I don’t know about you, but as soon as autumn arrives, I get a craving for all things pumpkin. The delicious, sweet flavor with cinnamon, clove, and other spices tastes like fall in a drink. But I wondered how to make a healthy pumpkin spice latte at home.
Now the average pumpkin spice latte isn’t terrible for you. On the contrary, it’s got a few positive things going for it, including protein, calcium, a boost from caffeine, and some antioxidants from the spice (assuming real spices are used). Still, I thought we could do better than 380 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 50 grams of sugar.
So I set out to create a healthy pumpkin spice latte (along with a few other autumn treats). Here’s what I learned, along with the recipe for a healthy PSL made at home.
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What’s In a Pumpkin Spice Latte Anyway?
In case you’ve somehow missed the ongoing trend of the pumpkin spice latte, this beverage has been around since at least 2003. The Starbucks coffee chain introduced it as part of their fall specialty beverages, and it took off like wildfire.
The drink evokes the flavors of fall with espresso, milk, and the taste of pumpkin pie. But here’s a somewhat shocking part of the story: the PSLs you get at most coffee chains don’t actually contain any pumpkin! Instead, pumpkin spice lattes are made with coffee, milk, and flavoring syrup.
Usually, the syrup includes sugar or high fructose corn syrup to get the sweetness. The mix consists of spice flavors meant to remind the drinker of a delicious pumpkin pie—cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and nutmeg. Typically, these are artificial flavorings, not authentic spices. The syrup may also include artificial colorings and preservatives.
The “latte” part means it includes frothy milk, making it extra creamy and delicious. The traditional version is usually made with 2% milk, although some coffee spots use flavored creamer instead. Most coffee spots top off the drink with a big dollop of whipped cream, making for a very indulgent and sugary beverage.
There have been several controversies over the healthiness of the pumpkin spice latte. While we all sometimes indulge, if you want to enjoy this beverage regularly, it can help to learn how to make a healthy pumpkin spice latte at home. When you make your drink at home, you’ll know exactly what it contains—no surprises.
How to Order a Healthier PSL at a Coffee Shop
Of course, if you prefer to have a barista create your coffee, there are a few tweaks you can make that can boost the healthfulness of your drink. A few suggestions for ordering a healthier pumpkin spice latte include:
- Choose an alternative milk, especially if you’re sensitive to dairy. Most coffee spots offer almond, soy, oat, or even cashew milk options to help you get the creamy texture without the dairy.
- Choose lower-calorie, lower-fat milk. You can request skim milk or a lower-calorie alternative like almond milk to lighten up the calories in your beverage.
- Opt for half the usual amount of syrup or go sugar-free. Keep in mind that some sugar-free syrups present their own concerns with chemical-laden ingredients. Still, you can reduce your sugar intake if that’s your primary concern.
- Skip the whipped cream at the end. With the foamy milk, a latte still tastes creamy and delicious even without the added whipped cream. The protein and nutritional benefits from the cream don’t quite outweigh the sugar and preservatives that can go into most whips.
- Top your beverage off with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Cinnamon is naturally sweet, full of antioxidants, and can really highlight the PSL flavors in your drink. So give your cup a sprinkle before you head out the door.
Other Healthy Autumn Drinks
There are other fall beverages on most drink menus too. If you go to Starbucks, they often have a wide variety of seasonal options, and they include the calorie count on their menu board. Use the calories to guide you (even if you aren’t watching your weight). More calories in your drink likely indicate more sugar or corn syrup.
Coffee and tea both have antioxidants, so whether you prefer an Americano or a matcha latte (my favorite), you’ll be enjoying excellent benefits. You get a significant energy boost and enjoy a soothing warm beverage. If you’re making your autumn drink at home, coffee or tea make a good base.
Melaleuca makes a terrific herbal tea called G’Day Tea that has natural sweetness from licorice. They also carry Mountain Cabin Coffee, which could be delicious in your homemade PSL recipe. So if you’re looking for a company with natural and trustworthy products, I highly recommend checking them out.
Other warm fall and winter drinks like hot chocolate and hot cider can be a bit sweeter and may have more added sugar, so be sure to read the packaging or ask about ingredients if you aren’t sure. As usual, choosing the closest thing to natural, black coffee or plain tea, will get you the highest benefits with the least number of additives. Choose a natural sweetener (like honey) whenever possible.
How to Make Your DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte Healthier
If you’re making a healthy pumpkin spice latte at home, rest assured it’s easy to put a healthy spin on this delicious beverage. The key is to keep it simple—espresso, pumpkin, spices, and your preferred milk of choice.
If you don’t have an espresso maker or just prefer the taste of brewed coffee, it makes a perfect base for the drink too. Add milk to your coffee for a smoother, creamier beverage. I prefer oat milk for my matcha lattes, but you can go with whatever you prefer.
Sweeten your drink using honey, vanilla, or the natural sweetness of cinnamon and spices. You can also try a sweetener like agave or stevia, which some folks prefer. Of course, even if you opt to sweeten your drink with sugar, chances are you’ll be much better able to control the added sugar at home. Omitting flavored syrup and choosing sweetened milk like oat or almond can create a beverage that’s not overly sweet but still tasty.
As for the pumpkin, you can either look for organic pumpkin puree in a can or make your own pumpkin puree. Pie pumpkins and sugar pumpkins are naturally sweet and flavorful, making them a better choice for a homemade pumpkin spice drink than the type of pumpkin you’d use for carving at Halloween.
Keeping Your PSL Ingredients Fresh
If you decide to make a homemade pumpkin spice latte, you won’t need a large number of ingredients. A few teaspoons of pumpkin puree and about 1/8 cup of oat milk will get you a perfectly delicious DIY pumpkin spice latte. But what do you do with all those leftover ingredients?
Fortunately, you can easily store the pumpkin in the freezer. You can either freeze it peeled and cut it into cubes for roasting and cooking later, or you can cook it, puree it, and then freeze the pumpkin puree. Keep in mind that the texture can change slightly when you freeze pumpkin, but it’s usually undetectable in recipes like drinks and cookies or stirred into oatmeal. So unless you’re using the puree for pie, I wouldn’t worry too much about a change in texture.
Should you decide to freeze your pumpkin, you’ll want to be sure you divide it up into small portions. You can fill an ice cube tray with puree, freeze until set, and then pop the cubes out into a bag. If you measure each cube to be two teaspoons, you’ll have the perfect amount of pumpkin for your homemade PSLs.
Oatmilk is relatively long-lasting and will stay fresh in the fridge for a week (longer if unopened). It’s also excellent on cereal, in smoothies, and certain recipes. However, you should remember that oat milk is usually sweetened, so it doesn’t work as well in savory dishes.
Other Ideas for Pumpkin
If you’d rather not freeze your pumpkin, or you decide to use pumpkin puree from the can, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to use up that extra organic pumpkin. For just a few ideas, try:
- Making a pumpkin filling for ravioli.
- Adding canned pumpkin to baked goods in place of oil or eggs.
- Adding pumpkin to frosting for a cake.
- Stirring canned pumpkin into your oatmeal.
- Adding pumpkin to coconut milk as a base for curry.
- Including pumpkin in your morning smoothie for extra fiber and vitamins.
- Making a pumpkin soup.
Pumpkin is very nutritious with a ton of vitamin A. In addition, it’s rich in fiber, vitamin C, B2, and potassium. You can eat the seeds as well, and roasted they will make an excellent snack. Pumpkin is high in antioxidants, and it’s easy to digest. It’s very low-calorie and delicious. Enjoy pumpkin wherever you would enjoy squash.
How to Make a Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte with Oatmilk
I adapted this recipe from Once Upon a Pumpkin, and it’s delicious. It’s so easy to make, and you can create something really special, especially if you use a frother to get the classic foam on your drink. I invested in this frother for my matcha lattes, and I love it. It’s well worth the splurge.
Ingredients for a Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte
- 8 oz. black coffee or espresso brew (I prefer Mountain Cabin coffee)
- 2-3 tablespoons (about 1/8 of a cup) of oat milk (or your preferred milk)
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin puree
- Pinch of pumpkin pie spice and/or cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground clove mixed.
Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte
8 oz. black coffee or espresso brew (I prefer Mountain Cabin coffee)
2-3 tablespoons (about 1/8 of a cup) of oat milk (or your preferred milk)
2 teaspoons of pumpkin puree
Pinch of pumpkin pie spice and/or cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground clove mixed.
To Make Your Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte at Home
Froth the milk and set aside. In a blender (or using a handheld blender), mix the coffee, pumpkin puree, and a pinch of spice. Add the frothed milk and blend further until the drink is extra frothy. To serve, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon on top.
As you can see, it’s easy and simple to make this tasty (and healthy) fall beverage. Enjoy all the benefits of these delicious ingredients by making a homemade pumpkin spice latte any time—you don’t even need to wait for the leaves to fall!
What’s your favorite fall drink? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
Are you looking for more fall treats and beverages? Don’t miss these!
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