From homemade recipes to pre-made mixes, here’s how to do it.
They say the unofficial start of fall is Labor Day, but those of us who have a sweet tooth for flavored drinks whip out our light jackets and booties as soon as our local cafe puts their pumpkin spice latte back on the menu — even if it’s still 80 degrees outside.
Although some proclaim the drink to be cheugy, who cares? It’s delicious! Nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves flavors mix to create a sweet, yet not too sweet flavor that reminds us of our favorite post-Thanksgiving dessert in this creamy, dreamy beverage. And while we wish we could head to Starbucks, Dunkin’, or our local cafe for one every single day, it just isn’t realistic or budget-friendly.
Sure, part of the allure of a PSL is joining the throngs of Fall-ophiles queued up for a sip of that sweet syrupy concoction. But, who likes lines, really? And aren’t you sick of the barista who rolls their eyes at you every time you order one? It might be time to start whipping up your PSL in the privacy of your own home. Creating your own PSL at home is surprisingly simple, especially if you already have an at-home coffee station. While you won’t need a fancy espresso machine or the most expensive coffee beans you can find, you may need to run out for a few ingredients before you get sipping. After that, you’ll be on your way to creating everyone’s favorite fall drink — all without having to change out of your plaid pajamas.
How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte
There are several ways to create your own PSL, all varying in difficulty. You can choose to make one from scratch, with pumpkin puree, or you can go the easy route and buy pumpkin spice-flavored creamer and coffee.
If you feel adventurous and want to go the full DIY route, here’s how to make it with actual pumpkin.
Ingredients:
For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 Tbsp pumpkin puree
For the Latte
- 1 cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 oz brewed espresso or strong coffee
- 3 Tbsp of your homemade pumpkin spice syrup
- ½ cup whipped cream (if desired)
- Pinch of pumpkin pie spice (for garnish)
To make the syrup, heat equal parts sugar and water over medium heat. This will create a basic simple syrup. Heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the cinnamon sticks, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and pumpkin puree, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. After that, remove the mixture from heat and strain it through a cheesecloth. This makes enough syrup for eight drinks, and it’ll keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Once your syrup is made, it’s just a matter of mixing your drink. Start by heating and frothing your milk of choice until it’s nice and foamy. If you haven’t already, brew your coffee or espresso. Add pumpkin spice syrup to the coffee, stirring to combine. Once mixed, add frothed milk. If you’d like, you can add whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin pie spice on top, otherwise, you’re done. You can also enjoy this drink iced.
If you would prefer to go the easy route on early mornings (which we can’t blame you for), consider adding pumpkin spice-flavored creamer to your usual cup of java, swap your regular beans for a pumpkin spice roast, or buy pre-made pumpkin spice lattes that you can easily sip on whenever you’d like.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Essentials
Grounds and Hounds Pumpkin Spice Blend
Grounds and Hounds
For those who prefer their morning cup of joe black but still want some pumpkin-y goodness, opt for a coffee roast that actually has some of that spice flavor baked right in. This one from Grounds and Hounds combines sweet vanilla, spiced pumpkin, and classic cream flavors to create a cup of coffee that’s slightly sweet and a little bit savory. Plus, 20 percent of all Grounds and Hounds profits go to funding dog rescue initiatives, so it’s a win-win.
Blume Pumpkin Spice Blend
Blume
Vegan, dairy-free, and caffeine-free? This blend has it all. While it doesn’t have the literal cream that a Starbucks PSL would have, it’s just as flavorful. To make it, all you have to do is add a scoop of the mix to hot water, stir it until it dissolves, and enjoy. Of course, if you’d like, you could add your favorite non-dairy milk to make it extra creamy. Consider this your evening latte, as you can enjoy it at the end of the day without worrying about being up all night long from caffeine.
La Colombe Canned Pumpkin Spice Latte
La Colombe
There’s no shame in buying a pre-made coffee drink,especially when they’re this delicious. This PSL from KCM favorite La Colombe is lactose free, made with real coffee (as opposed to coffee flavoring), and has the caffeine equivalent of one and half cups of black coffee. You can easily pour it over ice for a beautifully chilled drink that only takes seconds to make.
International Delight Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Walmart
Love waking up extra early to create your own pumpkin-flavored masterpiece? Neither do we. Make things easy on yourself by adding this delightful creamer to your coffee. Not only will it take away any bitterness you would taste in a black coffee, but it adds an autumnal touch to your morning routine. Plus, this variety is both dairy- and gluten-free.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Target
Chances are you have this blend at home already if you bake around the fall season, but if not, adding a jar of pumpkin pie spice to your arsenal is key to nailing an at-home PSL. This blend works out the perfect combination of ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon for you, that way you don’t have to measure them all out if you want to add a dash of flavor to your coffee or atop some whipped cream.
Canned Pumpkin Puree
Walmart
You can most certainly make your own pumpkin puree, and we would applaud you for doing that, but the store bought stuff will be just as delicious in your pumpkin spice syrup.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Coffee
Target
To recreate the OG PSL, go to the source. Starbucks actually sells their pumpkin spice coffee by the bag and in pod versions, so you can easily make the drink without even having to measure out the amount of grounds you need.
Breville Bambino Espresso Machine
Breville
True coffee fanatics know that there’s nothing quite like being able to pull your own espresso shots at home. If you’re short on space and time, this compact espresso machine will help you create barista-level coffee in just a couple of minutes. KCM’s Katie P. uses this every morning to make her favorite lattes and java.
Anthropologie Floral Pumpkin Mug
Anthropologie
Lean into the pumpkin vibes! Enjoy your homemade PSL from this adorable pumpkin-shaped mug. If you want it to be a bit more subtle, you could also opt for the white, pottery-inspired version, too.
Native Pet Pumpkin Powder
Chewy
Alright, this one is admittedly a little extra. If you want to share the pumpkin spice love with your four-legged friends, then this pumpkin powder is the way to do it. While it’s not quite a PSL, it is a great food topper for cats and dogs or lick mat additive for dogs. You can mix this powder with water or yogurt to thicken it up, too. Pumpkin is full of fiber that helps promote healthy digestion and bowel movements, can help settle upset tummies, and is great for pets with food sensitivities.
