Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee

Fall is here guys! It just is. There’s nothing I can do about it.

And THAT means colorful falling leaves, big comfy coats, and blistery autumn breezes. Or, if you live in California like me, 100-degree heat waves? That one doesn’t seem to fit in with my “fall vibe”, but I digress. I don’t care if it’s 104. It’s Autumn in my heart and that’s why I’m sweating through my long trench coat and scarf (I didn’t actually do that, on a serious note, if you’re in a hotter area please stay hydrated and cool as much as you can).

But, an increasingly important part of the season is the coveted Pumpkin Spice Latte. I personally like Pumpkin Spice donuts or muffins more. When I was little, I remember feeling like fall was officially here when my Dad would start to get 3 Pumpkin Spice cake donuts in our weekly dozen that we shared as a family every Sunday morning (A tradition I’m glad I had and definitely recommend, if you’re able to). But this was also before the phenomenon had gotten so popular, so I think we only got those donuts in October and November. Nowadays when we slip into September 1st, the Pumpkin King is looming.

So today I’m going to teach you how to make Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee at home! So you can get your fall fix, and stay cool during the late summer heat waves. I’ve been a barista for almost 10 years, and currently work at a little coffee shop in the Los Angeles area. This Pumpkin Spice mixture can also be put into hot coffee if that’s your jam! But I’ve always been an iced coffee/latte drinker myself, so I’m going with what I love.

So let’s get started!

1. -First, you’ll need a cup! It should be 20-24oz. Your ice will take up about 8oz of that space.

2. -Add Ice!

3. -Fill up 2/3 of the glass with Iced Coffee! Any Iced Coffee you like! Most grocery stores have different bottled options, or you can make your own, but that’s a slightly lengthy process.

4. -Add any cream that you like! This means milk! I would say start with just about 2 oz of milk, and then add more if needed. And that includes Cow’s milk, Almond milk, Oat milk, Half&Half, or whatever type of crazy milk the kids are using now.

And now I’m going to get into the process of making your “Pumpkin Spice syrup”, which you’ll want to mix in a separate cup or bowl, and then pour into your coffee.

1. 1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Puree! 

   • Just the regular kind you find in the canned section at the store. Doesn't have to be any special “pumpkin pie” kind.

2. 4 shakes of Pumpkin Spice! 

   • Like the spice part. That just means (at its core) a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. You can find a “pumpkin spice” mixture in the spice section of any local grocery store!

3. 2 Tablespoons of Maple! 

   • This is to sweeten it all up! You can use any sweetener you like technically, but I recommend Maple because it’s more natural, has a richer taste, and mixes better with the flavors in the “pumpkin spice”. Whatever sweetener you use though, you should use about 2 tablespoons (1 oz).

4. Whisk all of that together with 1 tablespoon (half an oz) of HOT water and then pour the mixture into your coffee glass and stir!

5. Your final optional item is Whipped Cream! 

   • IF you have Heavy Whipping Cream and a Milk Frother already on hand, then you can use that to froth the cream into a homemade whipped cream. But because obviously, most people won’t randomly own a milk frother, Reddi-Whip or any other canned whipped cream is perfect! Personally, I actually like Cool Whip the best for an iced coffee topper! When I was a child I also ate tubs of Cool Whip with a spoon, but I’m getting off track again. If you want to be super Instagramable with your drink, you can shake a tiny sprinkle of the “pumpkin spice” spice onto the whipped cream!

     

So hopefully I’ve helped you make a fun and delicious Fall iced coffee drink, with a few laughs along the way! Autumn is always such a loving and peaceful time to me. I personally can't wait to go to a pumpkin patch this year, which was always a favorite activity of mine back home. Thanks for reading! And from all of us at PlayTyme, may your Autumn be filled with love, good memories, and tasty iced coffee!