Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte {Starbucks Copycat}

The Starbucks Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte combines rich buttery pecans with creamy oat milk for a deliciously nutty fall coffee. With this easy copycat recipe, you can whip up the hot latte at home all season long!

Jump to:

• 🌰 What is the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte?
• 🗒 Ingredients
• 👩‍🍳 How to make pecan syrup
• 🥣 How to make pecan crunch topping
• ☕️ How to make drink
• 🎉 Variations on recipe
• 🍂 More fall Starbucks drink copycat recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

It's officially pecan season! When exactly is pecan season? Well, the nuts are most associated with fall thanks to their rich and buttery flavor. And the deliciousness of pecan pies during Thanksgiving.

Starbucks is no stranger to drinks involving nutty flavors and they've featured coffees with pistachio, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts in the past. And now they're introducing pecan coffee drinks for fall 2024!

Both the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte and the Iced Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte landed on Starbucks' menus in mid-September 2024 and fans are already hoping they stick around for the long-term.

Whether they become permanent fall menu items or not, with my easy copycat recipes, you can make both the drinks at home!

This post features the hot latte recipe.

🌰 What is the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte?

The hot pecan latte is a pretty simple coffee drink; which means it's also super easy to make at home!

It's a latte made with blonde roast espresso, pecan syrup, steamed oat milk and foam, and a pecan crunch topping.

Starbucks describes it as having "rich brown-buttery notes" and "holiday baking spices." The drink is definitely rich and buttery and despite the fact it has no actual spices in the ingredient list, it does have a special holiday feel to it.

🗒 Ingredients

There are a couple different components to the Pecan Crunch Latte and I will walk you through each of them to make a drink as close to the original as possible.

Here's everything you need to make it (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Brewed blonde-roast espresso: you can use strongly brewed coffee if you prefer.
• Pecan syrup: I share my homemade recipe in this post. If you prefer you can use store-bought, but note that most pecan syrups are "butter pecan," which will change the flavor profile a bit (but still be delicious!). This pure pecan syrup is the closest I can find.
• Oat milk: to keep the drink as close to Starbucks' as possible, use oat milk (I recommend barista style or extra creamy). However, you can use any dairy or non-dairy alternative you want.
• Pecan crunch topping: I'll show you how to make this, too. It's very easy!

Here's what you'll need if you're making your own pecan syrup:

• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Chopped pecans (salted or unsalted): if you prefer, you can substitute with pecan extract.
• Salt: only use if your pecans aren't salted

And for the pecan crunch topping:

• Pecans (salted or unsalted)
• Granulated sugar
• Salt: only use if your pecans aren't salted

👩‍🍳 How to make pecan syrup

Making homemade pecan syrup is super easy and it will keep fresh in your fridge for about a month. Which means you can whip up pecan crunch lattes whenever you feel like it!

To start, you'll want to toast your pecans. In a saucepan over medium heat, add chopped pecans in a single layer to ensure even heating (note: you can toast nuts for pecan crunch topping here, too). Let nuts toast, while you stir or shake saucepan frequently to toast nuts without letting them burn, for about 3-5 minutes, until nuts are darkening and are fragrant.

If you're toasting pecan crunch topping nuts, too, be sure to remove ¼ cup of nuts and set aside to cool before next step.

Put water, sugar, and chopped pecans in a medium saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened a bit.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in salt if you used unsalted pecans.

I recommend letting the syrup rest for about 30 minutes to let the pecan flavor continue to steep into the syrup (if you don't have time to do this, it will still be fine).

Then, strain the mixture into a bowl, leaving the nuts behind.

I highly recommend saving the pecans for snacking or topping ice cream with!

Keep the mixture in the bowl or transfer it into a mason jar and place in fridge to cool completely.

The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. It should stay fresh in your fridge for about a month.

This homemade pecan syrup has so many uses, but, of course, we're using it for the pecan lattes today!

🥣 How to make pecan crunch topping

You'll also want to get your pecan crunch topping ready before making the latte.

While I considered baking the pecans and sugar, I ultimately determined that you can get the right flavor combination and crunch by simply mixing crushed pecans and granulated sugar together.

I do recommend toasting the pecans first for the ultimate flavor. You can do this while you're making your syrup in the saucepan or in your toaster oven or conventional oven.

Then crush the nuts in your food processor, blender, or in a bag with a mallet or rolling pin.

Put them in a bowl.

And mix them together with the sugar. Mix in salt if you're using unsalted pecans.

The pecans will infuse into the sugar more and more as the mixture rests. But you can certainly use it right away.

Keep it stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

☕️ How to make drink

Now that all the components of the drink are ready, we can whip up the latte!

Brew the espresso into a heat-proof glass. Starbucks uses a blonde roast and I think that's the best match with the pecan flavor.

Stir in the pecan syrup.

And add the steamed milk and milk froth.

You can either steam 1 cup of milk on the stovetop or in the microwave and froth ¼ cup milk in an electric frother or with a handheld frother/whisk... Or you can steam and froth all the milk together in a mason jar or heat-proof container. Whichever is easiest for you.

It's a delicious-looking latte as is.

But even more perfect when you add the pecan crunch topping.

Hello fall. We don't even mind the weather getting cooler when we can cuddle up with a Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte first thing in the morning.

This nutty latte will make you want to get up a little bit early just so you have time to sit and savor it.

With the pecan syrup and topping made ahead of time, it only takes a few minutes to whip up the drink and it's easy to make a couple at a time.

The blonde roast espresso pairs perfectly with the nutty and buttery pecans and will get you in the best fall mood.

🎉 Variations on recipe

As with all my Starbucks copycat recipes, I try to make my recipes as close to what you get in the coffee shop as possible.

But just as you can make modifications when ordering, you can make the drink however you want when doing so at home.

Here are some ideas for variations on the Pecan Crunch Latte:

• If you're not a fan of oat milk, you can make the latte with the dairy or non-dairy alternative of your choice. Almond milk would add even more of a nutty flavor to the drink!

• For more caffeine, consider adding an extra shot of espresso.

• If the drink is too sweet for you, use less syrup. If you love sweetness, you can certainly add more.

• If you want to add more sweetness and dynamic flavors to the drink, try adding a little caramel syrup, brown sugar syrup, vanilla syrup, or cinnamon syrup.

• To add more pecan flavor to the drink without sweetness, add a little pecan extract.

• Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg over the foam for more holiday baking flavors.

• Top the drink with whipped cream for extra indulgence.

• Line the mug with caramel sauce or add a caramel drizzle on top.

• To make the pecan latte an cold coffee, use my copycat recipe for the Iced Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte!

I love how easy it is to make this pecan drink the most perfect fall coffee for you!

Oh, and the Pecan Crunch Latte would be even more delicious if served with these homemade Pecan Cookies.

We'll be enjoying this pecan latte all fall long... And now that we can make it at home, I have a feeling we'll be making it right through the December holidays and into the new year.

What's your favorite nutty drink at Starbucks?

📖 Recipe