Your basic, I mean favorite, fall drink just got healthier! This vegan pumpkin spice latte is dairy-free, made with wholesome ingredients, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s creamy, subtly sweet, and oh so festive. 

Call me pumpkin spice bae because I put it on everything in the fall. It’s a fun and festive way to spice up (literally) your morning coffee routine.

Jump to Recipe

Smooth cold brew and pumpkin puree make this vegan pumpkin spice latte incredibly creamy, which is why it only needs a teaspoon of almond butter and no other added fat!  

Some might say pumpkin spice lattes are basic but for me they’re nostalgic. So I created my own version that captures the taste and nostalgic first sip of a pumpkin spice latte but that’s made with wholesome ingredients. Also, is it just me or does the pumpkin spice latte at Starbucksucks not really taste all that pumpkiny? With this version, the pumpkin flavor always comes through. 

September is a weird month. Summer is ending and the weather is as unpredictable as a guy you’ve been hung up on for years. Some September days I’m hot and sad that my carefree, flip flop,  braless summer is ending and other days I’m curled up in a sweater looking forward to going to a pumpkin patch in the coming weeks. This drink is the perfect complement to the weird limbo that is september. It’s a pick-me-up for summers-end sadness and a way to embrace the change of season. 

Ingredients in Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte: 

Cold Brew: Buy it or brew it yourself! In this post, I show you how to brew it yourself which gives you tons of customization (and is way cheaper than buying it at Starbucks). Caffeine does me dirty so I like to make my own cold brew decaf (that I can never find at coffee shops), and also experiment with different flavored beans like hazelnut and french vanilla. 

Pumpkin Puree: Gives this coffee drink a delicious fall flavor and adds creaminess without adding any fat! It’s also super healthy! Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and eye boosting beta carotine.

Almond Butter: Because the cold brew is so smooth and the pumpkin puree is so creamy, you only need a tiny bit to add richness and balance out the intensity of the spices.

Almond Milk: Any brand will do the trick but if you wanna take it to the next level I love buying barista blend almond milk to use in drinks. It’s thicker and creamier than regular almond milk. 

Vanilla: I used pure vanilla extract but trader joes just came out with vanilla bean paste- so you know I’m gonna be trying that soon! 

Pumpkin Pie Spice: It’s worth it to buy a jar of it – but you can alternatively combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together to make your own pumpkin pie spice. This spice medley is the star of this latte. It adds delicious spiciness that goes so well with this drink’s creamy and sweet elements. It also adds that quintessential fall flavor. 

Substitutions / Modifications: 

1. Try this as an iced frappe – Simply blend all the ingredients above together with ice!  
2. To make this drink even creamier try a non-dairy blend labeled “barista blend’. Califa Farm’s barista blend almond milk is a fav of mine- it’s super thick and creamy and would be a great substitution for the regular almond milk.  
3. Feel free to play around with the ratio of milk to cold brew or sweetener amounts depending on how strong/sweet you like your coffee drinks. 
4. You can use any sweetener you like. Maple syrup doesn’t work in all coffee drinks but it pairs really well with the pumpkin and spices in this one. I’d suggest a lighter version of maple syrup rather than the dark amber kind. 
5. Sweetness: If you follow this recipe as its written its very subtly sweet. Feel free to add more maple syrup or any sweetener of your choosing. If you want to use a granulated sweetener like coconut sugar just make sure it’s fully dissolved before enjoying. 
6. Heat it up: Cold brew is just the brewing method – it doesn’t mean it has to be drank cold! Cold brew coffee is less acidic becasue the beans aren’t heated during the brewing process. After it’s strained, the heated cold brew will still retain its smoothness and lack of acidity. 
7. If you’re not a cofee drinker or want something different, try substituting the coffee with chai tea. Since chai is already infused with many of the same spices, you may want to reduce or omit the pumpkin pie spice. 

How to make your own cold brew: 

You don’t need to be a master barista to make your own cold brew. You just need a large container, a strainer, and some patience. 

Per 1 cup of water, you’ll need 1 ounce / 1/4 cup whole coffee beans (1/2 cup ground coffee).

Cold brew is amazing on its own. It’s smooth and avoids the acidic taste that comes from the traditional brewing method of heating the beans. However, good is good, but better is best. So cue this heaven in a cup: Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Start off by selecting beans of your preference – decaf, flavored, dark, medium, or light roast. Keep in mind though that depending on how you want to enjoy your cold brew it might influence what beans you want to use. If you plan to drink your cold brew straight up, a medium roast would be best. However, if you’re planning to add some type of milk to it, a dark roast would probably ensure the best flavor. Since we’ll be adding almond milk and other flavorings to our cold brew, we’ll go with dark roast beans. 

Next COURSELY grind the beans. If you have a coffee grinder you can do this at home but the easiest thing is to do it at the place you buy your beans. (I was super excited to find out you can do this yourself at Trader Joes!)

Pour your course grounds into a large container (or french press if you’re making a smaller batch) and combine with water (amount varies based on batch size).

Give it a quick stir.

Next, cover it to prevent dust and debris (I used a reusable beeswax food cover).

Then, let it steep overnight,  at least 12 hours. Personally, I like to steep mine for 24 hours for the deepest flavor (so does Starbucks). Beyond 24 hours the flavor may start to become too bitter and unpleasant. 

 The next morning press your french press down or strain grinds with a strainer or coffee filter (or some paper towels as shown below).  

This will yield a strong CONCENTRATE that you’ll want to dilute with either a milk of your choice or water for the right flavor. 

Use this as a guideline to make as much or as little cold brew concentrate as you’d like. I like to make batches using 3 oz / 1 1/2 cups coarsely ground coffee (that’s about 3/4 cup whole beans) and 3 cups of filtered water. That will yield about 2 1/2 cups of cold brew concentrate / 5 cups of cold brew.

Ingredients: 

Cold brew concentrate* or cold brew or fresh brewed coffee 

Almond milk or milk of choice

Pumpkin puree 

Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Maple syrup or sweetener of choice* 

Pumpkin Pie spice*

How to Make a Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte: 

In a blender, combine cold brew, almond milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Blend for about 30 seconds, or until mixture is creamy and all ingredients are well incorporated. 

Enjoy over ice cubes or heat your mixture on the stove for a traditional warm and cozy version of this drink. 

Notes: 

1. Steep cold brew for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. This will ensure the right potency and give a nice strong flavor perfect for mixing with non-dairy milk. 
2. If you choose to use a granulated sweetener, you may have to let it sit for a bit or stir vigorously until the granules dissolve, or put it in as you steep your cold brew. 
3. You may make your own pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have any on hand.

For another cool and creamy drink check out my vegan milkshake or my healthy mangonada recipe!

I hope you loved this recipe! Let me know in the comments below or any other suggestions you have. I would also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag a photo of your vegan pumpkin spice latte @wholesomehedonista!

Nutrition Info: Serving size: 1 latte. Calories per serving: 106. Fat: 4.1g Carbs: 15.4g. Fiber: 1g. Sugars: 12.5g. Protein: 1.2g.