How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Latte
Shandra Martinez
| 2 min read
As the calendar flips to fall and the weather gets colder, we instinctively reach for our sweaters and our favorite fall drinks.
Topping the list is the iconic pumpkin spice latte, or PSL, which for many has a nostalgic place in our hearts. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the classic Starbucks’ version, which has become the coffee giant’s most popular seasonal beverage with hundreds of millions of cups sold since its launch in 2003, reports the Associated Press.
Fortunately, Starbucks has a recipe for making a version of its iconic PSL with a homemade syrup made of pumpkin puree, cinnamon sticks, sugar and fall spices. The good news is that pumpkin is a superfood, and the spices that give this autumn drink its distinct flavor are loaded with antioxidant compounds that have their own health benefits.
We are going to run through the five simple steps to make this iconic drink, which Starbucks describes here.
Making a pumpkin spice latte at home
Step 1: Begin by making the pumpkin spice syrup. Combine 1 ½ cups of sugar and 1 ½ cups of water into a saucepan, bring to a simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved, add six cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon each of ground cloves and ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of nutmeg and 4 tablespoons of pumpkin purée. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately strain through cheesecloth. 6 cinnamon sticks
Step 2: Prepare 1 cup of milk. This recipe calls for a cup of whole milk. (But as you know, Starbucks has made plenty of delicious PSL with nondairy milk products.) The key is frothing up the milk whichever milk one you choose. Starbucks suggests a technique involving a saucepan and a coffee press.
Step. 3: Prepare an ounce of espresso. Starbucks recommends using its espresso roast. This can be made in an espresso machine or a traditional stovetop mokapot, or brewed with a Starbucks by Nespresso capsule machine.
Step 4: Pour3 tablespoons of homemade pumpkin spice syrup into a mug, followed by the hot espresso. Stir together.
Step 5: Fill the mug with heated frothed milk until ¾ full, then top with whipped cream, and add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice.
Try this iced pumpkin cold brew
If you prefer your pumpkin spice drink cold, try the recipe below for an Iced Pumpkin Cold Brew by Shanthi Appelö, registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. It features oat milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin spice. You can also check out the video.
