Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
This homemade vegan pumpkin spice latte is a cozy fall coffee drink made with real pumpkin puree, almond milk, maple syrup, and warm pumpkin pie spices, all simmered together and topped with vegan whipped cream. It is a dairy-free copycat of the Starbucks classic, but lighter, with no food coloring and less sugar, and it comes together in one small pot in a few minutes. If you have wanted a PSL you can make at home without any of the nasty stuff, this is it.
Why I make my own pumpkin spice latte
The pumpkin spice latte has to be the star of autumn. I mean, there is an entire culture based on this drink. But, in Starbucks’ defense, I don’t really feel like the pumpkin spice latte was ever meant to be consumed on a day to day basis, as your regular morning cup of joe. I view it more as dessert, what with all the sugar, syrup, and whipped cream it contains. I also believe that, when eaten in moderation, this drink can still be “friends” with your silhouette.
Still, I wanted to make a healthier version, without food coloring and all of the nasty stuff. I wanted to reduce the sugar amount a bit, too, because, delicious as it is, I’ve always thought that the pumpkin spice latte tends to be excessively sweet, the burn-your-throat type. I truly believe this homemade version to be not only healthier but also even more delicious. I love dessert-type beverages, and I love preparing something sweet that has the potential of warming my hands and my soul on a cold autumn day. I especially love serving this around 4 in the afternoon, when work starts feeling a little dragged and I feel my eyes closing.
The ingredients that make it taste like fall
The magic here is real pumpkin puree, not just syrup. Two tablespoons stirred into the milk give the latte body, a soft orange color, and that gentle squash sweetness the flavored syrups only imitate. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, since the filling already carries its own sugar and spices. If you have leftover puree, it keeps well and is the same stuff I reach for in my other vegan pumpkin recipes.
For the milk, I found that using soy, oat, or almond work best. They froth and simmer nicely and keep the drink fully dairy-free. Maple syrup does the sweetening, and because you control the amount, you skip that burn-your-throat sweetness. The half teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix, a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, is what makes it read as autumn in a cup. If you love that same cinnamon warmth in baked form, my cinnamon cookies come from the same spice cupboard.
Tips for getting it right
Warm the milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spice together in a small pot first, and only add the coffee once the mixture is simmering. This lets the pumpkin and spices bloom into the milk before the coffee goes in, so the flavor is even instead of muddy. Stir well, because pumpkin puree likes to settle, and keep the heat gentle so nothing scorches at the bottom. I know simmering pumpkin into your coffee sounds gross, but it’s really good.
Pour it into your favorite mug, top with a swirl of vegan whipped cream, and sprinkle a little extra cinnamon over the top. For a smoother, more cafe-style finish, froth or blend the milk mixture before you pour. I think this recipe is truly amazing at replicating that pumpkin spice flavor that we all adore so much. If you like building a whole menu of warm, dairy-free drinks, there are more ideas in my roundup of healthy coffee drinks.
Make-ahead, storing, and what to sip it with
This latte is best fresh and hot, right after you make it, but you can prep ahead. Stir together a small batch of the almond milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spice base and keep it in a jar in the fridge for two to three days. Shake or whisk before using, since the pumpkin separates, then warm it with your fresh coffee when you want a cup. Add the vegan whipped cream and cinnamon only at the end, once the drink is in the mug.
Because I treat this as a dessert in a glass, I love pairing it with something small and cozy on the side. It is lovely next to a warm cookie, so those cinnamon cookies are a natural match, and it slots right into an afternoon spread of other vegan autumn recipes when the weather turns. Serve it around 4 in the afternoon with a slice of something spiced and you have the perfect little fall break.
If you make this vegan pumpkin spice latte, I would love to know how it turned out. Tell me in the comments whether you frothed the milk or kept it simple, and if you tried oat instead of almond, and please leave a star rating so other pumpkin-season fans can find it too.
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Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 1 cup coffee
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice mix ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg
- Vegan whipped cream for decoration
Instructions
- In a small pot, add the almond milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice mix.
- Once it’s simmering, add the coffee and stir until hot.
- Pour into a mug, top with vegan whipped cream.
- Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It uses almond milk (or soy or oat) instead of dairy, maple syrup instead of honey, and vegan whipped cream on top, so every ingredient is plant-based. There is no milk, cream, or refined syrup from the coffee-shop version, which makes it a fully dairy-free copycat.
This recipe is built around real pumpkin. You stir 2 tablespoons of plain pumpkin puree into the milk, which gives the latte body, color, and natural squash sweetness. Use plain pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, since the filling already contains added sugar and spices.
Soy, oat, and almond milk all work best here. They warm and froth nicely and keep the drink dairy-free. Oat milk gives the creamiest, most cafe-like texture, while almond keeps it lighter.
The pumpkin spice mix in this recipe is a blend of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. You only need about half a teaspoon per latte, so mix a small jar of the four spices to keep on hand for the whole season.
Yes. Stir together the almond milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spice base and keep it in a jar in the fridge for two to three days. Shake or whisk it before using, since the pumpkin settles, then warm it with fresh coffee. Add the whipped cream and cinnamon only once it is in the mug.
This homemade version is already lighter than the coffee-shop original, but the sweetness is fully in your hands because maple syrup is the only sweetener. Start with less than 2 tablespoons and taste, since the pumpkin puree adds its own gentle sweetness. Skipping or lightly sweetening the whipped cream trims it further.
SO GOOD! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing, Ruxandra, I absolutely love this recipe!