Pumpkin spice latte is one of my favorite drinks during fall/winter. I used to get one everyday from Starbucks during the cold months, but I haven’t done that for many years now. Still, every time I pass by Starbucks, I miss my old friend so I made it myself! It’s rich, creamy, and delicious with the warming pumpkin spice. Heat it up to 115℉ and it’s nice and warm yet still raw. If you top it with some coconut whipped cream, it is a legit pumpkin spice latte! For research, I even had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks after all these years, to refresh my memory to make this recipe. And guess what? I truly like mine way better! A must try for a pumpkin spice latte lover!
Now let’s whip up some pumpkin spice latte! We start by making carrot almond milk. Carrots? Yes, carrots. Carrots make a great substitute for raw pumpkin. Raw pumpkin flavor can sometimes be unpleasant, and carrots’ sweetness and earthiness resemble pumpkin’s sweetness. So instead of using raw pie pumpkin for this recipe, carrots work better and gives the perfect pumpkin-like flavor and color.
To make the carrot almond milk, first soak the almonds for 8 hours, then rinse well and drain. Add the almonds, fresh water and chopped carrots into the blender and blend until smooth.
Place a nut milk bag over a bowl and pour the carrot almond milk into the bag. Ring the milk out and you’re left with a beautiful golden yellow carrot almond milk!
Now that the carrot almond milk is ready, it’s time to talk about coffee. You can use cold brewed coffee or a coffee substitute. I limit my caffeine intake, so I like using the coffee substitute. However, keep in mind that most the coffee substitutes are not raw. The ones in the picture below are my favorites!
My lovely friend Elain gifted me Jnantik Mayan Coffee Alternative recently. It’s made from Mayan superfood, Maya nuts, and is high in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, potassium, fiber, etc. It has a dark roasted robust coffee like flavor. When you make it, you need to strain out the seeds before serving. However, the seeds are nutritious so I like to liquify them with the “turbo” mode in the Vitamix. You can purchase it here if you are interested.
http://www.jnantik.com/store/p2/JNANTIK_Mayan_Coffee_Alternative_8oz.html
Dandy Blend is a blend of roasted barley, rye, chicory root, and dandelion root. It’s smooth with a coffee like flavor without the bitterness or acidity. You can get it on Amazon or at some health food stores.
Back to pumpkin spice latte making! Add in the carrot almond milk, cold brewed coffee or coffee substitute, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup into the blender and blend!
If you are using a high speed blender like Vitamix or Blendtec, keep blending on the highest setting for about 3-4 minutes until the temperature reaches 115℉. If you have a laser thermometer, it’s very handy for warming up drinks and soups, as you can keep running the blender while you check the temperature through the opening in the lid. If you are using a regular cooking thermometer, be sure to turn off the blender every time to measure the temperature.
Here’s the Amazon link of the laser thermometer, in case you are interested.
If you don’t own a high speed blender, you can use the stove to warm it up to 115℉. Transfer the pumpkin spice mixture into a sauce pan or pot. Heat it over the lowest flame until the temperature reaches about 110℉ (the temperature will keep rising even after you remove from heat) , while stirring constantly. Remove the pot from flame once it reaches 110℉.
Pour the pumpkin spice beverage into a cup. If you don’t have the coconut whipped cream on hand, dust some pumpkin spice and enjoy as a warm pumpkin spice drink. It’s super yummy as is!
But if you do have some coconut whipped cream on hand, top it off and finish it off with a dusting of pumpkin spice. Tada! A warm delicious pumpkin spice latte! Happy sipping!
- 1 cup almonds
- 1½ cups chopped carrots
- 3 cups water
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ginger powder
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- A pinch of cardamom
- 3 cups carrot almond milk
- ¼ cup - ½ cup cold brewed coffee (adjust to taste)
- *If using coffee substitute in place of cold brewed coffee, use the amount recommended for 3 cups of liquid
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons - 2 Tablespoons pumpkin spice mix (adjust to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons non-alcohol vanilla extract
- 3-4 Tablespoons maple syrup
- some coconut whipped cream and a dusting of pumpkin spice mix
- Soak the almonds for 8 hours, then rinse well and drain.
- Add the almonds, water and chopped carrots into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Place a nut milk bag over a bowl and pour the carrot almond milk into the bag. Ring the milk out.
- Add in the carrot almond milk, cold brewed coffee or coffee substitute, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup into the blender and blend.
- If you are using a high speed blender like Vitamix or Blendtec, keep blending on the highest setting for about 3-4 minutes until the temperature reaches 115℉. If you are using a regular cooking thermometer, be sure to turn off the blender every time to measure the temperature.
- If you are not using a high speed blender like Vitamix or Blendtec, transfer the pumpkin spice mixture into a sauce pan or pot. Heat it over the lowest flame until the temperature reaches about 110℉ (the temperature will keep rising even after you remove from heat) , while stirring constantly. Remove the pot from flame once it reaches 110℉.
- Pour the pumpkin spice beverage into a cup. If you don't have some coconut whipped cream on hand, finish it off with a dusting of pumpkin spice. If you have coconut whipped cream, top it off and finish it off with a dusting of pumpkin spice.
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