Much to the delight of its development team, Starbucks’ beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL, has created a fan base of its own, moving into first place over all the company’s seasonal drink offerings during the past eleven years.
Should you frequent a siren-signed shop during the holiday season, the PSL is sure to delight, with its clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg spices in the sweet mix. But, how do you enjoy this cup of goodness at home?
A Google search of PLS provides more than 3,000,000 search results, thereby proving its popularity. Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe brings in another 400,000.
For those who have the patience and kitchen prowess, instructables.com claims to have a Starbucks copycat pumpkin spice latte recipe. However, even though this is a DIY project, this sugary cooked pumpkin concoction will likely add nearly 400 calories to your day. At least in that sense it’s similar to the original.
If you’re looking to save both cash and calories, Today.com offers a healthier suggestion boasting the same name. Though, with no pumpkin in the latte, perhaps it ought to be a Spice Latte. A simple spice latte.
As for a quick and easy Coffee Lounge take on the PSL…
Ingredients:
1 Cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Shots espresso
Whipped Cream
Ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, combine a few tablespoons of the milk, along with the sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla over low heat. Simmer for four minutes.
- Pour pumpkin mixture through a fine filter to remove pulp.
- Froth/steam the remainder of the milk.
- Pull desired number of shots of espresso.
- Pour pumpkin mixture into mug. Stir in shots of espresso, and then add the milk. Carefully top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
If your DIY PSL doesn’t tickle your fancy as much as you’d expect it to, feel free to experiment by tweaking the amount of spices or sugar added. This is your latte, after all.
To enjoy holiday indulgences with little-to-no effort, check out Nestlé’s Coffee-mate options:
- Cinnamon Cream
- Caramel & Coconut
- Butter Toffee
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
…and then some…many of which are also available in reduced fat/sugar, powder, or liquid versions. Perhaps, in a pinch, one of those pumpkin options would fit the bill for your pumpkin spice coffee craving.
So, choose from the overabundance of recipes available, willingly donning an apron and actually trying to make it yourself. For yourself, by yourself.
At the end of the day, even if you jack up your rendition, you still have the Starbucks PSL option in the US or close to fifty other countries. If you spend the time and money trying to duplicate this gift from the gods, and totally bomb it, you certainly owe yourself the treat of the real McCoy: the one and only original Pumpkin Spice Latte.
