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Skip the line at Starbucks and make this delicious pumpkin cream cold brew at home instead! Made with pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree, this cold coffee drink takes minutes to make and is perfect for the fall. It’s not just about the savings; it’s about recreating that special coffee shop magic in your own space.
Whipping up this pumpkin cream cold brew coffee drink literally takes minutes. Plus, it uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry, making this recipe even more of a win. So next time you’re tempted to head out to Starbucks for your caffeine fix, remember you’re just a few steps away from crafting the perfect pumpkin cream cold brew right at home.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Saves Time: No need to change out of your pajamas and drive to the nearest coffee shop; get your pumpkin and caffeine fix instantly.
- Perfect for Gatherings: Hosting a fall brunch? Serve this pumpkin cream cold brew for a festive touch that everyone will be happy about.
- Cost-Effective: Making your cold brew at home is more economical – so if you’re on a budget, you can have your pumpkin cream cold brew and drink it too!
- Seasonal Joy: There’s just something about sipping on a pumpkin-flavored drink during the fall that feels just right.
Ingredients to make a pumpkin cream cold brew coffee
- Coffee: Use cold brew coffee for this recipe. It is less acidic than iced coffee, though you can use iced coffee in a pinch.
- Half and half: Half and half has a nice creamy thickness to it, but is lower in calories and fat than cream.
- Maple syrup: Used to naturally sweeten the cold coffee drink. Maple syrup has a more woody flavor that works great with the spices.
- Pumpkin puree: Use a pure pumpkin puree rather than one with any spices or sweeteners added.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Is it even a pumpkin coffee without pumpkin pie spice? The warming flavors from spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make this the perfect drink for fall.
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
In this video, I show how to make the pumpkin cream cold brew using heavy cream and half and half. There’s also a cameo by my husband helping me shake the heavy cream haha!
How to make Starbucks pumpkin cream cold brew
When you see how easy it is to make this pumpkin cold brew coffee at home, you’re going to be kicking yourself that you didn’t start making it sooner!
Make the pumpkin cream
- Place the half and half, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
- Use a frother to combine the ingredients together.
- Pour it into a tall glass of cold brew and enjoy!
Tips for making pumpkin cold brew
- Use heavy cream for a thicker consistency. Half and half is basically half cream and half milk, so it has the richness of heavy cream without the full amount of calories and fat and will be just as a delicious. You will need to add a 1-2 tablespoons of milk for every ¼ cup of heavy cream to loosen it so it doesn’t turn into whipped cream.
- Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. That’s because we’re adding maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice to the mixture and using the pie filling will make it too sweet.
- Make this drink without a frother. If you don’t have a frother, you can combine the ingredients together either in a French press, by plunging up and down a few times, or add the ingredients to a mason jar and shake together until well combined.
- Re-shake or whisk after it settles. When the mixture settles in the fridge, you may notice some separation which is completely normal. Just give it another good shake and it will be blended again.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Dairy Alternatives: Not a fan of half and half or heavy cream? Feel free to substitute with almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
- Sweetener Swap: If maple syrup isn’t your favorite, honey or agave nectar can work as sweet alternatives. For a sugar-free version, consider using stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
- Spice Variations: While pumpkin pie spice is the go-to here, you could use individual spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or clove for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Boosted Cold Brew: Enhance your coffee base by brewing with a cinnamon stick or a vanilla bean for an extra layer of depth.
- Vanilla Touch: A drop or two of vanilla extract can add a gentle aromatic nuance to your drink.
- Extra Frothy: For an airier pumpkin cream, use your frother to whip it up even more before serving.
- Garnish: Top off your drink with a sprinkle of cinnamon or even a cinnamon stick for added flair and flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Half and half is used to make the pumpkin cream, it’s thick so it froths up really well. You can try to replace it with coconut cream, though the flavor of the drink will change a little. Oat milk froths up pretty well, but it won’t be as creamy.
This drink is best enjoyed as soon as you’ve made it – luckily it only takes a few minutes to make! If you do have any leftover pumpkin cream, it will keep well in the fridge for a few days, but you will need to froth it again before using.
Pumpkin pie spice is a ready made spice blend that is widely available in stores, if you don’t have any to hand, just add in a a few pinches each of ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon for a similar flavor.
Since the cream mixture makes enough for four or more servings, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for 5-7 days.
This Starbucks-inspired pumpkin cream cold brew recipe is so easy to make at home. Perfectly spiced and so creamy, this cold coffee drink is the perfect accompaniment this fall.
More pumpkin recipes:
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
- No-Bake Pumpkin Balls
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Easy Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup half and half
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or to taste
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 cups cold brew coffee
- Ice
Instructions
- Place the half and half, maple syrup, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Use a frother or electric whisk to combine until thick and foamy. Or, add the ingredients to a mason jar, secure the lid and shake the mixture well for 1 minute until thick and foamy.
- Fill a tall glass (about 12-16 ounces) with ice cubes, pour the cold brew mixture into the cup, leaving space for the pumpkin cream. Add some of the pumpkin cream mixture on top. Use a tall stirrer or straw to stir.
Equipment
- or Hand Mixer
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
So good! Just like Starbucks 😋
And so much more affordable to make at home, glad you liked it!
1 serving shows 4 cups of coffee. how many ounces is each of those cups?
A full batch of this recipe makes 4 servings. There is roughly 8 ounces of cold brew in each cup, topped with pumpkin cream.
This is a pretty good jumping off point. It needs double the maple syrup, 1 whole tsp of pumpkin pie spice, 4 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, added 2 tsp vanilla for more richness, and it could use table cream in place of the half and half for a better froth and mouth feel. But, if you want to go “skinny,” this is a good recipe. I have now changed the recipe for my files, and call it my own! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your variation!
Hi, instead of maple syrup, can I use sweetened condensed milk? If so how much?
Not quite like starbucks but a good substitute! Forgot to add vanilla but I think that will give it the extra sweetness I’m wanting. I used oat milk. Will try again with half and half.
You can adjust the sweetness level to taste and the vanilla does add to the overall flavor. Hope you like round two better!
Instead of using maple syrup can I use Vanilla syrup?
Sure!