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Copycat Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

amandakaybradley

Are you craving the iconic flavors of fall, but summer has yet to loosen its grip?

If you’re looking for a delicious drink that features the taste of fall and quenches your thirst, I’ve got the perfect recipe. 

With a few simple pantry staples, you can quickly whip up a homemade iced pumpkin spice latte any time of year!

So, stick with me as we explore the iced version of the classic staple of the fall coffee shop menu.

And if you want to skip to the good stuff, click the link to jump right to the recipe below.

Let’s get started!

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What is an Iced Pumpkin Latte?

Iced lattes feature the same flavor as the hot version but are generally served over ice. 

In this case, the iced latte bursts with pumpkin flavor and a hint of coffee. 

It’s essentially a slice of pumpkin pie in a glass.

As with many delicious coffee drinks, the coffee shop version was debuted by Starbucks 20 years ago.

And since then, pumpkin spice has been a featured flavor of the fall season.

What’s in an Iced Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte?

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to create your own version of an iced pumpkin spice latte.

Coffee

Most coffee shops use a couple shots of espresso in this drink, but you have several options when creating your version at home.

Choose the option that’s most convenient for you, depending on what type of coffee machine you have and the amount of time you want to spend on the recipe.

One of the easiest ways to infuse coffee flavor into the drink is using strong brewed coffee. 

Making slightly more coffee than you need in the morning and saving the leftovers for when you want to make the recipe is an effortless way to make the recipe.

You can also use either homemade or store-bought cold brew coffee.

My favorite way is to brew a batch of strong coffee from a French press. Once it’s cooled, I simply add the cold coffee to the drink.

If you have an espresso machine, add a shot of espresso to the drink for an authentic coffee house flavor.

And if you’re making this drink for your kids, feel free to skip the coffee entirely, and you’ll instead have a cup of pumpkin spice milk!

Although it can be served cold, pumpkin spice milk is best served warm in your kids’ favorite mug.

Milk

One of the best things about making your own custom drinks at home is that you can use your choice of milk.

Whether you choose dairy-free milk or skim milk, anything goes with this recipe component.

You can even make your own cold foam!

My preference for this recipe is non-dairy milk, specifically oat milk. 

I’ve found that oat milk gives this drink the best body and consistency. 

If you want less consistency, try unsweetened almond milk.

Using soy milk adds a nutty flavor to the drink and more consistency than almond milk.

But whole milk would also give the drink a thicker consistency, so it’s an excellent option if you have no reason to avoid cow’s milk.

Pumpkin Flavor

This cold pumpkin spice latte gets its flavor from real pumpkin puree. 

I prefer to buy the plain puree and make my own homemade pumpkin pie spice, but you can certainly try the canned version with spice already added.

And if pumpkins are in season, you can also make your own free pumpkin puree, although I find that too much work for the amount needed in this recipe.

Store the leftover pumpkin puree in the fridge for up to 3 days, or use it in other pumpkin recipes.

Spices

You can use several different spice variations, but my favorite is cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Ginger has hormone-balancing properties, which make it my choice for this recipe.

However, you can opt for nutmeg instead of ginger.

Using the ground version of these spices is easiest; however, you can use fresh grated ginger if you have it.

If using fresh, grate a very small amount into the blender when making the drink.

And if you’re using ground cinnamon and cloves, mix in the same ratio as indicated below, but add slightly less than 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture per drink.

Spices don’t always mix well into drinks, thus the reason why I suggest making a larger batch of the spice combination and adding a small amount to each glass.

The pumpkin puree in this drink tends to bind the spices, so you’re not left with the sludge at the bottom of the glass as you would with other drinks.

And you always have the option to strain the drink through cheesecloth if you want to avoid the sludge.

Sweetener

The chain store drinks are very sweet, with about as much sugar per serving as a can of pop.

I’m always looking for ways to decrease my daily sugar intake, which is why this recipe has significantly less than the coffee shop version.

Feel free to experiment with the sweetness to find your perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Options for adding a bit of sugar include pure maple syrup, honey, or simple syrup.

You can also buy pumpkin spice coffee syrup; however, if you opt for this version, you should back off on the spices as they likely already have those flavors added.

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Copycat Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

All the best fall flavors in an iced latte!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 1 person

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee or 1-2 shots espresso
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1-3 tsp honey, maple syrup, or homemade simple syrup sweeten to taste
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ice
  • whipped cream garnish
  • ground cinnamon or nutmeg garnish

Instructions

  • Combine the ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small airtight container. Mix thoroughly. The spice mixture makes enough for several servings.
  • Brew coffee using a French press or alternate brew method and allow to cool. You can also use cold brew coffee in this recipe or simply add a few ice cubes to the blender prior to mixing.
  • Combine 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture, milk, pumpkin, vanilla extract, coffee, and sweetener of your choice to the blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. You can alternately use a milk frother instead of a blender.
  • Fill a Mason jar with ice. Pour the blended mixture over the ice and top with whipped cream and cinnamon, if desired. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get an iced pumpkin spiced latte at Starbucks?

Yes! But only during the fall season, as this popular drink is on their seasonal menu.

​Can you order a pumpkin spice latte year-round at Starbucks?

No. This popular drink is only offered at the popular coffee chain in the fall season. 

But thanks to this homemade version, you can make it any time you crave those cozy fall flavors!

​Can you make this recipe hot instead of cold?

Absolutely! Skip the ice and heat the ingredients before blending them.

If you want full instructions for the hot version, check out my recent copycat recipe post for the pumpkin spice latte.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this recipe has inspired you to make your own version of the popular coffee shop drink at home.

One of the best reasons to make the drink at home is to make healthier swaps, offloading some of the sugar and calories in the traditional coffee shop versions.

It’s also easy to swap out flavors you don’t care for and customize the drink to your liking.

​And if you loved this recipe, check out my other coffee-inspired content:

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