Pumpkin Spice Latte

A café-style pumpkin spice latte you can make at home with no espresso machine — strong coffee, warm milk, and pumpkin spice do the work. The trick to the "latte" feel is frothing the milk, which you can do with a jar or a handheld whisk. This version is spice-forward (no pumpkin purée needed); for real pumpkin flavor, see the variation below. Uses the make-ahead Pumpkin Spice blend.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (or 1 cup for a bigger drink), hot
• 3/4 cup milk (any kind)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup or sugar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice blend, plus a pinch for topping
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• Whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Warm and flavor the milk

1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat with the maple syrup, pumpkin spice, and vanilla. Heat until steaming but not boiling, whisking so the spice doesn't clump — about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Froth it: pour the warm milk into a jar with a tight lid and shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds, or whisk vigorously with a handheld frother until foamy and the volume roughly doubles.

Assemble

3. Pour the hot coffee into your mug. Add the frothed milk, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top.
4. Finish with whipped cream if using, and a pinch of pumpkin spice over the top.

Variations

• Iced — cool the spiced milk, shake it with ice to froth, and pour over a glass of ice with cold strong coffee. Great for warmer days.
• Espresso upgrade — replace the brewed coffee with 1 to 2 shots of espresso for a stronger, more café-like drink.
• Real pumpkin — whisk 1 tablespoon pumpkin purée into the milk as it warms for true pumpkin flavor and body. Strain if you want it perfectly smooth.
• Dairy-free — oat or almond milk both froth well; oat is creamier and froths most like dairy.

Notes

• No frother? A clean jar with a tight lid works just as well — shake the warm (not hot) milk hard for 20 to 30 seconds. Don't fill past halfway.
• Instant coffee works too: dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons in 1/2 cup hot water for the coffee base.
• Sweetness — maple syrup adds its own cozy flavor that suits the spice; plain sugar keeps it neutral. Start low and adjust.
• Make a batch of the Pumpkin Spice blend ahead so the latte comes together in minutes.