Homemade & Yummy

Food doesn't have to be complicated, but it does have to taste good.

Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way (1/2 fat, no whip, SAVE MONEY)

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Are you a latte lover? This Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way uses REAL pumpkin (not artificial syrup), and homemade pumpkin spice.

Overhead shot of lattes

Calling all latte lovers. Do you know how easy these are to make at home? Don’t get me wrong, I am a Starbucks fan. Since I love lattes so much, I had to figure out how not to BREAK THE BANK. This way I can SAVE MONEY and enjoy delicious lattes anytime I want! The perfect pairing with a pumpkin donut!

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Can you remember a time when Starbucks wasn’t in Canada? YES, it did exist. I know this REALLY dates me, but there was a time I had no idea what all these fancy coffee drinks were.

We were having dinner one night (long ago) in Toronto with a fellow from the USA. At the end of dinner, he ordered coffee (at least that is what I thought he was ordering). When the waitress appeared, he said something like “I will have a 1/2 caff, triple shot, no foam, extra hot, please”. I sat there for a moment, wondering what the heck he was talking about. My order was something like “coffee with cream, please”. I still remember turning to my husband and saying “Does she even understand that order?”.

Close up of latte ingredients, pumpkin and spice mixture garnish.

OMG, how complicated can ordering coffee be? All of a sudden the simple cup of coffee just got a lot more interesting, and confusing at the same time. I was right, the waitress didn’t  know what he was ordering. The manager finally figured out what he was talking about, and gave him his drink for free.

My quest to figure out this new world of “scientific sounding” drinks began. It has been a fun and delicious ride ever since.

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR LATTE?

If you are a latte lover, how do enjoy yours made? I always order NO whip, and hubby seems to like triple shot. How about flavours?

Mugs of coffee and pumpkin and seasonings on the side ready to put in the cups.

Pumpkin season is my favourite time of year. This Real Pumpkin Latte is so easy to make, and the flavour is so much better than the artificial stuff they use in the coffee shops. Once you give this a try, you will be making it all the time.

Over the years of latte testing, we have come up with a few winners for sure. Christmas is another season of deliciousness, and Rum & Eggnog Latte is a family favourite around here.

Nothing better on a cold winter night, curled up in front of the fire watching a movie.

If you love the outdoor winter activities, coming in from the cold to a nice Chocolate Milk Latte is the perfect way to warm you up.

NO FANCY EQUIPMENT NECESSARY

I don’t have a fancy espresso machine, do you? I would LOVE one, but unfortunately, in order for that to happen, it has to come with a LARGER kitchen! So at this point, a new house is not in the budget. But don’t let that stop you from making lattes. It’s easier than you think.

Close up shot of frothy milk in a pot.

All you need is strong coffee, hot milk and a hand held frother (check my link below). I have been doing it this way for years. It works great. To heat the milk you can use a pot on the stove, or even microwave it if you prefer. The frother does an EXCELLENT job in creating lots of thick foam for topping your drinks.

When it comes to pumpkin, artificial flavours will not cut it for me. This recipe uses canned pumpkin and homemade pumpkin spice. I use the recipe mix from Food Network, my favourite magazine of all!!

Make some strong coffee, or if you have espresso use that. I have even used instant espresso and it works great. I know, you may think instant coffee sucks, but the espresso does a great job here. Feel free to use any type of milk you wish, I used 1/2 fat (1%). Non-dairy options work too.

Pumpkin Lattes in mugs getting sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Mix some canned pumpkin with the spice mix. I used some agave to sweeten, but go ahead and use honey or sugar if you like. Mix the pumpkin into the hot coffee (no it won’t be lumpy), add the hot milk, top with foam, sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar for topping, and there you have it. See, told you it was easy. Now if I could only figure out latte art.

You are probably wondering what you do with ALL the canned pumpkin that is left? Freeze it! Put enough in little freezer bags for a few lattes. Pull it out whenever you want to make a drink. Thaw under hot water, or pop it into the microwave for a few seconds (after you put it in a glass bowl, not the plastic bag).

Overhead shot of Real Pumpkin Latte ready to drink.

Go ahead, have fun in the kitchen and make some awesome lattes at home. You can make them your way. Experiment with the coffee to milk ratio that works best for you. This Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way means 1/2 fat, no whip and SAVES MONEY!

What is your favourite latte? Be sure to follow me on social media so you don’t miss out on more great recipes!


 Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way long pin image.

Overhead shot of 2 pumpkin lattes ready to drink.

Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way (1/2 fat, no whip, SAVE MONEY)

Course: Coffee Drink
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: Fall Latte
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 108 kcal
Author: Homemade & Yummy

Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way uses REAL pumpkin (not artificial syrup), and homemade pumpkin spice.

Print

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp canned pumpkin
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
  • 2 cups strong coffee
  • 1 cup milk ( I used 1%) (your choice, dairy or non-dairy, non fat to full fat)
  • cinnamon sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place pumpkin in a small glass bowl. 

  2. Add the pumpkin spice mix and agave. Mix well.

  3. Warm slightly in microwave to remove the chill (this way it won't cool your coffee down too much).

  4. Make your strong coffee. This is where you can experiment with your coffee to milk ratio. We prefer 2:1 (2 parts coffee 1 part milk)

  5. Heat the milk (either on the stove in a pot, or in the microwave).

  6. Using a hand frother, froth the milk.

  7. Put the coffee in a mug and add the pumpkin mixture. Stir well.

  8. Add the heated milk and stir.

  9. Top with the foam.

  10. Add the cinnamon sugar topping.

  11. ENJOY!!

Recipe Notes

Feel free to experiment with the coffee:milk ratio. Use any milk you choose. Sometimes the non-dairy does not froth as nicely.

You can also use honey or sugar to sweeten. 

Leftover pumpkin can be frozen for later use. Just put it in small plastic bags and thaw when needed.

Nutrition Facts
Real Pumpkin Latte Made Our Way (1/2 fat, no whip, SAVE MONEY)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 108 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 58mg 2%
Potassium 324mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Sugars 17g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 51.3%
Vitamin C 0.8%
Calcium 15.3%
Iron 2.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. This sounds so good and I have to admit…I’ve never thought about making my own latte because I thought you DID have to have a fancy machine!! My husband loves lattes so I’m going to have to make this for him!! Looks so delish!

    Reply

  4. Funny story! I used to be a barista in my university years and also was getting confused with that long specific orders… Great idea of using real pumpkin in your lattes, that’s they way to go!

    Reply

  6. I’m like you – I love coffee without all the bells and whistles. But, this pumpkin spice latte looks great! Love all the flavors here. And those milk frothers are pretty awesome.

    Reply

  7. Wow, this is such an interesting idea! My husband and I love pumpkin, but I’ve never even thought of combining it with coffee and milk. One to try this weekend.

    Reply

  8. I love an easy DIY coffee you can make at home! My daughter who lives in Hanoi introduced me to Vietnamese egg coffee and it sounds strange but it is frothy delight! The recipe is on my site. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

    Reply

  17. I just remembered!! Once we get back home I can make this — I have a milk frother. I totally forgot about it. Our kids got us an espresso machine that we could make a latte out of it. Well, it gave up but I bought a frother because I missed the latte. Ha!! I’ve already pinned your recipe so I can’t wait to make it. I love a pick-me-up in the afternoon. Psst!! Don’t tell anyone but that is against the Italian rules — no lattes in the pm. Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply

    • HAHAH….when it comes to rules and food…in my opinion there are NONE!! Do/eat what makes you happy. As for the espresso machine…maybe one day. However, that does not stop me from enjoying delicious lattes at home ALL the time.

  21. We drink so much coffee, we have to make our own at home or we’d go broke! LOL I even have a small capuccino machine in my office. (not a Keurig either.) Love this recipe! Guess what I’m making tomorrow!

    Reply

    • YES totally love it too…and so economical…however a nice espresso machine would work too.

  23. Ahh, the complicated drink orderer, I might be that person, haha. This latte sounds delicious! I am actually going to pull myself out of bed and try it out this morning.

    Reply

  25. I love this idea of using fresh pumpkin puree to make the pumpkin latte. I love the handheld frother over the fancy machines and I use them very often as well. I was always thinking that the pumpkin puree might be too lumpy. Thanks to you, now I know that they won’t be.

    Reply

  28. I am wondering how this would taste as I have never mixed pumpkin puree with milk! I must make this to find out :).And I really liked your captions – no fancy equipment needed and the ‘save money’ thing! I love foam in coffee and I think I should get this frother.

    Reply

    • It tastes AMAZING….not “lumpy” at all. YES….saves LOTS of money…and we have been using this frother for YEARS…it really works great. Hope you give this drink a try,

  38. Oh that looks incredible! I am no coffee drinker but I love pumpkin spice . I might just make one to try this version. My husband will love this. Definitely going to make him one

    Reply

  43. They have a language unto themselves! I go in there and I refuse to order in their lingo — I’ll say medium, small, large. Really they sound so affected. You know, La Di Dah Type. Now your recipe sounds great. I don’t usually order fancy drinks at Starbucks — we just order plain coffee. Now, this recipe I know I’ll make. It sounds just what I need.

    Reply

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