Autumn Sipping: Make Your Own Personalized Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin spice lattes may be the quintessential fall drink, but they can also be expensive and chock full of sugar and other additives that detract from the heart-warming experience this beverage should provide. And for those allergic to dairy, the milky concoction is something they can only dream about.

Thankfully, with a bit of clever substitution and elimination, you can create a healthy version that is not only creamy and scrumptious but suitable for any dietary needs or desires.

A pumpkin spice latte requires four ingredients: a good base (espresso), flavored syrup, foamy milk, and spices for decorating. With that list as a starting point, you can let your imagination tweak and fiddle until you create the version that suits you best.

Make Your Own Personalized Pumpkin Spice Latte

The Base:

Start with good, strong espresso. You don't need a fancy machine to make it, just use a French press or even a pot on the stove for a delicious brew. If you want extra spicy flavor, add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the espresso grounds before brewing to let the flavor infuse.

If you don't want to use coffee, brew a strong black tea instead for a fall version of an English Fog. Or skip the base altogether and make it with milk only for a deliciously comforting steamer. Plum Deluxe's own Deluxe Pumpkin Spice tea makes for a great base.

The Syrup:

Make your own flavored syrup. Instead of a sugary simple syrup, simply add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices to pure Grade B maple syrup or maple dust. Warm it on the stove to allow the flavors to mingle, then bottle and use as needed. While maple syrup is still sugar, it has lower sugar content than sugar. By replacing refined sugar in the syrup with an identical amount of maple syrup, you will cut the total sugar content by a third. Grade B maple syrup is also high in manganese and zinc with trace amounts of iron, potassium, and calcium. Although still a sweetener, it is definitely a healthier option than sugar.

The Milk:

While cow's milk is the traditional choice for a latte, you can easily substitute with goat's milk, rice milk, or a nut milk such as almond or hazelnut. Whichever you choose, just be sure to warm it up and foam it up before adding it to your latte. If you don't have a milk frother, use a whisk or electric mixer to foam your milk before serving.

The Decoration:

The traditional pumpkin spice latte is dusted with one or more of the spices included in the spiced syrup. Try cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, or allspice, or break with tradition and top it with cardamom.

Putting It All Together:

Fill a mug or glass half full with coffee or tea. Stir in pumpkin spice syrup to your sweetness preference (1-3 tablespoons is the suggested amount). Pour in foamy milk, using knife to hold back foam until the end. Dust with spices. Serve immediately.