Pumpkin Spice Latte {Starbucks Copycat}

The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is a popular fall coffee drink made with espresso, steamed milk, and pumpkin spice sauce. This copycat version is easy to make at home and tastes just like the one from the coffee shop!

Jump to:

• 🧡 Why this recipe works
• 🗒 Ingredients
• ☕️ Recipe tips
• 🥛 How to froth milk without a frother
• 🎉 Variations on recipe
• 🙋‍♀️ FAQ
• 🎃 More Starbucks pumpkin drinks
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Can you believe that after about 10 years of developing Starbucks copycat drinks, I had never made a Pumpkin Spice Latte? The most famous fall drink there is!

When I shared my Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, I said I was going to start going back to develop recipes for the classics I've never done. And I asked if the Pumpkin Spice Latte should be next. Well, here it is!

This latte uses the same pumpkin spice sauce as my Frappuccino and my Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte. So if you already have a jar of it in your fridge, you're only a few minutes away from a PSL.

🧡 Why this recipe works

It tastes just like the Starbucks version: the coffee shop makes theirs with espresso, steamed milk, a condensed milk-based pumpkin sauce, whipped cream, and pumpkin pie spices on top. So that's exactly how I make mine.

You don't need an espresso machine or a milk frother: strongly brewed coffee works in place of espresso and I'll show you how to steam and froth your milk in a mason jar. This homemade PSL couldn't be easier!

The pumpkin spice sauce is made with real pumpkin puree: it only takes about 5 minutes on the stovetop and tastes so much better than a pumpkin-flavored syrup. You can also purchase a bottle of sauce if you prefer.

You can make the drink as sweet as you want: I try to get it as close to the coffee shop standard recipe as possible, but it's easy to add more or less pumpkin spice sauce to suit your tastes.

🗒 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte that tastes just like Starbucks (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Brewed espresso or strong coffee
• Pumpkin spice sauce: store-bought or with the homemade recipe I share in this post
• 2% milk: you can use the dairy or non-dairy alternative of your choice, but Starbucks uses 2% milk in their lattes
• Whipped cream: for topping
• Pumpkin pie spice: for topping

If you're making your own pumpkin spice sauce, you'll need:

• Fat-free sweetened condensed milk: you can use regular if you can't find fat-free
• Pumpkin puree: make sure it's 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling
• Light brown sugar
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Salt
• Vanilla extract

☕️ Recipe tips

• If you're making your own pumpkin spice sauce, I like to use fat-free sweetened condensed milk to make it as close to Starbucks' recipe as possible. But I've also made it with regular sweetened condensed milk and that works just fine, too.

• Keep the heat at medium-low and heat the sauce for just about 5 minutes, until it's just starting to bubble. Be sure to stir in the vanilla after you take it off the heat.

• The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. I like to keep mine in a large mason jar in the fridge.

• Be sure to stir the pumpkin spice sauce into the espresso while it's still hot and before you add the milk. The sauce is thick and the heat helps it blend in smoothly.

• Starbucks uses 4 pumps of pumpkin sauce in a grande latte. I use 3 Tbsps in mine, but if you love a sweeter drink, feel free to add more (or less, of course!).

• If you're steaming your milk on the stovetop or in the microwave, you'll want it to be about 140-150 degrees F, which is hot, but not boiling.

• If you have an electric frother, I recommend steaming 1 cup of the milk and using the frother for the remaining ¼ cup. If you don't have one, see my mason jar method below.
  
• Pour the steamed milk into the espresso first and then spoon the frothed milk on top.

• Be sure to finish the latte with whipped cream and a generous sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin pie spice is the first thing your senses will pick up on and makes the drink absolutely heavenly.

This Pumpkin Spice Latte is so creamy and warming with lots of real pumpkin flavor and just the right amount of autumn spice. The whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice on top make it feel just like a coffee shop drink and like an extra special fall treat.

I can't believe it took me this long to make my own version! I already keep a jar of pumpkin spice sauce in my fridge all season long and now I'll be adding the PSL to my afternoon coffee rotation.

🥛 How to froth milk without a frother

I love my little electric frother and use it all the time. But if you don't have one, you can still get that milk froth for topping lattes with!

All you really need is a large mason jar and a microwave.

1. Pour all 1 ¼ cups of milk into a large mason jar or heat-proof container with a lid. The jar should only be about half full so the milk has room to froth.
2. Put the lid on the jar and shake as hard as you can for about 30 seconds, until the milk is frothy.
3. Remove the lid and microwave the jar for 45 seconds.

Pour the steamed milk right into your espresso and spoon the froth on top.

You can also froth the milk with a handheld frother or a whisk, but the mason jar is a lot easier on your arm!

🎉 Variations on recipe

One of the best things about making your own lattes at home is that you can make them exactly how you like them.

Here are some fun ideas:

• Make it an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte by stirring the sauce into the hot espresso and then pouring it over ice with cold milk. You can skip the steaming/frothing step here.
• Swap the 2% milk for the dairy or non-dairy alternative you like best. Oat milk, soy milk, and coconut milk all froth up well.
• Add an extra shot of espresso if you want a stronger coffee flavor.
• Use blonde espresso for a lighter, smoother latte.
• Use decaf espresso or coffee if you're making this as an afternoon or evening treat.
• Skip the coffee completely and add a little extra steamed milk for a pumpkin spice steamer. Or use hot cocoa as an espresso stand-in.
• Stir a pinch of pumpkin pie spice into the espresso along with the sauce if you want more spice.
• Add a little vanilla syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup, or caramel syrup for extra flavor and sweetness.
• Drizzle caramel sauce over the whipped cream.
• Sprinkle crushed gingersnaps or graham crackers over the whipped cream.
• Skip the whipped cream and top the frothed milk with pumpkin pie spice for a lighter latte.

🙋‍♀️ FAQ

🎃 More Starbucks pumpkin drinks

If pumpkin season is your favorite season at Starbucks, you're in luck because I have lots of copycat pumpkin drinks ready for you to make at home!

Here are some of my faves:

I also have tons of apple drinks and all kinds of other Starbucks copycats on my website.

I hope this Pumpkin Spice Latte helps get you in the fall spirit! It's creamy, packed with pumpkin spice flavor, and so easy to make once you have a jar of homemade sauce in the fridge or a bottle of store-bought in the pantry.

If you want to go all in on pumpkin, enjoy your latte with a piece of baked pumpkin oatmeal or a pumpkin muffin.

That's one more Starbucks classic checked off my list. Now I just have to decide which one to make next…

📖 Recipe