Having been subjected to Winter-like conditions for most of August we’re getting ready to say goodbye to summer. It’s time to think about Halloween, chunky scarves, boots and a glass of red wine by the fire. And of course, Autumn means the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. For the uninitiated, this seasonal drink is available from Starbucks from around early September. Forget leaves changing colour, the real sign we’re truly at the end of summer is the long-awaited arrival of Starbucks’ cult Pumpkin Spice Latte.
From a marketing perspective, the downside of Autumn, is getting your harvest-themed product to really stand out. The sea of orange has not only flooded every coffee brand on the planet — it’s also infiltrated chewing gum, yoghurt, marshmallows and vodka, and pretty much everything meta. Nothing’s left to spice, so companies trying to beat their competition have only one tactic left — get their thing to market first.
Coffee drinkers have purchased over 200 million of the handcrafted beverages since the coffeehouse giant introduced Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. But if you’re buying them daily, it can add up to a lot of money for coffee infused with what is essentially nutmeg-scented, high fructose corn syrup. But don’t worry, there is a solution: make them at home! The directions below are for one latte, you likely have most of the ingredients at home already.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp strong ground coffee
- 80ml water
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp honey
- 80ml of any milk
Method
- Brew the coffee with the water in a regular coffee maker.
- While the coffee brews, stir the pumpkin pie spice into the honey until completely blended.
- Pour the cold milk into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Using a whisk, quickly whisk the milk in the bowl for about 2 minutes. If milk is not frothy after 2 minutes, continue whisking an additional minute. The milk should be very frothy at this point.
- Microwave the milk in the bowl on high for 8-10 seconds. It should puff into a high foam immediately.
- To serve the latte, pour the hot coffee into a mug and stir in the honey spice mixture until completely dissolved.
- Top with the hot milk, spooning the thick foam on top. Add a dash of additional pumpkin pie spice or some ground cinnamon on top.
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It’s probably very nice, but I can’t bring myself to try it!