The first day of fall starts this week and I am so thankful to finally be able to fully indulge in my favorite fall drinks. I love a hot pumpkin spice latte or a warm cup of apple cider, as most people do, around this time of year. I blogged about my at-home pumpkin spice latte a few weeks ago, but this time, I am sharing an iced version that you can make at home with or without an espresso machine. I always use an espresso pot and frothing wand personally! While I am dreaming of buying an aesthetic high-quality espresso machine to make a hot latte every morning, I am the only one that drinks coffee in my home. Therefore, buying an espresso machine hasn't been as high on the list of priorities as I wish it was!
It’s still a little warm here making this iced pumpkin spice latte recipe the perfect way to get all the fall feels as we welcome a new season.
You can use any milk that you choose. I use either regular milk or oat milk. I based this recipe on whole milk for the nutrition notes, but oat milk is equally delicious. Either type of milk works well using a frothing wand if you want a foamy effect. Most iced drinks do not come with foamed milk, so you can skip that part altogether and pour in cold to remove the extra step if desired!
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What is espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee made from regular coffee beans. The difference is that it is made with high pressure causing a stronger caffeine flavor in a smaller amount. Espresso is made in small doses to be used in drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and milk-based drinks.
What is in a latte recipe?
The word latte means milk in Italian. A latte drink can be described as a “milk coffee” because it is made using a strong form of coffee and hot steamed milk.
Can you make a true latte recipe with a Moka Pot?
You can make a very tasty drink that will give you the same cozy feeling as drinking a latte from an espresso machine. The difference is that you can’t make the espresso at the same high pressure that you can with a machine. Without the high pressure, you get less of the Crema which is the golden foam on top of espresso that forms when truly making espresso the correct way. However, this drink is so tasty and you can easily perfect your at-home latte making by practicing with your Moka Pot.
How to Make An Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Without An Espresso Machine
As I mentioned above, I'm the only one in my home that drinks coffee, so I've had to get creative with making my own lattes at home. Running to Starbucks all season for my pumpkin spice latte fix is not cost-efficient, so this was a much-needed thing for me! I've mastered the art of using a Moka pot to make my espresso and I've gotten better and better at it the more that I have tried it. There really is an art to it, so patience is needed!
MOKA POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Follow the box instructions for rinsing your Moka Pot before your first use.
- Use fresh coffee beans and grind them with a coffee grinder until they are smooth, but not too fine. You will want a slightly coarser grind than that used for making espresso with a machine. I use Black Cat by Intelligentsia.
- Warm about a cup of water over the stove until it boils. The reason for using hot water is to try to get the espresso powder as hot as possible in a short amount of time without burning it. The longer it heats up over the stove, the more you risk a bitter flavor.
- Pour your water into the bottom of the Moka Pot until it is leveled just under the pressure valve or "screw".
- Grab your espresso basket and place it into the Moka pot over the hot water. Spoon in your slightly coarsely ground espresso beans, leveling it off with your finger without packing it down. You do not want to tamper the grounds for a Moka Pot as you would with an espresso machine.
- Screw on the top pour canister and be careful not to touch the Moka Pot with your bare hands if you did use hot water. The pot heats up quickly. I use an oven mitt!
- Bring your pot to a boil over medium-high heat. I leave the top up so that I can see when it starts to boil.
- Once the Moka Pot is spitting liquid, wait for the gurgling sound and then remove it from the heat immediately. Leave it for another 30 seconds to continue brewing. This will create an espresso "shot", so you don't want the entire canister to fill up and water down the flavor. I don't walk away from this process because it starts to boil quickly and you don't want the boil to fill up too much, causing your espresso to be over-filtered and watered down.
- Follow the remaining directions in the recipe below to make your Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte!
Tips For Your Moka Pot
1. Use fresh coffee beans and grind them before each cup if you don’t make them every day.
2. Use warm water when filling the bottom pot of your Moka Pot. There is debate about this and it seems like an extra step, but giving your Moka Pot additional help with the water temperature allows it to make your espresso without having to “cook” the coffee creating a bitter taste. I tried it both ways and I prefer the warm water method. I actually bring a pot of water to a boil and use that when adding water to the Moka Pot.
3. Be sure to properly clean your Moka Pot with hot water and no soap. You do not want any leftover espresso or coffee grinds left in the machine as it can create a build-up causing a bitter taste in your next cup.
Comment below with your favorite style of Pumpkin Spice Latte - hot or iced? Try my hot pumpkin spice latte while you're at it!
Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
Iced pumpkin spice latte that can be at home with or without an espresso machine.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon spiced pure pumpkin puree *see note
- 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup + more for pumpkin seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 espresso shot
- 1/2 cup choice of milk
- Ground cinnamon
- Ice
Instructions
- Make your espresso with your choice of an espresso blend. I don't have an espresso machine, so I use a Moka Pot to do this.
- In a small pot, melt your pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice on low heat.
- Once your espresso shot is ready, add that to the pot with the pumpkin mix.
- Let the mixture completely melt, stirring consistently.
- Once it's ready, remove it from the heat and allow it to slightly cool, then pour it over ice in your choice of glass or mug.
- Add 1/4 cup of cold milk of your choice.
- I like to add a touch more ice here if needed. Sometimes the warm espresso melts the initial handful of ice.
- Using a frothing wand, froth the remaining 1/4 cup of milk to foam it, then pour it over your iced coffee and cold milk mixture. (This step is completely optional as most iced drinks do not come with foamed milk!)
- Top with ground cinnamon and enjoy.
Notes
I prefer to spice my pumpkin puree straight out of the can since it's a little earthy tasting by itself. To do this, I put the entire can of pure pumpkin puree into a bowl then mix it with 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. I store it in the Refridgerator in a glass container while I make my pumpkin spice latte drinks throughout the weeks. It will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
