Warm Pumpkin Spice Drink
This Warm Pumpkin Spice Drink tastes like pumpkin pie in a mug! It's caffeine-free, though it can be mixed with coffee to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Since the calendar turned to September, I've been trying to will the cool fall weather to make its way to Texas by concocting all sorts of autumn-inspired recipes, from warm and hearty soups to a variety of pumpkin delicacies. So today I present to you this creamy, dreamy, Warm Pumpkin Spice Drink!
A little birdie told me that Pumpkin Spice Lattes have hit Starbucks, so I thought it would be fun to whip up a pumpkin drink to enjoy at home for those days when a Starbucks run is not in the cards. Plus, I really wanted something caffeine-free that my sweet boys could enjoy as well.
And let me tell you...enjoy this drink they did, particularly my 3-year-old. I was cracking up at his reaction as he took his first sips. With a shy smile on his face, he was talking straight to the pumpkin goodness in his mug, not to me.
(whispered) "Wow."
(regular voice) "Wow. That's the betterest one ever, in my whole entire life."
(another sip, another whisper) "Wow."
I'm not even exaggerating here...it was hysterical. And I have to say, I agree with him. This drink is pretty dang good. It's like pumpkin pie in a mug.
I made two versions for my boys, one regular and one dairy-free. Since my older son has lactose issues when it comes to straight milk, I made his with almond milk instead. Both ways were quite tasty, but the batch made with whole milk was understandably richer and creamier.
Even though this treat is caffeine-free and potentially dairy-free, it can also be morphed into a copycat version of the aforementioned Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte with the simple addition of some coffee. I tried it out, half coffee and half pumpkin drink, and I found it to be delicious. Adjust the amount of coffee to your liking, and you could even add whipped cream to make it extra decadent and Starbucks-like. Heck, adding whipped cream to the regular, non-coffee version of this drink would be amazing as well (just don't tell my kids I said that...my 3-year-old might just straight-up pass out from that experience).
My only word of caution in making this recipe is to mix just one or two servings at a time in the blender, so as to avoid potential overflow. Since you will be starting with warm milk, it's a good idea to crack open that little cap in the center of the blender lid in order to release the steam. But you don't want the drink to shoot straight out of the hole when you turn the blender on, so you'll want to hold the cap in place with a folded kitchen towel on top to catch any wayward pumpkin drink while simultaneously allowing the steam to escape.
I really like whipping this concoction in the blender because it ensures that the pumpkin and spices are totally incorporated with the milk, plus it makes everything all nice and frothy. However, if you want to make a large amount of this drink with lots of servings, I would suggest blending cold batches in the blender and then transferring all of the batches to a big pot for slow warming on the stove...or you could even heat it all up in a crock pot (set to low, stirred frequently, and then switched to warm).
I can already predict that this recipe is going to be a staple at our house all fall (and winter) long, this year and every year to come. It would be so much fun to serve this Warm Pumpkin Spice Drink at a party, as an alternative to hot cocoa or apple cider. Likewise, it would be the perfect treat to complement trick-or-treating or Thanksgiving dinner. This drink is warm, it's comforting...it trumpets the arrival of autumn. And according to a certain 3-year-old, it's the "betterest" thing you'll ever taste.
More Pumpkin Goodness
Warm Pumpkin Spice Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, heated until very warm
- ¼ cup Homemade Pumpkin Puree, (or canned)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream, optional
- Cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender. Remove center cap from the lid of the blender and use a folded kitchen towel to loosely hold the cap over the hole in a manner that steam can escape. Turn on the blender to low and then increase it to high. Blend ingredients until frothy. Transfer mixture to a mug, top with whipped cream, if desired, and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
Notes
- You may use 2%, 1%, or skim milk in place of whole milk, but the drink won't be quite as rich and creamy with low-fat milk.
- You may adjust the sweetness and level of spice by increasing or decreasing the sugar and pumpkin pie spice as desired.
- To make a DAIRY-FREE version, substitute unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk) for the regular milk.
- Mix with coffee to turn this drink into a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- I wouldn't recommend making more than 2 servings at a time in the blender, as the mixture will rise up when you first turn on the blender and you don't want it to shoot out the top!
Nutrition
Adapted from Allrecipes
You've been featured at Give Me The Goods! Can't wait to try this! BE sure to stop by and grab your feature button!
Thank you so much, Amber...I really appreciate the feature and you hopping over to let me know! 🙂
I am in love! This sounds so delicious! Pinning this one to try for sure. Thank you!!
Thank you, Andi...I hope you enjoy this one! I appreciate your comment and the pin! 🙂
This drink is amazing! And so are your pics! Everyone else must agree with me because I wanted to let you know your drink is being featured tomorrow morning as being one of the most pinned {we have a tie!} on our Show Stopper Saturday pin board! So, thank you for sharing this awesome treat to drink with us girls! (=
Wow, Gloria...thank you! I'm very flattered to have had lots of pins! I really appreciate your kind words and the fact that you came over to let me know. I will see y'all in the morning...have a great weekend!
Just.... yum. I love this so much and YOU are the most clicked on link this week, my friend. We'll all be featuring this at 8PM EST this eve so come grab your featured button when the party goes live!! 🙂
Have a great weekend! xoxo
What an honor...thank you so much, Claire, for stopping by and letting me know! I always enjoy y'all's party. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Samantha, this looks and sounds so absolutely delicious!!! I have a pumpkin fanatic daughter who would go wild for this! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing and joining us at Best of the Weekend! Pinning to our party board! See you this Friday and hope you are having a fantastic week!
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Cindy. I hope your daughter gets to try this recipe and enjoys it! I always enjoy linking up at Best of the Weekend. Hope your week is going well and I'll see you then!
I think I can actually smell it through the screen 🙂 that sounds divine
Ha, Heather! I'd be in big trouble if I could smell through the screen all of the fabulous recipes I encounter when I go blog hopping... 😉 So glad you stopped by!
This recipe sounds divine. Wondering how long the mixture will keep if I mix it all up, without heating, and keep in the fridge and use when needed. Any ideas? Just wondering with the pumpkin in it if it would last a week or two if I double, triple, quadruple 🙂 the batch. Also thinking I may substitute the sugar for condensed milk...more yummy goodness!
Hi Charmaine! I think it would keep in the fridge just great until the expiration date of the milk...so if you use almond milk, probably longer than regular milk. The last time I made a batch of this drink, I had some leftover so I stored it in the fridge in a big Mason jar for several days and then just shook it really well before reheating. It still tasted like it was freshly made. Have fun experimenting!
I've lost your site , coudlnt find it ..but thank god i found it back! Im gonna try this drink sometime this week !
So glad to have you back, Yasmina! Hope you love this drink!
This sounds absolutely amazing! I just started a Drink Board on Pinterest, and I've got this one pinned. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a wonderful day!
Thanks so much, Brooke! I'm glad you stopped by, and I hope you enjoy this recipe if you end up trying it. Hope your week is off to a great start! 🙂
LOVE THIS! And really like that it's caffeine free. Coming by from the link party palooza!
Beth @ The First Year Blog
Thanks, Beth! I really enjoy the caffeine-free version, too, and that's the only way I'd give it to my kids, but I have added coffee for myself at times when I've needed a little boost... 🙂 Hope you enjoy it either way!
Yummy! Pinned!!
Thanks, Diana! I appreciate your comment and the pin! 🙂
This looks great! I love that it is caffeine free. I'm pregnant right now and try to avoid it if I can. I think I might try it with decaf coffee, too. Pinning it! Stopping by from the Cooking with Curls link up party.
Thank you, Kimberly...and I totally empathize on your caffeine deprivation! I feel like I've either been pregnant or nursing for the majority of the past seven years, and I try to avoid caffeine under those circumstances as well. Thanks so much for the comment and the pin!
YUMMY! I am loving anything pumpkin right now and this looks SO GOOD, I am going to have to make it! Thanks for sharing, stopping by from Best of the Weekend Link Party!
~ Jenn @ We Do Fun Here
Thanks so much for stopping by, Jenn! I hope you enjoy it if you end up trying it. Have a great weekend!
That looks delicious! Punkin spice coffee is my favorite so I can't wait to try this drink. Pumpkin anything this time of year is good.
Thanks, Vanessa! I'm a big fan of pumpkin, too. I hope you enjoy this!
This sounds yummy! I just bought Caramel Pumpkin Pie coffee at World Market yesterday, and plan on making my own version of Starbucks treat. Actually, I've never had one of Starbucks' Pumpkin Lattes, so I'll just be winging it...lol! I don't really understand how people can justify those prices for coffee, but then I think what people pay for the Keurig and those K-cups is beyond ridiculous!
Yum, Carol...caramel pumpkin pie coffee sounds just as good as anything you could get at Starbucks! Enjoy! And thanks for stopping by... 🙂
Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home
Hi Samantha!
Your featured Pumpkin Spice drink sounds so good! I make a similar one in the Fall too. I'm anxious for the temperatures to cool down so that I can enjoy these kinds of drinks for an afternoon treat ;0)
Thanks so much for sharing!
Suzanne
Thanks, Suzanne! This was my first time to try a pumpkin drink...and now I'm wondering where these have been my whole life?! Sadly, it probably won't cool down around here until November, but this at least helps me pretend that it's fall-ish outside... 😉 Have a great night!
I just found this recipe, and your blog, from Pinterest. I've been looking for a non-diary option and can't wait to try. I also signed up to receive your posts in my email. Looking forward to reading the next ones!!
I'm so happy to have you as a subscriber, Hilary! I hope you enjoy this and future recipes. Thanks so much for your comment...have a great night! 🙂
This sounds fabulous! I love those starbucks drinks but they are so expensive. Love that we can make them at home!
Thanks, Dorothy! You're so right...those Starbucks treats can really add up quickly. And a lot of times for me, making yet another stop and having to load all of the kids in and out of the car one more time just isn't worth it, particularly if I know I can replicate a yummy drink at home... 🙂 Thanks for stopping by...hope your week is going well!