Cozy Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Chai Latte: Best Easy Recipe
This copycat Starbucks pumpkin chai latte is warm, spicy, and sweet, made with real pumpkin puree and simple pantry ingredients. It comes together in under 10 minutes for a cozy, budget-friendly fall treat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 black tea bags (Assam or English Breakfast)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk (or oat milk, almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
- A pinch ground ginger (optional)
- Whipped cream (optional, for topping)
- Caramel sauce (optional, for drizzling)
Instructions
- Steep the tea: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Pour into a mug and add 2 black tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes (or up to 7 for stronger tea). Remove tea bags and squeeze gently.
- Heat the milk and pumpkin: In a small saucepan, combine milk, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon. Whisk until mostly smooth.
- Warm it up: Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil). Whisk occasionally for 3-4 minutes until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges.
- Combine: Pour the hot spiced milk mixture into the mug with steeped tea. Stir well. For extra froth, use a milk frother for 10-15 seconds.
- Taste and adjust: Add more honey for sweetness or extra cinnamon/ginger for spice, as desired.
- Top it off: Add whipped cream, a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and a drizzle of caramel sauce if using.
- Serve immediately: Enjoy fresh and hot.
Notes
Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. For a vegan version, use oat milk and maple syrup. For an iced version, cool the tea and milk mixture, then serve over ice. The spiced milk mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently and combine with freshly steeped tea.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 latte (about 12 oz
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 26
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 8
Keywords: pumpkin chai latte, copycat Starbucks, fall drink, pumpkin spice, chai latte, easy recipe, homemade latte