When the crisp air becomes chillier and the orangey-red leaves begin to flutter from the trees and onto the ground, you know it can only be one time of year: Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Or, as the non-coffee drinkers call it, fall.
Since 2003, when Starbucks Coffee started selling the Pumpkin Spice Latte — PSL, for short — it has been a hit among many. Fans of the fall coffee drink count down the days until it comes back to the local coffee shop and mourn for weeks when it departs for the year.
But the good news is, you can make the Pumpkin Spice Latte at home, and you don’t even need to be a highly trained barista to do it. And if you’re looking for a healthier version, we have a recipe that’s keto-friendly!
Being on a keto diet can make it hard to go to your local coffee shop and order your favorite drink, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. We’ll show you how to order a healthier version of the PSL and share our keto Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe…
What Does Keto Mean?
The ketogenic diet, often shortened to keto, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that boasts many benefits against ailments including diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Replacing the body’s carbohydrate intake with fats puts it into a state of ketosis, which makes your body able to more efficiently burn fat for energy.
When on a keto diet, you avoid high amounts of carbohydrates, but you also need to steer clear of sugary foods and drinks, which unfortunately includes many flavored coffee drinks, like the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
However, this keto-friendly PSL recipe gives the best of both worlds. You still get the flavors and treats you know and love without all the sugar!
Can I Have a Latte on Keto?
Yes! Since a latte is simply made of espresso and milk, and the espresso has no carbs, you essentially just have to worry about the milk.
It’s a good idea to use unsweetened almond milk over skim or whole milk, as it has significantly fewer carbs than those. You can even use unsweetened coconut milk as another option, or heavy cream for a few more carbs.
If you prefer a sweetened latte, sugar-free syrups are always a good option, as well as stevia.
What is the Best Milk For a Keto Latte?
Choosing the milk for your latte is important, as it makes up a good majority of the beverage. And, for a ketogenic diet, it can make or break your carbohydrate intake.
In a regular cup of milk, there are 12 grams of carbs, while in a cup of unsweetened almond milk (the preferred milk for the keto diet) there is only 1.1 gram of carbs.
If you can’t have almond milk, or you don’t like it, you can also choose unsweetened coconut milk, which has 1 gram of carbs. Heavy cream, another popular choice for the keto diet for those who’d prefer dairy, has 3.5 grams of carbs in 1/2 a cup.
Half and half is another dairy option, with 8 grams of carbs in one cup. However, oat milk is not recommended for the keto diet, as it has 16 grams of carbs in just one cup.
How To Order a Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you’re looking to go and pick up this yummy latte at your local coffee shop, but you want to make sure that it’s keto-friendly for your diet, there are ways to order it so that you can still enjoy the fall flavors.
Normally, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has a lot of carbs, therefore it’s definitely not keto-friendly on its own. To order a more healthy PSL, you can order a regular latte, and substitute either almond milk or heavy cream.
Depending on where you go, the pumpkin flavoring might be different. If you go to Starbucks, for example, you can ask for just one pump of pumpkin sauce since theirs has a lot of carbs. Finally, just add some pumpkin spice topping!
Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
While having a way to order a keto PSL is always nice, if you’re wanting one with more flavor or you’d rather just make it at home so that you don’t break the bank, there’s a recipe just for that.
So, without further ado, let’s get into exactly how to make this ketogenic Pumpkin Spice Latte!
You’ll Need:
- 3/4 cup of almond milk
- 1 3/4 cups of strong brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of stevia (or any zero-calorie sweetener)
- 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
- Sugar-free whipped cream
- A saucepan
- Hand mixer or blender
Instructions:
Step 1:
The first thing you’ll need to do is add almond milk, stevia, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree to the saucepan and warm the mixture on medium heat.
Stir the mixture until it bubbles and then remove the pot from the heat. If you’re not the biggest fan of almond milk, try using coconut milk instead.
Step 2:
Now, it’s time to brew your coffee. You can either use regular drip coffee or a double shot of espresso — the choice is yours.
Just make sure whatever you use is strong. When the hot coffee is brewed, add it and the heavy cream to the pumpkin puree mixture.
Step 3:
Use a hand mixer or regular blender (or a whisk, if you think manual mixing is the way to go) to pulse the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy.
Step 4:
Pour the PSL into a mug or glass, and top the latte with whipped cream.
This step is optional, of course, but just because the goal is to make a healthier version of the signature drink doesn’t mean you have to skip it. Use sugar-free whipped cream instead.
Step 5:
For extra pumpkin flavor, finish off with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
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Enjoy!
Share this keto-friendly Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe with all your friends, and enjoy this seasonal beverage all year long!
Happy Caffeinating!
Healthy Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte
A healthy spin on the popular pumpkin spice latte that makes you feel better about drinking such a delicious drink!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond milk
- 1 ¾ cup strong brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
- ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons stevia (or any other zero-calorie sweetener)
- ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Sugar-free whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and sweetener to a pot on medium heat.
- Stir until mixture bubbles then remove from heat.
- Combine heavy cream and coffee with your stovetop mixture.
- Use a hand blender or regular blender to pulse mixture until smooth and creamy
- Serve in a mug topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice and enjoy!
