Make your own chai latte with pumpkin spice at home with this simple DIY recipe. It's ready in about 10 minutes, and has a nice spiced pumpkin flavor. You'll use chai tea, milk, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and sweetener.
Table of contents
Add some fall flavors to delicious chai. This simple chai latte with pumpkin spice is packed with warm spices and nice pumpkin flavor. It's a great drink to enjoy as the weather cools down in the fall.
I add some nice fall pumpkin spice flavors to chai in the easiest way possible. You just need 7 ingredients and 10 minutes for this flavorful chai latte with pumpkin spice.
I personally like pumpkin pie flavors added to chai more than coffee, and this pumpkin chai drink is more pumpkin-y and tastier than the Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte. Plus you can have it hot or cold.
A quick whirl in the blender turns slightly textured pumpkin chai into an extra smooth, spiced drink. Don't strain it or you'll lose pumpkin flavor, which you need in the best pumpkin recipes!
Brief History of Chai
This recipe is an Americanized, fall-pumpkin spiced version of masala chai, an Indian spiced tea. Masala chai came about in the 1900s when street vendors in India started adding spices and milk to tea during British colonization.
Read more about the origins of masala chai from Shweta of Masala and Chai blog. Try her masala chia recipe too. It's all there. Chai = tea, but I may refer to it as chai tea as it's more common in America.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the chai latte with pumpkin spice recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Water: I liked this tea better when steeped in water instead of just milk.
- Real Pumpkin Puree: Look for plain puree, if using pumpkin pie filling, you'll need to reduce the sweetener and pumpkin pie spice added.
- Sweetener: I preferred brown sugar or maple syrup. Both are good, I can't choose between the two in this chai latte with pumpkin spice.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adjust the amount of pumpkin pie spice you add based on your flavor preference. I quickly made my own with Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: I find that a dash of vanilla brings the pumpkin chai latte flavors together.
- Chai: make your own Masala Chai, use chai tea bags, or premade chai concentrate, see section below for options to buy at the grocery store. Premade chai tea might be easier than making your own tea with chai spices.
- Milk: whole milk will make the creamiest chai latte with pumpkin spice, but use what you have. You can also use plant-based milk, like soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk, just don't bring it to a boil as it may curdle when cooking.
Choose your Tea or Chai
There are two steps to making good chai tea (well really masala chai) for your chai latte with pumpkin spice. Because there's the black tea and also spices you add to the tea. Make it with loose tea and spices or use a premade tea.
I don't know enough, or have enough experience trying these different teas, so I'll refer you to Masala and Chai's recommendations to start your homemade pumpkin spice chai latte.
Black tea recommendations (listed under black tea ingredient)
Chai Concentrate recommendations to buy. In this case, you wouldn't add a tea bag or water to this chai latte with pumpkin spice recipe, replace the tea bag and water with the concentrate, it will already have all the chai spices in it.
I've found that my favorite local coffee shops tend to use chai concentrate in their chai tea drinks, so that's an easy place to start!
Choose your Sweetener
If you're using plain pumpkin puree, as I recommend, you can add as much sweetener, and whichever sweetener you like. It's nice to adapt it to the the most delicious for you.
Although there are lots of different sweeteners you can add, I mostly just tested this chai latte with pumpkin spice recipe with maple syrup and brown sugar. Both are great, use what you like.
Personally, I actually liked the brown sugar just a bit better than maple syrup. Adding maple syrup was just a bit, with the chai spices and pumpkin pie spice already in the latte. That's my preference, you can try both ways.
You could use cane sugar, honey, or whatever sweetener you like. Just know that honey and maple syrup, for example add more flavor than cane sugar and brown sugar.
Instructions
Scroll down to the chai latte with pumpkin spice recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1.Whisk together pumpkin puree, sweetener, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and water to small-medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, add chai teabag. Simmer about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add milk, bring to a boil, over medium-high heat.
4. Reduce heat again, to simmer. Cook 5-7 minutes. Remove teabag.
5. For an extra smooth drink, blend.
6. Enjoy your chai latte with pumpkin spice hot (or add ice for an iced version). Top with cream and sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice over chai latte with pumpkin spice.
Storage/Reheating Tips
If you have any leftover chai latte with pumpkin spice, cover with a lid or top. Store in fridge for about a week. Microwave until desired temperature, or enjoy iced, with added ice cubes.
Substitutions/Tips
- Make your own chai, this is a great Masala Chai recipe.
- If using non-dairy milk, gently simmer after adding it, don't bring it to a rolling boil, like in instructions. The milk may curdle if it's heated too high.
- Keep an eye on your boiling milk mixture, it can overflow easily.
- If you have the time, I recommend blending your chai latte with pumpkin spice for the smoothest drink. Use a blender (it'll give you the smoothest consistency), immersion blender, or milk frother.
- Other great add-ins: coconut milk/cream, whipped cream, ice cubes for an iced chai latte with pumpkin spice.
FAQ
It's very good. Starbucks now has a chai latte with pumpkin cold foam, and this chai latte with pumpkin spice is delicious. Pumpkin pie spices and masala chai spices go well together.
Other good drink recipes
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Chai Ingredients: Homemade Chai Concentrate from Masala and Chai, enjoy as a spiced black tea too. Or make a Starbucks copycat Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, from We Are Not Martha.
- Pumpkin Puree: Pumpkin Curry Soup, Turkey Pumpkin Chili
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: (+ pumpkin puree) No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, Pumpkin Cake.
Did you make this chai latte with pumpkin spice? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Chai Latte with Pumpkin Spice
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- small whisk
- blender or immersion blender optional
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons sweetener brown sugar or maple syrup preferred
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Chai teabag or 1-2 Tablespoons loose leaf tea
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- To a small/medium saucepan, over high heat, add ¾ cup water, 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons sweetener, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla. Whisk together. Bring to boil.
- Add teabag. Reduce heat to medium-low, let simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk in ½ cup milk, increase heat to medium-high. Bring to rolling boil. Turn heat down to low, simmer 5-7 minutes.
- Press tea bag with spoon to release water and flavor into the liquid. Remove tea bag.
- For a smoother drink, blend tea.
- Pour into mug. Top with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy hot.
Video
Notes
- Make your own chai, this is a great Masala Chai recipe.
- If using non-dairy milk, don't bring to a rolling boil, just gently simmer after adding it.
- Top with fresh whipped cream if desired.
- Keep an eye on your boiling milk mixture, it can overflow easily.
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for breakfast this morning and started my day off right! Quick, easy and refreshing with the perfect touch of pumpkin; definitely, a new favorite drink for fall!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
great to hear! it's a fabulous way to start the day
Michelle says
Love that this has real pumpkin! So much better homemade!
Elisa says
Love this Homemade Chai Latte with Pumpkin Spice recipe, my daughter is obsessed right now with this recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
great to hear! it's so good
Lana says
Exact what I was craving and your recipe was perfect! Thank you!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
great to hear!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
yay!
TAYLER ROSS says
The best chai I've ever had! Made one this morning and it was so much better than Starbucks!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
it's different than the Starbucks one, but I like it better this way too