Happy Happy Happy First day of Fall!! Are you as excited as I am? This is by far my favorite season. It doesn’t really make sense for me to love fall, because I grew up in Southern California, and we don’t have the typical weather associated with Fall. It doesn’t actually start to feel chilly until the end of October, and when I say chilly, I’m talking about a high of 60 degrees. Plus, any day could be in the 80s at any time of year. I remember what a let down it would be when Christmas Day would be a hot one!
I have always envied people who live in a place with really distinct seasons. Don’t get me wrong, the weather in California is amazing, but sometimes I wish that I could grab my favorite sweater because I need it, and not because it’s finally cold enough to get away with wearing it!
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is my favorite coffee beverage of the season. Who doesn’t love creamy sweet coffee with pumpkin and all the spices that make up pumpkin pie? It’s like drinking a pumpkin pie. But, you know this don’t you? The Pumpkin Spiced Latte is one of the most popular starbucks drinks of all time!
I always get the first one of the season on my birthday in September. It’s the tipping point into the holiday season!
Since everyone and their mother are posting pumpkin spice lattes (because why wouldn’t you!!?) I thought I would make mine a little bit differently. This recipe is refined sugar free and dairy free. I used rapadura instead of white sugar, and coconut milk instead of regular milk. Rapadura, if you haven’t heard of it, is just cane sugar that hasn’t had the molasses taken out of it. There is much better flavor in whole cane sugar, than there is in plain white. Also, can you use anything creamier or more decadent than coconut milk? I think not. If I was using cow’s milk, I’d add more than 1/4 cup, but coconut milk is much richer than regular milk.
I didn’t make a whipped topping for these, but there are a ton of recipes for whipped coconut cream if you want to go that extra mile. it would be delicious.
Once you make the quick, easy syrup for these lattes, you don’t just have to use it for coffee beverages. Drizzle it on vanilla ice cream, french toast, or anything else that could be improved with the delicious taste of Fall.
I hope that whether you’re soaking up the sun at the beach, or experiencing the first frosts of the season, you can get one of these tasty beverages in your hand to toast the beginning of the best season of all!
- SYRUP:
- ¾ cup filtered water
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup rapadura (whole cane sugar)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- LATTE:
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 6 oz strong brewed coffee
- ⅓ cup pumpkin spice syrup
- SYRUP:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until fully combined. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently. Let cool. Store extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Yields 1¾ cup syrup, enough for 5 or 6 lattes.
- LATTE:
- Heat or froth Coconut milk and pour into desired cup. Mix with pumpkin spiced syrup and pour coffee over it. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Susan says
Hi friend, this sounds great. I was wondering what the ratio is of syrup , coffee and coconut milk.
I want to make this. Thanks
Lindsey Boubel says
Hey! Thanks for checking out the blog.
The ratio for one latte is:
¼ cup coconut milk
6 oz strong brewed coffee
⅓ cup pumpkin spice syrup
Let me know if you try it!
Sandy says
This sounds delish! Do you have any suggestions for cutting the sugar? thanks Lindsey!
Lindsey Boubel says
Thanks, Sandy! You could always Just reduce the sugar and see if you still like the taste. The recipe will work, mechanically, with no sugar at all. It just depends on your taste 🙂
Christine H. says
I echo everything you said about fall in SoCal. But it’s still my favorite season! I love this! When I went off dairy for a few years and went back to being able to have dairy, I never went back to milk. I LOVE the taste of coconut milk. One question: Is Rapadura much different from organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)?
Lindsey Boubel says
Isn’t coconut milk so good??
From my understanding, the organic evaporated cane juice has had the molasses removed from it, while whole cane sugar (rapadura) has not.
Christine H. says
Thanks! I’ll have to go get some of that!