Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ok. I don’t care what they say. It. Is. Time. It sure is.

For me, fall starts on the first day of school (And in FULL DISCLOSURE: Thanksgiving/Christmas/NewYears ALL start on October 31st. The end-of-year holidays form a SEASON and they blend nicely one into the other. If, by chance, they cross over into one another’s spaces, all the better. They are friends, and the holidays are fine with it). For the record, it is certainly NOT to early to drink a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

As such, I couldn’t resist pulling through the first place advertising them recently, Dunkin Donut. I know. I know. It’s FILLED with sugar (55g in a size med, which is a 1/4 of a cup in one beverage!). And, honestly, IT WAS DELICIOUS!

On TOP of my concern with having that much sugar in a delicious beverage I want to consume multiple times, I also am concerned that DD’s Pumpkin Spice Latte has very little nutritional value for something that boasts “Pumpkin”.

Pumpkin is richly nutritious.

Tons of vitamins.

Antioxidants.

Immunity boosting.

High in fiber.

Nutritionally dense.

High in fiber.

Compounds that promote healthy skin.

AND, it’s versatile and easy to add to your diet.

Boom.

Just about anything you can get from a restaurant, you can make better (and better for you) at home. So, in that spirit, this weekend, I stood in my small, black and white kitchen and worked on my Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe so that I can enjoy it SEVERAL times this season, and get the nutritional benefits to boost!

You can drink this cold or hot, iced or not. I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, but you can substitute any milk you love. I also used cold brew, decaf coffee I brewed myself. Decaf lets me enjoy this treat after work! You could easily adjust the recipe to include Espresso. Or, putting “whipped” coffee on top (instead of whipped cream) would be extra delicious.

Ingredients (for 2 drinks):

16oz coffee (I used Cold Brew)

1 c Unsweetend Almond Milk (or any milk of choice)

1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree

3/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

3/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tbs Maple Syrup (or sweetner of choice)

Sprinkles of Cinnamon

Using a whisk, mix milk and pumpkin in a sauce pan over medium heat until warmed though (stir constantly). Remove from heat. Continuing to whisk, add spice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. If adding this to cold brew, allow it to cool completely.

Pour coffee over ice. Add milk mixture.

For a fun twist, froth the milk before adding it to the coffee. Sprinkle with Cinnamon and Enjoy!

I used my mixture to make 1 drink, then saved the rest for another drink tomorrow.

What other special drinks do you enjoy in fall? Would love to know your recipes!

Shanna