A Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte: Look no Further

What better way to celebrate fall and Thanksgiving season than pumpkin-spice-everything?!  

Though Starbucks (and now other copy-cats like McDonald's, apparently) have their seasonal menus that bring in millions of dollars every year around the holidays, the ingredients they use are terribly processed and nowhere near healthy (or Paleo!).  

Here's a guilt-free version of one of Starbucks' most famous creations - one that I have enjoyed almost every morning since creating the recipe - to kick-start your day with some calcium and just a touch of caffeine!

And PS - find the peeeeerfect coffee mug to hold this bad boy, no matter where you are.

best-healthy-pumpkin-spice-latte

Caffeine-free Pumpkin Spice Latte

Prep time: 2 minutes   Cook time: 8 minutes    Total time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 cup/serving

Directions

Ingredients

1.  Whisk together milk, pumpkin purée, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice with a fork.  Pour into a small pot and heat on medium-high heat, whisking every few minutes.

2.  Continue whisking milk mixture until bubbly and frothy.  Do not bring it to a boil; rather, it will appear to be a slow simmer because of the froth.

3.  When milk has reached desired temperature and seems to be well-mixed and bubbled, pour brewed coffee into your mug first.  Then pour the milk mixture on top of the brewed coffee, making sure to scrape excess bubbles from the pot on top of the drink (this is what makes it "officially" a latte).

1 cup almond milk (or other milk of choice)

3 Tbsp organic pumpkin purée

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup brewed coffee, or however many espresso shots you want

 

Optional

4.  Make coconut whipped cream

5.  Spoon coconut whipped cream into a piping bag and spread on top of the latte.

6.  Sprinkle with extra pumpkin pie spice and add a cinnamon stick, for garnish.

Optional

1/3 cup coconut whipped cream

Additional pumpkin pie spice

Cinnamon stick