I’m baaaaaaaack!
Miss me? Better yet…did you miss my tempting recipes popping into your feed each week? I sure have missed you all and this blog. Thankfully, it’s finally time to kick up my heels and celebrate because I handed in my second cookbook manuscript yesterday. All 250 pages of it including 100+ recipes (most are new!), headnotes, chapter openers, introductory chapters, etc. I seriously can’t believe I did it. Can someone pour me a drink…or 10?! I’m so excited to get my life back in order! And I’m so excited to start sharing recipes on here again at regular intervals. I have SO many ideas/goals/hopes/dreams for this space.
It’s funny how different the first book writing process went compared to the second. When I submitted my first book’s manuscript, I don’t think I had ever felt so much doubt in my life. I had all this anxiety near the very end and concluded that a bunch of finalized recipes had to be re-worked at the last minute. All of a sudden, none of them were good enough. Eric was like, did you fall on your head…they taste amazing! Yes, writing recipes for print brought the cray cray out in me. I turned into a full-fledged RECIPE-ZILLA.
I kept coming back to the age old question – Is this book enough? – which I think deep down means, Am I enough? Am I good enough? Yea, I’m getting deep today. It’s a question I’ve struggled with my entire life so I shouldn’t have been surprised when this crippling doubt reared its ugly head. In the end, the first process taught me how to make peace with my work, the creativity I put out into the world, and with whatever the response to the book would be. That’s a big one. I just had to let it all go.
I’m not saying I haven’t had moments of doubt during the second book’s creation because I surely have, but this time around I’ve felt much more focused, organized, and best of all, confident in my ability. It was something only experience could teach me, I think. Even Eric mentioned how calm I was this last week as I put the final touches on everything. (Ok, ok, I handed it in 4 days late, but when your editor gives you an extra weekend you take it!) Even though I know there is a lot of work ahead (many rounds of edits, design collaboration, press, etc), at least I (kinda, maybe) know what’s to come.
But I’m totally not thinking about that right now. Now is the time to drink all the espresso! Can you tell I’m hyper? Just a bit. Yes, I’m getting festive with homemade pumpkin spice lattes, and I hope you’ll join me. I’d say these are a serious upgrade from my 2010 attempt (cue nostalgia from a blog post 5 years ago!), but how could it not be with a homemade pumpkin spice syrup?! I am obsessed with this homemade latte recipe. Can’t stop. This syrup is a game changer, and you’ll find yourself dreaming up many ways to use it. Always a good detective, I bought a legit Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks so I could compare them side by side. Guess which latte won?
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Yield
3/4 cup syrup + 1 latte
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I don't have an espresso machine, so I find the easiest way to make an authentic-tasting latte at home is to simply buy a few shots of espresso at the local coffee shop. I've tried using strong coffee as a substitute for espresso and I find it misses that incredibly rich, deep, and flavorful espresso flavour which I think is key for a latte. That said, feel free to experiment with strong coffee, too (you may want to increase the amount of coffee to at least a half cup or more). Lastly, I discovered that you can create super creamy and frothy almond milk by adding the heated milk into a small French press and pumping the plunger vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds . (Note: Be very careful as it can explode!) This may be an option if you don’t have a milk frother. The Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup is lightly adapted from Paleo'ish On A Dime.
Ingredients
For the Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
- 1/2 cup (80 g) coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) unsweetened pumpkin purée*
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Spice Latte:
- 2 tablespoons (1 shot/1 ounce) espresso
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened almond milk
- 3 to 4 teaspoons (15 to 20 mL) Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Coconut Whipped Cream, for garnish (optional—I usually skip it)
- Dash cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, for garnish
Directions
- For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup: Whisk together all syrup ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Once cool, pour leftovers into a jar and secure lid.
- Prepare the espresso or pick some up from a local coffee shop.
- Add milk into a small pot. Heat over medium and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat. Froth the milk using a milk frother or a French press. Tip: I use my French press to froth the milk. Simply add the heated milk into the press and secure lid (make sure it’s closed and not vented). Pump the plunger vigorously for about 30 to 60 seconds. Be careful, as the hot milk can shoot out.
- Pour hot espresso into a mug. Top with all of the frothy milk. Add 3 to 4 teaspoons of the syrup, to taste, and gently stir to combine. Top with a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and Coconut Whipped Cream, if desired. Serve immediately. The syrup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, most likely longer. You can use it in regular coffee, too, or try stirring it into a bowl of hot oatmeal for a seasonal twist!
Tip:
*If your pumpkin puree is on the grainy side (some brands are more than others), it might benefit from a quick blend or puree in the blender or food processor before using.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography
Wow! First of all, your photographs are beautiful. Second, I’ve totally been obsessing over pumpkin spice lately! I recently posted a recipe for a skinny pumpkin spice frappe :)
-Giana
http://www.agianathing.com
Okay, I’m a tried and true PSL lover (but hate the caramel coloring and goodness knows what else is in it). Made this and put it in my coffee this morning and it was fantastic. So much more wholesome and delicious, and so much less expensive than the other.
Can’t wait for your new book, big congratulations on having achieved that during a year that had so very much going on in your life. I will say, having kids certainly clarified many things for me and areas where I may have been uncertain in the past became, “Okay, I know what I need to do here.” People don’t talk about that “side effect” of having kids often enough!
Sounds like you need a stovetop espresso maker! Bialetti is the best :)
I love my aerolatte for frothing milks. I heat the milk in a glass measuring cup in the micro, whisk, and pour over my esspresso/chai. I don’t want to add a link in your comments, just Google the name. Less than 20USD!
This is the PERFECT fall drink. I made it with a 1/3 c syrup & sugar and it was still plenty sweet for my tastes. Thank you, Angela!
This syrup is amazing: mildly sweet and flavourful! I made it with pumpkin puree leftover from your recipe for pumpkin pie with pecan crust (which is my family’s favourite) – delicious!!
I just whipped up a batch of this and it is delicious as a Pumpkin spice latte. I suspect the syrup would also be amazing with ice cream, plain yogurt or fresh waffles as an indulgent treat.
Wauw amazing! We have never seen this before! We are definitely going to try this at home.
Thanks! And yes we did missed you.
Congratulations, Angela!!! What a weight off your shoulders. I am glad to hear that your second cookbook has been a much smoother process with less self-doubt. Struggling with all that now! Oof! Cannot wait to see the goodness you’ve been working on in your second book!
Looks AMAZE! I am newly vegan and your blog has helped me so so much, amazing photos and recipes!
xx
Yum, that looks so good! Great idea about the French press. They actually sell frothers that are made of plastic and quite similar to a French press!
love this recipe! I use a small battery operated milk foamer to foam the almond milk separately, then combine with the espresso and syrup in my cappuccino mug. P.s. I think your next purchase should be an espresso machine!
I love, love, love your cookbook and have referred many friends to it. I’m soooooo excited for for your next labor of love!
This PSL recipe looks BOMB!…can’t wait to try it
I am excited to try this! I live in a very small community in Nova Scotia, about an hour from a real grocery store. I have never found a vanilla bean. I would love to use it sometime in baking, but have no idea where to look to find one! Do you get it from a regular grocery store, like Sobeys or Superstore? In what department? Anyone, feel free to answer :)
Thank you Angela!
I was so lucky to find your homepage last year. Your amazing cookbook really helped me and my husband to continue our path on a plant based diet. I already was vegetarian for many years and found it so difficult to skip dairy. But I do not miss anything!
You are an huge inspiration!!
. I love to cook your recipes for friends and family, they love it too!!
We are so looking forward to your upcoming cookbook.
All the best and autumnally greetings from Vienna/Austria!!
Gudrun
Great to hear there’s another book on the way, the first is my bible at the mo :)
Sooooo glad you are back!!!! I always look forward to your recipes!!!
Made this last weekend and we are still talking about it this weekend because it was so good!
Oh this looks sooo lovely! All your pictures are amazing as well, happy that I found your blog. Keep up the good work.
Congratulations on handing in your manuscript!! I can’t wait to see the cookbook! This latté looks so delicious and cozy!! Perfect for those cold fall days. <3
I love this syrup! I have made two batches already and have tried it in/on almost everything including coffee, ice cream, pancakes, oatmeal. Can’t wait for your new cookbook, I am currently cooking my way through the first one.
Sounds amazing! I’ve been using a French press as a frother too! And I have a stovetop espresso maker like they use in France and Italy that was pretty cheap. Might be an option for home for you? I think Bialetti makes some.
Can’t wait for the next cookbook and look forward to more posts from you! My hubby, kids and I are all huge fans :)
Delicious! My morning coffee has never been tastier.
Awww man why do you do this to me??? I’m breastfeeding and I want this so bad! I’m afraid if I have it I will fall off the wagon ( no coffee in 15 months )
Thanks for your blog! A friend recommended it to me, as I’m just starting to change the way I eat. I am SO looking forward to trying some of these recipes (starting with this one, I think!!) It’s all a bit overwhelming, so I hope I can do it!!
Oh my god, this recipe is a life changer. It’s SO good!
I made it this morning, and have used it in coffee, tea, over oatmeal, and even eaten it straight out of the jar (yes. It’s that good!) It’s delicious. And I think I’m forever hooked.. :D
Thanks for changing my life! ;-)
Hi, the pumpkin Spice latte looks delish! Do you think it could used with tea instead? Thanks…can’t wait to try!
This was perfect for October and November. I throw pumpkin into everything.
thanks,
Avi Strauss
President
Sirabella’s www.VeganCheesecake.net
I am not a coffee drinker but this sounds really good. I wonder how it would be in tea instead? Has anyone tried it that way?
What a wonderful latte.
I will make this recipe on this Sunday.
Thank you for the recipe.
My girlfriend has a new baby with severe reactions to her breast milk whenever she consumes dairy. She finally figured out that her soy milk Starbucks pumpkin spice latte has sweetened condensed milk in the syrup, the culprit for miserable nights for her baby. Thanks for offering a recipe for a truly vegan option!
I just made the pumpkin syrup. OH MY is it good! I added some to my caramel roisbos tea. It was dessert in a cup! I can see this on pancakes and as an ice cream topping. Definitely bringing this to Thanksgiving for those who want an after dinner cup of coffee or tea.
You don’t need an expresso machine. Just buy an expresso pot and you can make it on your stovetop.
My homemade almond milk always curdles when heated. Do you use store bought for this or does your homemade milk not curdle?
Love your Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup !! Do you know the shelf life ? Does it need to be refrigerated ?
I made this tasty recipe & loved it so much! Divine! :)
This is great news.. your first cookbook is my fav! Looking forward to cookbook number 2
Hi Angela,
I love your blog, and although not fully vegan, I am definitely interested in eating healthy, filling, plant based meals! I stumbled upon your blog years ago, and am so thankful I did!
Anyway… here’s my question: how long does the Pumpkin Spice syrup last? Does it need to be refrigerated?
Congrats on your book, and I wish you all the very best!
Just tried this recipe this morning – and as expected, I truly love it (tried it with black tea, btw)! I already ordered sweet little bottles to produce LOOOOTS of the syrup as christmas presents =) Are there any experiences as to how long it can be kept?
Also, this is my first comment on your blog, yet, I’ve been a huge fan for about 2 years now and love every single post. When cooking for friends, it is always a guarantee for success to rely on recipes from this great blog :) Just wanted to let you know.
I can’t wait to try your recipe! But I was reading your notes and was a bit surprised that you go out and buy shots of espresso for this… There’s a simpler option for making espresso shots at home.
Let me explain. I’m an avid motorcyclist who travels and camps. I’m also an admitted “coffee snob” who cannot abide weak, or scortched coffee. I had a countertop espresso machine, but it was such a royal PITA to maintain, that I gave it away when we moved. Someone on a travel forum recommeded the Aeropress coffee maker (aeropress.com). It requires no electricity, makes 1 to 4 nice strong shots of espresso, and is a piece of cake to use, and better still, to clean. It costs around $30, so will pay for itself in coffee shop espresso not purchased very quickly.
So, I made this. And it is AMAZING!!! I added about an ounce of coconut milk to the syrup to make it a bit creamier, and as we were about to be snowed in, I didn’t have coconut sugar (used cane, gasp!). Oh. My. God! Soooo good. Thank you!
I live in Australia and Pumpkin Spice Lattes are just not a thing here. I will have to try it out. Thanks :)
When this recipe was posted, I remeber thinking «I need to try this sometimes!» but «sometimes» didn’t happen until this morning, when I woke up to a crisp morning, a slightly chilly appartment from leaving the windows open overnight, and an flood of back-to-school-related emails. I was craving pumpkni spice confort big time. Now, I don’t know if I’m grateful I tried this recipe (goobye 7$ starbucks latte!) of if I regret it (like I’m ever gonna be able to have «regular» coffee again !). Nevertheless, it was glorious ! I added a dash of jamaican pepper for a spicier syrup and loved it too ! Next I want to try it with date puree instead of (all or part of) the coconut sugar.
My daughter introduced me to your 1st cookbook–LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! I am buying her your new book for her birthday. I live in a very mall rural area, so some of the ingredients are hard to find and I am always trying substitutes. No coconut sugar anywhere near me, or coffee shops with espresso, lol. What is thea easiest substitue for the coconut sugar? Can’t wait to try this when the weather here cools off a bit. Thanks
Do you think liquid stevia would work in place of the sugar ??? Who has tried it and would you say it taste the same ?
I received your second cookbook (I have the first and hope to add many more in the future from OH SHE GLOWS. The recipes look amazing and the added recipes for making home made ingredients and spice mixtures are so a bonus! What a great book and you should be extremely proud of the work that went into this especially with all the other normal life events that happen day to day, well done! Now you can actually have a semi rest having another baby! I love following your blog and your recipes are terrific. We are in our senior years and eating healthy is important. I also love watching a young family, thinking of those wonderful years and how many memories of how fast time goes. Now I have grand children to enjoy and feeding them healthy is a family affair.
I just made this last night and made a latte with it this morning and it is so good! I accidentally read the recipe as needed to add 3-4 Tbsp of syrup instead of 3-4 tsp and thought that was odd, so I just added 1 Tbsp and it was a little over-sweet for my taste, haha! I had to make a second to try out the correct instructions…oh darn, it’s a tough life. :) I like that I can customize this as I don’t love a ton of sugar in my coffee. Just got your second book in the mail yesterday and I already have a ton of recipes flagged to make ASAP!
Your joy is so inspiring!
Recent discovery of mine: Try oat milk (mine was bought in the supermarket) for a super great frothy non dairy milk. It froths even better than soy milk but without that distinctive taste! Tastes pretty much like regular milk ;)
Thanks for the tip!
When it comes to coffee I’m usually into a almond cappuccino or strong black brew. But occasionally I get cravings for sugary sweet milky drinks. This recipe for pumpkin spice syrup is genius and blends into hot coffee with no sludge or lumps. I’m tempted to put in on everything!
I’m SO familiar with that temptation! ;) Enjoy!
I love it!