Pumpkin Latte Base for Pumpkin {Chai} Lattes

Updated 11.2.21.

I’m enjoying reminiscing the year 2013 as a recreate a bunch of pumpkin recipes back when I discovered anything pumpkin tastes better when made with real pumpkin puree. Here’s what I said about this recipe back in 2013:

I’m obsessed with pumpkin chai lattes but only the kind made with real pumpkin puree. Sadly, I haven’t found many coffee shops that a) carry pumpkin lattes b) carry pumpkin lattes using homemade puree.

Recently I made some homemade Pumpkin Puree specifically so I could make my own pumpkin chai lattes at home. The recipe for this base is adapted from Foodie with Family’s recipe. I should add that her Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte looks fab.

You can make a slightly more difficult chai tea latte by steeping some chai tea (use a small amount of water when steeping) and adding it to hot milk. I’ve done this in the past but felt like my latte was a bit weak.

I’ve also considered buying a chai tea latte from Starbucks and swirling in some of this pumpkin base. This base would also work well in a coffee pumpkin latte made with espresso instead of chai tea. If you’re really adventurous, I’m betting a chocolate pumpkin latte would be fab, too.

If you know anyone who loves pumpkin lattes, a small jar of this would make a great gift!

I didn’t say this back in 2013 when I first published this post, but I distinctly remember feeling that the recipe I used was resulted in flavor profile that was too strong and too sugary. With that in mind, I decided to cut back on both the sugar and the spice for my updated recipe.

I also switched up my chai latte choice in 2021. I have never been a fan of boxed chai latte (unless that’s how Starbucks makes their chai because I do enjoy an extra hot, no water, soy chai from Starbucks) and I distinctly remember not being overly impressed with whatever brand I bought in 2013. In 2021, I turned to Amazon and the first option that pulled up was the Big Train brand of chai latte of which there are two flavors: spiced and vanilla.

I decided to go with Big Train because I read a lot of reviews from people who said Borders bookstore used to sell Big Train lattes back in the day. Also, there was a coffee shop near-ish to my condo in Long Beach that made matcha lattes using Big Train powder (until they went out of business anyway) that I used to buy every Saturday. Since I already knew that I liked at least one of their flavors, I thought it wasn’t such a gamble to try their chai. The only real gamble I saw was deciding between spiced and vanilla and since I don’t typically like chai overly spiced, I figured vanilla was the obvious choice.

ingredients.

1. Mix all of the base ingredients together until combined. Scrape it into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. You can store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
2. For an easy chai latte: Stir the pumpkin spice base, milk and chai latte concentrate together in a microwave safe mug or in a saucepan until smooth. Heat in your microwave or on the stove until steamy. If you have a frother, use according to manufacturer’s directions.
3. Serve topped with whipped cream and some freshly grated nutmeg.
4. Smile as you sip.

Recipe rating: 