Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
This pumpkin spice coffee syrup is one of those things that officially marks the start of fall for me. In honor of Pumpkin Spice Day, we're making our own pumpkin spice syrup from scratch, and of course, it has to go into a pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin cream chai. It's made with real pumpkin, brown and white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and just a pinch of salt. I like to strain it really well so you get a smooth syrup without any little bits of pumpkin puree, and the result is sweet, warmly spiced, and perfect for stirring into all your favorite fall drinks.
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- 1
Add the water, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to a small saucepan.
- 2
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugars have dissolved and the syrup is fragrant.
- 3
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.
- 4
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof jar or container, pressing gently on the pumpkin solids to extract as much syrup as possible.
- 5
Let the syrup cool completely before sealing and refrigerating. The syrup will thicken slightly as it cools.
- 6
Add it to your favorite coffee or chai. Start with 1–2 tablespoons per drink and adjust to taste.
Lauren's Note
- Strain it well: This is the key to getting a smooth coffee syrup without little bits of pumpkin floating around. For an extra-smooth syrup, strain it twice.
- Vanilla bean paste: The paste gives the syrup a richer vanilla flavor, but vanilla extract works in a pinch.
- Adjust the sweetness: Start with 1 tablespoon in your drink and add more if you want a stronger pumpkin spice flavor.
- Shake before using: Because this syrup contains real pumpkin, some separation is natural. Give it a good shake or stir before adding it to your drink.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated and use within about 1 week.
Frequently asked questions
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within about 1 week.
Absolutely. It's great in lattes, iced coffee, cold brew, chai, hot chocolate, or drizzled into other fall drinks.
