Get ready to cosy up your mornings with the irresistible aroma of a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte. This PSL has only 6 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare! It's naturally sweetened with maple syrup, has real pumpkin puree and can easily be made dairy-free. The pumpkin pie spices add that quintessential fall aroma and you can even add a dollop of whipped cream for some extra indulgence. 

A pumpkin spice latte is the perfect cosy hot drink to warm up to on a cold autumn or winter day. Have one in the morning to start your day or as an afternoon pick-me-up. You can easily make a decaffeinated version and enjoy this PSL in the evening as a post-dinner treat! 

Why should you try this recipe?

A pumpkin spice latte is the most popular drink during the autumn season, but most coffee shop versions are full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. They use pumpkin-flavoured syrup, but not real pumpkin puree. The result is often sickly sweet and leaves you with a major sugar crash. And for all of that, you’ll have to pay a hefty price too!

This homemade pumpkin spice latte is full of goodness and tastes so delicious you’ll be making it on repeat! By making it yourself you know exactly what’s in it. We’re using only real pure ingredients, no artificial pumpkin syrup, no processed sugar and no added chemicals. You decide the level of sweetness and it’s easily made vegan too!

Ingredients for a Pumpkin Spice Latte

You only need a couple of ingredients to make this velvety smooth pumpkin spice latte that tastes like a cosy autumn day. 

• Espresso: A double shot of espresso adds the perfect amount of coffee flavour to this spiced autumn drink. Alternatively, you can use only one shot or about ½ cup of regular coffee. 
• Milk: Dairy or non-dairy milk will both work just fine. For this recipe, I’ve used almond milk and it worked out wonderfully. 
• Pumpkin Puree: Our homemade roasted Pumpkin Puree adds the perfect amount of pumpkin flavour without any icky additives or chemicals. 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree adds loads of pumpkin flavour and on top of that you also get the fibre, vitamins and minerals that can be found in pumpkin! Alternatively, you can also use canned pumpkin.   
• Maple syrup: Maple adds sweetness to this drink but also adds that delicious and unique maple flavour. 
• Vanilla extract: A splash of our homemade Vanilla Extract ties the flavours together and adds another layer of warmth to this drink.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: A teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix adds that classic pumpkin spice flavour to this drink. Use a store-bought blend, or add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. 
• Whipped cream: This last ingredient is completely optional, but on those gloomy days when you need a real cosy treat a dollop of whipped cream on top of your PSL will certainly brighten up your day!

How to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte at home?

To make a 'better than Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte' is actually super simple! All you need is one saucepan and a whisk or milk frother. 

Here are the 4 simple steps to make the best-ever pumpkin spice latte at home: 

Step 1: Add the milk (regular or plant-based based) to a saucepan. On medium heat bring it to a simmer. In the meantime, you can brew your espresso.

Step 2: Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spices to the simmering milk. Mix it through with your whisk until all is combined and heated through.

‍Step 3: Add the espresso shots to your pumpkin milk mixture. Mix it through. Optionally, you can add extra puree, spices or maple syrup if you want to tweak the flavour.

Step 4: Pour the pumpkin spice latte into a mug and top it with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle a pinch of pumpkin pie spices or cinnamon on top for extra flavour!

Tips & Alternatives

• Coffee: A single or double shot of espresso gives a nice mellow coffee flavour to this drink. The bitter coffee flavour will be mellowed out by the milk and pumpkin. Alternatively, you can also use about ½ cup of regular brewed coffee.
  
  
• Caffeine-free: Use decaffeinated espresso to make a caffeine-free version of this drink. You’ll get all the flavour without the caffeine jitters.
  
  
• Sweetener: Maple syrup adds that quintessential fall flavour, but you can easily swap it with another sweetener of choice. Try honey, agave syrup, coconut sugar or even regular (brown) sugar.
  
  
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix: A classic pumpkin pie spice mix makes it easy to add that typical flavour to this drink. If you haven’t got this mix you can substitute it by adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, ginger powder, cloves and allspice. These are the spices that you’ll find in most pumpkin pie spice mixes.
  
  
• Foamy milk layer: In this recipe, we’re mixing all the ingredients in a saucepan with a whisk, this creates a super easy recipe but makes it impossible to get a foamy milk layer on top. Whisking it all together does guarantee that the flavours are mixed all the way through. A dollop of whipped cream finishes it off to get that Starbucks feel. However, if you want a foamy milk layer without added whipped cream there’s an easy workaround to create just that: Mix all the ingredients, except the milk, in a saucepan. Heat it through and add the mixture to a mug. Use a milk frother to froth the warm or steamed milk separately and add this last. The liquid part of the milk will mix with the coffee while the foamy part will rest on top. 

• Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte: If you want a refreshing cold version of this drink make it the same way, but let it cool a bit, before adding it to a glass filled with ice cubes. By first heating the mixture on the stove you’ll also heat the spices which helps to bring out the flavours.

Are you looking for more cosy autumn recipes?

Make these 2 ingredients for this pumpkin spice latte at home: 

• Make this quick and easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree from scratch for all your seasonal fall dishes.
• This Homemade Vanilla Extract is cheaper and tastes way better than most supermarket varieties. It’s also super easy to make with just 2 ingredients!

Some delicious sweet treats to serve with your PSL: 

• Bake these decadent Brownies with a rich chocolate flavour, a fudgy middle and crispy edges. They're chocolate heaven!
• These Apple Rose Puff Pastries are the prettiest individual apple pies you'll ever see. They look like elegant roses and are perfect for a special occasion.

Cosy autumn breakfast ideas: 

• Start your day off right with this healthy and delicious Apple Pie Oatmeal with maple syrup, baked apples and pecans.
• Try these one-bowl Vegan Banana Cranberry Muffins, they are easy to make and healthy enough to have for breakfast!

Warming fall dishes: 

• This flavourful Roasted Maple Butternut Squash Salad with sweet zingy mandarin orange dressing has all the fall flavours.
• This gorgeous Golden Glow Pumpkin Soup with warming ginger and turmeric, sweet roasted pumpkin and creamy coconut is full of health-boosting ingredients. It’s the perfect soup for the colder months to boost your immune system.
• If you love creamy comforting pasta dishes then you’ll love this Classic Homemade Lasagne. It’s filled with a rich bolognese sauce and is covered in a velvety smooth béchamel sauce.