Pumpkin spice has become a quintessential flavor of fall. As soon as the leaves start to change color, pumpkin spice lattes and other pumpkin flavored goods appear on menus everywhere. But pumpkin doesn’t have to be relegated to pre-ground spice mixes from the store. With a little creativity, you can find many delicious ways to flavor your morning pumpkin coffee or pumpkin latte right at home.
What spices are in pumpkin spice?
Traditional pumpkin pie spice contains:
– Cinnamon
– Ginger
– Nutmeg
– Allspice
– Cloves
These warm spices complement the natural sweetness of pumpkin perfectly. Cinnamon adds a familiar warmth, while ginger, nutmeg, and allspice add extra layers of flavor. Cloves have a strong aroma that rounds out the blend.
Classic spice combinations
If you want to stick with traditional fall flavors, there are a few classic spice combinations that go great with pumpkin:
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: As mentioned above, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves mirror the flavors in pumpkin pie. Add a teaspoon or two of pumpkin pie spice mix to your coffee grounds before brewing.
- Pumpkin-Vanilla: The sweet, familiar flavor of vanilla makes an excellent match for pumpkin. Add a splash of vanilla syrup or extract along with pumpkin spice to your drink.
- Pumpkin-Cinnamon: You can never go wrong with the classic pumpkin and cinnamon combination. Dust the rim of your mug with cinnamon or add a cinnamon stick to infuse spice flavor as you brew.
- Pumpkin Chai: Chai tea combines cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and other spices for a natural pairing with pumpkin. Brew chai concentrate to mix into your pumpkin coffee or latte.
Creative spice ideas
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when seasoning your pumpkin coffee or latte. Here are some more unique spice combinations to try this fall:
- Pumpkin-Hazelnut: Toast the rich, nutty flavor of hazelnut brings out the sweetness of pumpkin. Top your drink with hazelnut syrup or use hazelnut coffee grounds.
- Pumpkin-Cocoa: For an indulgent dessert-flavored drink, add a bit of cocoa powder along with the pumpkin. Think of it as a pumpkin mocha.
- Pumpkin-Gingerbread: The classic cookie flavors of ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg make an amazing pairing with pumpkin. Use gingerbread flavored creamer or syrup.
- Pumpkin-Apple Pie: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice evoke apple pie as well as pumpkin spice. Add apple pie or apple cider flavored creamer for a double dose of fall flavor.
- Pumpkin-Maple Pecan: To bring in nutty fall flavors, use maple syrup or pecan flavored syrup and topping to complement the pumpkin.
- Pumpkin-Cardamom: Cardamom is an underrated spice that adds subtle floral notes to pumpkin’s sweetness.
Other fall flavors
Some quintessential flavors of autumn, besides pumpkin, also pair deliciously when added to coffee:
- Salted caramel: The sweet, salty, buttery flavor of salted caramel makes a heavenly topping for pumpkin coffee. Whip some caramel sauce into the drink or top with caramel drizzle.
- Mocha: Rich chocolate and coffee is a classic combination. Mix cocoa powder or chocolate syrup into your pumpkin coffee for a mocha-flavored twist.
- Almond: The nuttiness of almond complements pumpkin’s spices. Use almond milk or almond flavoring in creamer.
- Brown sugar: Earthy brown sugar has more complex caramelized notes than regular sugar. It adds warmth to pumpkin coffee, either as a sweetener or flavored syrup.
- Honey: Honey’s floral sweetness is a nice change of pace from plain sugar. Drizzle or stir it into your drink for flavor and sweetness.
Dairy and creamers
The creamy component of your pumpkin latte also offers opportunities to add flavor:
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and richness without overpowering pumpkin flavor.
- Vanilla creamer or milk: Vanilla is a classic pairing with pumpkin spices.
- Spiced creamers: Opt for creamers flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, or gingerbread spices to complement pumpkin.
- Brown sugar and cinnamon creamer: Adds a caramel and warm spice flavor profile.
- Pumpkin creamer: Add extra pumpkin flavor to your drink with pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice creamers.
- Caramel or dulce de leche creamer: For sweetness and richness to balance pumpkin.
Make it dairy-free
You can make delicious dairy-free pumpkin coffees and lattes as well using:
- Almond milk: Substitute almond milk to make your drink dairy-free and add nutty flavor.
- Coconut milk: Coconut milk adds natural sweetness and creaminess without dairy.
- Oat milk: The subtle grainy flavor of oat complements pumpkin spices.
- Soy milk: Choose vanilla or sweetened soy milk for a creamy base without dairy.
- Nut or seed butters: Add body without dairy by blending in almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
Toppings
A number of tasty toppings can add texture and additional flavor to your pumpkin coffee:
- Whipped cream: Pumpkin pie isn’t complete without fluffy whipped cream, so add some to your drink too. For extra flavor, use vanilla or pumpkin flavored whipped cream.
- Cinnamon sugar: Coat your rim, sprinkle on top, or stir in cinnamon sugar for extra spice and sweetness.
- Ground spices: Garnish your drink with a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom.
- Whipped cinnamon butter: Add a scoop of cinnamon-infused whipped butter for extra richness.
- Toasted nuts: Top your drink with spiced nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch and fall flavor.
- Crushed graham crackers or ginger snaps: Sprinkle on crumbs of graham crackers or ginger cookies to evoke pie crust and spice flavors.
Recipe inspiration
Ready to start brewing tasty pumpkin coffees and lattes? Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started:
Pumpkin Pie Latte
- 1 cup strong coffee or espresso
- 1⁄4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1⁄4 cup milk of choice
- 1-2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- Sweetener of choice, to taste
- Whipped cream, for topping
Heat milk and whisk in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Combine spice-pumpkin mixture with hot coffee and desired sweetener. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee
- 1 cup cold strong coffee
- 1⁄4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1⁄4 cup milk of choice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Whipped cream, for topping
In a blender, combine coffee, milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Blend until smooth. Pour over ice and top with whipped cream.
Pumpkin Mocha
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 2-3 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1-2 tbsp chocolate or cocoa powder
- 1⁄4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Sweetener of choice, to taste
- Whipped cream, for topping
Combine hot coffee, pumpkin puree, chocolate/cocoa powder and pumpkin pie spice. Sweeten to taste. Top with whipped cream and additional sprinkle of spice.
| Flavor | Suggested additions |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin pie spice | Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves |
| Pumpkin-vanilla | Vanilla syrup or extract |
| Pumpkin-cinnamon | Cinnamon sugar, cinnamon sticks |
| Pumpkin chai | Chai tea or chai spice blend |
| Pumpkin-hazelnut | Hazelnut syrup, hazelnut coffee |
| Pumpkin-cocoa | Cocoa powder, chocolate syrup |
| Pumpkin-gingerbread | Gingerbread syrup or creamer |
| Pumpkin-apple pie | Apple pie creamer, apple cider |
| Pumpkin-maple pecan | Maple syrup, pecan syrup, pecans |
| Pumpkin-cardamom | Ground cardamom |
Conclusion
Pumpkin coffee and lattes can be so much more than just the typical pumpkin spice. By using different dairy or non-dairy options, spices, syrups, and toppings, you can customize your pumpkin drinks to match your taste preferences. Feel free to mix and match flavors to invent your own perfect pumpkin coffee creations. Just be sure to enjoy this seasonal treat before the pumpkins disappear!