You’ll love this homemade pumpkin chai latte if you enjoy pumpkin spice lattes. When you’re craving a warm pumpkin drink at home, this chai latte recipe will satisfy your cravings! It’s simply a better homemade option than coffee-based pumpkin spice lattes. Why? It’s easy to brew tea at home, but it’s difficult to make good espresso. Plus, you can sip this pumpkin latte any time of day. Wake up with regular caffeinated chai tea bags in the morning or relax with decaffeinated rooibos chai in the evening.
The idea for this recipe came to me the other day while I daydreamed about pumpkin muffins and warm chai lattes. “Pumpkin chai lattes!” I exclaimed. “Why haven’t I had one of those?! Do those even exist?!” Then, as food bloggers do in this scenario, I consulted Google. Nope, once again, I’m not the first person to come up with a brilliant concept. If you want a pumpkin chai latte right now, you can order one at the Starbucks nearest you. Regardless, I set out to create my own ideal pumpkin chai latte, and I like this one better than Starbucks’ version. I wanted a creamy, maple-sweetened latte made with real pumpkin and plenty of warming spices. I wanted it without a bazillion calories—not because I am a calorie counter, but because I don’t like to drink my calories.
I kept tinkering with the proportions of the ingredients and finally nailed it on the fourth attempt. I brewed some strong chai tea and added extra pumpkin spice because the chai lattes at coffee shops are rarely spicy enough for me. I used plain, unsweetened almond milk as the base, but you can use any unsweetened milk you like. Then, I added real maple syrup for its delicious caramel-like flavor. Pumpkin purée contributes some creaminess, but the blended latte still wasn’t as rich and creamy as I wanted it to be. That’s when I thought of adding some arrowroot starch, which is similar to cornstarch (either works in this recipe). I’ve used arrowroot to improve the texture of coconut milk-based ice creams. Arrowroot powder was just the ticket—I enjoyed a super rich and creamy pumpkin chai latte without feeling like I’d consumed a milkshake afterward. The whole drink clocks in at only 90 calories, with nearly half the sugar content of a standard tall pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. Success!
Pumpkin Chai Latte Notes & Tips
This recipe is designed for unsweetened milk, like almond milk or cashew milk. If you’re using cow’s milk or sweetened almond milk, you might prefer less maple syrup. If you’re using whole milk, your drink might be plenty creamy without starch. It’s easy to add more sweetness if you’d like. Whisk in more maple syrup by the teaspoon until you’re satisfied. Spices and tea bags vary in potency. It’s important to squeeze the water from your tea bag to extract all the flavor. If you taste your latte and it’s not spicy enough, whisk in another 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice or ground cinnamon. Any quality chai tea bag will do. I like to use Numi or Yogi brand teas when I make this drink. Toppings are optional. For a creamy, rich topping, add whipped cream. For more spice, add a cinnamon stick or star of anise.
Extra pumpkin puree?
Each drink requires just a couple of tablespoons of pumpkin, so you will have extra. For future use, you can freeze leftover puree in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out of it. Or, go ahead and make one of these yummy pumpkin treats with the leftovers:
Healthy Pumpkin Bread Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Pumpkin Pancakes Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Craving more warming drinks?
Try one of these:
Best Irish Coffee Classic Hot Toddy Creamy Golden Milk Favorite Hot Chocolate Fresh Ginger Tea
Please let me know how your latte turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
**Coconut whipped cream: You’ll need 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk (chilled a minimum of 10 hours and put a glass mixing bowl in the fridge while you’re at it), plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon. To make it, pull out the chilled can of coconut milk and mixing bowl. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the solid coconut cream into the chilled bowl (you can use the remaining coconut water in smoothies). Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract and cinnamon and gently blend again to combine. Use the coconut cream immediately or cover it and store it in the fridge for later (it will be soft at room temperature and firmer when cold).
