It’s funny. I love pumpkin pie, but I’ve never ordered a pumpkin spice latte. (gasp) So, this season I decided to give it a try with a homemade pumpkin spice latte. Heck… pumpkin is excellent for you, as is cinnamon and soy milk.
After an extra-long, ice-cold morning hike recently, I was inspired to develop this recipe. I came home rosy-cheeked and a bit more hungry than I usually am in the morning. My typical cup of black coffee wasn’t going to be satisfying. I wanted something more substantial… something that screamed ‘cold late-fall morning.’
For some reason, pumpkin spice is what I was craving, so pumpkin spice was what I was going to try. I happened to have a can of pumpkin in the cupboard (because Fall) and knew I could make a homemade pumpkin spice latte work with the other ingredients I had on-hand. My goal was to make it as healthy, yet indulgent as possible.
Here’s my thought process around ingredients:
- Pumpkin – I used canned pumpkin for this recipe. This gives you great nutrients, plus added fiber. If you’re cautious about cracking open a whole can, just note that you can store it in the fridge for a few days after opening. Plus, you can add it to baked goods and a phenomenal face mask (with honey). Win-win if you ask me.
- Cinnamon – This yummy spice is an excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Plus, it is believed to reduce blood sugar levels, which is great since this recipe does have sugar. I didn’t have Pumpkin Spice Mix at home and feel the recipe doesn’t really need it.
- Soy Milk – You can truly use the milk of your choice in this recipe. I’ve ditched dairy for some time now, so soy was a natural choice. Soy tends to ‘froth’ better than other plant-based milk. Plus, soy is great for nourishing your skin and supporting your body’s stress response via phytoestrogens.
- Brown Sugar – Of course, I tried this recipe without any sugar and it just wasn’t right. The sugarless versions missed a certain flavor depth, plus didn’t froth as well. I went with brown sugar because of the roasty notes. Of course, feel free to try your sugar of choice. Coconut sugar could be delicious, as well.
- Soluble Coffee – I’ve since made this recipe with regular coffee (I don’t currently have an espresso maker) and missed the richness you get from a more concentrated brew. Plus, soluble coffee can get super foamy when whisked, so that’s a big win.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Extra bonus: if you want, you can leave-out the coffee and just foam-up the heated soy milk and other ingredients. That’s actually quite divine. (oooohhh, now I want to try it without the coffee, but instead, a shot of kahula. You can slip the shot in after your foam-up the pumpkin spice soy milk.)
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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
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2 Tbsp brown sugar
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1/2 tsp cinnamon
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2 cups soy milk
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3 Tbsp canned pumpkin
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1 Tbsp NESCAFÉ (or more to taste)
- a small electric wire wisk (if you want foam)
Instructions
- Add soy milk, brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin to a sauce pan
- Warm-up on medium heat, stirring regularly to incorporate as the ingredients come to a simmer (light bubbles, but not boiling… you don’t want to scald it)
- Take a moment to enjoy the wonderful aroma (yes, go ahead… it’s part of the experience)
- Ladle the hot liquid into two small mugs or one large one, leaving about 1/2 – 1 inch space at top for foaming action
- Submerge the electric wire wisk and blend until you get the right level of foam; taking care not to spill the hot latte on yourself. I like to keep the wisk head submerged and then move it up and down in the drink about without removing it from the liquid.
Like pumpkin? Try my favorite pumpkin seed recipe
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