Waiting for crisp, cool weather to usher in all the fall feels has never been something I’ve had the patience for… Charlotte, NC -> Washington, DC, folks! We literally hit record temperatures in October last week – oh hey, 97 degrees! Anyways, it’s felt like fall for a while to me because 1) all the fall smells and décor (s/o to Trader Joe’s for pumpkin + honey crip apple candles for $4!) and 2) pumpkin spice everything. Let’s be real, is it even fall without a Starbucks’ PSL?
Not going to lie, taste-wise the SBux PSL cannot be beat. But health-wise, it surely can. Because I cannot resist all the sugary pumpkin drinks, I went on a hunt to make my own organic, dairy + refined sugar free version of drinkable fall. Here’s what tasted the best to me:
Clean, Pumpkin Maple Latte
1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin puree (you can scout out the pie pumpkins yourself…or if you are like me, go for the Trader Joe’s organic canned pumpkin)
2 Tbsp organic, pure maple syrup
1/2 Tsp organic, pumpkin pie spice
1 shot of espresso (I have a Nespresso and use their Voltesso pods…I also have decaf, because pumpkin spice all night, amiright?)
1 cup oat milk (or to your milk frother’s fill line). You can use almond or another non-dairy, milk alternative. I prefer oat for the flavor and nice, frothing texture (is that a thing?)
Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg!
Combine the pumpkin, 1 Tbsp of maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice together in a mug. Then add in the espresso and stir vigorously. Most recipes call for more pumpkin pie spice than I use – you should experiment! I had trouble getting mine to blend well – it turned out clumpy when I added more.
While your Nespresso is doing it’s magic, add the other Tbsp of maple syrup to your milk frother and fill with oat milk. Pour the frothed milk into your espresso combination and top with a dash of nutmeg/cinnamon (but be careful not to add too much!)
So that’s what I’ll be drinking until peppermint, mocha season! Let me know if you make any modifications and what you recommend! Happy sipping.
nolkins 