Coffee-shop syrup · In season for Fall
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Real pumpkin, brown sugar and warm spice, strained smooth for lattes and cold foam.
- 35 min total
- 1½ cups350 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Pumpkin spice syrup is a brown sugar syrup simmered with pumpkin purée and warm spices, then strained. Simmer ½ cup pumpkin, ½ cup each white and brown sugar, 1¼ cups water and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice for 8 minutes, steep, strain, and use 2–3 tbsp per 12 oz latte.
Many bottled pumpkin syrups contain no pumpkin at all. A few spoonfuls of real purée add body and an earthy sweetness that spice alone can't, and straining keeps it smooth enough for a pump bottle.
Because it contains real pumpkin, it keeps about a week. Make a batch on the weekend, or freeze half in an ice-cube tray for later.
Tastespumpkincinnamonclovebrown sugar
The recipe
Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Ingredients for 1½ cups350 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, cinnamon sticks, milk frother, pump bottlesmall saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, cinnamon sticks, milk frother, pump bottle
Method
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Whisk together
In a small saucepan, whisk the water, both sugars, pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Drop in the cinnamon stick.
1¼ cups300 ml water½ cup100 g granulated sugar½ cup105 g brown sugar, packed½ cup120 g pumpkin purée2 tsp4 g pumpkin pie spice1 cinnamon stick
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Simmer gently
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Keep the heat low: pumpkin sputters and can boil over.
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Steep
Turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla and salt, and let it steep for 20 minutes as it cools.
1 tsp1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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Strain
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag) and let it drip. Press gently. Forcing the pulp through makes the syrup gritty.
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Bottle
Pour into a clean bottle and refrigerate. Shake before each use; a little settling is normal.
Storage. Real pumpkin makes this perishable: keep it sealed in the fridge and use within 1 week. Freeze extra in an ice-cube tray: one cube is about 2 tbsp, enough for one latte. Discard if sour or fizzy.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 34 kcal, 8.7 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Pumpkin spice latte
2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) per 12 oz latte: stir into 2 shots of espresso, add steamed milk, top with whipped cream and a dusting of spice.
Pumpkin cream cold foam
Froth 2 tbsp (30 ml) syrup with 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream and 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk until thick; spoon over cold brew. A copycat of the café fall favorite.
Iced pumpkin chai
1 tbsp (15 ml) in an iced chai latte for a spiced, pumpkin-forward twist.
Pumpkin Old Fashioned
¼ oz (7 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon and 2 dashes Angostura. Stir over ice; orange peel.
Breakfast
Drizzle over oatmeal, pancakes or Greek yogurt.
Gear for this recipe
Glass Coffee Syrup Dispensers with Pumps (16.9 oz, set of 2)
A pump gives the same dose every press, so every latte tastes the same. Glass washes clean between flavors.
Best for Home coffee bars
Zulay Kitchen Handheld Milk Frother
Best for Lattes and cold foam on a budget
Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
Best for Real espresso lattes at home
Takeya Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker (1 qt)
Best for Iced coffee all week
More gear for this recipe (4)
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Regency Wraps Ultra Fine Cheesecloth (9 sq ft)
Best for Crystal-clear syrups
Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks
Best for Cinnamon and spice syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Use plain canned pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and will throw the recipe off.
- No pumpkin pie spice? Use 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg and a pinch of cloves.
- For the smoothest, café-style syrup, strain twice: once through the mesh, then again through clean cheesecloth.
- Want it to last 3–4 weeks? Make the spice-only version below and skip the pumpkin.
Variations
Spice-only (longer-lasting)
Leave out the pumpkin and reduce the water to 240 ml. Same flavor profile minus the earthiness; keeps 3–4 weeks.
Maple pumpkin
Replace the brown sugar with 80 ml pure maple syrup for a cozier, less molasses-forward syrup.
Sugar-free pumpkin spice
Use 200 g allulose in place of both sugars. Keep the heat low; allulose browns quickly.
Questions people ask
Does pumpkin spice syrup have real pumpkin?
Many store-bought versions don't. They're spice and flavoring. This one uses real pumpkin purée for body and an earthy sweetness.
How much pumpkin spice syrup goes in a latte?
Use 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) for a 12 oz latte and 3–4 tbsp for 16 oz, depending on how sweet you like it.
Do I have to strain pumpkin spice syrup?
Not strictly, but unstrained syrup is pulpy, settles heavily and clogs pump bottles. Straining makes it smooth and café-like.
How long does homemade pumpkin spice syrup last?
About 1 week in the fridge because it contains real pumpkin. The spice-only version keeps 3–4 weeks. Both freeze well for 3 months.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
It's not recommended. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, so the syrup ends up too sweet and unbalanced. Use 100% pumpkin purée.