Pumpkin spice latte

Pumpkin spice latte recipe

Halloween and Thanksgiving kick off the holiday season in America and pumpkin is the star of both. The combination of sweet and earthy pumpkin with warming spices, such as cinnamon, ginger and allspice is so popular that it has become a standalone product sold as ‘pumpkin spice mix’, and finding its way into autumnal treats as varied as yoghurt and M&Ms. Then Starbucks added pumpkin spice mix to a latte and it became a runaway success. With this recipe, there’s no need to leave the house. Instead, this creamy drink bursting with warm and fragrant spice can be made in your own kitchen. A perfect way to start the day.

What is in a pumpkin spice latte?

A double shot of espresso is at the heart of our pumpkin spice latte recipe. We use regular full-fat milk, but feel free to swap to low-fat, soy, oat or almond milk if you prefer. The pumpkin spice mix is both whisked into the milk and sprinkled on top for good measure. If you prefer your spiced pumpkin latte sweeter, you can add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, or stir in brown sugar, vanilla or even condensed milk. The cinnamon sticks don’t just look cute either, they take the place of little spoons to stir the whipped cream into the latte, infusing it with a slightly woody spiced flavour.

How to make a pumpkin spice latte

If you have your own home espresso machine, use the steam wand to heat the milk. If not, we whisk our milk in a small saucepan until warm and frothy, giving the same effect. This recipe works just as well using plunger coffee, or if you want to have this soothing drink before bed, use no coffee at all. We finish our latte with a big dollop of whipped cream. Don’t be tempted to use low fat cream as it doesn’t whip properly. Some American recipes use a tablespoon or so of pumpkin puree, as it is readily available canned, but this recipe is more about the spices than actual pumpkin.

Love this recipe?

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