Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Latte season is right around the corner. My favorite fall latte is, you guessed it, the pumpkin spice latte. It’s so rich, creamy, and full of warm fall spices–I can’t get enough of them during the cooler months.

Why spend close to five dollars for a latte at your local coffee shop when you can make your own at home for pennies? This homemade pumpkin spice syrup will provide you with cup after cup of homemade coffee goodness.

This syrup takes a total of 12 minutes to make from start to finish, and you can find most–if not all–the ingredients in your pantry.

I used a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar to make the syrup. I love the caramel notes the brown sugar adds.

Just about every fall spice you can think of goes into this syrup: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. The smell that fills your kitchen as the syrup simmers is amazing.

Straining tips: 

1. Do not boil the syrup once you add the pumpkin puree.
2. Strain the mixture while it’s still hot.
3. It is crucial that you use a very thin, clean tea towel or a cheesecloth to strain the syrup–paper towels and coffee filters will not work for this recipe. If you’re using a tea towel, you can help the mixture along by gently twisting and squeezing the towel to force the mixture through.
4. This syrup requires a bit of surface area in order to strain properly. I use a 7-inch in diameter coarse mesh strainer for this recipe. If you use anything smaller, you’ll risk the pumpkin clogging your strainer because it’s too small.
5. The mixture will remain thin after straining–that’s normal. Simple syrup is not meant to be thick like maple syrup.

Let’s not forget about the star of the show here: the pumpkin! It’s what we all want, love, and crave this time of year. A 1/4 cup gets swirled in, adding a rich, creamy texture to the syrup…not to mention the vibrant burnt orange hue.

This syrup can be used for more than just coffee. Add it to maple syrup to jazz up your pancakes. Swirl it in tea. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream. Stir it in your morning oatmeal. Spoon it over some roasted figs. The possibilities are endless.

Instant fall with every spoonful.

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Rich, warm spices and pumpkin puree get combined to create a sweet, fall-inspired simple syrup.

Yield: 2 cups

Total Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, add water and both sugars. Simmer on medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to low and whisk in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and pumpkin puree. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or a very thin, clean tea towel.
4. Allow the syrup to cool to room-temperature before stirring in the vanilla extract. Store in a mason jar or airtight container. The syrup will last for 1 month at room-temperature or 3 months in the refrigerator.

The syrup will remain thin after cooking and straining.

If you’re using a tea towel to strain the syrup, it is crucial that the tea towel be very thin.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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