DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Just Like Starbucks!)

Many fans of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte eagerly wait for it to show up on menus again in the Fall. It made its annual re-appearance last week. However, for those of us on a budget, those little cups of goodness can add up. Making your own at home will not only save you money, but you can also enjoy them year-round. In addition, you have more control over the ingredients, so you can tweak the recipe to your liking.

article, recipe, and photo from thekitchn.com

You can change the sugar and fat content of this recipe quite easily.

Pumpkin Spice Latte
makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute - you can halve this amount
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don’t have an espresso machine.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don’t have a blender, don’t worry about it - just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

(Image: Kathryn Hill)