As the weather starts to turn, the days get colder, the nights get longer, and the layers of clothing added before leaving the house increase, there’s one thing that helps us get out of bed in the morning – it’s now pumpkin spiced latte season!
The move from Autumn into winter is our favourite time for no other reason than the fact that this is when everyone starts to embrace those comfort flavours like pumpkin spiced or gingerbread (link). Yum yum yum!
We are very proud of our homemade pumpkin spiced latte recipe and are very excited to share it with you. Let’s dive in…
What’s in a spiced pumpkin latte?
The beauty of a pumpkin spiced latte is how easy it is to make! You throw everything in a pot, mix it together, pour in a shot of coffee, and voila.
All you need is:
- Milk
- Coffee
- Pumpkin Puree
- Sugar
- Spices
- Vanilla
- Whipped Cream
The secret to making a truly spectacular pumpkin spiced latte is the pumpkin puree…
Pumpkin Puree
You can of course buy pumpkin puree from the shops. This is the quicker option, but our preference is to make our own. Why?
Because we infuse the pumpkin puree with the spices and just enough sweetness to really make the pumpkin shine. This boosts the flavour and adds wonderful maturity and complexity to the drink. Trust us, it’s worth doing.
We recommend using small baking pumpkins, also sometimes referred to as sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins. These have the best flavours and really do make the best homemade pumpkin spiced latte.
Here’s how to make your own pumpkin puree:
Ingredients
- 1 small baking pumpkin
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp ground ginger
Method
- Pre-heat your oven to 200oC
- Cut your pumpkin in half and de-seed.
- Place on a baking tray and lightly salt the flesh of the pumpkin
- Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is falling away from the skin
- Scoop out all the flesh and add to a blender with all the spices and maple syrup
- Blend until nice and smooth
This should make plenty of puree for a full week of coffees and will keep perfectly in the fridge.
The Best Homemade Pumpkin Spiced Latte Recipe
Let’s get straight into it because if you’re anything like us you’ll be desperate to get to your first sip.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree (our homemade or shop-bought)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp sugar (2 if you use shop-bought pumpkin puree)
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice (only if you use shop-bought pumpkin puree)
- 2 espresso shots of Presto House Espresso (or ½ cup of instant if you’re in a rush)
- Whipped cream & cinnamon (optional finish)
Method
- Add the milk sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and spices (if using) to a pot and heat on medium, stirring regularly to mix everything together. The smell will be immense!
- Heat until hot but make sure not to boil. If it starts getting too bubbly turn down the heat.
- Split the mix between two cups, pour in your espresso shot (one in each cup).
- If you want to go all out them top with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Enjoy!
Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Latte
There’s no reason to leave anyone out and making our Spiced Pumpkin Latte vegan is incredibly simple, just swap out the dairy milk for a non-dairy milk of choice. We also like to use maple syrup instead of sugar when going vegan, the flavours work better with non-dairy milks in our opinion.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Oat milk/Coconut Milk (or any non-dairy milk of choice)
- 2 Shots of Espresso or ½ cup instant coffee
- Pumpkin Puree (homemade or shop-bought)
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup (2 if you use shop-bought pumpkin puree)
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon/Nutmeg/Ginger (if you use shop-bought pumpkin puree)
- Vegan whipped cream and cinnamon
Method
- Same again! Add your milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices (if you need them) to a pot and heat on the stove on medium.
- You want it nice and hot but not boiling so if you start to see too many bubbles turn down the heat. Remember to keep mixing.
- Take off the heat and split between two cups.
- Add a shot of espresso to each cup and top with vegan whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon if you’re feeling indulgent
- Enjoy!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, the best homemade pumpkin spiced latte there is (in our humble opinion). We guarantee this will be an absolute hit with anyone that tries it, particularly if you put in that extra bit of effort and make your own pumpkin puree.
Happy drinking 😊
