September is right around the corner which means pumpkin season is upon us! Behold, the Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte. Made with just 6 ingredients, this latte is perfectly spiced, ultra creamy, and the best way to welcome Fall weather! It’s also far healthier than the Starbucks favorite. No refined sugar, no processed pumpkin syrups, and no cholesterol.
As much as I love a trip to Starbucks, especially when a holiday cup is involved, I don’t love the prices.
A lot of you may not know that in addition to being a major foodie, I’m also a huge personal finance nerd. After graduating from college, I paid off $70,000 in student loan debt in just 26 months.
During that time, I became obsessed with budgeting and all things retirement. And in the personal finance world, it’s widely known that a daily $5 latte habit is costing you a whole lot more than $5.
There’s actually a great book, The Latte Factor, that goes in great depth on this topic and is an excellent quick read!
According to my Starbucks app, a grande sized Pumpkin Spiced Latte with dairy free milk will cost you $5.95. It also has 50 grams of refined sugar. Yes! That is not a typo!
I crunched the numbers for you and found that if you use all of the same quality, organic ingredients as me, this latte will cost you $3.19 and has half the sugar. Remember, it’s also far healthier so don’t forget to factor in those hidden healthcare savings, too!
Can I use coffee instead of espresso?
I have seen quite a few latte recipes on the internet that say you can substitute ½ a cup of coffee for espresso. Although you can certainly do that, I really wouldn’t recommend it. In addition to being a foodie and personal finance nerd, I am also a coffee snob.
Substituting ½ a cup of coffee for a recipe that calls for espresso will have a very different result.
For starters, substituting coffee will be a lot more liquid and will muddle the delicious rich pumpkin flavors. And secondly, coffee is not as strong as espresso. It’s just not the same, folks.
I make espresso at home with my Nespresso machine and absolutely love it and recommend it. It makes really creamy shots of espresso with a single push of a button.
If you want something less bulky and more environmentally friendly, you can’t go wrong with a Moka Pot. It does have a bit of a learning curve, but it makes great espresso on the stovetop and you can use your favorite beans.
How to froth dairy free milk at home
One of the best parts of getting a latte at a coffee shop is the ultra creamy, frothed milk. Baristas even seem to be able to perfectly froth non-dairy milk which is no easy task!
When frothing at home, you will find that each plant-based milk will have a different result and certain brands will froth better than others. It’s really just trial and error in finding what you like. I personally like using half a cup of Nutpods Almond and Coconut Creamer and half a cup of unsweetened almond milk. If you see the photo above, I think you’ll agree that the result is very creamy!
- Fun fact! Nutpods even has their own holiday flavored creamers like Pumpkin Spice and Toasted Marshmallow. I will definitely be stocking up on both of them this year. YUM.
My absolute favorite milk frother for at home non-dairy lattes is the Breville Milk Cafe Milk Frother with the cappuccino frothing disk (not sponsored, just absolutely love this thing!).
It not only warms and froths the milk better than any other frother I’ve tried, but you can also add sweeteners, powders, and spices in to the milk while it froths. It’s great for lattes, hot chocolates, matcha, and adding protein powders to your coffee!
The Breville is a splurge, but if you love coffee and want to make good lattes at home, this machine is for you!
If you absolutely don’t have space for another machine, Handheld Frothing Wands work great for the price point and the Vitamix can also do a pretty good job of frothing milk.
If you do opt for the Vitamix or Frothing Wand route, I’d recommend heating the milk either on the stovetop or in the microwave first, as those options won’t warm the milk at the same time like the Breville Milk Cafe Milk Frother will.
Frequent Asked Questions
- Can I make this an iced pumpkin spice latte? Yes! Full instructions in the recipe card, but simply skip the milk frothing and warming and pour the cold milk over the espresso and pumpkin puree. Then add ice and boom! Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- What is in a pumpkin spice latte? Espresso, non-dairy milk(s), pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup. That’s it! No syrups or refined sugars here!
- What does a pumpkin spice latte taste like? It tastes creamy, and has great hints of pumpkin and cinnamon. The pumpkin is not overpowering at all and melts perfectly into the latte. It basically tastes like fall in a cup!
- Does this pumpkin spice latte taste like the Starbucks version? I like to think it does, but better in my opinion! The Starbucks version is far too sweet for me, but the flavor is quite close. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
- Who invented the pumpkin spice latte? Starbucks invented the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. Read more about that here: The Pumpkin Spice Latte was Invented by a Stanford Graduate (and 7 More Things You Didn’t Know About Starbucks)!
I hope you guys love this latte. If you give it a try, please give this recipe a rating and leave me a comment down below. You can also pin this recipe for later or share this with a friend on Facebook!
And if you love warm drinks, check out my other Holiday drinks!
Happy Fall!!!
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 2 shots espresso
- ½ cup french vanilla Nutpods
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree - make sure the ingredient list on the can is just pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup - adjust to your sweetness preference
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Breville Milk Frother Instructions
- In a 12 ounce mug, mix two shots of espresso with pumpkin puree until fully incorporated.
- Then, to the Breville Milk Cafe Milk Frother with the cappuccino frothing disk, add ½ cup french vanilla Nutpods and ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or your milk of choice.
- Set Frother to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and push start. Once the machine has started, add in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and the ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Once the Frother finishes frothing and turns off, pour milk over top espresso and pumpkin puree mixture.
- Optional, dust top of latte with more pumpkin pie spice. You could also top with coconut whipped cream. Enjoy.
Frothing Wand/Blender Instructions
- In a 12 ounce mug, mix two shots of espresso with pumpkin puree until fully incorporated.
- Then, in a small pot over medium-low heat, warm the milk, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice until it reaches a very light simmer. Or, if using the microwave, microwave the milk, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice for 1 minute or until warm.
- Once warm, turn off heat and froth the milk using a handheld frother or transfer milk to a blender like the Vitamix and blend until frothy. This method will not get as creamy and frothy as the Breville but it is equally as good!
- Pour the frothed milk over the espresso/pumpkin puree mixture.
- Optional, dust top of latte with more pumpkin pie spice. You could also top with coconut whipped cream. Enjoy.
Iced Pumpkin Latte Instructions
- In a 16 ounce glass, mix two shots of espresso with pumpkin puree until fully incorporated.
- Add in ½ cup cold Nutpods French Vanilla creamer, ½ cup cold unsweetened almond milk, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Mix well to fully incorporate.
- Add in ice and mix again. Enjoy!
Notes
- I make Espresso with my Nespresso machine but I have also made espresso in a Moka Pot and it is a great, cheaper, more environmentally friendly option!
- If you are in a pinch, you can substitute ½ a cup of very strong coffee for the espresso however it will not taste the same as a traditional latte you get at Starbucks. The pumpkin flavors will be more muted and it may taste watered down.
- This is the Breville Milk Cafe Milk Frother I use and swear by. It froths non-dairy milk better than any other frother I have tried. Not sponsored, just love it!
- You can use any plant-based milk you like. I personally like the creamy rich results of mixing Nutpod creamer with unsweetened almond milk, but use what you like and have! Just know that each plant-based milk and brand will have different frothing results!
General note about salt
Please pay attention to the type of salt called for in the recipe (if applicable). Not all salts are made equal and cannot be substituted 1 for 1. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt, you will need to cut the amount called for in the recipe by at least half.
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Nutrition
Disclaimer: The Nutritional Information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
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