Easy & Healthier Pumpkin Spice Latte.
October is my favourite month, with its quintessential delights of vibrant colours and cool air bringing me deep comfort. Along with the beauty, we are bombarded with all things pumpkin! Pumpkin pie, cookies, muffins, scones, even beauty products, and of course, the ubiquitous Pumpkin Spice Latte! I like pumpkin pie and LOVE Pumpkin Spice Lattes! Part of their appeal is that they are only available for a few weeks. They are also warm, cosy, and the perfect drink to have as you curl up in front of a roaring fire on a crisp Autumn Day. I was craving one for weeks and finally broke down and had one from Starbuck’s. It was delicious (and expensive), and after, I felt a sugar rush and crash. I looked up the nutritional value of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, and it has 50 grams of sugar! My brain functions in both imperial and metric measurements, and it has more meaning for me to realize that 50 grams of sugar = ¼ cup of sugar! That is unbelievable, and I’m surprised that my blood sugar spike didn’t kill me!!!
I want to enjoy a few more of these orange delights before they are no longer available, and I tried to find a healthier version, and sadly what I discovered wasn’t as bad as Starbucks, but still contained way too much sugar. This is the sugar content in the following Pumpkin Spice Lattes:
Second Cup 35g
Tim's 38g
Macdonald’s 35g
To continue satisfying my cravings and find a healthier version, I turned to the Minimalist Baker as it never lets me down. I found this great recipe that only has 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Ingredients
3/4 cup milk ( we recommend dairy free milk, like cashew milk, coconut or hemp milk)
1/4 cup water
2-3 Tbsp pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix as it is high in sugar)
1/2 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 healthy pinch ground nutmeg
1 healthy pinch ground allspice
1 healthy pinch ground clove
1 healthy pinch ground cardamom (optional)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ – 2 tsp maple syrup, more or less to taste (or sub stevia to taste)
1 shot espresso or sub 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee or try 1 ½ -2 tsp Dandy Blend for a caffeine-free option.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
If adding coffee or espresso, prepare at this time and set aside.
HOT VERSION
To a small saucepan, add milk and water. Bring to a simmer, then add pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clove, cardamom (optional), black pepper, and maple syrup. Whisk until smooth. Note: A little separation is natural with both the pumpkin and dairy-free milk, so whisk/stir as needed to smooth.
Add coffee, espresso, or dandy blend, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more spices to taste, espresso coffee or dandy blend for stronger coffee flavor, or maple syrup for sweetness.
ICED VERSION
Add all ingredients to a jar with a lid and stir to combine. Then add ice, secure lid, and shake vigorously to combine — about 30 seconds.
FOR SERVING
Serve as is, or top with coconut whipped cream and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
FOR SERVING optional
Easy and delicious whipped cream recipe:
if you plan on making this delicious latte more than once, or want to try some other recipes that require pumpkin spices, then make a batch of it.
This latte is DELICIOUS!!! I noticed the difference in flavour, and it tastes so much better with less sugar because the sugar doesn’t drown out the taste of the beautiful spices.
Enjoy!
Anita
Resources:
1) Picture and recipe credit-Minimalist Baker
