Homemade Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte (Healthier than Starbucks)

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This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte is filled with fall spices and flavor. It is really easy to make and features a homemade pumpkin syrup that is naturally sweetened. 

Cooler weather means it’s time to break out the pumpkin lattes and warm, cozy drinks. This version combines my love for pumpkin spice and my love of chai. The chai flavor pairs so well with the warm spices in the pumpkin syrup. This recipe is made with simple ingredients and the perfect cozy fall drink to take to the pumpkin patch or curl up with a good book. This creamy pumpkin chai latte can be made hot or iced and is easy to make!

Starbucks copycat, but much healthier

Just when I thought Starbucks drinks couldn’t get any sweeter… I was quickly proven wrong! The Pumpkin Spice Latte has 50 grams of sugar in a Grande, which is a TON of sugar! To put it into perspective, a Snickers candy bar has 28 grams of sugar, so this latte is similar to eating TWO candy bars! As I was researching for this post, I started to look at the ingredients for their Pumpkin version of Chai. The sugar content in the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte is a whopping 66 grams in a 16 oz grande. I’m sorry…. WHAT?! This is likely because the chai tea concentrate they use is already sweetened, and then they are adding a sweet cream on top. 

I believe that is important for us to not live in fear of food, so if this is your favorite fall drink, then go ahead and enjoy it! But, it is important to keep in mind that this is something that you should only drink on occasion, and it is not something you should drink regularly. Especially when you can make this healthier homemade version instead! This is exactly why I love making Starbucks copycat recipes, like my Lavender Latte recipe, so you can enjoy your favorite drinks that are made with simple ingredients, have way less sugar, and also cost just a fraction of what Starbucks does! 

What is chai?

Chai is a blend of black tea and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger. Golden chai typically has ginger and turmeric in it and masala chai has spices such as black pepper and nutmeg. Either one will work for this recipe. Chai is one of my favorite fall drinks because of the beautiful spices! You can buy it at your local grocery store in the tea aisle and you can find it in a concentrate or in a tea bag. The concentrates tend to already be sweetened, and since the pumpkin syrup is used as the sweetener, you do not want to use one that is already sweet. For this recipe, I recommend using chia tea bags. You could also make this from scratch with black tea and spices, but I opted for an easy option for this recipe. 

Something to consider when using tea is the materials that the bag is made out of. Oftentimes they are made with plastic, even the ones that feel like paper material. The problem that is the microplastics leech into the liquid and go into our bodies and can pose health concerns. 

So what does that mean for your tea? Opt for brands that use natural materials in the tea bags! Or you can use loose-leaf tea with a stainless steel tea strainer. For this recipe, I used Chai from Numi Organics. 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Nothing says it’s fall season like pumpkin spice! This recipe uses a homemade pumpkin spice syrup that I use in my Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe. I love this syrup so much! It has a wonderful pumpkin flavor with warm fall spices. It is only made with a handful of ingredients and is naturally sweetened with maple syrup. This syrup has less than 10 grams of added sugar per tablespoon, which is significantly less than the Starbucks version!

Tools to make this recipe

Coffee Syrup Dispenser Bottles – These glass bottles are so beautiful and match the mugs listed below. I use one of the bottles to store the pumpkin syrup. You can use a Mason jar or any glass bottle to store the syrup in, but I love that these bottles make it really easy to pour from. It comes in a pack of two, so you can make other syrups for your coffee like this Lavender Simple Syrup. 

Glass mugs- I love these glass mugs for their pretty design! These are the mugs used in the photos. 

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! The ingredients in this recipe make it naturally gluten-free. 

Is this recipe dairy-free?

As long as you use dairy-free milk, this recipe is dairy-free and plant-based friendly. I recommend using a milk alternative such as unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk. 

Ingredients to make the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup

• Pumpkin Puree – this recipe uses real pumpkin puree. Just be sure to get the puree and not pumpkin pie filling. That is already sweetened! I used canned pumpkin but if you make your own pumpkin puree, that works too! 
• Maple Syrup – used as a natural sweetener. 
• Vanilla Extract – the hint of vanilla compliments the pumpkin spice flavors.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – this is a blend of fall spices used in pumpkin pie such as ground cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. If you do not have this you can substitute for ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 

For the Chai latte

• Chai tea bags – I used Chai from Numi Organics. If you want the flavor to be stronger or if you want more caffeine, you can use two tea bags. 
• Milk – I like to use whole milk because it is creamy, but you can use your favorite milk of choice or non-dairy milk. 
• Optional: If you are a coffee lover and want an extra caffeine boost, try a “dirty chai” which is when you add a shot of espresso. 

How to make the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

Make the syrup

Add all of the syrup ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk to fully combine. Add to a glass jar or airtight container. (Using a funnel can prevent you from making a big mess!)

Make the Chai Latte

First, fill the mug about 1/3 full with hot water and steep the tea for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat and froth your milk. If you don’t have a frother, you can just heat the milk in a small saucepan and then use a handheld milk frother, or a mini electric whisk, like this one. 

Add one tablespoon of the Pumpkin Spice Syrup and then fill with warm milk. If desired top with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice or top with whipped cream. 

To make an iced version

Steep the chai tea in about 1/2 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Fill a glass with ice and then top with the hot tea to cool. Add in 1 tablespoon of the Pumpkin Spice Syrup and then fill with your milk of choice. 

How to store the Pumpkin Spice Syrup

I recommend keeping the syrup in the fridge. It will stay good for 10-14 days. (If it will even last that long!!)