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Yes, it’s that time of the year again. October means pumpkin pies and pumpkin chai tea lattes are THE treats to make. Try this Pumpkin Spice Chai latte recipe if you want to enjoy a delicious and soothing seasonal drink in a matter of minutes.
What is pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie spice is a mix of ground spices commonly used for making pumpkin pies. This mix is highly popular for making spiced lattes too. Pumpkin spice mix includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. If you can’t find it in a shop, you can easily make it at home using regular spice powders.
How to make your own pumpkin spice:
Use about 6 teaspoons of cinnamon powder, 1 ½ teaspoon of ginger powder, 1 ½ teaspoon of nutmeg powder and ¾ teaspoons of cloves powder. Blend them all together in a clean, dry jar. Powdered spices are great for baking and for making lattes. However, if you are making regular tea rather than latte, crushed spices may be a better option. You can make the same mix, but use a pestle and mortar to crush them.
What is pumpkin spice chai tea?
Pumpkin spice chai tea latte is tea made with pumpkin spice mix, black tea, milk and pumpkin puree. It’s very similar to regular chai spices mix, but doesn’t contain peppercorns, fennel or star anise. However, you can spice it up as you wish.
Pumpkin puree is another unique ingredient in this drink. You may want to know if you need to use a pumpkin puree. The answer is no. However, it will give a dose of creaminess, texture and flavor–depending on which puree you are using. Not all pumpkins have an intense flavor, and the flavor may easily get lost among the intensity of spices and black tea. However, if you don’t want to compromise of texture and creaminess, pumpkin puree is a must. Alternatively, pumpkin syrup can be used too.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea
To make your own easy and delicious pumpkin spice chai, you can use a pre-made tinned puree or make your own. If you feel like spending more time in the kitchen, try making your own and use the opportunity to enjoy real pumpkins. Best pumpkins to use are sweet butternut or sugar pumpkins. The choice of pumpkin will have a lot of influence on the final flavor and sweetness of your drink. However, tinned purees are great as well and using them will get you a delicious drink in no time.
To make a pumpkin spice chai tea you will need:
- 2-2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree
- 100 ml of whole full fat milk, or a dairy free alternative such as cashew milk
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon of honey or brown sugar
- A drop of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons of strong loose leaf black tea such as Organic Assam
- 100 ml of boiling water
Instruction:
- Bring fresh spring water to a boil.
- Steep tea leaves in 100 ml of boiling water for about 5-10 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor. It’s important to choose the right type of tea because some may have a lot of bitterness if over-steeped. Strain the tea into a mug.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into a small saucepan and cook while stirring for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add whole milk, honey, and vanilla extract and simmer over the low-medium fire for about 10 minutes. Whole milk will give the creamiest drink. For a dairy-free alternative we recommend using creamy cashew milk or creamy coconut milk. Other, less creamy alternative is almond milk.
- Pour into a mug with tea.
- Stir and top up with whipped cream.
You can make this drink even milkier by steeping the tea in milk directly, instead of water. Follow the same steps but use a small saucepan to heat the milk and simmer the tea leaves over low heat for 10 minutes. Don’t let it boil. Then add all other ingredients.
Want a caffeine free drink? Replace black tea with red rooibos. Red rooibos has a wonderful rich earthy flavor which complements the flavor of spices and pumpkin amazingly well. To enjoy a more classical chai flavor, replace rooibos or black tea with rooibos chai or black chai blend.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every person is different and may react to different herbs and teas differently. Never use teas or herbs to treat serious medical conditions on your own. Always seek professional medical advice before choosing home remedies.
