Iced pumpkin spice latte – a cool twist

The summers aren’t even fully here yet, but the excitement of having a spice pumpkin latte in the community park gives many coffee lovers butterflies. Of course, there’s some time until the autumn season when this beverage will hit the counters at your favorite cafes, including Starbucks.

So we figured to put together a guide that will teach you all there is to know about iced pumpkin spice latte in the meantime. This article will discuss the many characteristics of this unique beverage and how to make an iced pumpkin spice latte at home. Continue reading to learn more.

What is Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Pumpkin Spice Latte refers to a fall drink introduced by Starbucks in 2003. Since its introduction, PSL has been a widely popular beverage and a favorite choice for many coffee lovers looking for a refreshing concoction.

It consists of fall spice flavors blended with steamed milk and espresso. You can add your preferred amount of sugar and top it off with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. And voila! It’s ready.

The PSL originally came as a hot drink, but soon after, the iced version was introduced, which was accepted by the audience with open arms. The only difference between hot and cold variants is the presence of ice cubes, and the brewing process and the spices used in each are practically the same.

Starbucks pumpkin spice iced latte Explained:

If you’re aware of the Starbuck shenanigans, you know that there is a yearly release date for this delicious drink whenever the fall season is upon us. Each year the coffee selling conglomerate manages to break the previous year’s record, and the net sales are now reaching up to 200 million. That’s crazy!

So what’s the big deal with PSL, and why do people swarm to their nearest Starbucks each season? One can argue that pumpkin spice has become a familiar, nostalgic feeling for many Americans who are afraid to lose touch with their roots. A quick visit to Starbuck rejuvenates that feeling while giving you a delicious coffee drink to enjoy. Remember to keep an eye on your calorie intake as a regular cup of Starbucks PSL.

Although Starbucks is the leading vendor for pumpkin spice latte throughout the US and other countries, many other brands have developed their variants of PSL.

How to Make Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Home?

If you want to make this special treat at home without any hassle or unique tools, we have a quick recipe for you to try. Never worry about being Starbucks closed again or paying hefty dollars for something you can make at home at a lower price. Take a look:

What ingredients will I need?

·        Espresso

·        Pumpkin spice sauce

·        Milk

·        Heavy cream

·        Vanilla syrup

·        Pumpkin spice

·        Lots of ice

The Process:

·        First, you need to prepare the whipped cream by mixing vanilla syrup and heavy cream. Then put this container to the side for later usage.

·        Take a mug and add espresso and ice to it. Then add pumpkin spice sauce and steamed milk to create a frothy blend.

·        Add the prepared whipped cream to the top of the mug

·        Sprinkle spices of your choice as a garnish, and enjoy!

Some Tips from the Experts:

When preparing a cup of iced pumpkin spiced latte, you may struggle to reach the familiar taste you’re used to having at a Starbucks café. However, the following tips can help you get closer to the original thing while making the process easier. Take a look:

·        If you don’t want to buy pumpkin spice topping for your drink, you can easily prepare it at home by mixing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

·        Whipped cream requires physical effort, and the more you whisk, the better the results. So it is best to use a ‘handheld milk frother’ that runs on a motor. Your hand won’t hurt this way, and the whipped cream will turn out good.

·        Vanilla syrup is a complementary element that sweetens up the taste of your drink. If you don’t have any vanilla syrup available, replace it with regular syrup or a couple of teaspoons of sugar.

·        You can make vanilla syrup at home with minimal ingredients, so it’s best to avoid purchasing it from a store.

·        Your choice of coffee beans matters a ton when it comes to the final taste of the coffee cup. Ensure that you’re using freshly roasted coffee beans to brew your coffee.

·        An excellent practice is grinding your beans right before the brewing process and avoiding the purchase of pre-ground beans.

What is in a pumpkin spice latte?

A delicious pumpkin spice latte cup contains two espresso shots, pumps of pumpkin sauce, and two percent milk. The drink comes topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with pumpkin spice for a joyful taste. Whether you make PSL hot or cold, the items stay the same.

What Coffee to Choose for Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Whether you’re making a simple coffee cup or a luxury coffee recipe, the choice of your coffee beans will significantly dictate the flavor of the beverage. Additionally, the type of roast is also a vital factor that makes or breaks a coffee cup.

There is no limitation to using a specific brand or type of coffee, but the beans must be freshly roasted. You can also ensure that the vendor gets the coffee plants from a high-quality source and not some mediocre farm with no quality control.

How much is an iced pumpkin spice latte?

If you’re buying an iced pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, it is available in three different sizes and prices; Tall, Grande, and Venti. Depending on what you choose, your purchase will amount from $4.25 to $5.25. This beverage is only available near the fall season, often at the end of August. So you might not even be able to buy it if the timing isn’t right.

Is the iced pumpkin spice latte good?

Since thousands of people like the social channels dedicated to this drink alone, it is safe to say that people love iced pumpkin spice latte. But is it that good? We can argue that there are better coffee drinks that offer much more flavor complexity than iced pumpkin spice latte. But PSL has its charm; you won’t get the idea unless you try it yourself.

Of course, the community often divides into two sides where one worships this drink while others slate it as an overrated achievement, much like other Starbuck offerings. We can believe that this differentiation lies on two extremes, and there is very little truth to them. The iced pumpkin latte is a lovely coffee drink that isn’t the best but is good enough to enlighten your evening with colorful nuances of pumpkin spice. If you’re a fan of sweet coffee drinks loaded with ice and diabetes, an iced pumpkin latte is the one for you.

Is pumpkin spice latte hot or cold?

Many people often ask if a pumpkin spice latte is cold or hot, and it comes as a surprise that both options exist. Initially, Starbucks launched the hot version of this drink that became increasingly popular as it matched the chilly autumn season perfectly. After years people started experimenting with putting ice in this drink to add versatility to an already unique beverage. This practice caught on quickly, and Starbucks also started offering a cold version of the pumpkin spice latte.

The choice between hot and cold PSL depends on your personal preference and the weather conditions. There comes a time when sipping a hot cup of coffee becomes impossible due to temperature reaching high numbers in certain areas. So how do you fulfill your caffeine intake to get to work? Enter iced pumpkin spice latte.

Contrarily, if you live in a cold area, opting for a hot pumpkin spice latte is an excellent option.

How much is a grande pumpkin spice latte?

The Grande pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks costs $4.95. You can also opt for the Tall or Venti version, which costs $4.25 and $5.25.

A Lovely Twist — Pumpkin Spice Latte with a Moka Pot:

We have a special recipe for the coffee lovers out there that will make indoors much more fun and caffeine-filled. You can prepare a cup of delicious PSL using a Moka pot and a milk steamer. All you have to do is:

·        Prepare your coffee in the Moka pot (preferably use espresso grind coffee)

·        Take a small pot and add sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice. Stir the mixture for a couple of minutes

·        Then pour the brewed coffee into this mixture and blend it

·        Add this coffee/pumpkin mixture to a mug

·        Steam the milk using the milk steamer and pour it into the mug

·        Top it off with whipped cream and a dash of preferred spices.

Conclusion:

Regardless of the divided community, we are determined that anyone who tries this delicious concoction will remember its unique flavor for a long time. If you’ve never had this drink, you can head over to your nearest Starbucks and try it. Of course, you can follow the easy cold pumpkin spice latte recipe we listed above to make one for yourself at home.

We hope this article helped you learn all there is to know about iced pumpkin spice latte, and now you’re well-informed to order it on your next Starbucks visit. If you’re making it at home, ensure that you follow the recipe correctly and source your ingredients from reliable vendors.