Cozy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte (Healthy!)

Nothing screams fall like a cozy homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte!  This one is better than Starbucks, and there’s absolutely no dairy required! Use espresso, strong coffee, or keep it caffeine free for kids.

Who doesn’t LOVE a Pumpkin Spice Latte (also known as a #PSL)?

I love them so much!  But I don’t love the price tag or the amount of sugar that comes along with them, so I’ve reduced both without sacrificing any flavor. Honestly, this recipe is even better than Starbucks’ version (IMO!).  I can’t wait for you to try this yummy, cozy, fall treat!

Ingredients In A Pumpkin Spice Latte

I use my homemade almond milk as the base and then flavor it up with some pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and just a kiss of maple syrup. I used pumpkin puree from a can, but if you have time, you can make it yourself.

All real, wholesome ingredients without any of the additives or refined sugars. Take it from me, this creamy, homemade pumpkin spice latte is worth the 10 minutes it takes to make. So perfect for a cool and crisp fall morning or afternoon, and dare I say,  you may never want the coffee shop version again!

How To Make A Pumpkin Spice Latte

Start this super easy recipe by combining almond milk, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

 Whisk everything together and as soon as the milk begins to simmer, shut off the heat and transfer the milk mixture to a blender. Add a cup of strong brewed coffee or a shot or two of espresso to the blender and blend for 10 seconds or until light and frothy. Pour into your favorite mug. Top with fresh nutmeg and enjoy!

You can also add the coffee right to the pot and skip the blender, but the blender does add a wonderful bit of extra froth to the top.

I hope you LOVE this super simple, seriously delicious, fall-spiced treat as much as I do!!

Don’t miss the video in the recipe card, where I explain how to make these delicious pumpkin pie spice lattes in much greater detail. In the video, I also touch on sugar and some tips on how to reduce cravings for sugar.

Curbing Sugar Cravings

I think this is a really important topic and you should definitely watch the video to hear my point of view. But in the meantime, I wanted to share my tips for curbing sugar cravings, because I know this is a topic that a lot of us can struggle with and these are some of the things that have really helped me personally.

My Top 5 Tips for Curbing Sugar Cravings:

1. Ditch the fake stuff.  Artificial sweeteners can be 300x (if not more) sweetener than real sugar.  And while they may be calorie free, they really can mess with your palette.  They basically bombard our tastebuds with such an over the top sweetness, it can be very difficult to then appreciate the subtle, real flavors and sweetness in real, whole food.  In the long run they have you wanting more and more sugar, and that my friends is counter productive.  (Notice I didn’t even begin to touch on the fact they are full of chemicals and correlated with all types of crazy diseases).
2. Rest.  Here’s the deal.  Our bodies are crazy smart.  Like crazy-crazy.  When the body is tired it looks for energy (it is trying to do us a favor) and it knows the the quickest way for energy to get into the body is via sugar.  Ever notice that when you are tired you crave processed carbs and/or sweets?  This is why.  The next time you feel like you need to rest, do yourself a favor and rest.
3. Add more sweet food.  This one is especially true for my dieters and low carb peeps.  When we have a diet very low in carbohydrates and sugar we tend to want sweets.  By simply adding some nutritious sweet foods to your day you can cut that craving way back.  Some great examples are sweet potatoes, squash, brown rice, oats, and carrots.
4. Protein. Ok. Are you ready for this one? Both eating too little and too much protein are linked with sugar cravings (how annoying is that?!).  So the key is to really become your own detective.  If you find yourself craving sugar, just take note of how much protein you have been eating.  If it seems high, try cutting back.  However, if it seems low, experiment with adding some more in.  I’m telling you, being interested in ourselves is one of the best ways to figure out what our bodies need.
5. Add non-food sweetness.  Often times we reach for sweets because we are looking for a little sweetness in the day.  C’mon, fess up!  How many of my moms out there love a little chocolate after the kids go to sleep?  It’s an easy way to add a sweet moment to the day.  But if you are fining that the food-sugar in your life is just too high, ask yourself, “how else can I bring sweetness to my day/life?”.  It can be a simple as a phone call with a dear friend, a walk, a girls night out, a great book, etc.  The options are endless, but the key component is that you remember to keep yourself on the top of your own list.

All of that and a pumpkin spice latte!

Be sure and check out the video below, and give the pumpkin spice latte a try, and then come back and let me know what you think! I love to hear your thoughts and comments, so I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you.

More Pumpkin Recipes To Enjoy:

• Pumpkin Muffins
• Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

I’d love to know if you make this (or any) recipe! Tag @clean_and_delicious on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy, delicious recipes straight to your inbox.