Everyone loves a good pumpkin spice latte. That fact has been proven as this tasty drink becomes more and more popular every year. But we don’t all have time or the money to spend on buying pumpkin spice lattes every day.

That is why we wanted to try to make our own. We looked at everything that goes into those famous pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks and then created our own. We have to admit that we like our homemade pumpkin spice latte even better than Starbucks latte. We think you will too.

Before we dive into our recipe, we wanted to answer a few questions about pumpkin lattes. Hopefully we clear up some things you may be wondering about this delicious, incredible drink.

What Does Pumpkin Spice Latte Taste Like?

Pumpkin spice latte tastes like a rich, creamy pumpkin pie. It is spicy and rich, sweet and also has a nice coffee taste (it is a latte, after all!). The flavor of pumpkin is really brought to life thanks to the addition of spices and the molasses in the brown sugar.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and a little bit of ginger are the spices that most pumpkin spice lattes are made with. These are the same spices in pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream and really anything made with pumpkin. That signature spice blend along with sweeteners and milk is what lattes are all about.

Why is Pumpkin Spice Latte so Popular?

So why is pumpkin spice so addictive? For one, it is pretty darn delicious. Anyone who loves pumpkin pie will love pumpkin spice lattes. This includes just about everyone.

Another reason why pumpkin spice is so popular is thanks to the sheer power of the taste. Pumpkin spice latte has such a delicious sweet and spicy taste that is much more flavorful than a lot of other types of lattes. People are drawn to this strong, interesting taste. It is what made people fall for the pumpkin spice latte Starbucks started serving years ago.

Pumpkin spice latte has such a delicious sweet and spicy taste..

The pumpkin spice latte is also a sign of fall. While you can order pumpkin lattes year round (or make them at home anytime you want), they used to only be available in the fall. When you saw pumpkin spice on the coffee shop menu, you knew the end of summer was here.

For this reason, pumpkin spice is popular thanks to the warm and fuzzy feelings that people get when they take that first sip. It’s a tasty drink that also creates a nice emotional feeling.

Does Pumpkin Spice Latte have Caffeine?

Pumpkin spice lattes are made with espresso or coffee which definitely has caffeine. When you order a starbucks pumpkin spice latte, the smallest size (known as a tall) has 75mg of caffeine. The grande size has 150mg of caffeine while the very big venti pumpkin spice latte also has 150 mg of caffeine.

Our homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe has caffeine as well. We use two shots of espresso in our recipe to make two drinks which means each drink has one shot of espresso. One shot amounts to about 64mg of caffeine.

One of the best things about making a pumpkin spice latte at home is that you can adjust the amount of caffeine however you’d like. If you prefer a decaf pumpkin spice latte, simply use decaf espresso.

If you need a little extra boost of energy one day, double the espresso. The recipe is super flexible and can be customized to suit your caffeine needs.

So do pumpkin lattes wake you up? They definitely do! If you are ordering a pumpkin spice latte and need some extra energy, just ask for an extra shot of espresso. That will be sure to get you going!

What goes in a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Starbucks pumpkin spice latte has some very simple ingredients. Here is what Starbucks says goes into their signature drink:

Espresso
Steamed Milk
A Flavor combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

The pumpkin flavor that Starbucks uses comes in the form of coffee syrup. There is no actual pumpkin in the drink, just flavored syrup. While we love this flavored syrup, we also like drinks that are real. That is what we chose to use real pumpkin puree in our pumpkin spice latte.

What is Pumpkin Latte Made Of?

We wanted to make a pumpkin spice latte using real, pure ingredients. Here is what we put in our latte recipe:

Whole milk- We like the thick creamy texture of whole milk. However, you can really use any kind of milk you’d like. Almond milk, skim milk, coconut milk, soy milk or really any kind of milk at all will make a delicious pumpkin spice latte.
Pumpkin Puree- Canned pumpkin puree can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling which already has seasoning.
Brown Sugar- We like to use brown sugar to sweeten our latte. Brown sugar has a nice molasses taste.
Vanilla Extract- Vanilla really enhances the taste of the pumpkin spice latte. It makes it taste like a real pie! It is the simple, secret ingredient that you really do need.
Pumpkin Pie Spice- Pumpkin pie spice can be found in the baking aisle alongside cinnamon and nutmeg. If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, use ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 pinch of nutmeg, 1 pinch of ginger and a pinch of allspice.
Espresso- Brewed espresso is what gives our latte all its tasty coffee flavor and caffeine.

All of these ingredients are very available in your local grocery store. If you do not have an espresso machine at home, you can find instant espresso in the grocery store as well. You can make instant espresso just by whisking an espresso powder in hot water and, voila!, espresso is ready.

Keep in mind that if you want an iced pumpkin spice latte, you can simply skip the heating step in our recipe, whisk all the ingredients together then pour the mix into two tall glasses of ice. A perfect iced pumpkin spice latte will be yours to enjoy in no time! If you love the yummy combination of milk and honey, why not try a delicious honey latte?

How Many Calories does a Pumpkin Spice Latte Have?

Pumpkin spice latte is essentially a dessert. It is a true, sweet treat. This is something you need to keep in mind when you check out how many calories are in a pumpkin spice latte. Here is how many calories are in the various sizes of Starbucks lattes:

A tall pumpkin spice latte has about 300 calories
A grande pumpkin spice latte has about 380 calories
A venti pumpkin spice latte has about 470 calories

These pumpkin spice latte calories are based on lattes made with 2% milk and whipped cream on top. That extra whipped cream is definitely worth the calories.

So are you ready to make your own pumpkin spice latte at home? Just imagine all the chilly fall days that you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch, sipping on a delicious pumpkin spice latte made with real pumpkin, energizing espresso and the perfect blend of spices. This sounds pretty amazing to us! We hope you enjoy it!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Mocktail.net

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 shots brewed espresso
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Pour the milk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar into a small pot and heat over medium high heat. Bring the mix to a low simmer but do not boil.
Remove the saucepan from the stove and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and brewed espresso. Whisk well so the mix becomes a little bit frothy and the pumpkin puree is well blended.
Pour the pumpkin latte into two mugs and top with the whipped cream. Enjoy right away!

Tips and Tricks

After you have whisked everything together, pour it into a blender and puree for about a minute to really make it frothy.
Replace the two shots of espresso with ½ cup strong brewed coffee.
Tools:
● Measuring spoons
● Measuring cup
● Small pot
● Whisk
● Two mugs