Pumpkin Spice Latte (Even Better than Starbucks!)

Even if the arrival of PSL season has you rolling your eyes, there’s no denying the deliciousness of a pumpkin spice latte. But you can do better than Starbucks. Our homemade pumpkin spice latte is even better than what you can get at the coffee house chain.

Here’s how to make an easy extra-frothy pumpkin spice latte at home. You’ll have enough to share with someone you truly love.

• Our homemade recipe is better than Starbucks. The rich and flavorful base is made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar, along with a good dose of vanilla extract.
• You can enjoy them year-round. Plus, homemade pumpkin spice lattes are cheaper than those coffee shop drinks.

• Pumpkin purée: It’s key for a richer, truer pumpkin flavor. For two PSLs, you’ll need two tablespoons of purée. If you freeze leftover pumpkin purée in two tablespoon portions, your pumpkin spice-loving future self will thank you.
• Pumpkin pie spice: The iconic blend of classic fall spices — cinnamon! ginger! cloves! nutmeg! — perfectly compliments the pumpkin. If you don’t want to buy a jar, its’ easy to make your own pumpkin pie spice.
• Whole milk: The milk gets heated with the homemade pumpkin syrup then blended until extra frothy.
• Espresso: You’ll need about 1/4 cup. Or, you could sub in 1/3 to 1/2 cup strong coffee.
• Whipped cream: Whatever you do, don’t skip the whip. It’s classic in a PSL.

1. Heat the pumpkin and spices. Place the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and a generous helping of black pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s hot and smells cooked, about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the sugar. Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly, thick syrup.
3. Warm the milk. Whisk in the milk and vanilla and warm gently, stirring often and watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
4. Blend the milk. Carefully process the mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.
5. Mix the drinks. Make the espresso or coffee and divide between 2 mugs. Add the frothed milk and pumpkin mixture. Top with the whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

When we originally created this recipe, Starbucks’ version of the PSL didn’t contain any real pumpkin. Now, their “pumpkin pie sauce” contains pumpkin purée. In a Starbucks PSL, you’ll get two shots of espresso if you order a grande. Our recipe isn’t quite as strong, but you can adjust the caffeine level to your liking.

If you like, you can make a big batch of the pumpkin spice base and refrigerate it for up to 1 week.

To make 8 full servings:

1. Cook 1/2 cup pumpkin purée with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
2. Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla extract.
3. Refrigerate for up to 1 week and use as desired.
4. To serve, blend 1/3 cup pumpkin spice base with milk until frothy, and add 1 or 2 shots of espresso. Top with whipped cream and serve.

• Vanilla: Yes, this recipe calls for 2 tablespoons (not teaspoons) of vanilla. This sounds like a lot, but it does more than anything else to mimic the intense, even artificial, taste of the syrups used in coffee shops. But feel free to start with less and bump it up as needed.
• Milk fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.
• Canned pumpkin substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.
• Sugar substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.

• Better-than-Starbucks Coffee Frappé
• Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea
• Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink
• Starbucks-Style Cold Brew Coffee
• Starbucks-Style Sweet Cream

I’ve whipped up Kathryn’s pumpkin spice concoction several times now, and I made some changes from the original recipe. First of all, I cook the pumpkin and the spices for a moment in the saucepan, which gets rid of any raw squash flavor and makes the spices toastier. Secondly, I think that the real key to this recipe is a healthy dose of black pepper, which cuts through the sweetness and the coffee for a spicy bite. And her rather startling amount of vanilla (yes, two tablespoons!) mimics the enhanced flavor of coffee shop syrups. Start with less if you want. Enjoy!

— Faith, August 2014