Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

Each year as autumn neared, I would cringe at the thought of how many pumpkin spice latte coffee commercials I would have to endure.

Don’t get me wrong, I love homemade pumpkin pie and, admittedly, those cute Little Debbie pumpkin face cookies, but forget those ridiculously sweet pumpkin coffee offerings.

Is there one that actually tastes like coffee and hasn’t been smothered with sickening sweet pumpkin, spices, ​and sugar?

For years I avoided anything pumpkin spice flavored from Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or my local mom and pop coffee shop. The pumpkin spice latte I always found to be too overpowering.

When the weather starts to turn cold and the leaves change their color, just give me straight up coffee with cream or a latte with raw sugar.

So when did the pumpkin spice latte craze actually begin? Starbucks is the guilty party on this one. In the fall of 2003, pumpkin spice latte was introduced by the company. It was so successful that Starbucks kept bringing it back each autumn. Since 2003, about 200 million cups of the stuff was sold.

So, my wheels are spinning on this one. What makes this coffee flavor so appealing? Maybe there was more to its popularity than meets the eye. How about the nose?

The smell of a pumpkin pie baking in the oven is irresistible. Most people would agree.

Could it be that not only do people like the taste of pumpkin in their lattes but love the smell of this intoxicating aroma? The Smell and Taste Research Foundation of Chicago conducted a study to see what aromas appeal sexually to men. Guess which aroma was at the top of the list. Yep, pumpkin pie. I wonder if there is a correlation between those people drinking pumpkin spice flavored coffee in the autumn and babies being born in the spring.

OK enough of that, let’s get back to talking coffee.

I was feeling left out as summer came to a close and I wanted a part of this pumpkin spice happening. I tried to like the store-bought offerings but to no avail. Half of the cup seemed to get dumped down the drain in frustration.

One local coffee haunt even sucked me in with their beautiful pumpkin latte art. As they served me a giant-sized cup of this seasonal java, I happily looked down at the creamy smiling jack-o-lantern looking back at me. The presentation was awesome, but unfortunately, the coffee was not.

Again, could it get any sweeter? Why did it taste more like a pumpkin drink and less like a coffee?

Then one day it hit me. How about I make my own pumpkin flavoring. I could brew a good cup of joe at home so why not try my hand at a recipe. I “Googled” and checked out Pinterest for recipes and in the end, I combined a few to make this delightful pumpkin spice latte syrup.

The Recipe

Makes 1 jar

1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 T. canned pure pumpkin (freeze the rest in small amounts for future syrup)
¾ t. nutmeg
½ t. ginger
½ t. cloves
3 cinnamon sticks

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small pan over medium heat.
2. Add the pumpkin and the spices and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Do not let it boil.
3. Strain the syrup through cheesecloth into a small heat-proof bowl and allow to completely cool.
4. Add to coffee with or without cream. Enjoy!
5. Store in a jar in the refrigerator up to a month.

I keep my pumpkin spice latte syrup in my refrigerator practically year round.

Oh, I like other flavors as well. Vanilla or caramel or mocha comes to mind when I want a sweet twist on my usual coffee with cream (or half in half when forced to.)

I don’t overdue using the pumpkin flavoring. Sure wouldn’t want to make that autumn experience any less spectacular with all the build up I will see on TV for weeks before Starbucks and others bring back the pumpkin!

Now that you have read my love-hate relationship with pumpkin flavored coffee, you are probably thinking why so much fuss about a beloved autumn coffee treat? I know I am in the minority on this one. Maybe it’s our American nature to overdo everything. Super-size everything. Bigger, sweeter, more sickening coffees are the norm.

I don’t necessarily want to have a dessert every time I want a specialty coffee and I don’t need to be bombarded with a heaping amount of calories either. Sometimes I want a coffee with a little something extra.

I could tweak my order at Starbucks and recently I did just that, but to ask for a grande pumpkin latte, no foam with half the sweet flavoring sends the barista into a tizzy. Okay, not trying to throw Starbucks under the bus. I am a big fan of their coffee, especially Casi Cielo.

I hope you will try my recipe for pumpkin spice latte syrup. If you are so inclined to drink the sweet pumpkin offerings this coming autumn, be my guest, but don’t discount making your own pumpkin spice latte syrup. You might just find it a delight and you could also save a few bucks in the process. I also found myself giving jars away as gifts for the holidays. Everybody loves a homemade gift from the heart.

Give it a shot and let me know what you think in the comments below. I think it’s time for a pumpkin latte. Until next time keep brewing and drinking that delicious coffee.

Copyright The Coffee Recipe | 2017 | Robb Myers