Canned Pumpkin Purée And Coffee Is All PSL Lovers Need For A Quick Fix

Pumpkin spice season is the perfect time to curl up with a squash-flavored latte. And for those times when you want to dive into Starbucks' signature Pumpkin Spice Latte, aka its PSL, but don't want the added sugar or $5.45 price tag, you can make your own version at home. You probably have almost everything you need already — just buy canned pumpkin purée and coffee. 

The official Starbucks PSL is a pretty standard flavored latte: Two shots of espresso plus foamed milk and syrup. As of 2022, the pumpkin spice syrup's ingredients list includes sugar, condensed milk, natural additives, and a small dose of pumpkin purée. With those clues, you have enough information to make your own pumpkin spice latte at home. Combine coffee and pumpkin purée with milk, sugar, and spices.

The result won't taste exactly like a PSL — but it might taste better. The real deal contains just 2% pumpkin purée. Adding more to the mix boosts the latte's fall flavor and creamy texture. "I made the first batch without the puréed pumpkin and it was good," one Redditor wrote. "But [for] the second I added pumpkin and it was even better. It made it creamier." 

Most DIY pumpkin spice latte ingredients are already in your kitchen: Milk, sugar, and fall spices. Double-check that you have canned pumpkin purée and coffee. If so, you're ready to go. The basic method is simple: Combine and heat pumpkin purée, coffee, spices, sweetener, and milk. But in which proportions? What order? And with which kitchen tools? You can make different choices for different results. Dial down the sugar for a more balanced flavor profile. Blend the pumpkin purée and milk for an extra-frothy, aerated latte. Use espresso instead of coffee for something closer to the real thing. 

Plenty of simple recipes are available if you have no idea how to make a pumpkin spice latte at home. If you're up for a little more effort, try the Starbucks official version. Infusing simple syrup with pumpkin purée and spices for 20 minutes gets you eight servings of pumpkin spice syrup. Just add espresso, milk, and whipped cream for a Starbucks-approved PSL. 

At Starbucks, baristas make pumpkin spice lattes with assembly line efficiency. When you make a latte at home, you can take the time to experiment. One test you should try? Swap oat, soy, or coconut milk for cow's. It's not just vegan — it's delicious. "I actually almost prefer the coconut milk variation to the OG recipe," lifestyle writer Lara Walsh found. 

You could also try another sweetener. A true Starbucks copycat recipe for a PSL would use good old-fashioned sugar to create a simple syrup base. But you don't have to. Use maple syrup to boost fall flavor or stevia to cut out sugar.

While you're at it, take some inspiration from the Starbucks secret menu and mix it up. A pumpkin spice latte is great, but a pumpkin spice chai tea latte might be better, not to mention a pumpkin spice hot chocolate or its salted caramel latte counterpart. There is no need to spend $5 plus the charge for extra syrup. You can make your custom latte at home.