrup
- Pumpkin pie spice, for topping
Instructions
- Add pumpkin pie syrup and espresso to a 5 1/2-ounce mug.
- Steam and froth the milk then pour into a mug, using the back of a spoon to hold back the frothed milk, then spoon milk froth onto the top of the drink.
- Top with whipped cream and spice.
Notes
- Having an espresso machine will make this recipe the easiest.
- If you have a Nespresso machine, that will work too.
- The next best option is to use a bold roast in a french press. If you use brewed coffee this is actually a café au lait.
- Lastly, if you’re really in a pinch, you can use instant espresso.
- If you are unable to find the pumpkin pie flavored Torani syrup I used, 1 ounce of simple syrup mixed with ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice extract can be used.
- If you want to increase the pumpkin flavor without increasing sweetness, you can add ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie flavor extract to 1 one of the Torani Pumpkin Pie Syrup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
