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How to Make an Amazing Pumpkin Spice Latte (at Home Recipe)

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pumpkin spice latte
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » How to Make an Amazing Pumpkin Spice Latte (at Home Recipe)

It’s no secret that I love coffee, and nothing says fall like a warm pumpkin spice latte! Seeing Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes on their signs every fall makes my mouth water. But I can’t justify consuming that much sugar (50 grams in a grande size) plus all the junky additives.

Not to mention it costs about $6+ per cup to consume said sugar! I wanted to find a way to get that pumpkin flavor without the barista. With my love for pumpkin coffee, I knew I had to find a way to make it at home for less.

A Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe, with Real Pumpkin

I’ve fine-tuned this easy pumpkin spice latte recipe over the years and now I can’t drink anything else! It’s easy to make for yourself or for a crowd with just a blender and a stovetop (or Crock-Pot).

This pumpkin spice latte tastes very similar to the coffee shop psl versions without artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. Oh, and it actually contains pumpkin puree… because it’s not a REAL pumpkin spice latte without it!

If you’re using store-bought canned pumpkin and won’t use the whole can, freeze the rest in ice cube trays and keep them in a bag for future batches. Or use it up in something like this warm pumpkin bread recipe. Check out the end of this post for more pumpkin recipe ideas.

Ingredients For a Real Food Pumpkin Spice Latte

I like using raw, grass-fed milk, but not everyone can have dairy. This coffee recipe is naturally gluten-free, but you can also make it dairy-free. Sub coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, or macadamia milk. (Macadamia is my favorite!) These are easy to find in the store, but homemade nut milk is cheaper and less watered down.

I use a half-teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, but you can use your own blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg if you don’t have pie spice on hand. It tastes similar to chai, but without the cardamom or black pepper. The pure vanilla extract rounds out the warming spices in this coffee drink.

Topping it Off

A dollop of whipped heavy cream or coconut cream finishes off this recipe and makes it extra decadent. Try a whipped cream dispenser for homemade (and low sugar) whipped cream on demand.

If you want to avoid sugar, then feel free to omit it. I use these pumpkin spice stevia drops, and don’t miss the sugar one bit!

pumpkin spice latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

A simple and delicious pumpkin spice latte made with real pumpkin and dairy-optional ingredients!
Prep Time 4 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Calories 199kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

1 serving

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the whipped cream.
  • Blend until smooth. Or, if you have an immersion blender, pour all ingredients into a medium saucepan and blend with an immersion blender.
  • Pour the contents of the blender into a small saucepan.
  • Heat the milk mixture over medium heat on the stove for about 5 minutes or until hot, stirring frequently.
  • Top with whipped cream, garnish with a dash of cinnamon, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)
Calories 199 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 96mg4%
Potassium 467mg13%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 1657IU33%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 313mg31%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

The nutritional info for this recipe uses 1 cup of whole milk and omits the whipped cream topping. Nutrient profile, particularly the fat and protein content, will vary if nut milk or coconut milk is used. 

Tips and Variations

  • Want More? – Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make for extra people. Serving for a party? Multiply the ingredients by 10 and keep warm on low in a slow cooker or in a carafe.
  • Iced Version – You can also make an iced pumpkin spice latte version with a strong cold brew instead of hot coffee if you prefer. Or cool the coffee first and blend all ingredients in a blender with 1/2 cup of ice.
  • Protein Boost – Sometimes I’ll also add a teaspoon of grass-fed collagen or a scoop of healthy protein powder for more protein.

More Pumpkin Recipes

I have quite a few pumpkin recipes on my site. Here are a few if you want to check them out. Some of them are a great way to use up the rest of your pumpkin puree after making your pumpkin spice latte.

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Do you like pumpkin spice season? What’s your favorite fall drink? Share below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

62 responses to “How to Make an Amazing Pumpkin Spice Latte (at Home Recipe)”

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      already brewed usually. And you can actually double or triple the amount of coffee if you prefer a thinner or more coffee like taste.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      yep… I’ve used homemade too. Just make sure the water is drained off once you cook and use equal amounts. You may have to add more coffe/tea to water down though, as homemade tends to be a little thicker

      1. Ashleigh Avatar
        Ashleigh

        How much is “half a can” …or better yet, how big is the can you’re using?

        Thanks 🙂

  1. sabrina Avatar

    i’m pregnant and not drinking coffee/caffeine. can i omit the coffee and or sub something else besides decaf?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      Tea works well, and you could use raspberry leaf tea if you are past first trimester…

    2. Kulveen Avatar

      I made it without the coffee and it was super yummy! I used a little stevia to sweeten it.

  2. Jenifer Ramirez Avatar
    Jenifer Ramirez

    I think I will try this with Teecino to see how it tastes! We use homeopathy and the coffee bean stops our remedies from working. Thanks for this yummy looking recipe!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      great idea. I’ve also thought that it would probably be lovely with chai tea!

  3. Taylor Avatar

    This was delicious!  I will definitely make it again.  Next time I might add a little more coffee.  It does turn out pretty thick which I thought would be a turn off, but I really enjoyed it.  Making it again tomorrow for my hubby!  Thanks!

  4. Melissa Avatar

    Made it today and it was really good!!! I have a bit left over, can i put it in the fridge and heat it up tomorrow? Thanks for the recipe!

  5. Katie Avatar

    I tried this recipe yesterday then again this morning.  I think I may try it again but I have a few suggestions.  It needs more coffee and less coconut milk-mine turned out very thick and way too creamy even after using the crockpot.  My Whole Foods sells something called Coconut Milk Beverage and it comes in a rectangular box (like what broth comes in) which is thinner than the coconut milk that comes in a can so I may try that as well.

    1. Debra Avatar

      Mine turned out way too thick too. I think I’m going to try the leftover over ice and let it melt a bit and see if that helps.

    2. Teneko Avatar

      I use the Almond Breeze unsweetened almond coconut milk in the refridgerated section. It is a little “thin”. 1/4 cup beverage concentrate (chai or coffee) with 1 cup of that stuff is the perfect ratio for a slight creaminess and delicious caffeine. If it’s turning out too thick for you with your beverages of choice, maybe add more water for a less concentrated coffee base.
      For sweetener, I usually use 4 drops of liquid stevia.

  6. Krassi Avatar

    Anyone tried the latte with fresh/frozen pumpkin instead of canned? If so – how would you prepare it?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      I haven’t tried it yet because I can my own and haven’t run out, but it should work just fine as long as the excess liquid is cooked out and it is well drained.

    2. Paula Avatar

      5 stars
      I have not made a latte but, I have baked pumpkins and froze it in portions and made smoothies with pumpkin pie spice,almond milk, coconut milk or almond milk and stevia. Delish! Healthy too.

  7. Nicole Avatar

    Hi I’m from Australia and have been making some your recipes, which are fantastic BTW. You’ve got me stumped with the canned pumpkin. We don’t have canned pumpkin here. Is it just mashed up pumpkin in a tin? If I was to steam my own and blend it would I end up with the same thing?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      It is basically just canned mashed pumpkin, so you could certainly make your own. Just make sure it is well blended and it should work great! Australia is on my bucket list… can’t wait to make it there and hopefully scuba dive someday!

  8. Stef Avatar

    I’m so stoked to make this!!! Will be using homemade almond milk as a sub. Thanks for the awesome ICE CREAM IDEA!! Genius! Chocolate chip pumpkin ice cream just made its way to the top of my to-do list 🙂

  9. Monica Rooke Avatar
    Monica Rooke

    Sounds wonderful! I feel the same way about the Starbucks version – too expensive, too much sugar. In fact, when we had our first cool morning a few weeks ago, I got one against my better judgment, and you know what? It was just too sweet. That’s what primal/paleo life will do to you, huh? 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

  10. Spinny Avatar

    I want one now after reading that recipe. Sounds so warm and nourishing.

  11. Nikki Myers Avatar
    Nikki Myers

    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I’ve been drying for a pumpkin latte. Every coffee shop I’ve asked uses that nasty syrup to flavor the coffee. I can’t wait to make this!

  12. Karyn Avatar

    This is great – one thing that I’m having a hard time with when switching over to paleo is not having any treats for the kids to celebrate little things like the first day of autumn or feast days, etc.  I want to cut way back on sugar but it’s fun to have little traditions throughout the year. Recipes like this are great – if you have anymore, please keep them coming. I am going to use decaf coffee – don’t need four littles running around maniacally! 

    1. Stef Avatar

      Karyn, treats are my weakness! Here are a few ideas to help you out:

      I adapted these muffins from a recipe from Elana’s Pantry. My husband loves them! Add chocolate chips for an extra treat: http://nograinnopain.blogspot.com/2011/09/banana-nut-muffins-paleo-style.html
      This stuff is gold! Great way to get your fruit servings in. I’ve made it with heavy cream as well as almond milk: http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/07/25/decadent-fruit-dip/I’ve also played around with this recipe a bit. It’s nice to have something reminiscent of a cookie every so often: http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/09/30/one-crazy-week-nutty-cookies/ (scroll down to the bottom of this link for someone else’s variation on this yummy little cookie as well: http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/01/16/paleo-talk-episode-2/ – I loved these straight out of the freezer!)

      Best of luck with the paleo kiddos 🙂

  13. vick Avatar

    Now I have to go to the store for vinegar for bone both AND canned pumpkin tonight!

  14. Kena Avatar

    Delish!  I am wondering if this can be canned…make up large batches and store the rest by canning.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      I haven’t tried but it probably could… let me know how it turns out!

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