Overnight Pumpkin Spice Latte, Hot & Iced

Fall. It’s all everyone is talking about. The calendar has rolled over into a new month and Labor Day weekend is behind us. Apparently that is a more significant signal of a season change than say, the actual changing of the weather.

There are no crisp fall mornings cropping up. The leaves aren’t beginning to turn. My jeans and scarves simply make me sweat more instead of keeping me cozy and comfortable.

But as with most things, people seem to be in a rush to push time along. There’s been talk of Halloween, pumpkins, apples, and hot toasty drinks.

Do you know what I’m getting at? The ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte. It’s all up in my face. You can’t escape it. Only I wish I could because I think it’s revolting.

Yes, I, lover of lattes and all things pumpkin, hate the artificial combination of coffee and pumpkin.

But give me real pumpkin. Cinnamon sticks. Cloves. Freshly ground coffee beans.

That I can get on board with.

I’m especially a fan of this at home version of the pumpkin spice latte for 2 reasons:

1. I can drink it! Alternative milks are increasingly popular, but until Starbucks moves beyond traditional cow’s milk and soy milk, I’m out. By making it at home I can use almond or coconut milk. 2. It makes itself overnight. Yeah, that’s right. Slow cooker to the rescue, yet again.

We’re a milk free household and have been since long before baby allergies were an issue. I tend towards the almonds and coconuts of milk, while the husband prefers soy. I don’t think cow’s milk is a necessary part of our diet and it’s easy to replace since there are so many available options. Silk has soy, almond, and coconut milks in a plethora of varieties. They also have a fruit version that I want to try as soon as I can have soy again.

I like to stick with the original unsweetened versions of these dairy alternatives, but for this recipe I decided to give the vanilla almond milk a try. {Side note: the dark chocolate almond milk is INSANE. This comes from a non-lover of chocolate.}

I mulled my almond milk with the traditional plethora of fall flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, vanilla, and a hint of maple. I let it simmer on super-low overnight, awakening to the most amazing smells wafting up the stairs. It may be muggy and humid, but at least until I open the door, it’s fall for a few stolen moments. Infant in one arm, strongly brewed coffee in the other, I poured my steamed spiced milk into an oversized mug and applauded myself for playing the role of both sleep-deprived mom and barista all before 6am.

I even thought far enough ahead to freeze some coffee + almond milk ice cubes for a refreshing iced coffee version when the full force of it’s-still-summer-reality hits me later in the day.

Pumpkin Latte Recipe by with a Side of Sneakers

Ingredients

• 4 cups almond, coconut, or regular milk {I used Silk PureAlmond Vanilla Unsweetened}
• heaping 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 Tbsp sweetener such as maple syrup or molasses, plus additional as desired
• Strong brewed coffee or espresso {2 heaping tablespoons per 6 oz cup of water)
• Coconut whipped cream {optional- recipe below}

Instructions

Combine milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, spices, and sweetener in slow cooker.

Feel free to add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, or a vanilla bean for added “oomph”.

Cook on low 2-3 hours, or on “warm” setting overnight.

Serve with hot or iced coffee. Try 1/2 cup brewed coffee with 3/4 cup pumpkin spiced milk or adjust as desired.

Top with maple coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Feel free to toss your brewed coffee into the Crock Pot with your milk and spices so you have even less to do in the morning. I prefer to keep the milk separate so I can decide on my own coffee-to-milk ratios depending on whether I’m serving it hot or cold, or so I can use the delicious milk concoction for other fabulous fall-inspired meals, like this breakfast quinoa I devoured this morning.

Not a coffee fan? {Gasp! The horror!} Try this latte with brewed chai tea or as a base for hot chocolate instead. Mmmm.

This pumpkin latte recipe would be delicious served along side of a Starbucks-inspired pumpkin scone!

Silk® soy, almond and coconut milks are perfect choices for your healthy lifestyle.
More than 30 years ago, Silk set out to make the world a healthier place. Not just for people who drink Silk, but for everyone. Don’t let the delicious taste fool you, we’re serious about our soymilk, almondmilk and coconutmilk. 

With every cup of Silk, you get calcium, vitamin D and the goodness of soy, almonds or coconut. All of our non-dairy milks are free of lactose, cholesterol, gluten, eggs, casein, MSG and worries.

Whether organic or natural, all of our Silk products are made with non-GMO ingredients and verified by the non-GMO project.

 

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Silk via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Silk.

Are you in the pumpkin spice latte fan club? When do you consider it actually fall?