Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe: Make Your Own!

December 4, 2022 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

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With the rich aroma of coffee, the delightful taste of pumpkin and the comforting scents of fall spices, this festive twist on coffee is sure to make your mouth water. Pumpkin spice lattes have become extremely popular in recent years, but have you ever thought about how healthy the store-bought versions are?

Many people love pumpkin spice lattes from coffee shops, but what if I told you that it’s not hard at all to make a homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe. Plus, it will be much healthier than the majority of store-bought flavored lattes.

This latte recipe creates a beverage that is delicious, nutritious and energizing. You can thank the key health ingredients in this latte for that. Coffee is actually packed with antioxidants — as are the pumpkin spices, pumpkin is loaded with immune-boosting vitamin A and coconut milk is packed with healthy fats. Try this healthy pumpkin spice latte recipe if you’re ready to excite your tastebuds and get in the fall spirit!

What’s Wrong with You-Know-Who’s Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Pumpkin spice latte calories (the empty, not nutritious kind) aren’t the only thing to worry about when you order a pumpkin spice latte at your local coffee shop. What’s the problem? For starters, at many shops, this latte is loaded with outrageous amounts of added sugar.

To give you an example of just how high some latte’s sugar content is — if you order a 16 ounce pumpkin spice latte made with whole milk and finished off with whipped cream at one coffee shop, you will be consuming 50 grams of sugar!

There’s more reason for concern — check out some of the offending ingredients found in some conventional pumpkin spice lattes:

Carrageenan (from the whipped cream): Some experts believe that carrageenan exposure from foods and beverages clearly leads to inflammation and that the quantity of carrageenan in consumable products is enough to cause inflammation.
Potassium Sorbate (from the vanilla syrup): This preservative gives foods a longer shelf life, but is it safe? Potassium sorbate can cause allergies. It has also been known to be contaminated with health-hazardous lead, mercury and arsenic!
Sulfiting agents (from the pumpkin spice topping): According to an article published back in 1984, we have known the possible negative side effects of sulfiting agents for a long time. Some people are sensitive to sulfites, and exposure has been known to lead to a variety of unwanted symptoms, including dermatitis, hives, low blood pressure, abdominal pain, diarrhea and even life-threatening anaphylactic and asthmatic reactions. People with asthma are more likely to negatively react to sulfites.

Why not avoid all of these risky ingredients and make your own pumpkin spice latte in the comfort of your home? This pumpkin spice latte recipe is one of the five drinks that leaves you-know-who’s pumpkin spice latte in the dust.

Key Ingredients

Instead of health-destructive refined sugar, this pumpkin spice latte recipe contains maple syrup, and overall, it has under 10 grams of sugar per serving, which is way less than a store-bought version of this latte.

This recipe also provides coconut milk nutrition, which means a lot of good fats that help to keep blood sugar levels stable. Coconut milk’s MCTs are also a preferred energy source for the body.

Of course, this real pumpkin latte contains pumpkin. It’s pretty incredible how just one spoonful of pumpkin puree can provide over a third of most people’s daily vitamin A requirements!

Another key ingredient for this delicious latte is pumpkin spice mix, which is typically a combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. These warming spices contain disease-fighting antioxidants.

Make sure you choose a high-quality organic coffee or espresso to use for your pumpkin spice latte. Coffee is a very pesticide-ridden crop, so choosing organic is key to optimizing coffee benefits, which studies show include improved physical performance and a boost to cognitive function, especially when you’re working out.

If you’re avoiding caffeine, this pumpkin spice latte can also be made without the addition of coffee or espresso.

Pumpkin spice latte recipe ingredients - Dr. Axe

Nutrition Facts

One serving of this pumpkin spice latte recipe contains about:

247 calories
1.8 grams protein
21 grams fat
0.5 gram fiber
8.5 grams sugar
11.2 grams carbohydrates
31.5 milligrams sodium
1750 IUs vitamin A (35 percent DV)
192 milligrams potassium (5.5 percent DV)
0.7 milligrams iron (3.9 percent DV)
20 milligrams calcium (2 percent DV)

How to Make A Pumpkin Spice Latte

This pumpkin latte only has six ingredients and takes five minutes or less to make!

First, heat up the coconut milk (or another nut milk of your choice) in a small pot or tea kettle.

Pumpkin spice latte recipe step 1 - Dr. Axe

Begin adding the rest of the ingredients to a blender. The coffee or espresso can go in first. Followed by the maple syrup, vanilla extract, cooked pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice.

Then pour in the heated coconut milk. Blend all ingredients until well-combined.

Pumpkin spice latte recipe step 7 - Dr. Axe

Pour into mugs and sprinkle some extra pumpkin pie spice on top, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

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