You’re walking into Starbucks on a fall morning, ready to get a cup of savory, sweet pumpkin coffee. The barista asks for your name, and then the words nobody wants to hear escape her lips — the price.
Spending $5 on a Starbucks coffee every day can really put a dent in your bank account. Do you want to indulge in a must-have pumpkin latte without the stress of spending too much money? Well, there is hope! I tested out different recipes to find the perfect at-home pumpkin spice latte. These are exactly what we need on a crisp, fall morning to get our daily dose of pumpkin! I narrowed it down to two great recipes to make in the comfort of your own home. Get ready to start off your cozy morning with an extra kick of pumpkin spice.
I started by testing out a few different recipes and found my two favorites! As a pumpkin lover, I’d give these recipes an A+. The first one came from Inspired Taste (http://www.inspiredtaste.net/8419/pumpkin-spice-latte-at-home-recipe/).
This recipe called for:
- 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup of coffee
- 2 cups of milk
In a large saucepan, I combined the milk, pumpkin puree and sugar until it was heated thoroughly. Then, I removed it from the heat and whisked in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and coffee. That’s it! It was a warm and thick cup of coffee, and it tasted like a Starbucks dupe, except it was cheaper! I can definitely say that out of the two recipes, this one was my favorite. I proceeded to pour the steaming hot latte into a mug to sip on. And the best part? No coffee-shop lines!
The second pumpkin latte recipe I found was from the Jenny Evolution (http://www.thejennyevolution.com/make-your-own-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/). This recipe was a bit more time consuming but came out just as delicious!
It called for:
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup of coffee
- 2 cups of milk
I started by making a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan and allowing the mixture to come to a low boil. I then reduced the heat and added the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice. I took the saucepan off the heat and allowed it to cool for 15 minutes. After I added the coffee and the milk to the syrup, I was finished and ready to slurp the sweet liquid out of my favorite mug.
Between the two recipes, I’d say the first one was my favorite, as it took a little less time because I didn’t have to allow the simple syrup to cool. Also, the second recipe was a bit sweeter than the first. How sweet you like your drink is all personal preference. I don’t like my coffee or lattes to be super sweet, so I like to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk in my recipes. It gives it a little extra vanilla flavoring but doesn’t add any more sweetness. Regular milk or nut milk will both work in these recipes. Keep in mind, whole milk will make the drink a bit thicker. Once again, it’s all about personal preference.
After making both lattes, the delicious scent of pumpkin lingered throughout my apartment for hours. It was a warming scent that made my roommates and I even more ready for the fall months to come. Both recipes were decadent and so easy to make. Whether we want to admit it, we all love a good pumpkin spice latte. Say goodbye to spending $150 a month on coffee because now you can get your pumpkin fix at home!
APN 