Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte – How To Make A Starbucks Recipe at Home
Updated on March 10, 2023
Fall is all about changing leaves, cozy sweaters, cracking fires, and all the good things in life. But absolutely, positively, most importantly, fall is about all things PUMPKIN. Today we are jumping into the season with two feet because we are drinking a homemade Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Please pull up a chair and join me.
Yes. A Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte. Salted caramel + pumpkin spice + coffee = the epic Fall mashup that you can drink with all your sweater and boot clad friends while talking about your most recent apple picking excursions, corn maze adventures, flag football games, and other ridiculously fall-ish things.
And because we are the overachievers of the season, this cup of ultimate Fall happiness is secretly healthy.
Like, not a refined ingredient in sight. No sugar. Nothing artificial. A glass of tall dark and healthy Fall joy.
The secret ingredient to this magical party town is the humble date. This wrinkly brown fruit tastes like nature’s caramel and is responsible for so much Fall joy here. We take the dates and boil them down into a thick caramel-esque sauce. From there we add all things cozy and good like pumpkin, warm spices, and sweet vanilla to make one DIVINE flavor base for this latte.
Once you have this sauce made, you can store it in the fridge and have a Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice latte any time your sweater clad Fall self would like. It is as simple as mixing the pre-made sauce together with milk and coffee. And when that is all that is between you and the cup of your autumn dreams, it is worth it. Every time.
For the worlds best Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte, there two key things you need to know.
Thing #1: The Choice.
Here is the thing about lattes, everyone likes ‘em different. Whole, soy, two precent, breve, coconut, almond… You get the picture. We have more milk options at the coffee stand nowadays than Carter has pills. The beauty of this latte is that you are in control. Choose whatever milk suites your fancy. I am an almond milk kinda gal, but if you prefer two percent, then you go girl.
Thing #2: This season’s spices.
We all have ‘em. Spices tucked into the back corners of our cupboards that are so old and tasteless that you wonder if the dust covering the outside somehow manage to replace the once vibrant spice inside the bottle with a tasteless powder that COULD NOT have possibly been cinnamon. Ever. For this recipe, throw those bad boys away. If your spices are past the 6 month mark, chances are they have lost their flavor. Splurge for fresh spices and you won’t be sorry.
Ingredients for the pumpkin spice latte:
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup strong coffee (see notes)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin caramel sauce (see below)
For the Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Sauce:
- 1 cup pitted dates, lightly packed
- 1 3/4 cups water, divided
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For topping (optional):
- Coconut whipped cream
- Ground cinnamon
- Crushed coffee beans
How to make pumpkin spice latte:
- Add the pitted dates to a saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash with the back of a fork.
- Add the mashed dates, remaining sauce ingredients, and the remaining 1/4 cup water into a food processor.
- Puree until smooth. Transfer to a lidded container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Add the almond milk and 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce into a saucepan. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the coffee.
- Pour into cups and top with coconut whipped cream, cinnamon, and crushed coffee beans if desired. Serve.
Note: To make the strong coffee, add 1/4 cup ground coffee into a French press. Add in 1/2 cup boiling water and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Press the plunger down and pour off the coffee.
Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte - How To Make A Starbucks Recipe at Home
Salted caramel + pumpkin spice + coffee = the epic Fall mashup that you can drink with all your sweater and boot clad friends while talking about your most recent apple picking excursions, corn maze adventures, flag football games, and other ridiculously fall-ish things.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the pumpkin spice latte:
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup strong coffee (see notes)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin caramel sauce (see below)
For the Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Sauce:
- 1 cup pitted dates, lightly packed
- 1 3/4 cups water, divided
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For topping (optional):
- Coconut whipped cream
- Ground cinnamon
- Crushed coffee beans
Instructions
- Add the pitted dates to a saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash with the back of a fork.
- Add the mashed dates, remaining sauce ingredients, and the remaining 1/4 cup water into a food processor.
- Puree until smooth. Transfer to a lidded container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Add the almond milk and 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce into a saucepan. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the coffee.
- Pour into cups and top with coconut whipped cream, cinnamon, and crushed coffee beans if desired. Serve.
Notes
To make the strong coffee, add 1/4 cup ground coffee into a French press. Add in 1/2 cup boiling water and allow to steep for 5 minutes.Press the plunger down and pour off the coffee.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 641Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 1176mgCarbohydrates: 128gFiber: 20gSugar: 90gProtein: 11g