How to make: A Pumpkin Spice latte

Pumpkin Spice latte

Key ingredients

  • Espresso
  • Steamed Milk
  • Pumpkin Spice syrup

Equipment

  • Coffee machine with steam wand/arm
  • Milk jug
  • Thermometer

Difficulty rating

Quick guide

  1. Prepare espresso whilst remembering to ensure a nice even tamp for a smooth, pure coffee extraction
  2. Add a pump of the pumpkin spice syrup directly to the espresso before mixing
  3. Froth and foam your milk to the same consistency as you would for a normal latte. Ensuring a nice smooth microfoam.
  4. Begin pouring the frothed milk from a nice high position into your mug, cup or latte glass.
  5. Continue pouring the milk into the espresso-syrup mix whilst lowering the milk jug towards the cup and steepening the angle of the pour.
  6. Try to leave a small amount of stiff milk foam at the top of the cup after pouring the milk into the espresso-syrup mixture.
  7. (Optional) When settled add a squirt of whipped cream to the top of the milk.
  8. Finish by dusting with cinnamon for a rich Autumnal drink that is a real crowd pleaser.

The taste of Autumn in a cup

A North American tradition gone global

Pumpkin Spice latte

In coffee terms, the Pumpkin Spice latte is still a bambino having only come into existence in 2003.

The brains of the taste team at Starbucks at the time almost dropped the flavour combination entirely, instead, they were intending to opt for a chocolate, caramel and cinnamon latte.

But, luckily for the coffee world, the distinct lack of pumpkin flavoured food and drink at the time meant that Starbucks pressed ahead with the promotion of the drink.

The rest is coffee history.

So popular has the drink proven, that it's now found around the globe, with all manner of coffee shops and cafes creating their own variations of the seasonal beverage.

We now have a range of pumpkin-flavoured foods that simply wouldn't have even appeared on British shores if it wasn't for Starbucks first foray into North American seasonal produce flavoured hot drinks.

Often only served from the start of September through to the end of November, this doesn't mean it's short-lived.

Since release, it's estimated that 200 million pumpkin spice lattes were sold to 2015. That's a serious number of lattes served!

Essential Pumpkin Spice latte Making Tools

For the only pumpkin-flavoured hot drink