Oh Pumpkin Spice Latte how you’ve shaped everyone’s Fall in a post-Y2K world. According to the most recent Farmer’s Almanac, fall now officially starts when Starbucks begins serving it’s infamous PSL. Ok, so that’s not true but people are waiting for that frothy little drink to get into their hands for months and it really does unofficially kick off fall.
And yes, that warm sip of fall in the mornings feels so good going down but let’s break it down shall we people? I’m not sure when Starbucks went from hippie, Seattle-based coffee shop to a morning crack sugar bomb you can find on every corner but somewhere along the lines it happened. I kid you not, when I worked in San Francisco there were two Starbucks kiddie-corner from each other. AND a walk up a block away.
So let’s talk about what goes into these PSL… mainly the sugar. In a 16-ounce grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with NO whipped cream there are 48 grams of sugar. And if you’re feeling especially splurge-y and go for the venti, that’s 62 grams of sugar! Can you believe it? That’s more than one can of Coke that comes in at 39 grams. For crying out loud, a Pumpkin Spice DONUT from Krispy Kreme clocks in with less at 29 grams.
What are we doing here people? Honestly, how is starting our morning out with that much sugar a good idea in anyone’s book? Something I’ve come to realize along the way in my food / clean eating journey is that you don’t even NEED that much sugar to make something taste good. As proven with this Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte.
All I used to sweeten it up was two tablespoons of maple syrup. Each tablespoon has 14 grams of sugar. That’s it! And since this recipe is 2 servings anyways, you’re just getting that one tablespoon. And you know what? You are going to LOVE this recipe. In fact, you can make it for any of your non-paleo, clean eating friends and I bet they wouldn’t even know.
As far as any other tips of tricks, there really are none. Other than I recommend using New Barn almond milk. The ingredients are as clean as they can get and the milk froths up just like any traditional dairy milk which you can see in the photos.
And because I know people will ask, no it is not Whole30 compliant because there is maple syrup in it as a sweetener. You can make it without and it will most definitely have a different flavor, so it’s your call. But don’t come telling me that it doesn’t taste like a Pumpkin Spice Latte, lol.
But seriously guys, there is no need to be spending $4-5 on a cup of this at Starbucks that’s going to make you feel like garbage when you’re done. Make it at home! Make it with real food and you’ll be much happier.
And if you have a hankering for some MORE clean, healthier pumpkin recipes of mine feel free to check out my Pumpkin Pie Bites and my Pumpkin + Apple Oatmeal Bake. OR my Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. You’ll love all of those equally as much!
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 2 C. hot coffee
- 1/2 C. almond milk
- 3 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until frothy
I made this for the first time this morning, and it was delicious! Just for the record, I”ve made 3 different pumpkin spice latte recipes this week, and this is the first one that has all the right ingredient proportions and actually tastes like it’s supposed to! Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂
Yessssss! Thanks of the amazing review!!
Thank you for this recipe. I have replaced the maple syrup with a date or two to keep it Whole30 compliant. Its delicious!
I just made this latte this morning and I am in love. What an easy and delicious pumpkin spice latte….100 times better tasting than Starbucks!!
Yay! That made my day!! xo
Oh my word you have no idea how happy this Pumpkin Spice Latte makes me right now!! I have always been a huge Starbucks lover and now that I’m being healthy cannot go there. It’s shocking to hear how much sugar is in the Starbucks latte! This Latte is so amazing that I might have to make it every morning!!! Thanks so much!! 🙂
I just made this. I used Notpods instead of almond milk and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Have you ever added Vital Proteins collagen to your PSL recipe? I usually try to get a scoop or two of collagen in my morning coffee. Maybe try with one scoop first and see how it is?
I can’t wait until my September Whole 30 is over so I can start eating and drinking all of the pumpkin things! In moderation of course, because, you know, food freedom. ☺️
Absolutely looooove it! Best one I’ve ever made. Thank you!
Well, I eyeballed the maple syrup and that was a huge mistake! Too sweet! But that’s my bad! I tried it with regular milk, I think next time I’d use heavy cream, coconut cream, or butter to give it a little more viscosity. Basically, I didnt really follow the recipe but I’m leaving my critiques anyway.
Can’t wait to try this! Just 1 question- does the coconut oil have to be melted before adding to blender? Thank you!
This is perfect. I am a recovering Starbucks addict and this definitely wins!! Thank you!!
What started as me trying to figure out how to use the leftover pumpkin puree in my fridge turned into the most tasty treat thanks to this recipe! Not too sweet with the most gentle perfect pumpkin flavor. This is going to become a staple in my morning routine! The Whole Smiths pumpkin eggs are next!