Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

This time of year people (yes including me) seem to go a little Pumpkin Spice Latte crazy.

Okay, I'll admit that Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes are quite good, but did you know you can make them yourself? Hmm?

I finally tried it based off the recipe from Love Veggies & Yoga.

So good!

I have to say that I like my homemade version better. (Sorry S'bux.) I think that may be because the flavored coffees you purchase from just about any coffee shop are usually made with extra sugary, flavored syrups - not real pumpkin.

Oh now don't get me wrong, they still taste yummy and are convenient when you're out and about.

This recipe is just one way you can make sure you know what goes into your coffee and how much of each ingredient as well.  [Read: sugar]  It can also help you save money.

Bonus!

Honestly I haven't figured out what the cost of making your own latte is, but let's consider the price of a can of pumpkin puree. I've found them around $1.68. You only use about a 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup of pumpkin depending if you double the recipe or not. If you have leftover pumpkin, just put it in another container in the fridge or freezer. It's already mush after all, so freezing it shouldn't really change the texture. Along with that, most of the spices called for you may already have in your pantry.

It's still a far cry from a 12 oz. "tall" at $3.75 and with a whopping 39 grams of sugar.

Yikes!

If trying to make your own latte sounds good, here's a recipe you can follow as a guide.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

(altered from Love Veggies & Yoga's original version)

1. Make coffee. (It can be a pot, a cup or however you like making your coffee. Stronger is probably better in this case.)

2. Make "pumpkin milk".

Ingredients:

• 1 c milk (I used cow's milk but feel free to use any kind you want - half and half, almond milk, rice milk, soy...)
• 1/4 heaping cup of pumpkin puree (use more if you really like pumpkin)
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or to taste)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• sweetener of choice (to taste)

Optional: Add a pinch of ground nutmeg, ginger, garam masala, cardamom, or other warming spices (to taste).

Please Note:
The spices above will not “blend” or completely dissolve in the mixture. This is normal. (If the thought of that bothers you, this might not be a recipe that you'll enjoy. - There should be other varities of Pumpkin Spice Lattes out there on tha interwebs that you can search for. Google and Allrecipes.com are quite helpful for this.)

If you want to reduce or increase the spices, simply adjust everything according to your own taste. Easy peasy.

Directions:

Combine all pumpkin milk ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well by hand or blend the ingredients in a blender.

Optional but suggested: Warm the finished pumpkin milk mixture in the microwave or on the stovetop.

3. Assemble your drink.

Pour 1 cup of brewed coffee into a mug and then add about 1 cup of the (warmed) pumpkin milk mixture over the top and enjoy.

Think of it as a 1 to 1 ratio. Half coffee and about half pumpkin milk mixture - like a Café au lait.

Optional: Garnish with whipped cream/whipped topping and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top.

The remaining pumpkin milk mixture can be used for a refill, or your next morning's latte. Refrigerate the mixture in a covered container/bottle/jar for up to 3 or 4 days. Rememeber to shake it well before using in a new drink.

I made a little extra pumpkin milk mixture so I would have enough for a day or two. Turns out, after J tasted it he enjoyed my latte so much that he wanted his own! I think we're hooked.

Enjoy!