Let's get extra cozy this fall with a spiced pumpkin chai latte! Sweetened with real maple syrup for the perfect decadent touch, this homemade pumpkin spice chai latte adds a festive touch to your autumn brunches and holiday breakfasts. Plus, you don't need any fancy, expensive coffee-making equipment to whip up this favorite seasonal sipper. You'll want to enjoy this chai latte all fall long.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Make a coffee shop favorite right at home: No more overpriced lattes or long morning lines for you. Plus, you can now make this delicious drink any time of year. Lucky you.
Enjoy the perfect fall drink: With those infused warm spices and real pumpkin, this latte tastes like fall in a mug. After one sip, it’s sure to put you and your guests in a happy, festive mood.
Just the right sweet touch: If you’ve had a pumpkin chai latte at Starbucks or a local coffee shop, you may have noticed it’s extremely sweet. With this recipe, the maple syrup adds the perfect sweetness without tasting cloying.
No barista training required: Not sure how to work one of those fancy espresso machines? That’s not a problem with this homemade chai latte recipe. If you can boil water, you have all the necessary skills.
Related: For more pumpkin recipes full of fall spices, try my brown butter pumpkin cupcakes and bourbon-pumpkin ice cream.
Ingredients
And now for a few ingredient pro tips to set you up for success.
Pumpkin purée: This gives us the perfect real pumpkin flavor with an extra touch of creaminess. Double check the can to ensure you get real pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Alternatively, you can substitute homemade pumpkin purée for the can.
Chai tea bags: Make sure you use chai rather than your standard black tea bags. This will really amp up those cozy spices.
Maple syrup: Do not use pancake syrup. We’re talking real, 100 percent maple syrup here — it truly makes this pumpkin spice chai latte stand out from the others. I even tried this recipe with dark brown sugar, and the maple syrup still won, hands down. You can think of this as our secret ingredient.
Whole milk: For the best flavor and most frothy topping, I highly recommend using whole milk. You just can’t beat the richness. Of course, you’re welcome to substitute your favorite type of milk or non-dairy alternative, such as coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk or oat milk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: We first make a chai concentrate. To start, we stir together water, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole allspice and fresh ginger in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat (photo 1).
Step 2: Once it boils, we submerge the tea bags in the mixture, turn off the heat, cover and let it steep for at least 15 minutes (photo 2).
Step 3: After steeping, we strain the tea bags and chai spices in a fine-mesh sieve (photo 3). What’s left after straining is our chai concentrate.
Step 4: Now we heat our milk of choice in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat (photo 4).
Step 5: As the milk heats, we pour in the warm chai concentrate into a large latte mug (photo 5).
Step 6: When the milk begins to steam and small bubbles emerge on the surface, we turn off the heat and whisk vigorously (photo 6).
Step 7: For our final step, we pour the steamed milk into the mug with the chai concentrate (photo 7).
If you’d like to get extra fancy, feel free to top this fall chai latte with some fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. All that’s left is to find a cozy spot by the fireplace and savor the flavors of fall.
Bonus: For more chai drinks, try my chai old fashioned and chai-cranberry bourbon smash.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, chai generally contains caffeine, but the exact amount can vary, according to the Republic of Tea. With a traditional black chai, you can expect to consume 50-100 mg of caffeine. For a point of reference, the standard cup of coffee includes 95 mg of caffeine.
The ideal milk temperature for lattes ranges between 140-160 degrees F. While you can guess the temperature by the steam, you can always use an instant thermometer for a more precise reading.
We reviewed detailed instructions for making a hot latte since it’s the most popular variation, but you can absolutely make an iced chai latte instead. Rather than heating the milk on the stove, we add the milk to a jar with a solid lid or cocktail shaker, shake the milk vigorously and pour it over the chai concentrate with ice.
As long as you keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it should last four to five days. You can also freeze the concentrate for up to three months.
Expert Tips
Do not boil the milk: Boiling milk can cause it to separate. We’re only looking for it to steam.
Use a milk frother if you have one: This recipe recommends a whisk and saucepan to make it more accessible. However, you can use a milk frother if you prefer.
Heat the tea concentrate if prepared ahead of time: If you make the tea concentrate ahead of time, it will obviously be cold straight out of the refrigerator and chill down our warm latte. At minimum, set the concentrate out ahead of serving to come to room temperature or give it a quick trip to the microwave to warm.
Carefully pour the milk: A gentle pour helps preserve that delightful foam we all love.
Grab a latte mug: A latte mug gives us more space than your standard coffee mug, which won’t fit the whole hot drink.
Perfect Pairing
This latte calls for an equally seasonal treat, and I have just the recipe for you — these pumpkin crullers with a caramelized maple glaze. Crullers are a no-yeast light and airy donut. From the maple syrup to the pumpkin spice, these two match flavors perfectly.
I hope you put your morning to a festive start with this spiced pumpkin chai latte. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the holiday season.
Cheers!
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Spiced Pumpkin Chai Latte
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Whisk or milk frother
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup real maple syrup
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2-inch knob of ginger peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice
- 8 chai bags
- 4 cups whole milk
Instructions
Hot Spiced Pumpkin Chai Latte
- Stir together water, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves and allspice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the pumpkin from settling to the bottom.
- When the mixture boils, submerge the tea bags, cover, turn off heat and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes.
- Strain the pumpkin mixture in a fine-mesh sieve. This should yield 2 cups of chai concentrate.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Do not boil.
- Meanwhile, divide the pumpkin chai concentrate among four mugs, about ½ cup each.
- When the milk steams and bubbles start to form, turn off the heat. Whisk until frothy. Pour over the concentrate, about 1 cup per mug. Gently stir to combine. If desired, top with whipped cream and ground cinnamon. Enjoy!
Cold Spiced Pumpkin Chai Latte
- Stir together water, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves and allspice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the pumpkin from settling to the bottom.
- When the mixture boils, submerge the tea bags, cover, turn off heat and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes.
- Strain the pumpkin mixture in a fine-mesh sieve. This should yield 2 cups of chai concentrate. Allow to cool.
- Fill four large glass with ice. Pour in the pumpkin chai concentrate, about ½ cup per glass.
- Add the milk to a cocktail shaker or mason jar, put on the top and shake until the froth forms. Alternatively, pour the milk in a large measuring cup and whisk until it turns frothy.
- Pour the milk over the chai concentrate, about 1 cup per glass, and gently stir to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
- If preparing the chai concentrate ahead of serving time, heat before using.
- The chai concentrate will last in the refrigerator for four to five days if stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
- If you prefer to use a milk frother over the stove-top, you can use that with the same recipe proportions.
- To help keep that frothy topping, use a gentle touch when pouring the milk into the latte cup.
- A standard coffee mug may be a bit too small, so I recommend using a latte mug. The larger bowl-shaped top makes it easier to pour in the milk, and it better accommodates the added froth and liquid.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Bernice says
This is a great fall alternative to the PSL. It wasn't too sweet, and those chai spices went perfectly with the pumpkin. Really delicious fall latte.