Hello everyone! It’s that time of year again when everyone starts to go bananas for a pumpkin spice latte. So today I am super excited to share a recipe that will allow you to make your very own pumpkin spice latte. But this isn’t any regular recipe. Nope! This is a make-ahead pumpkin spice latte recipe!
That’s right, you can make it ahead of time, using simple ingredients, freeze it, and then just keep having pumpkin spice as many times as you like, no prep required. Perfect solution for busy mornings or spontaneous fall cravings.
With this make-ahead and freeze Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe, you’ll never have to wait in line at a coffee shop or spend time in the kitchen making individual lattes again. You can make everything in the comfort of your own home.
Why Make-Ahead Pumpkin Spice Latte?
So, why should you make this recipe? There are several great reasons:
- Save Money: Let’s face it; those daily trips to the coffee shop can add up quickly. By making your Pumpkin Spice Latte at home, you can enjoy your favorite fall drink without breaking the bank.
- Control Ingredients: When you make your latte, you have complete control over the ingredients. You can choose the quality of the ingredients, the sweetness level, how much and which spices to use, and even use non-dairy alternatives if you prefer.
- Convenience: If you work from home or have a busy schedule, having a batch of these lattes ready to go in the freezer can be a real time-saver. No need to leave your house for a caffeine fix! No more waiting in coffee shops!!!
- Do you find yourself eagerly anticipating the return of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte every fall? Now you can have it whenever you feel like it!
- No need for a fancy espresso machine!
- No need for a milk frother: When you mix the milk with the pumpkin spice latte mixture it already creates foam. If you really want to use want go for it. But, personally I don’t think its necessary.
The Inspiration Behind the Recipe
I must admit; I’m not much of a coffee drinker myself. However, my husband really likes it. The problem is the cost quickly ads up by the end of the month. That’s why my experimentation began. I’ve been making a cappuccino mix for a while, and I thought, “Why not alter this recipe to create a pumpkin spice latte mix?”
Both this recipe and my cappuccino mix draw inspiration from the Dalgona/whipped coffee trend, but I’ve tweaked them to suit our tastes perfectly. The best part is that you can easily adjust this recipe – you can make more or less depending on your needs. I prefer to make large batches so that I don’t need to make it very often.
It took numerous attempts and experiments before I finally perfected the delightful flavor of pumpkin spice for this recipe. I wanted to ensure that every element blended harmoniously to create a truly satisfying Pumpkin Spice Latte. After much trial and error, I’m thrilled to share this recipe with everyone, confident that it captures the essence of fall in each flavorful sip.
How does this homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe compare to the Starbucks Version?
I made many batches of this, and I tested it over and over again. I think I got it to taste pretty similar…. but, maybe I think this because I am biased….. but now I think it tastes even better!!!
Now, in order for it to taste pretty similar I had to add more sugar than I originally wanted to this recipe. So, if you are okay with it being less similar to the Starbucks version, by all means reduce the amount of sugar. That’ s in essence one of the key differences between our DIY version and any coffee shop version. This homemade version puts you in control. This means you can adjust the sweetness to your liking, and by using real pumpkin puree and quality ingredients, you ensure a fresher, more authentic taste. Even though I personally do not enjoy any drinks with a strong coffee taste. This one I even like it! It’s that great!
Here you can see mine (on the left) vs Starbucks version. I think mine turns more frothy, but less orange. Other than that, I think the taste is pretty similar.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for our make-ahead pumpkin spice latte mixture :
- 1/2 cup real pumpkin puree: We won’t be using any flavored pumpkin spice syrup. We will be using the real pumpkin puree! I normally buy canned pumpkin puree, but, you can even make your own if you prefer. (fyi: Pumpkin puree is not the same as pumpkin pie filling. )
- 1 cup granulated sugar (divided)
- 1/2 cup instant coffee – this needs to be instant coffee. It can’t just be ground coffee.
- spices: I used pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and vanilla here. You can customize this to your taste. And, if you prefer you can make your own pumpkin pie spice mixture.
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup whole milk or skim milk (or any non-dairy milk of your preference ie: like cashew milk, almond milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk), basically any kind of milk you enjoy.
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, add the pumpkin puree and 1/2 a cup of the granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until it reduces to half the amount (approximately 1/2 cup). You can measure this to be sure.
2. To avoid any sediments, strain your mixture using a fine mesh strainer
3. Straining will ensure your coffee is silky smooth. Don’t forget to rinse your fine mesh strainer with hot water to avoid anything getting stuck to it later.
4. Add the hot pumpkin mixture, instant coffee, remaining sugar, and boiling water to a mixing bowl.
5. Whip the mixture with an electric mixer until it becomes fluffy and at least doubles in volume, resembling beaten egg whites in appearance. (This takes 5-10 minutes). Mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin spice. If anything gets stuck to the sides, pause, scrape with a spatula, and continue mixing for another minute or two
6. Pour your pumpkin spice latte mixture into a freezer-safe container, taking care not to overfill. Remember that frozen liquids expand, which may cause your container to crack (as it has happened to me before).
That’s it, you’re done. Now, whenever you want to enjoy some Pumpkin Spice Latte, simply go over to your freezer, take a spoonful of the mixture, and mix with boiling or very hot milk of your choice until the mixture melts completely. That’s it!
TIPS
1. Rinse your fine mesh strainer under hot water to ensure nothing gets stuck to it, as soon as you are done using it.
2. Don’t overfill your cup with hot milk or you won’t have any space to mix everything together. I overfilled my cup just to take a pretty picture but I don’t normally do that 🙂
FAQs:
- Can I use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned? Absolutely! Just make sure it’s well-cooked and mashed before using.
- Can I adjust the sweetness level? Of course! Feel free to add more or less sugar to suit your taste.
- How long can I keep it in the freezer? This pumpkin spice latte mix can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- Can I use less sugar? Yes, you can! I have tested with just half of the amount of sugar and still had success. The only thing is my taste testers at home thought it didn’t quite taste like starbuck when it had less sugar.
- Can I add more/less spices? Yes absolutely make it your own by adding the spices and the amount that makes you hap[u.
- Can I double the recipe? yes!
- Can I half the recipe? Also yes!
- Do I need to strain it? If little sediments don’t bother you then no. The only reason I included this step was because I was determined to try to make the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.
- What should I make with the leftover pumpkin puree? you can freeze it. You can freeze it. My personal preference is to freeze a quantity that I have already measured. That way, it’s easy to unfreeze just what you need. You also don’t need to let anything thaw for this recipe. It can go directly into your pan.
- Can I add any kind of milk to this recipe? Yes. I personally only drink whole milk or skim milk, but you can add anything you like,
- DO it have to be instant coffee? Yes it does. Just using regular ground coffee will not work
- Is Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling the same thing? Nope. They are different. Pumpkin pie filling has other additives. Pumpkin pie puree does not.
So, go ahead and prepare a batch of this delightful Pumpkin Spice Latte, freeze it, and thank yourself later when you’re enjoying a taste of autumn anytime you like, without the hassle of daily preparation. It’s a delightful taste of autumn that’s always at your fingertips. Happy sipping!
See Below the recipe card:
Make ahead Pumpkin Spice Latte
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer
- 1 freezer safe container (be careful not to overfill your container or it might crack)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Base
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Coffee Blend
- 1/2 cup pumpkin base (see ingredients above)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup instant coffee
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and the granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until it reduces to half the amount (approximately 1/2 cup). You can measure this to be sure.1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup sugar , 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon , 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- To avoid any sediments, strain your mixture using a fine mesh strainer, assisting with a spoon if necessary.
- Add the hot pumpkin base, instant coffee, remaining sugar, and boiling water to your stand mixer's bowl.1/2 cup pumpkin base, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup boiling water, 1/2 cup instant coffee
- In a stand mixer, whip the mixture until it becomes fluffy and at least doubles in volume. It should resemble beaten egg whites. This takes 5-10 minutes. If anything gets stuck to the sides, pause, scrape with a spatula, and continue mixing
- Pour your pumpkin spice latte mixture into a freezer-safe container, taking care not to overfill. Remember that frozen liquids expand, which may cause your container to crack (as it has happened to me before)
- You can now enjoy your pumpkin spice latte. First warm up the milk of your choice (it needs to be really hot) . Then add about a tablespoon of the mixture and whisk it around to dissolve
- Freeze any remaining mixture in a freezer-safe container. You’ll observe that it won’t freeze completely but will firm up while remaining scoopable. That’s exactly how it’s intended to be. Enjoy!
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