It’s fall, y’all! You know what that means … pumpkin spice, EVERYTHING! There are many great places around town where you can get your pumpkin spice coffee lattes or even pumpkin spice chai lattes. Check out The 5 Best Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops Around Portland for some local shops. However, making your own pumpkin spice drink at home is more economical and ever so tasty. 

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Making your own pumpkin spice syrup at home is easy and allows you to enjoy the flavors of fall in various beverages and treats. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make pumpkin spice syrup:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Combine the water, granulated sugar, and pumpkin puree over medium heat. Stir to mix them together.

Add spices. Stir in the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger. These spices will give your syrup the classic pumpkin spice flavor.

Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer, and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

Add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the syrup for a hint of extra flavor. 

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. It will thicken slightly as it cools. Transfer the syrup to a glass jar or airtight container once the syrup has cooled. Make sure the container is clean and dry before pouring in the syrup.

Seal the container tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Homemade pumpkin spice syrup can typically be stored for up to 2-3 weeks. Shake or stir before each use, as ingredients may settle over time.

Your homemade pumpkin spice syrup can add fall flavors to a variety of beverages, including coffee, lattes, chai, hot chocolate, and cocktails. You can also drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, and ice cream or use it as a sweetener in baking recipes.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee/Latte

Making a latte at home is relatively simple. You can make it iced or hot. A great cheat if you want it iced is to buy a cold brew concentrate. Check out this one from Stumptown Coffee.  

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make a delicious latte:

Ingredients

  • 1 shot of espresso (or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee)
  • 1 cup of milk
  • Sweetener (optional because your pumpkin spice syrup is very sweet, but you do you). 

Instructions

Brew the espresso; if you have an espresso machine, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to brew a shot of espresso. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a coffee maker to make a strong cup of coffee instead.

Froth the milk. Pour the milk into a milk frother or use the steam wand on your espresso machine (if it has one) to froth the milk. Start with cold milk and froth it until it reaches your desired consistency. The ideal milk texture for a latte is smooth and velvety.

Heat the milk (totally optional, the iced pumpkin spice latte is also delicious). If you prefer a hot latte, heat the milk before frothing it. You can either heat it in a saucepan on the stovetop or use a microwave-safe container in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat the milk; aim for a temperature around 150°F.

Pour the shot of espresso (or brewed coffee) into a coffee mug. This is where you add the pumpkin spice syrup to the espresso.

Pour the frothed milk. Hold back the foam with a spoon and pour the frothed milk into the coffee mug, allowing the milk to mix with the espresso. Once most of the milk has been poured, scoop the foam on top of the latte.

Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

Oregon has some wonderful tea companies. During the summer, we covered “How To Make The Perfect Iced Tea Using Portland-Sourced Ingredients” and highlighted some of them, like Stash and Smith Tea but also check out Portal Tea Company. 

To make a chai latte, you can make chai for tea bags or tea leaves. OR you can buy Oregon Chai concentrate or powdered mix; this is another awesome cheat. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare a chai latte:

Ingredients

  • Chai Tea Bag or Loose Chai Tea Leaves-You can use a chai tea bag or loose tea leaves. If using loose leaves, you’ll need a tea strainer or infuser.
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup of Milk – You can use whole milk, skim milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any milk of your choice.
  • Spices (Optional): You can add spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, or black pepper for extra flavor.

Instructions

  • Heat 1 cup of water to 180°F.
  • Add Chai Tea. If you’re using a tea bag, simply place it in the boiling water. If using loose tea leaves, add about 1-2 teaspoons of chai tea leaves to the boiling water.
  • Add Spices (Optional). If you want to spice up your chai latte, add a pinch of your preferred spices to the tea. Common choices include cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, or a dash of black pepper. Adjust the quantity to your taste.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let the tea simmer for about 5-7 minutes. This allows the flavors to infuse into the water.
  • After simmering, add 1 cup of milk to the saucepan. You can adjust the milk-to-tea ratio to your liking, but a 1:1 ratio is standard for a latte. If you are doing loose leaf, strain the leaves. 
  • Add your pumpkin spice syrup. Measure with your heart. 
  • Gently simmer the chai latte for an additional 5 minutes to heat the milk thoroughly and melt the flavors.
  • Pour your freshly brewed chai latte into a cup and enjoy! You can garnish it with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick for added flavor and presentation.

We hope you like these fall recipes. Once again, these are great, both iced and hot! Experiment with the amount of syrup you add to your drinks or recipes to find the right balance of pumpkin spice flavor to suit your taste preferences. Enjoy the cozy and warm flavors of homemade pumpkin spice syrup throughout autumn!