Day 2… Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

Over the 31 days, there will be a mix of sweets and treats, main and side dishes and even a few gift ideas :) I’ve tried to share ideas that may not be thought of as something that could be made ahead.

I’m going begin with fall and Thanksgiving recipes. I love fall and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays!

One of the things I look forward to most in the fall is Pumpkin Spice appearing on the Starbucks menu! I recently heard you can make your own pumpkin spice syrup to make lattes at home and I’m so excited to share this simple recipe with you!

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE SYRUP

1.5 cups water
1.5 cups sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan, simmer water on medium-low until the sugar dissolves.

2. Stir in the spices and pumpkin puree. Simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Once it has thickened slightly, remove from heat and strain through a mesh strainer. This step is optional and is only to remove some of the spices, so they won’t end up as sludge in the bottom of your cup. I do strain mine, then rinse the strainer and strain once more ;)

4. Store in a jar or other airtight container. The syrup lasts for 1 month in the refrigerator.

FREEZER DIRECTIONS: The syrup will keep up to 6 months, when stored in the freezer. Allow to cool completely. Pour into a freezer safe container (I like to use recycled Coffee-Mate containers to store syrup in the freezer). Be sure to leave at least 1.5 inches of headroom at the top. The syrup will expand when frozen and needs the extra space at the top of the container. Once removed from the freezer, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

LATTE DIRECTIONS: To make into a latte, add 2-4 tablespoons of this syrup to warm milk or half and half in the bottom of a mug and then add hot espresso or coffee. If you have whipped cream for the top, it will taste even better!

I just made a double batch of this pumpkin yumminess. Half the syrup is in the fridge to enjoy through October and the rest is waiting in the freezer to be used over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Hope you get a chance to try some pumpkin spice. The syrup makes a great homemade gift, too!