Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Trips to the local coffee shop for seasonal drinks can add up quickly, but with this Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe, you can make a lightened-up copycat of your favorite fall flavor from the comfort of your kitchen. This luscious latte is made in minutes with real pumpkin and homemade spiced pumpkin cream!
Move over Starbucks, Dunkin, and McDonald’s. This dreamy dairy-free latte encompasses everything you’ve grown to cherish about the iconic pumpkin spice latte but with 100% pure pumpkin, creamy nut milk, low-calorie sweetener, and the perfect blend of warm spices. This healthier version is just as delicious at a fraction of the cost!
At the heart of every latte is bold espresso combined with steamed milk. For this homemade pumpkin spice latte, soft pumpkin, pumpkin pie flavors, and your choice of non-dairy milk (or regular milk if you prefer) are steamed in the microwave or stove and whisked into a frothy, steamed sweet, and spiced milk creamer.
You can sip on this signature drink while it’s hot or enjoy it over ice, topped with whipped cream and fall spices. This iced pumpkin spice latte recipe is practically effortless and comes together in less than 5 minutes. I’m CERTAIN you’re going to LOVE it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a healthy, dairy-free version of an indulgent pumpkin spice latte. What’s not to love? 🙂
- Making coffee shop copycats is much more cost-effective.
- It can be served iced or hot, so it’s enjoyable during warm and cool weather.
- The ingredients are flexible so you can personalize this latte to your tastes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coffee – For a hot latte, brew a strong pot of a good bold roast coffee or brew espresso immediately before assembling your drink. For an iced version, you can prepare the coffee (or espresso) and set it in the refrigerator to chill, but for the best-tasting pumpkin spice latte, you’ll want to brew a batch of cold brew (or grab some from the store).
- Milk – For the creamy steamed milk element, I like using almond milk, but you can also use coconut, soy, oat, or cashew milk. If dairy isn’t a concern, feel free to use cow’s milk, heavy cream, or half & half.
- Pumpkin puree – A can of pure pumpkin will do the trick, or you can make homemade pumpkin puree.
- Sweetener – I typically sweeten coffee drinks and lattes with Whole Earth. It’s made from erythritol, stevia leaf extract, natural flavors, and monk fruit extract -but you can use your go-to sweetener. Purecane brown is another zero-calorie favorite. Coconut sugar and maple sugar are great granular refined sugar-free options.
- Vanilla extract – Makes the pumpkin milk creamer extra sweet and adds rich caramel-like undertones.
- Pumpkin pie spice – For that distinct warmly spiced fall flavor!
- Optional toppings – Make the most of your pumpkin spice latte with a dollop of whipped cream (or dairy-free whipped cream), cinnamon, and nutmeg.
How To Make Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
Step 1: Make creamer. Add milk, pumpkin puree, sweetener, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to a microwave-safe container (or small pot) and whisk to combine.
Step 2: Heat creamer. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute (or until hot) -OR warm in a small pot, whisking continuously until hot.
Step 3: Assemble the latte. Once hot, whisk the pumpkin milk creamer until frothy, then layer over the fresh-brewed coffee.
For an iced pumpkin spiced latte, brew and chill the coffee (or use prepared cold brew) and make and chill the pumpkin milk creamer mixture in advance. To assemble, fill a cup with ice, add coffee, and top with chilled pumpkin creamer.
Step 4: Garnish and serve. Top with whipped cream, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. Enjoy!
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Milk
Steamed pumpkin spice milk is the key to transforming your everyday espresso into a pumpkin spice latte. It is super simple with one of these techniques -no fancy equipment is necessary.
- Microwave: Fill a microwave-safe container with milk, pumpkin puree, flavorings, and spices. Whisk well and heat on HIGH for 1 minute or until a thermometer reaches 150F.
- Stovetop: Add milk to a small pot, and heat over low-medium heat, whisking continuously until the temperature reaches 150F.
Recipe Tips
- Cold coffee VS cold brew – Hot-brewed coffee tends to develop a bitter taste the longer it sits, but cold brewing leaves the acids that neutralize those bitter flavors. As a result, the smooth, mellow flavors hold for days.
- Strain milk – To remove stray pumpkin pulp and fibers, strain the steamed milk through a fine mesh sieve and into your serving cup.
- Freeze milk in cubes – To chill your iced latte, try freezing the milk in an ice cube tray. Then use the frozen milk cubes instead of ice cubes, so your latte gets even creamier as they melt instead of watered down.
Variations
Oat milk pumpkin spice latte – For the creamiest, frothiest, and foamiest dairy-free pumpkin spice latte, make the pumpkin milk with extra creamy oat milk.
Paleo pumpkin spice latte – For a paleo-friendly version, use your favorite nut milk -coconut milk is a great option, and use natural sugar like coconut sugar, maple sugar, or date sugar.
Low-carb pumpkin spice latte – To cut the carbs and make a keto-friendly version, make the pumpkin spice milk with heavy whipping cream or whole milk.
Boozy pumpkin spice latte – If you want to add even more warmth to your hot latte, use Bailey’s Irish Cream instead of milk. Alternately, add the coffee or espresso and the pumpkin spice milk to a cocktail shaker with 1.5 ounces of spiced rum (Captain Morgan), shake to combine, then pour over ice.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Once assembled, it’s best to enjoy this latte ASAP while the flavors are brightest, but if you have extra, you can keep it covered in the fridge overnight. If iced, be sure to strain before storing.
Freezing: I don’t suggest freezing this latte.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, it’s definitely on the sweeter side, but feel free to adjust the sweetener to your taste. You can also add a small amount of maple syrup, honey, date syrup, or agave nectar for a latte with subtle natural sweetness. If you are using sweetened nut milk, you could leave out the sweetener altogether.
Imagine a cold, satiny, smooth, sweet, and spiced espresso drink made with creamy steamed, then chilled milk and a blend of classic fall flavors. It’s practically dessert!
Technically, yes. However, pumpkin pie filling is sweetened with sugar and flavored with warming spices, so your pumpkin spice milk will be extra sweet and spiced. So if you accidentally grab a can of pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree, I recommend only adding sweetener and spices to taste.
Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
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Pumpkin Spice Latte
Equipment
- Microwave or stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee or 1/2 cup brewed espresso for a hot latte. Cold brew is recommended for an iced latte.
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or nut milk of choice. Barista series almond milk (in the carton) will result in a creamier latte. You can also use regular milk here if preferred.
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp Whole Earth sweetener or your sweetener of choice. Maple sugar, Purecane brown, coconut sugar, and maple syrup are great alternatives.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, sweetener, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to a microwave-safe container (or small pot) and whisk to combine.
- Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute (or until hot) -OR warm in a small pot over, whisking continuously until hot.
- Once hot, whisk the pumpkin milk creamer until frothy, then layer over the top of fresh-brewed coffee.
- For an iced pumpkin spiced latte, brew and chill the coffee (or prepare cold brew) and make and chill the pumpkin milk creamer mixture in advance. To assemble, fill a cup with ice, add coffee, and top with chilled pumpkin creamer.
- Top with whipped cream, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cold coffee VS cold brew – Hot-brewed coffee tends to develop a bitter taste the longer it sits, but cold brewing leaves the acids that neutralize those bitter flavors. As a result, the smooth, mellow flavors hold for days.
- Strain milk – To remove stray pumpkin pulp and fibers, strain the steamed milk through a fine mesh sieve and into your serving cup.
- Freeze milk in cubes – To chill your iced latte, try freezing the milk in an ice cube tray. Then use the frozen milk cubes instead of ice cubes, so your latte gets even creamier as they melt instead of watered down.
Nutrition
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Love this Amee!! Who needs to pay $5 for a dang coffee when you can make it at home? I will share on my FB page ๐
Thank you so much Bobbi! I know!! So easy to make, too! ๐
This looks so good! ๐
Thank you Sarah! ๐