The arrival of autumn brings with it one of the most beloved seasonal beverages: the Pumpkin Spice Latte. This perfect symphony of robust espresso and creamy milk, interwoven with the quintessential pumpkin pie spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, creates pure autumnal bliss in every sip. Now you can recreate Starbucks’ iconic PSL at home, customizing it to your perfect taste while enjoying it year-round. This fall flavors copycat recipe includes instructions for making pumpkin spice syrup from scratch or using store-bought syrup for convenience.
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What makes the Pumpkin Spice lattes one of the quintessential fall beverages?
The combination of pumpkin and the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves is the fall spice flavor that we all crave. The PSL is only available for a limited time each year. So, if you don’t rush out and grab a couple of these during the fall, you will have to wait until the next time they’re available. Not anymore. So if you love those fall-favorite pumpkin pie spices, you are in luck. We will show you how to make one.
I have included instructions on how to make pumpkin spice syrup from scratch, or you can purchase pumpkin spice syrup.
Why You Should Try Making a Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
You can do your PSL at home at any time of the year. This is on the Starbucks fall menu. There are other advantages of creating one, though, and it costs less to recreate your fancy coffee drinks at home. You can customize this any way you like: change the type of milk, add more spice to your drink, or include some additional syrup.
Ingredients
For the Spice-Infused Syrup:
- Water – Creates the base for extracting maximum spice flavor
- Ground nutmeg – Provides warm, slightly sweet aromatic notes
- Cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon – Adds classic fall warmth and sweetness
- Fresh or ground ginger – Contributes gentle heat and complexity
- Sugar – Sweetens and preserves the syrup while balancing spices
- Canned pumpkin puree – Provides authentic pumpkin flavor and creamy texture
- Pumpkin Spice Syrup – you can buy the syrup pre-made
For the Latte:
- Espresso or strong coffee – Forms the caffeinated foundation of the drink
- Milk – Creates the creamy base that makes it a proper latte
- Whipped cream – Adds a luxurious finishing touch and visual appeal
How to Make a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Combine nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and water in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain out spices by pouring the water through a coffee filter.
- Place the spiced simple syrup back into the pan.
- Add sugar and pumpkin and mix well.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Prepare espresso or strong coffee.
- Pour a couple of tablespoons of pumpkin syrup into a coffee cup, then add coffee.
- Gently pour frothed milk over the coffee and stir.
- Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can substitute the milk with a non-dairy milk alternative if you prefer. If you have a dairy allergy, alternatives such as almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk are excellent options. Oat milk has a rich, silky texture, and soy milk froths up quite nicely. Almond milk is slightly trickier, but it works well with a high-fat content.
You can omit making the homemade pumpkin spice syrup and purchase a ready-made one, which is commonly found in most stores.
Espresso Tips for This Pumpkin Latte Recipe
Espresso is stronger than drip coffee because the water is steamed through the coffee, so using regular coffee won’t give you the same result if you use an espresso machine. Generally, espresso contains more caffeine.
How much caffeine is in a pumpkin spice latte depends on how big a latte you make or buy. At Starbucks, a tall Pumpkin Spice Latte has 75 mg of caffeine, whereas a grande size has 150 mg.
Fortunately, if you don’t have an espresso maker, you can use instant espresso instead. Regarding instant espresso, I prefer the brand Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee for its quality and flavor.
If you want to make espresso like Italians, you can benefit from using a Bialetti Moka Express 3 Cup Espresso Maker. This appliance type allows Italians to make authentic espresso at home, and the product costs approximately $30.
What to Serve with The Pumpkin Spice Latte
For this delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks Petite Vanilla Scones are an excellent pairing, especially if you love a pastry with their coffee. The vanilla sweet treat enhances the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in the latte.
Love Starbucks? Try these Starbucks copycat recipes!
- Butterscotch Latte
- Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
- Caramel Macchiato
- Eggnog Latte
- Flat White
- Mocha Coffee
- Peppermint Mocha
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Egg White Bites
- Spinach Feta Wrap
Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Check out more of my easy drink recipes and the best copycat Starbucks recipes here on CopyKat.com!
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cinnamon sticks or 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin (do not use pumpkin pie filling)
Pumpkin Spice Latte
- 2 to 3 tablespoons pumpkin syrup
- 4 ounces prepared espresso
- 4 ounces milk warmed and frothed
- 2 tablespoons whipped cream
- 1 dash ground nutmeg
Instructions
- To make the pumpkin spice syrup, bring the water and spices to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the water through a coffee filter to remove the spices and return the water to the saucepan. Add the sugar and pumpkin, mix well, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To make the pumpkin spice latte, place 2 to 3 tablespoons of pumpkin spice syrup in a coffee cup. Add the prepared espresso. Gently pour the frothed milk over the coffee and stir gently. Top with whipped cream and a dash of ground nutmeg.
I can’t get enough of these.
I love I can make this outside of pumpkin spice season.
Really enjoyed this! Thank you.
Is it 2 1/2 CUPS of water in the syrup recipe? The unit of measurement isn’t there. Thanks.
Yes, it’s 2 1/2 cups of water.
Does this taste like Starbucks pumpkin spice? No, not at all. Too much nutmeg. Is it still a good syrup for your coffee? Yes, its pretty good.
I had to use all Ground spices b/c that’s what I have on hand. But straining this through a coffee filter is proving very difficult Also tried filtering through a cheese cloth and it wasn’t much easier. What do you recommend?
I did the coffee filter, because I didn’t want it to be gritty. You are just trying to pull out some of the spices. Whatever you will do works.
Can I just say I love being able to make this off season?
Wonderful recipe but I’m unsure of how long it lasts without going bad or sour…please reply the recommended time frame for use before disposal!
I would keep this for 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator. If you have some vodka you could add a teaspoon to the final syrup to keep it from spoiling for a little longer.
I’m making this one now and it looks like a winner of a recipe. I added ground spices because that’s what I have right now. I also plan to add more pumpkin because that’s my favorite part. Have you found it detrimental to the recipe to add MORE pumpkin? Just wondering. I’m sure I’ll find out.
I also am using Lakanto Classic to make this sugar free and a pinch of xanthan gum to give it a thicker mouthfeel.
I think it is the spice that you are shooting for, so I would consider adding less of the sugar free stuff, and keep the flavor ratio higher on the spices/pumpkin.
This is amazing! Love this!!
So delicious, and I love the idea of saving money by making this at home!
Love getting to make this at home! You know fall is in the air when you can make it!
I love this recipe and that I can use quality ingredients at home. So Yummy!!!