This Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Contains Actual Pumpkin

September has just begun, and the annual pumpkin spice-everything craze has already started. You can find just about any product imaginable in pumpkin spice flavor. Starbucks, which started it all with its hot or iced Pumpkin Spice Latte, is no longer the only coffee chain carrying the fall flavor. Dunkin' and McDonald's have hopped on the bandwagon as well.

Personally, I've been unfazed by the PSL madness. I tried a pumpkin spice granola this time last year, and it was pretty good, but I wasn't inspired to go out and fill my fridge and pantry with pumpkin spice-flavored cereals, cookies, coffee creamers, Oreos, waffles, candy, or peanut butter. Besides, piping hot foamy lattes aren't exactly appealing in 90-degree Florida weather.

But when I was bored one afternoon and noticed I had canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice in my pantry, I decided to see what the hype was about. With some inspiration from The Colorful Kitchen's healthy vegan pumpkin spice latte recipe, I created my own, Florida-friendly (iced) version of the ridiculously popular drink. This iced pumpkin spice latte recipe even includes real pumpkin puree, so you can actually say you're getting in your Vitamin A.

Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:25 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2-3 tablespoons honey or agave or maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup cold brew coffee
• 1 cup milk choice
• 3-4 ice cubes

• Step 1

  In a small saucepan, whisk together pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, honey or syrup, and water.

  

• Step 2

  Let the syrup mixture simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

  

• Step 3

  Let syrup cool. Chill in the fridge to speed up the process.

• Step 4

  Once it is cool, pour the syrup mixture into a tall glass.

  

• Step 5

  Pour the cold brew coffee into the glass. You can also use chilled coffee from a coffee maker.

  

• Step 6

  Pour the milk in and stir.

  

• Step 7

  Add ice cubes. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

You can make this iced pumpkin spice latte recipe completely vegan by using plant-based milk, agave, maple, or simple syrup instead of honey, and coconut whipped cream.  If you don't want to brew your own coffee, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, and Califia Farms all have wonderful bottled cold brew coffee.

Now you can say you've had a real pumpkin spice latte. If you're hooked on PSL's, be sure to make extra batches of the syrup to save yourself some major cash this season. To use up the leftover pumpkin, try making these pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies, pumpkin protein pancakes, or these no-bake pumpkin cheesecake truffles.