Most of us Portlandians love our coffee and many of those who are not so fond of Starbucks, find their way to the drive-thru around this time of year. Why? Because it's Fall and Fall means that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back!With the ever so yummy blend of pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla and the slightest undertone of nutmeg and clove to balance it out, it's no wonder why so many people love this drink. And let's face it, in Portland, Fall is probably the nicest season we get. Not too hot, not too cold or rainy so when you add a delicious pumpkin flavored coffee drink to the mix, you have your new happy place!
However, the downside to this drink comes with the price. We all know that Starbucks specialty drinks are way over priced not to mention packed with a ton of sugar. I mean, $4 for a 12oz. drink with almost 40 grams of sugar. Yikes!
The wonderful thing about the internet is you can find recipes for just about anything including the Pumpkin Spice Latte. They're out there trust me but for those of you reading this, search no further. I've got a Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe that is easy to make, affordable and may even be better than Starbucks. (And better for you...)
The Make Your Wallet Happy Pumpkin Spice Latte
Makes around 2-3 servings
Time: about 5 mins
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of Canned Pumpkin Puree
2 Cups of Milk (If you want a less fattening version, try Non-Fat milk. If you're lactose intolerant or just trying to avoid milk in general, try Almond milk. Some may not like it but the nutty flavor with everything else can really bring the drink together when done right.)
2 Tablespoons of Sugar in the Raw (Or just plain sugar if you like.) Add more if you want it sweeter
2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice*
1/4 Cup to 1/2 Cup of Espresso or 1/2 Cup to 1 Cup of Strong Regular Coffee (This part all depends on how strong you have the coffee flavor to be. I like to have my drink taste like coffee while others want it to taste like Pumpkin Pie. It's all up to you.) Tip: make the coffee the night before to have on hand so that you don't have to make it in the morning.
Directions:
In a small/medium saucepan, add milk, sugar and puree over a low/medium setting. (be sure not to scald the milk. It will ruin the whole thing.) Whisk together. Add vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and coffee. Whisk again till frothy. Get the milk nice and steamy then serve and enjoy!
* If you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can make your own with spices you likely already have on hand. You can go here to see how or you can do this instead. This is the way I like it.
In place of the pumpkin pie spice, take 2 whole cloves, 1/8 to 1/4 stick of cinnamon (or couple dashes of cinnamon powder), a dash of ground ginger and a dash of nutmeg. Put milk in the pan and put on low heat. Add cloves and let simmer about half a minute. Pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and whisk. Then add coffee and stir. Next add cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Taste and adjust to your preferences. Turn up heat till just right (don't boil or scald the milk. Big no no), pour and top with non fat whipped cream.
