This yummy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte is the perfect fall drink. Made with an aromatic pumpkin spice blend, chai tea, milk, and vanilla, this recipe is just as good as Starbucks’ version. Bonus – You won’t need to wait in line or pay $5+ for a cup of this latte!
This pumpkin chai latte is inspired by my love for Starbucks’ Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte. It’s made with a mixture of fall flavors, including warming spices, to satisfy your sweet drink cravings. This pumpkin spice chai tea recipe is versatile – enjoy it hot, iced, less sweet, more sweet, etc.; it’s easy to adjust to your preferences.
If you want to switch it up during the week, try these tasty latte options: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Starbucks Chai Tea Latte.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No pumpkin puree needed – Using pumpkin pie spice means you can skip the mess of pumpkin puree.
- Use any milk – Dairy and non-dairy milk work well for this recipe, so you can adjust it to your needs.
- 5 ingredients – You likely have most of the ingredients for this recipe already in your kitchen/pantry.
- Easy – This latte recipe requires a few quick steps that are easy to follow.
- Flavorful – The chai and pumpkin pie spices help create a delightful, aromatic, warming drink.
- Budget-friendly – While the cost per item may cause a higher grocery bill, you’ll get more bang for your buck per serving.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chai: Instead of using water and tea bags, you can use 1/2 cup of store-bought chai concentrate to make this pumpkin spice chai latte. If the concentrate is sweetened, skip the brown sugar.
- Brown Sugar: You can replace the brown sugar in this pumpkin spice chai latte recipe with any of the following sweeteners: maple syrup, honey, sugar, simple syrup, and brown sugar syrup.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I use store-bought pumpkin pie spice to keep this recipe easy. You can also make your own blend: Substitute for Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
Quick Overview
- Steep tea.
- Warm ingredients.
- Froth the milk.
- Combine and add toppings.
Step by Step Instructions
Use two tea bags to ensure the chai flavor is strong enough for the latte.
Step 1: Place both of the tea bags in a glass cup or mug. Pour about 1/2 cup of the boiling water over the tea bags. Boil some water using the stove, microwave, or an electric kettle. Let steep for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Using the microwave or stove, warm the milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Combine with a handheld frother or whisk until foamy. Taste the milk mixture and add more sugar if needed.
Step 3: Pour the warm milk over the chai concentrate. Top with whipped cream and more pumpkin spice if desired.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Top your pumpkin spice chai latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or a cinnamon stick (for a cute photo opp).
I love serving these pumpkin chai lattes with sweet breakfast treats. Here are a few ideas:
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Brioche French Toast Casserole
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Expert Tips
- Do not steep the tea for too long. Steeping any tea for too long will cause a bitter flavor. Only steep the chai bags for about 3-5 minutes to create the perfect pumpkin spice chai latte.
- Adjust to your taste. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, add more brown sugar (and vice-versa). You can also add more of the pumpkin pie spice if you prefer a stronger taste.
- Use less water for iced pumpkin chai lattes. You’ll find a watery taste if you brew the tea with the same amount of water as a hot latte. When you mix the tea with ice, the ice will partially melt, creating a more subtle flavor. Use about ½ the amount of water above to create a more concentrated chai flavor for an iced pumpkin chai latte.
Additions & Variations
- Iced: Follow the steps above, except use about ½ the water to make an iced pumpkin spice chai latte. Before pouring the chai into a cup, add ice. As the hot tea sits with the ice, it will melt and lessen the bold taste of the tea.
- Sugar-free: Instead of regular brown sugar, use a sugar-free alternative like Splenda brown sugar or a sugar-free vanilla syrup. Leave off the whipped cream, as it contains sugar as well.
- Dairy-free: Instead of regular milk, use a non-dairy alternative like almond milk or oat milk. Ensure you swap the whipped cream for a non-dairy whipped cream to create a dairy-free pumpkin spice chai latte.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, chai and pumpkin spice work well together (like in this pumpkin spice chai latte recipe). Both have warming spices, so they offer a great flavor combination.
No, pumpkin spice lattes and chai lattes are not the same drink. Pumpkin spice lattes typically have espresso shots in them. They also have a flavor more similar to pumpkin pie. Chai lattes are made with black tea instead of espresso. While these drinks share some spices (like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and cloves), chai lattes have additional spices like cardamom, coriander, pepper, and fennel.
Cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, honey, and maple syrup all pair wonderfully with chai lattes. You can also use other flavors, like lavender, brown sugar, or apple syrup.
You’ll find about 46 – 60g of caffeine in pumpkin chai tea lattes, depending on the size of the drink and the number of tea bags you use. If you use a chai concentrate instead of tea bags, you’ll find a slightly higher caffeine content in your homemade pumpkin chai latte.
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Easy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chai bags*
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2-1 Tablespoon brown sugar, adjust to taste*
- 1 scant teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream, optional
Instructions
- Place both of the tea bags in a glass cup or mug. Pour about 1/2 cup of the boiling water over the tea bags. Boil some water using the stove, microwave, or an electric kettle. Let steep for 5 minutes.2 chai bags*
- Using the microwave or stove, warm the milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Combine with a handheld frother or whisk until foamy. Taste the milk mixture and add more sugar if needed.1/2 cup milk, 1/2-1 Tablespoon brown sugar, adjust to taste*, 1 scant teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the warm milk over the chai concentrate. Top with whipped cream and more pumpkin spice if desired.whipped cream, optional
Notes
- Chai: Instead of using water and tea bags, you can use 1/2 cup of store-bought chai concentrate to make this pumpkin spice chai latte. If the concentrate is sweetened, skip the brown sugar.
- Brown Sugar: You can replace the brown sugar in this pumpkin spice chai latte recipe with any of the following sweeteners: maple syrup, honey, sugar, simple syrup, and brown sugar syrup.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I use store-bought pumpkin pie spice to keep this recipe easy. You can also make your own blend: Substitute for Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- Do not steep the tea for too long. Steeping any tea for too long will cause a bitter flavor. Only steep the chai bags for about 3-5 minutes to create the perfect pumpkin spice chai latte.
- Adjust to your taste. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, add more brown sugar (and vice-versa). You can also add more of the pumpkin pie spice if you prefer a stronger taste.
- Use less water for iced pumpkin chai lattes. You’ll find a watery taste if you brew the tea with the same amount of water as a hot latte. When you mix the tea with ice, the ice will partially melt, creating a more subtle flavor. Use about ½ the amount of water above to create a more concentrated chai flavor for an iced pumpkin chai latte.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
