Sip on a pumpkin spice latte yet? I’m pretty sure Starbucks starts serving them while it’s still summertime. This drink has seriously become more popular than fall itself. 

I love a sweet latte any time of the year, but oftentimes this festive drink is a little tooooo sweet. Did you know one at Starbucks has roughly 50g of sugar?! Yikes! That’s A LOT.

So, I started making my own at home, without all the added sugar. It’s really simple and and still feels like a sweet treat. You can also use almond or coconut milk.

Note: this recipe serves two people

• 2 shots espresso (or 1 cup strong coffee)
• 2 cups 2-percent milk
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Heat milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spices, nutmeg + vanilla extract on the stove for 12 minutes on med-low heat. Stir often. Fill two mugs roughly 1/4 of the way full with espresso or strong coffee. Fill the remaining space with milk mixture. Top with sprinkled cinnamon (and whipped cream if desired).

If you’re in a hurry (or want to make this recipe even simpler), you can simply make a shot of espresso and top with 3/4 c steamed milk, vanilla + spices. It’s not as decadent as the version with pumpkin puree, but it’s still delicious!

PS. I also wanted to say thank you for your sweet, sweet response to my last post. My heart is full. Can’t wait to share this pregnancy journey (and mama-hood!) with you here.

Photos by Annie Shak