The price of a pumpkin spice latte might be one of the scariest things you see this Halloween, but they're incredibly easy and cheap to make at home. All you need it a blender and a few affordable ingredients, and the results taste just as good.
This iced pumpkin spice latte recipe is from Nutribullet's website, and I prepared it using the Nutribullet SmartSense blender that I'm currently testing to see whether it deserves a place in our roundup of the best blenders you can buy today.
Most pumpkin spice lattes don't contain any actual pumpkin, but this one does, which gives it some extra flavor and color. The ingredients below are for one portion, so I used the SmartSense's individual blending jug and allowed its automatic controls to select the blending speed and duration.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup plant milk (Nutribullet suggests almond, but I prefer oat)
- 1/2 cup cooled black coffee
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Method
Ready-made pumpkin spice is something of a rarity here in the UK, so I made my own following a recipe from AllRecipes. I browsed through various other blends first, including some containing ground black pepper and some with allspice, but this one seemed like a good combination for a latte. It's a simple mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, all of which I had to hand already. The nutmeg was freshly grated, and I ground the cloves with an old coffee grinder I keep specifically for spices.
It's also hard to find canned pumpkin puree in the UK, so I put some chopped pumpkin in a covered bowl, and steamed it in the microwave for about four minutes. Once it was soft, I let it cool down, then used my blender to puree it.
I brewed a mug of decaf coffee using a simple V60 dripper and paper filter, but if you're making multiple lattes then you might prefer to use a machine to make a whole pitcher. Our roundup of the best drip coffee makers includes lots of good options, including some refreshingly affordable models.
Nutribullet's recipe suggests using almond milk, but personally I prefer oat, which is what I had available. There's no reason you couldn't use coconut, soy, or dairy instead if you prefer.
Nutribullet also suggests you could use coffee ice cubes to make sure your drink is nicely chilled without diluting it. If you're doing this, omit the cold black coffee and replace it with an extra half cup of milk.
When you've got all your ingredients ready and measured, just blend them together until silky smooth, making sure that the pumpkin in particular is fully incorporated.
Finally, pour your finished pumpkin spice latter into a glass, over ice, or over your frozen coffee cubes. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon, if you like. Cheers, and happy Halloween.
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