Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup (with Real Pumpkin)
This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup recipe is crafted with real pumpkin puree and warm fall spices. It will elevate your at-home coffee drinks and offer endless possibilities, from iced coffee to pancakes and even cocktails.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup Recipe
Every year I think, “I’m so over pumpkin spice season, I’m not doing it. Just not.” And, every year I give into all the pumpkin treats and PSLs. I just can’t help myself! Why fight it?
So yea, when the fall season rolls around it’s time to make homemade pumpkin syrup to flavor my lattes. It’s made with simple ingredients and real pumpkin puree for…well…actual pumpkin flavor!
There are warm spices, hints of molasses and maple that all come together for a deliciously sweet way to flavor your at-home coffee drinks!
Gather Your Pumpkin Spice Sauce Ingredients
It’s time to raid your pantry! There’s a good chance you’ve got most of these ingredients on hand.
- Water – will combine with sugar and maple to create a base homemade simple syrup.
- Dark brown sugar – dark brown sugar has a higher ratio of molasses to sugar for a nice punch of flavor.
- Maple syrup – added for its caramel and toffee notes.
- Pumpkin puree – use store-bought canned pumpkin or your own homemade pumpkin puree. Avoid pumpkin pie filling which is already spiced…we’ll do that ourselves!
- Pumpkin pie spice – again, store bought or homemade.
- Kosher salt – just a little elevates the flavors and brings some balance.
- Vanilla extract – another flavor enhancer and perfect partner for all the other ingredients.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup
This is such an easy recipe to make!
- Combine the water, brown sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, spices, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring it to a bubble, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove it from the burner, then stir in the vanilla.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- For a really smooth syrup, whisk the cooled mixture through a fine mesh strainer positioned over a bowl.
- For a thinner or thicker syrup, adjust the amount of water by 1/4 cup, more or less.
- Transfer the syrup to an airtight container (like a mason jar) and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- If separation occurs, give the container a good shake or just stir it up.
Substitution Ideas to Customize Your Own Syrup
Substitute the water with dairy milk, plant-based milk or half u0026 half. This is great if you aren’t into cappuccinos or lattes, but want to enjoy some pumpkin spice flavor in your cup of coffee.
Use light brown sugar for a more subtle molasses flavor. You can also use coconut sugar for a toasted note. Instead of maple syrup, you can use agave syrup (which will impart a more neutral flavor) or honey (which will be quite different, so keep that in mind). You can also use all brown sugar if you don’t have maple.
Use low-sugar alternatives like Swerve Organic Brown Sugar or Lakanto Maple Syrup. I’ve used both of these products on the occasion when I want or need to pull back on sugar. If you’re familiar with these or similar sugar alternatives, you’ll know the flavor will end up slightly different.
Pumpkin pie spice is a blend containing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. If you are sensitive to or dislike any of these, swap the pumpkin pie spice for individual spices. For a subtle spice note, simply simmer a couple cinnamon sticks with the other syrup ingredients. Remove them after cooling, or store them with the syrup.
You can try this with a nut or maple extract, or even a splash of bourbon…especially if you’re making this for a weekend brunch!
Other Ways to Use Your Homemade PSL Syrup
- Mix with cold brew for iced coffee drinks.
- Make pumpkin spice hot chocolate.
- Add some to your favorite syrups for pancakes, waffles and french toast.
- Stir it into oatmeal, yogurt or smoothies.
- Drizzle it over ice cream and desserts for an instant seasonal twist.
- Use it to sweeten whipped cream for drinks and desserts.
- Use it to rim cocktail glasses or add it to holiday cocktails.
I Have A Feeling You Might Like…
- Caramel Apple Pecan Coffee Cake
- Iced Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Sweet Rolls
- Pumpkin + Maple Semifreddo
- Baked Salted Caramel Coffee Donuts
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, (or light brown sugar or sugar-free alternative*)
- ¼ cup maple syrup, (or agave syrup, honey or sugar-free alternative*)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, (or any combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice or cloves to suit your taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, (or nut or maple extract*)
Instructions
- Combine everything except the vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a bubble while stirring until the sugar dissolves. Lower to medium-low (or low, depending on the strength of your burner) and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the burner and stir in the vanilla.
- Cool completely, give it a few stirs, then transfer to an airtight container or jar.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Pin for Later! Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Amazing and it’s your fault I have a new machine to make Expresso drinks.
I followed the recipe. I will try lower sugar sometime.
so glad I found your page and hopefully I won’t lose it.
🤣 Sorry, Teresa. 😉
For some reason I just couldn’t click on the fifth star, but this is a five star recipe. Last year I went to Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte and accidentally spilled it when I tried to put it on top of the car ( I had several other drinks and they were out of cupholders) and I tell you my skin was tight and crispy and my shirt and jeans could stand on their own. I forgot about it and tried to get one last week and I couldn’t finish it and it made me sick the rest of the day, it’s so much sugar! I’m glad I found this recipe, I just tried it with black tea and it tastes great, I’ll try it with espresso tomorrow. I did replace half of the sugar with monkfruit for experimental purposes and it still is good with no aftertaste like other sugar substitutes. I’ll more than likely double the recipe next weekend to share with coworkers. Thanks again!
Thanks for this comment! I totally understand the ‘so much sugar’ thing. On the rare occasions I go, I always ask for half the # of pumps of whatever syrup they’re doling out. Love your monkfruit swap, too!
Hello ☺️ I am excited to try this recipe! I plan on making it with the brown sugar and maple like you suggested. I do have a question about the molasses you mentioned when gathering ingredients. How much should I add to your recipe?
Meaghan, Sorry about the confusion…there actually isn’t molasses as a stand alone ingredient. There is molasses in brown sugar, so that’s the reference. (Goodness, now that I read it again, I can see the confusion. Will update now!)