Craving a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks? No need to leave the house! Save yourself time & money by making an even better homemade version in about 10 minutes on your stovetop. It's super easy. No espresso machine needed & it's simple to make swaps or substitutions. This is my favorite hot drink to make during the autumn months because it's cozy, creamy, slightly sweet & chock full of fragrant warm spices.
This has been my go-to homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe for SEVEN years now so I can tell you with confidence that it really is the best.
(You can also check out the review comments on one of my older pumpkin spice latte pins here to see what folks have said.)
There are sooooo many copycat versions out there and to be honest...many of them suck. I know from experience because I tried several back in 2012 and ended up dumping them down the sink.
The secret to a good pumpkin spice latte is not in pumpkin spice seasoning alone. It's in the
vanilla extract. The vanilla accentuates the warm spices and creates the most amazing flavor. You need them both for a good drink!
This is the main reason why I'm updating & resharing this post. I love sharing homemade versions of popular recipes so us foodies can save moolah and control the ingredients (like adding way less sugar).
And pumpkin spice is just as popular today as it was back in the early 2010s.
In fact, Starbucks just released a new cold brew pumpkin spice drink so it seems they're doubling down on the PSL craze.
(Note to self: try replicating this at home with homemade cold brew coffee & whipped cream mixed with pumpkin spice + vanilla extract.)
In a rush? Click here to save this to your fall recipes board on Pinterest so you can check it out later.
Ingredients For Making The Best Pumpkin Spice Lattes At Home
Here's what you'll need for my version:
- your favorite milk (dairy or dairy-free - my favorite is unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- canned pumpkin puree (plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- your favorite sweetener (I prefer real maple syrup but vanilla-infused sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar would be awesome)
- vanilla extract (this is important so don't skip it & make sure to use the real stuff, not imitation. If you can't have the alcohol that's in extracts, use vanilla bean paste instead.)
- pumpkin pie spice (you can buy a little bottle at the store or mix up your own using warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger & clove - see recipe link below)
- extra strong coffee or espresso (strong coffee is perfectly fine & probably the cheapest and easiest option unless you happen to have an espresso maker.)
TIP: A cheap way to get good espresso is to use a Moka pot a.k.a. stovetop espresso maker. They're usually only $15-20 for a small one, which is super affordable compared to fancy espresso makers.
Low Carb & Keto Option: Omit the canned pumpkin and use your favorite low-carb sweetener, to taste + homemade whipped cream that is also sweetened with stevia, monk fruit, swerve, etc.
How to Save Money On This Homemade Version
You can grab all the necessary ingredients ready-made from the store and quickly brew up some strong coffee then you're ready to go. Or...
If you want to make pumpkin spice lattes on the regular or in multiple batches throughout the autumn season, you can fix some of the core ingredients at home to save money.
Try these homemade versions to keep on hand:
- homemade pumpkin pie spice seasoning
- homemade almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, or oat milk
- homemade vanilla extract (this makes an excellent DIY holiday gift for foodies but tastes best when it's infused for several months - 4 to 6 months is my preference.)
- homemade whipped cream or coconut milk whipped cream
- homemade pumpkin puree
Ideas For Using Up Leftover Pumpkin Puree
If you bought a 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree for this latte recipe and you're just fixing the drink for yourself, you'll likely have most of the can leftover. You can freeze any remaining puree for making more pumpkin spice lattes later on or use the rest in yummy fall recipes like these:
- maple spice pumpkin butter(delicious on toast, bagels, and pancakes)
- a dozenpumpkin apple harvest muffins(these are so fragrant & moist!)
- creamy pumpkin pasta(this is on my list to try!)
- pumpkin shortbread cookies
- pumpkin mac and cheese
- a batch of copycat Starbucks pumpkin scones (this would pair perfectly with a warm PSL)
- overnight steel cut oats (stir into cooked oats & add a teaspoon or so of pumpkin pie spice + a splash of vanilla extract)
- homemade pumpkin pie biscuits (would be amazing smeared with butter or honey butter)
- waffles or pancakes (add a few tablespoons to the batter + some pumpkin spice seasoning)
- (stir it in for added nutrition & you won't even taste it)
- homemade pumpkin pie (save a slice or two for pumpkin pie milkshakes)
And if you bought several cans of pumpkin puree and are wondering how to use up a whole can (15-ounce), give this Cheesecake Factory pumpkin cheesecake a try. I'm hungry just thinking about it!
Watch The Recipe Video
Are you a visual learner? Watch my short recipe video showing you how easy it is to make this pumpkin spice latte recipe at home on your stovetop.
More Fall Recipes You'll Love:
- Easy Candied Pecans (Oven Recipe)
- (So Gorgeous!)
- Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies ("Spooky" Halloween Theme)
- Stovetop Candied Pecans
- Apple Cider Sangria (Fragrant & Cozy)
- Savory Rosemary Spiced Nuts
- Homemade Hot Chocolate (made with bar chocolate)
- Citrus White Wine Spritzers(Super Easy)
best, diy, at home, recipe, how to make, vegan, low carb
drink
American
Yield: 1-2 servings
Author: Elaina Newton - The Rising Spoon
Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
prep time: 5 Mcook time: 5 Mtotal time: 10 M
Craving a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks? No need to leave the house! Save yourself time & money by making an even better homemade version in about 10 minutes on your stovetop. It's super easy! No espresso machine needed & it's simple to make swaps or substitutions.
ingredients:
- 2 cups of milk, dairy or dairy-free (I use unsweetened homemade almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons of sweetener (I use real maple syrup)
- 2 tablespoons of homemade vanilla extract (reduce to 1 tablespoon if using vanilla flavored milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon of homemade pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup of extra strong coffee or 2 shots of espresso (add more if you like a stronger coffee taste)
Toppings (Optional):
- whipped cream (dairy or dairy-free)
- extra cinnamon powder, pumpkin pie spice or vanilla-infused sugar, for garnish
instructions:
How to cook Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
- In a small pan set over medium heat, add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and sweetener, then slowly whisk in the milk.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture is steaming and everything is dissolved. (Do not let it boil.) Remove from the burner and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour strong, hot coffee (or 2 shots of espresso) into two medium mugs (or one large mug if it's just for you) and fill the mugs the rest of the way with the pumpkin spice milk mixture. Take a sip & stir in a bit more coffee or sweetener if needed.
- Garnish with whipped cream and a few sprinkles of cinnamon powder or vanilla sugar, then drink immediately while hot.
NOTES:
SWEETENER: If your milk has added sugar (like a store-bought vanilla almond milk), you may want to reduce the amount of sweetener to 1 tablespoon. If you're used to the Starbucks version (their drinks are generally very sweet) you may want to add another tablespoon of sweetener to your mug before garnishing with whipped cream.CREAMIER OPTION: To make this extra creamy & decadent, use whole milk, half & half, or heavy whipping cream.DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Use your favorite nut milk & homemade coconut milk whipped cream.LOW-CARB & KETO OPTION: Omit the pumpkin puree & use your favorite low-carb sweetener (stevia, monk fruit, swerve, etc.) in the pumpkin milk and any homemade whipped cream, if using.PUREE: If you let the drink sit for a while, or you have leftovers, the pumpkin puree will naturally settle to the bottom of the mug/container. If this bothers you, just give it a good stir to recombine.
https://www.therisingspoon.com/2012/10/vegan-pumpkin-spice-latte.html
© The Rising Spoon. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not reprint this recipe without my written permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please take your own pictures, rewrite the directions in your own words, and link to this post as the original source. Thank you!
Created using The Recipes Generator
Adapted from The Kitchn'sAutumn DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte
UPDATE (Septbember 2019): This recipe was originally published in October 2012, but I've recently re-written the post so it's more current + updated the recipe card to include more helpful information & tips.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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