Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte is overrated – here’s how to make healthier pumpkin spice coffee drinks at home

Pumpkin spice is delightful, but Starbucks is not

By
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Push Doctor / Flickr

With the return of the pumpkin spice latte in August of every year, the excitement for the fall season is real. The delicious taste of pumpkin spice combined with crisp fall air is the perfect way to kick off the season, creating a nostalgic feeling for many of us.

However, for those looking to cut back on sugar or shed a few pounds, getting into the fall spirit with a Starbucks pumpkin spice drink may not be an option. A classic grande order of a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte contains 390 calories, 52 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of fat. While this is certainly fine as an occasional treat, the hefty sugar content of this drink is alarming. Not only is the sugar content a scare for many, but the price at over $5 a cup is certainly hefty, too.

Recommended Videos

Luckily, getting into the fall spirit with a pumpkin spice beverage doesn’t need to be as sugary or as expensive. We’ve got you covered with these lower-sugar Starbucks pumpkin spice copycat ideas, perfect for whipping up at home.

Pile of pumpkins
NoName_13 / Pixabay

Ways to achieve healthier pumpkin spice coffee

While Starbucks pumpkin spice latte sounds fancy, recreating this beverage in a lower-sugar form is actually quite simple. Not only will you save yourself from consuming too much sugar and give your wallet a rest, but these pumpkin spice coffee drinks can be customized to your preferences, too.

Related

Pumpkin spice stevia

Using a pumpkin-flavored liquid stevia is one simple, yet effective way to achieve a pumpkin flavor in your coffee without any sugar at all. Simply add a few drops of SweetLeaf Pumpkin SweetDrops to your coffee and enjoy. Liquid stevia mixes well into any type of coffee, so this method can be used to create pumpkin spice cold brew, iced coffee, lattes, or even just added to traditional drip coffee. If you’re on a low-sugar or ketogenic diet, this simple trick can help you enjoy classic autumn flavors while still adhering to your diet.

A pinch of pumpkin pie spice

As soon as the fall festivities begin, it’s easy to find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of nearly any grocery store. Just a simple punch of pumpkin pie spice blended into your morning coffee can help enhance the pumpkin flavor, without adding any sugar. When adding pumpkin pie spice, be sure to mix thoroughly or use a frother to blend well. If you can’t find a pumpkin pie spice, using a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon will also do the trick.

Pumpkin spice skinny syrups

Just one pump of Starbucks’ pumpkin syrup contains 6 grams of sugar, with the average grande drink using four pumps of syrup. Instead, try using Skinny Syrup’s sugar-free pumpkin spice syrup, with zero grams of sugar. This delicious syrup blends great into hot and iced coffee drinks, but can also be used for tea and smoothie drinks, too. This fall hack will allow you to enjoy your favorite pumpkin spice flavor without all the added sugar.

Pumpkin spice latte
Melike Benli / Pexels

Enjoying pumpkin spice season without the sugar

Taking that first sip of pumpkin spice goodness will be even better without the sugar! If you’re looking to cut sugar from your diet or lose weight, try these simple ways to enhance your coffee with pumpkin flavor without the added sugar. These simple methods can be combined or used alone to achieve your perfect cup of autumn-inspired coffee.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a full time freelance writer with a special focus on health, fitness, lifestyle, food, and nutrition topics. She…
How to cook salmon: A complete beginner’s guide
Have you tried salmon en papillote?
Raw salmon on plate

When it comes to seafood, Americans can't seem to get enough salmon. We love this beautiful fish for its heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, its culinary versatility, its gorgeous flavor, and its stunning hue. Salmon is a regular weekly staple in many homes, and for good reason. This multitalented little beauty shines in just about any preparation, be it baked, broiled, steamed, poached, seared, or grilled. So, if you've only ever explored just one or two of these delicious methods for cooking salmon, it's time to up your game and try out a new preparation. You may just find a new favorite.
Shopping for salmon

When shopping for salmon, there are a few basic guidelines to keep in mind that will help to ensure you end up with the freshest, most flavorful filet possible.

Read more
How to dry fresh basil: 5 ways to preserve this essential herb
Whether you grow it at home or buy it fresh from the store, drying basil isn't a difficult task
Fresh and dried basil on a wooden surface

One of the best herb plants to grow indoors is basil. However, basil is a delicate plant and can spoil very quickly once harvested. If you grow an herb or vegetable garden or buy the basil plant at your local grocery store, you will have an overabundance of fresh basil that you need to use or store properly. That's where we come in! We'll tell you how to dry basil that is fresh from the garden or store and the best way to store it.
The best ways to dry basil

Drying herbs is just one of the ways to store your leftover basil. There are several ways to dry your basil so you can have it at your disposal any time. If you like fresh basil, then you will love dried basil. It’s much more powerful than the fresh; all that flavor is just crammed into the crunchy leaves.
How to air-dry basil
Air drying is the easiest way to preserve your basil, but it's a longer process — about two weeks in the summer. This is what you should do:

Read more
This is how to sharpen a serrated knife the right way
This fearsome blade needs a little extra love
Knife blades closeup

In every good set of kitchen knives, there is one particular blade that most people both love and hate. We love it for its ability to flawlessly slice through foods like crusty baguettes and plump, ripened tomatoes. Its jagged edge gives us smooth cuts through otherwise tricky-to-slice ingredients, all while appearing rather fierce in the process. But this knife can be desperately infuriating in its trickiness to sharpen. This is the serrated knife - a fiercely toothy blade with a saw-like edge.

Serrated knives come in all sizes for a variety of kitchen tasks. Their toothy edge is perfect for many culinary uses, allowing for crisp, clean cuts without tearing or squashing the ingredient's often tender interior.

Read more