Want to know how to make a homemade pumpkin spice latte that's delicious and healthy?
Want to know how to make a homemade pumpkin spice latte that’s delicious and healthy?
You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s impossible, but I’ve got the perfect solution. I’ve also included my favorite pumpkin muffin recipe since it’s very fitting for the time of year and is guaranteed to get you in the mood for Halloween.
Falling for Fall: Halloween and Pumpkins
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved fall, and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.
For far too long, pumpkins were just seasonal decorations and jack-o’-lanterns to me. But now, every year, I look forward to pumpkin season.
It’s when the real fun begins.
You can bake pumpkin bread, roast pumpkin in the oven, make pumpkin stews, fill and bake pumpkins, prepare pumpkin soups and even extract the fresh juice for pumpkin drinks.
In case you haven’t already guessed, I’m a huge fan of this versatile vegetable. Did I mention pumpkin curry yet?
The Hokkaido, aka the red kuri squash, is my favorite pumpkin because its skin becomes so beautifully buttery in the oven.
Besides the delicious Hokkaido, though, Cinderella pumpkins and squash varieties like butternut and turban aren’t bad choices, either.
This past fall, I discovered the kabocha – a very small pumpkin that you can fill with cheese and bake in the oven. Come on, what’s not to love about pumpkin recipes like that?
You’ll need fresh pumpkin juice for the fall coffee recipe in this article. Not only will the juice from the Hokkaido and other very large pumpkins taste great, but you’ll usually be able to get a decent amount from these varieties. Keep in mind that you’ll get sweeter juice and flesh from small pumpkins, but you’ll spend more time extracting enough for your needs.
Every fall, our living room table looks like this – but it isn’t long before the attractive seasonal decorations are all eaten up.
So Many Lattes, So Much Sugar: Starbucks, McDonald’s and Friends
Unless you’ve been living under a rock or on a desert island for the last few years, you’re probably familiar with the pumpkin spice latte phenomenon. Thanks to Starbucks and other chains, this sickly-sweet concoction has barely anything to do with pumpkin and very little to do with coffee.
Some say the enduring popularity of pumpkin spice lattes comes from Americans’ nostalgia and love of Thanksgiving. I can’t say whether or not that’s true, but I do know that it’s often simply a case of pouring in enough sugary syrup to make the coffee and espresso drinks taste good.
So I wanted to figure out how to make a homemade pumpkin spice latte that’s sensibly and reasonably sweetened.
In this case, that means treating ourselves to a teaspoon of agave nectar. I only use fresh spices in this homemade pumpkin spice latte, too – without any whipped cream or any of that other artificially flavored goo.
The goal is to make an enjoyable drink made from natural ingredients. One that doesn’t require skipping two meals to justify the calories.
It should also taste great – we want the coffee, pumpkin and spices working in harmony to create a delicious flavor profile. We’re not just going to be masking the taste of bad coffee!
Plus, I hate throwing food away. That’s why my pumpkin spice latte recipe comes with a bonus recipe for pumpkin muffins, so I can use all the pulp leftover from the juicing process.
How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte
Let’s dive right in.
In this recipe, I’ve used 2 ounces (60 milliliters) of fresh pumpkin juice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can put the pumpkin in a blender and squeeze the juice out of the pumpkin puree. Bear in mind, you’ll need a very juicy pumpkin for this method.
Another option is to first gently bake the pumpkin in the oven before pureeing it. The thing is, you’ll sacrifice some vitamins doing it this way.
I used a Krups super automatic espresso machine for this recipe, but only because it’s what I was reviewing at the time. Of course, you could also use a home espresso machine.
The juicer we used is called the Omega NC800HDS, but others would do the job just as well. I especially recommend cold-press juicers with spiral augers because they squeeze the juice out slowly, preserving valuable micronutrients – all the healthy stuff we want.
Coffeeness Signature Espresso Blend
Experience a rich, smooth espresso with a hint of chocolate
Notes of Chocolate & Hazelnut
Easy on the stomach
Freshly roasted right in Brooklyn
Medium roast
As always, it really all comes down to the coffee and espresso. So for this pumpkin spice latte, I used my Coffeeness coffee beans. But feel free to experiment with a few different coffee blends until you find one that works best with the pumpkin and spices.
Ingredients: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Here’s what you’ll need. And don’t worry, pumpkin pie spice isn’t on the list.
2 ounces (60 milliliters) freshly pressed pumpkin juice
7 ounces (200 milliliters) freshly frothed whole milk
1.4 ounces (40 milliliters) espresso – I used two ristrettos from the Krups
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch tonka bean – be careful because it’s very intense
1 teaspoon cinnamon – I love cinnamon
1 pinch red pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper – be generous if you like a bit of heat
1 teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup – sugar warning!
1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch grated clove
If you’d like to make a vegan pumpkin spice latte, you can replace the cow juice with dairy free milk. I’ve found this recipe works just as well with soy, oat and even unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Using lactose-free milk is no problem, either. With this recipe, everyone wins.
Method: Pumpkin Spice Latte
Juice the pumpkin, putting the leftover flesh in the fridge for later. If you don’t like muffins, you can also use it to make fritters or a soup instead.
Pour the pumpkin juice into a glass. Next, thoroughly mix the spices with the agave nectar (you can also use apple nectar, a type of reduced apple juice). Once you have a smooth paste, gently stir it into the pumpkin juice.
Please take extra care with the amount of tonka bean you use because it’s very aromatic. It’s my favorite spice to use in German stollen fruit bread at Christmas, but too much can overwhelm all the other flavors.
Now add the hot and frothy milk to the drink.
The crowning glory of this drink is the espresso, which you should pour on top. One shot is good, but two is even better!
Visually, you’ll end up with a striking pumpkin spice latte that you can either stir or drink as is in layers. Not only does the look of the drink fit perfectly with the fall season, but it also very much highlights the pumpkin and the coffee. As a very full-bodied and naturally aromatic drink, the taste of espresso pairs really well with the natural sweetness of pumpkin juice.
On warmer fall days, you might want to consider breaking out the ice cube trays and making an iced pumpkin spice latte. Prepared with cold milk and ice, this complex pumpkin coffee is surprisingly refreshing.
Finally, if your kids feel left out, treat ’em to some pumpkin spiced milk. Trust me, they’ll love it!
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins
Now that you’ve learned how to make a pumpkin spice latte, it’s time for the accompaniment.
Since we’ve already set aside our “leftovers” from juicing the pumpkin, we now need to add a few more natural and healthy ingredients to make our delicious muffins. And once again, we’ll use our aromatic tonka bean (these aren’t always easy to get, so you could use mahlab or extra nutmeg instead).
Ingredients: Pumpkin Muffins (Yields 12 Muffins)
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make my pumpkin muffins:
10.5 ounces (300 grams) rolled oats
12 ounces (350 grams) pumpkin pulp – or pumpkin purée
4 ounces (20 grams) apple puree – also made with the juicer
2 eggs
8 ounces (230 milliliters) whole milk – or a milk substitute of your choice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons agave nectar
12 walnut halves
Spices:
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch grated clove
1 pinch tonka bean
Method: Pumpkin Muffins
It’s so very easy. First, mix the oatmeal with the pumpkin and apple puree.
In another bowl, thoroughly mix the milk and eggs with all the other ingredients.
Next, combine the contents of both bowls, then divide the mixture evenly between 12 muffin cups. Garnish the top of each muffin with a walnut half.
Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. From my experience, the muffins tend to darken on the top quite quickly, so to prevent them from burning, cover them with aluminum foil if necessary.
Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely, and then enjoy!
These beauties have all the flavors of fall that I love so much and provide the perfect accompaniment to a homemade pumpkin spice latte. Not to mention they’re the ideal Halloween treat and go a long way to satisfying any pumpkin addiction.
What’s your favorite seasonal drink? I’d love to read your comments and suggestions, as well as any experiences you might have had with my recipes. I think it’s about time for a nice recipe using good chocolate. Any ideas?