What could be better than French Press Coffee?
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes!
When I made these for our hiking road trip on Sunday, I was really pleased with the outcome. To my surprise, they were really fast to throw together and tasted incredible. I was able able to cut down the sugar and it still tasted amazing.
Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Adapted from The Kitchn.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond milk
- 2 tbsp canned pumpkin or butternut squash (I prefer pumpkin)
- 1-2 tbsp sugar, to taste (It calls for two, but I found 1 was enough the second time)
- 1.25 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso OR 2/3 cup strong coffee
Directions: In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring,
until steaming. Now bring to a boil and stir in vanilla and spice. You can now transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don’t have a blender, don’t worry- just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk. Some of the mixture fell to the bottom of the cup, so blending it might help prevent this. Pour in espresso or coffee. Add on cinnamon or whip cream on top if
desired. Serves 2.
This morning, I used canned butternut squash just to see how it would taste. I also gathered almond milk, vanilla, freshly brewed strong French press coffee (since I don’t have an espresso machine), and spices.
I used 3 tbsp of coffee beans and let it steep for about 8-10 minutes.
First you whisk together the 2 cups of almond milk with 2 tbsp of pumpkin.
While it is heating, make your coffee or espresso.
Add spices and vanilla and bring to a boil.
The original recipe says to add in the spices and vanilla after removing from heat, but I prefer to add it in while it is heating so the boil can burn off the alcohol in the vanilla extract.
As an optional step you can blend the mixture in your blender for 10 seconds or so to make it frothy. I skipped this step, but I would recommend it as some of the mixture settled on the bottom of the cup. I think a blender might help with this.
As a final step, add in your espresso or coffee and stir.
I added on some freshly grated cinnamon.
You can also add whipped cream if you wish.
It was very warm, comforting, and the perfect treat on a cool Fall day. Today, I tried butternut squash, but I think I preferred the pumpkin. It was a close call. Now granted, this isn’t an authentic latté by any means, but I still loved it. Maybe it should be called a pumpkin spice French press. ;) It was good, whatever you call it!
Are you a specialty coffee fan? What is your favourite drink to order? Do you ever make any at home?
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{ 96 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a misto lover (half coffee, half steamed milk), mainly because it’s cheap and tastes like a latte… then I add honey and cinnamon.. perfect!
I’m more of a black coffee person except for the fall and holiday season. Something about pumpkin and peppermint lattes always call to me. I never thought to make my own until reading blogs. You’ll have to be sure to do a peppermint one in another month or so. ;)
mmm peppermint would be awesome
I am definitely trying these – in my never ending effort to try and love coffee.
I had no idea you could buy canned butternut squash. Where did you find this?
I got it from my wholesaler
I’ve found it at Whole Foods!
Yay!!! I was hoping you’d post this recipe soon! Yum!
My recipes were actually posted in Sunday’s post in a PDF :) (except for the cakes, which are coming soon)
http://ohsheglows.com/docs/roadtrip.pdf
I have been dreaming of those cakes!
Mmm…who needs Starbucks?! ;-)
Double shot soya latte with a twist of nutmeg :)
But no caffeine after midday. Ever.
There are two specialty drinks that are favourites of mine. Both easy to make at home. One is a tea misto. My favourite is earl grey. Steep tea, add some steamed almond milk and a little bit of vanilla, stir. Delicious. The second is a machiatto. Traditional machiatos are just a strong pour of espresso with a dollop of foamy steamed milk plopped on the top. Delicious taste of a lattee without all the milk, or “milk”. So good.
I love specialty coffee drinks, but I rarely buy them because they’re so expensive! But recipes like this mean I can make some at home!!! :) I’m definitely going to try this.
Chai spice + pumpkin is always a nice pairing. I’m going to try your delicious Pumpkin Latte with the Chai spices!
I tried a recipe similar to this one, and it works wonderfully. Thanks for sharing. Do you press the plunger down when you make coffee or is it just like this in the picture? It always helps me control the bits of coffee that try to escape when pouring. Have a lovely Tuesday
ha after I took the pic I realized it wasn’t pressed down, so yes I did afterwards :)
This looks delicious — I don’t drink “fancy” coffee drinks too often, but once in a while they are a great treat.
My favorite is the white chocolate mocha — I haven’t been able to master it at home (haven’t tried too many times to be honest).
Wow! See you never let us down! I will be making this and my husband will be super pumped as well!
Yes I make speciality coffee drinks at home and my favorite are white chocolate and milk chocolate mochas and at Starbucks Fall Lattes-Pumkin Spice (no kidding! right just like the rest of the world)
yum! i have been watching to try Mama Pea’s version…this one looks great too though!
Yum!!! My favorite drink to order is a Cinnamon Dolce Latte ;)
I usually make Hazelnut lattes at home because I have hazelnut syrup…next time I’m doing cinnamon!
I tried Momma Pea’s version as well a few weeks ago and I have to say- this has been a weekly staple ever since! For some reason flavored coffees aren’t my favorite which is why I like creating my own flavor. :) So delish!
My favorite drink to order is a cafe au lait with whole milk. No skim. I like the creamy real deal!
Yummm! I’m not a huge coffee connoisseur, but I do like flavoured coffees – especially when they involve lots of vanilla and cinnamon. Oh and pumpkin – obviously!
Obviously I could be (very!) wrong about this, but I always thought that heat killed vanilla flavors, too. I wait to add vanilla until after I’ve cooked things like oatmeal over heat.
I think it does a bit, but I can’t stand the alcohol taste. I have been wanting to get some alcohol free vanilla. Anyone tried it before?
You could use vanilla beans, but that could get expensive ;)
I got pure vanilla in Mexico and it was AMAZING. And you don’t have to use nearly as much of it because the flavor is so intense so a little bottle goes a long way!
I’ve tried alcohol-free vanilla from the brand Simply Organic, and it was great! Truthfully, I couldn’t taste a difference between that & the regular Nielsen-Massey that I buy, but I liked that it didn’t have alcohol in it, or any sugar.
I have been making pumpkin spice lattes lately, too! So yum.
Oh, thank you! I’ve been trying to perfect my recipe but every time, it’s just not right so I’ll have to try yours!
Happy National Pumpkin Day!!!
I’m a lover of soy misto’s. This time of year, I add a pump of pumpkin spice. I love this recipe! I’m going to try it this weekend!
I made this recently and it is delicious!!!! I cannot justify going to the coffee shop for this anymore!
I have been into chai alot lately – something about the winter does that to me! :) Great pics!
I’m so glad that I just restocked my pumpkin stash. You make it so much easier than I would have imagined with your step by step instructions – thanks!
I miss coffee. I switched to tea a long while back and ever since I just can’t stomach coffee anymore, too acidic I guess. Love the flavor though, maybe if I make it weak enough I can try something delicious-sounding like this latte!
ive made it with chocolate almond milk and whipped it frothy in the vita mix, sooo good!
I like to make pumpkin spice syrup (basically water, sugar, pumpkin and spices) and then mix with espresso and hot (or steamed) milk. I’ve always found that you have to run the syrup through a piece of cheesecloth or else there are little gritty pieces of spice in it; Ange, did you manage to avoid the grit in your recipe? Maybe my spices just aren’t ground fine enough.
A cheesecloth would work well. I found that some of the pumpkin and spices fell to the bottom of the cup. Perhaps blending it in a blender would help with this?
thinking about it more…a cheesecloth might not allow the pumpkin to go through. Hmm. Not sure!
I have an espresso machine at home, i make a variety of things, London Fog, Chai lattes, Decaf vanilla lattes, you name it! but not Pumpkin Spice lattes as of yet.
how would you suppose one would go about making a pumpkin spice latte with the espresso machine? I love steaming my milk with the wand, just not sure of what to add
speaking of pumpkin lattes made with machines anyone know if they sell Kcups that are puimpkin latte?
I’m a black coffee drinker, but when I get frisky I get a soy latte from Starbucks:) SOO yummy
I was so excited when I saw this recipe when you originally posted it! My husband has been asking me to make him some at home since he usually buys his pumpkin spice coffee on the road. We loved it!
This recipe looks super simple and delicious! Thanks for posting!
One thing – did you forget to press your french press before pouring? LOL
I like iced coffees and peppermint hot chocolate. Mmmmmm.
That’s it! I’m trying this TOMORROW. During the summer months, I always have a pitcher of homemade iced coffee in the fridge, but now that autumn is upon us here in Los Angeles (as chilly as that can be), I use my French Press daily with a little almond milk and cinnamon instead of sugar/sweetener. It’s heaven!
Yum! I used to be an every day coffee drinker and a frequent visitor to Starbucks. I have cut back on my caffeine quite a bit over the past year and now only splurge on coffee drinks once a week. However, ever since Fall hit I am craving lattes alllllll the time! I’ll have to try your version to save me some money :)
i have worked as a barista for the past 5 years, so i know my coffee drinks! :-) and this also means i’ve had time to discover new favorite flavor combos. i usually drink my morning coffee black, but when i want a little afternoon pick-me-up, i’ll make a latte with soy milk, espresso, and chocolate mint flavor shot! a popular item in my coffee shop is a green tea chai latte with a caramel flavor shot and a drizzle of honey. yummy! oh, and pumpkin spice ANYTHING is a popular fall item.
This sounds AWESOME! I’m not a fan of the unnatural tasting Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte. This seems like a great alternative to try!!
I dont like coffee (although I love the smell) but what I do love is tea- Chai tea is the best- its the cinnamon flavour that makes it so good!
I am drinking grain coffee and i am really excited to try this pumpkin coffee late it has to be hillariously great.
I am definitely an every-morning-coffee-drinker, but I almost always make it at home. I tend to prefer a simple French Pressed cup with a bit of skim milk, but I’ve become obsessed with all of the amazing pumpkin spice latte recipes that have hit the blogosphere this season! I most recently made a pumpkin spice syrup, that is stored in the fridge and can be added to either hot or cold coffee for an instant latte :).
Oh my, these look great!
I *must* have foam in my lattes, so I’ve discovered that you can put hot milk into a jar and shake it for a while and you’ll get foam!
Oh, gosh, you just keep outdoing yourself!
another incredible creation by angela :) you always impress me!
as a starbucks -addict i have managed to spend all my savings on my daily cup o’joes [i try to limit it to two] i normally take it black. but when i feel like a treat im all for soy cinnamin dolce misto.
My favorite drink to order is a vanilla late at Starbucks. But lately, i’ve just been making coffee at home and adding soymilk to save money.
Love the pumpkin spice latte idea!
This looks like the best latte ever! My personal favorite drink to order on special occasions (like Friday- that’s a special occasion, right?) is the vanilla latte from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Its just better than other vanilla lattes. I think its because they use powder instead of syrup.
Yumm, look so good, and glad to know that I can get my vegan pumpkin spice fix since I can’t get it at Starbucks :) I used to love the PS Latte’s there but I never knew why they would hurt my tummy, I also quit the hard stuff (coffee and espresso) after undergrad so I am more of a tea gal now :)
Last year about this time I made a few homemade pumpkin spice lattes with pumpkin puree and almond milk, cinny, sugar, pumpkin pie spice. I warmed them up in the (gasp!) microwave, and then just whisked til frothy, and poured over a cup of coffee. Easy, good.
I am not the hugest pumpkin lover (again, gasp!) as i know most everyone in the ‘sphere goes gaga for pumpkin. I am more of a…chocolate girl :) You can add chocolate to my coffee any time :)
So happy you jumped on the coffee bandwagon!
I’ve tried this method before, and I can’t get into it. I think I just don’t like flavored coffee. but, still I keep trying. :)
Have you ever used your own pumpkin, rather than canned? I have some frozen pumpkin puree that I really need to use (since it is from last year). I’m wondering about the difference in water content…any thoughts? I’m sure it would be fine for lattes but I’ve got my eye on the pumpkin brownie things you made a while back.
I have never froze fresh pumpkin. If it was me, I would probably allow it to fully defrost and come to room temperature. Then I would use a cheesecloth or similar material and drain the dethawed pumpkin before using :)
Thanks for sharing this recipe!!! As someone who can’t have nutmeg, I’ve always had to bypass the store-brewed pumpkin spice lattes and the pre-made mixes. But I could use this recipe and just knock the nutmeg out!
Thanks for sharing such a great recipe! We have an espresso machine, but we hardly ever use it because…well, I guess because we always go to Starbucks. Doh!
You have inspired me to get it out asap and get to work!
That looks and sounds amazing, thanks for sharing! Mmmmm!
I really need to make myself some homemade pumpkin spice lattes! I say I will every year and just never get around to it. I don’t even want to think about the amount I spent on them when I was in NYC for a week at the beginning of the month! Your recipe sounds great!
Ooooh this looks delicious! I have some pumpkin spice syrup that I use every now and then but it’s super sugary and almost too sweet. I’ll have to try this!
I adore coffee, both the black strong one, and the sugary lattes :) It’s so comforting to drink something sweet and milky
Yum, I would have never thought to make a pumpkin spice latte with real pumpkin! I bet it’s thick and delicious!!
I actually make a “chai latte” in a similar way– using almond milk, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves on the stove. It’s so comforting! (but the spices fall to the bottom of my mug, too, so maybe I’ll try blending next time to get it more “frothy”)
I’m usually pretty boring when ordering at coffee shops, though– since they don’t offer an almond or rice milk option at most places, I stick with brewed coffee or tea!
Ooh, this looks amazing!!!! I’m loving all of these pumpkin spice latte recipes floating around the blogworld. I may never go back to Starbucks!
Yum! Thank you :) I love, love, love Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I also tried the new Toffee Latte from Starbucks and it is super yummy as well. Hard to pick a favorite this year!
When I’m in the mood for one, especially if I’ve spent the morning skiing, I love a simple, well-made mocha. Chocolate and coffee are perfect together.
oh my – I bet this was AMAZING!
I drink black coffee, only because its healthier. I do drink special coffee drinks on the weekend for a treat and plan to make these on Saturday! : )
looks delicious!!! In one of your other posts recently you asked what are some things we’d like to see you cook. As soon as the pumpkin/fall craze is over you definitely should invent some candy cane/mint/chocolate/christmas-y latte’s. check out the starbucks holiday menu and then invent your own :)
I mostly drink tea but I cannot resist the smell of coffee … ahhh :)
I love to make mokas & pumpkin spice lattes at home. When I order coffee, It is often extra foam lattes (I love the foam and it is the only thing I don’t get home ;)).
During the summer specialty coffee doesn’t interest me so much but in the winter I crave it all the time! I worked as a barista for many years during college but I never got tired of a nice warm coffee on a cold day :). My favorite is Second Cup’s mocha, which I miss since I left Canada!
Mmm, I’ve been making a drink similar to this for about 2 years now. The only thing I do differently- molasses instead of the sugar! Better taste AND more nutrients!! You’ve gotta try it! :)
Mmm yummo!
I make normal coffee at home, we have an espresso machine but we rarely use it – only when we have guest over!
I only drink coffee until about 11am…otherwise I bounce off the walls in the afternoon and then crash around 4pm!
You always amaze me Angela! I so want to try this because (gasp!) I don’t like Starbucks P-spice latte but sooo wish I did.
THanks!
What a delicious looking treat!
This is so much better than shelling out $4 for a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte! I can’t wait to make this! I’d be in the kitchen making it right now if it weren’t after 7 pm. Coffee this late would keep me up all night. :P
I will TOTALLY be making these!!! I have all of those ingredients on hand regularly!!!
Mmm! Coffee, my favourite topic! I’m definitely a soy latte girl. Nutty, creamy, caffeine-y… divine!
This post just got me so excited!! I love warm drinks : )
Yum! I can’t wait to try this. I’ve never had lovely, flavoured, fancy coffee like this – we just dont do it here in Australia. We do true coffee really, really well here in Melbourne. But nothing festive like this!
Heidi xo
I still have not tried these from Starbucks! This homemade version will fill my dreams tonight! :-)
i just made your recipe today, it turned out wonderfully! i got a little worried about how it would taste until i added the vanilla, which really is the key! the only difference is i used brown sugar instead (upon a co-worker’s suggestion) and made it latte style (adding espresso shots, then the milk mixture into the shots to get the roasty crema on top!)
thanks for sharing and for the inspiration!
I am SO happy that you like coffee now! I’m kind of addicted to the stuff. I’ll definitely try out some of these coffee recipes. I’ve always wanted to try to make on of your “monsters” but I don’t have a blender :(. All the other recipes of yours I’ve tried have been great though. Me and my bf (also named Eric) thank you so much!
Starbucks makes a Cinnamon dolce latte which is sooo yummy!!!
Pumpkin Spice Lattes are my favourite! I’m so thankful for this recipe! I’m currently on a detox so I made this recipe and left out the coffee. Its so yummy and perfect for a cold and windy day like today!
Made this today,,, and it was so delicious!!
Beats a $5 Starbucks any day! :)
I just pinned your pumpkin spice latte recipe. Yum! :)
I made this and it was amazing, I only used 1 tsp raw brown sugar and it was perfect for me. I used soy milk. Thank you!
I make this recipe on my home and it was amazing, I only used 1/5 tsp raw brown sugar and it was perfect for me. I used soy milk also. Thank you for sharing this recipe for us!