Homemade Pumpkin Chai Latte
This pumpkin chai latte recipe is made with all-natural ingredients: pumpkin puree, milk, maple syrup and spices. It's easy to make at home!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 4, 2025
If you enjoy pumpkin spice lattes and regular chai lattes, you’ll love this homemade pumpkin chai latte. It’s a creamy, maple-sweetened latte made with real pumpkin and chai tea, with a blend of warming spices.
This recipe offers a superior homemade alternative to coffee-based pumpkin spice lattes. Why? It’s easy to brew tea at home, but it’s difficult to make good espresso. You don’t need a fancy espresso machine for this drink.
Plus, you can sip this pumpkin latte any time of day. Wake up with regular caffeinated chai tea bags in the morning or relax with decaffeinated rooibos chai in the evening. When you’re craving a warm pumpkin drink at home, this chai latte recipe will satisfy your cravings!
The idea for this recipe came to me the other day while I daydreamed about pumpkin muffins and warm chai lattes. “Pumpkin chai lattes!” I exclaimed. “Why haven’t I had one of those?! Do those even exist?!”
Then, as food bloggers do in this scenario, I consulted Google. Nope, once again, I’m not the first person to come up with a “brilliant” concept. If you want a pumpkin chai latte right now, you can order one at the Starbucks nearest you.
Regardless, I set out to create my own ideal pumpkin chai latte, and I prefer the flavor of this one to Starbucks’ version. Success!
I kept tinkering with the proportions of the ingredients and finally nailed it on the fourth attempt. I brewed some strong chai tea and added extra pumpkin spice because the chai lattes at coffee shops are rarely spicy enough for me.
I started with plain, unsweetened almond milk as the base, but you can use your milk of choice. Then, I added real maple syrup for its delicious caramel-like flavor. Pumpkin purée contributes some creaminess, but the blended latte still wasn’t as rich and creamy as I wanted it to be.
That’s when I thought of adding some arrowroot starch, which is similar to cornstarch (either works in this recipe). I’ve used arrowroot to improve the texture of coconut milk-based ice creams. Arrowroot powder was just the ticket—I enjoyed a rich and creamy pumpkin chai latte without feeling like I’d consumed a milkshake afterward. The whole drink clocks in at only 90 calories, with nearly half the sugar content of a standard tall pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.
Pumpkin Chai Latte Notes & Tips
If you use whole milk, skip the starch. It’s thicker than non-dairy milks, so you don’t need the starch for a creamy drink. This simplifies the recipe!
This recipe is designed for unsweetened milk, like almond milk or cashew milk. If you’re using sweetened almond milk or regular cow’s milk, you might prefer less maple syrup.
That said, it’s easy to add more sweetness if you’d like. Whisk in more maple syrup by the teaspoon until you’re satisfied.
Spices and tea bags vary in potency. It’s important to squeeze the water from your tea bag to extract all the flavor. If your latte doesn’t taste spicy enough, whisk in another 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice or ground cinnamon.
Any quality chai tea bag will do. I like to use Numi or Yogi brand teas when I make this drink.
Toppings are optional. For a creamy, rich topping, add whipped cream. For more spice, add a cinnamon stick or star of anise.
Watch How to Make Pumpkin Chai Lattes
Extra pumpkin puree?
Each drink requires just a couple of tablespoons of pumpkin. For future use, you can freeze leftover puree in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out. Or, go ahead and make one of these yummy pumpkin treats with the leftovers:
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze
- Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Craving more warming drinks?
Try one of these:
Please let me know how your latte turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Homemade Pumpkin Chai Latte
This pumpkin spice chai latte is made with natural ingredients: pumpkin puree, almond milk, maple syrup and spices. I believe you could make a big batch of this, store it in the refrigerator and rewarm individual drinks on the stove (whisk well to recombine). Amounts listed below yield one latte, so multiply as necessary.
Ingredients
Latte
- 1 tea bag of spiced chai or decaf spiced rooibos chai
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice*
- 2 tablespoons real pumpkin purée
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice blend (or ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, dash of nutmeg, dash of cloves)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiny dash of salt
- ½ teaspoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch (optional, makes the latte super creamy)
- Optional garnishes: 1 cinnamon stick or star of anise, coconut whipped cream** or real whipped cream
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup water to a gentle boil. Remove the water from heat, add the tea bag, and let it steep for 4 minutes. Before removing the tea bag, squeeze any water remaining out by pressing the tea bag against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon.
- Add the milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, pumpkin spice blend, vanilla, and salt to the pan. Whisk in the optional arrowroot starch or cornstarch, if using. Pour the mixture into a stand blender and blend for a minute or two, until the components are blended together and the drink is nice and creamy. (You can alternatively use an immersion blender, but I had much better results with my stand blender.)
- Pour the mixture back into your pan and gently rewarm on the stove, then pour it into a mug. Top with optional whipped coconut cream and/or garnish with a cinnamon stick or star of anise.
Notes
*Milk notes: I’ve made this drink with Califia Farms and Malk brands of almond milk. Feel free to substitute your milk of choice for the almond milk. Homemade cashew milk would be nice. Whole cow’s milk would yield creamy results, no starch necessary. If you are using sweetened almond milk or cow’s milk, which is naturally sweet, you might prefer less maple syrup. This drink’s nutrition information and allergen contents depend mostly on the milk you use—if you want a nut-free drink, choose a nut-free milk, etc.
**Coconut whipped cream: You’ll need 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk (chilled a minimum of 10 hours and put a glass mixing bowl in the fridge while you’re at it), plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon. To make it, pull out the chilled can of coconut milk and mixing bowl. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the solid coconut cream into the chilled bowl (you can use the remaining coconut water in smoothies). Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract and cinnamon and gently blend again to combine. Use the coconut cream immediately or cover it and store it in the fridge for later (it will be soft at room temperature and firmer when cold).
Make it dairy free/vegan: Use your favorite non-dairy drink.
Make it nut free: Use a nut-free milk.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Great recipe…we love chai latte, but sadly most of the ingredients you mention are hard to get here in Chile…next trip to the States we’ll do it!
(We were following you in Twitter, now we are following you in the rest of the social networks)
cheers!
Bay Essence
I’m sorry about that! Hope you get a chance to try a pumpkin chai latte soon. They’re pretty great. Thanks for following!
I am from Mexico and I make my own chai tea and almond milk. Also, yesterday I roasted and pureed a pumpkin :) I am ready to try this recipe!
What a cool idea, you are amazing! You always seem to anticipate exactly what I happen to be craving. Photos are beautiful and tantalising as always :)
Thank you so much, Kate! :D
LOVE this idea! Chai and pumpkin seem like a match made in heaven : )
You have officially created my autumn dream!! This chai latte is absolutely lovely. Full of all the best spices!
This is so beautiful! I recently got on the pumpkin beverage train at Starbucks … and I’m probably a little addicted, just like everyone else. I don’t think I’m a huge fan of chais, but I’ve been meaning to try a “dirty chai” (with a shot of espresso). But a pumpkin chai might be up my alley!
Thanks, Sara! I tried a dirty chai and it wasn’t my favorite, but to each her own. I think you might enjoy this spiced pumpkin drink!
This sounds absolutely amazing…why didn’t I know this was even a ‘thing’ lol!?! Definitely going to have to try one asap!
I’m not much of a tea drinker but this looks very tasty! Just curious, what brand of chai rooibos do you recommend?
Hi Andrea! I used Yogi brand chai rooibos. Bought it at Whole Foods. I also like Numi’s chai tea (I haven’t tried their rooibos) and Trader Joe’s chai tea. I haven’t found a chai that I don’t like. :)
After years of not liking tea, I discovered chai tea lattes about six months ago, and now I’m officially a convert. I can’t wait to try this version!
I’m still not a fan of iced black tea, but chai tea is another story! Hope you enjoy the pumpkin chai, Lauren.
Making this as soon as I get home! Thanks, Kate!
Hope it turns out great, Quinn!
LOVE pumpkin chai lattes, especially homemade. Can’t stand the one from Starbucks.. the list of ingredients has almost everything artificial in it. Ew :D
Whoa, only 90 calories?! That’s AMAZING! Looks like a great recipe, I’ll have to try this at home. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Chaucee! Hope you love it.
Sounds delicious and beautiful presentation, Kate! And I’m like you – I prefer to eat my calories instead of drinking them….unless of course Rose is involved! :-)
Hehe, yeah, I should add onto that statement that alcohol is excluded!
Do you use fresh ground ginger?
No, sorry, I used powdered ginger.
This sounds percect! I am making this ASAP to warm me up this evening! :)
I have a teeny bit of pumpkin leftover from making muffins and granola (therefore, not enough for more muffins…darn) and I was looking for a good pumpkin chai latte recipe. I’m so excited–I’m definitely going to be trying this one!
Perfect! Hope you love this one!
Yum! This looks fantastic! I have been seeing arrowroot powder in many recipes lately. What exactly does it do?
The Tazo Vanilla Rooibos Tea is to die for! If I can use that in this recipe, I am in heaven!
Hey Lissa, arrowroot is a great thickener for non-dairy liquids. It’s a starch like cornstarch, but it’s non GMO.
Wow this sounds awesome! I’m going to try it this week! Do mind if it I share it on my blog?
Hey Dale, thanks for asking! I’m not exactly sure what you have in mind, so here’s my recipe and photo policy: https://capital-fly.pro/cookie-and-kates-photo-and-recipe-policy/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I’m particularly thrilled to see the coconut whipped cream. My “kind of” lactose intolerance has ratcheted up into the real thing and I’m living through a crash course in how to cook without dairy.
Uh oh! Well, here’s my dairy-free recipes page. Hope it’s helpful! https://capital-fly.pro/dairy-free-vegetarian-recipes/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Ummm, move over PSLs… I’m all over this chai latte business!
Beautiful!! Couldn’t help but laugh at the part where inspiration struck and then google…happened. Yeah, that is always a bummer moment! But so glad you made your own version and shared it.
GORGEOUS! I love these photos. And brilliant idea on the arrowroot!
Gorgeous. And coconut whipped cream on top?! Swoon!
I cannot wait to try this out!!! Such a fabulous combination
These pictures are gorgeous, Kate! Pumpkin is considered a pretty unremarkable, all year vegetable in India so this beautiful tea is really something else!
I want to dive into these pictures! Love, love, love!
I bet to calculate calories for coconut whipped cream you could get a pretty close number if you use the calories for the whole can. Most of the calories will be in the fat/cream anyway with very little left behind in the water. Just a thought for future recipes!
Thanks, Abby! I’m still scratching my head on how to calculate the amount of calories in whipped coconut cream—removing the coconut water from the equation and then whipping up the rest makes it pretty hard to measure. I think you’re onto something, though. Hmmmm.
It IS tricky and I don’t count calories so I’ve never tried. But I think you would come up with a pretty accurate number (at least calorie density/fat content) by calculating the whole can, skimming it, whipping it, and then dividing into number of servings (say 8-12 from the whole can, depending on what you were using it for).
Chai’s are never spicy enough for me either, so I’m very intrigued by your version… Can’t wait to try it! I’m off on a quest for arrowroot. Thanks for the coconut whipped cream tip – that’s a new one for me :)
Thanks, MB! I’ve had some seriously disappointing spice-less chais, too. I think you would love this one. I’ve found Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot in the baking section of well-stocked grocery stores.
Kathryne, can I come over for a pumpkin chai latter right now?
I’ve never been tempted by the Starbucks madness, but this concoction of yours is seriously calling my name. That coconut cream topping… yum!
xoxo
E
You’re always welcome at my place, Erin! Now that I’m thinking about it, I will be in the Sacramento area in a couple of weeks. I will get in touch if we head your way!
Oooh. I’d love to see you! Fingers crossed you come to the Bay. xoxox
A lovely combination of ingredients…yum!
The arrowroot addition is genious here, I can’t wait to try these. I bet they’d be lovely packed into thermos mugs for weekend drives!
Oh my gosh Kate, this sounds incredible!!! Better than anything that Starbucks could offer (though that said, I haven’t tried a Pumpkin Spice Latte before. I do think there’s nothing ‘pumpkiny’ about it though!). The coconut cream sounds divine. Definitely on my to-make list xxx
Sounds heavenly…I’m going to create this this weekend in our nest with a much anticipated visitor! Happy Nesting.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes!
Looks heavenly…I will be creating this this weekend in my nest as we are anticipating a guest! Happy Nesting.
Thank you so much Kate! Now I have the perfect tea to accompany my freshly made pumpkin tangerine muffins :)
This looks so good! I think we’re getting a cold front later this week, so I’ll have to try. (Cold front in South Florida means it drops to 70 degrees in the mornings).
I totally get what you mean about not liking to drink your calories! I’m not even much of a fruit smoothie person, just cause I feel weird drinking my food. This looks amazingly delicious. Chai spices are so wonderful!
http://youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Totally with you on the smoothies, Ella. Who eats that much fruit in one sitting?! Don’t tell anyone I said that. :)
I saw this earlier today and knew I had to try it. Just made large mugs for my mom and I, and we’re officially addicted. This was also a HUGE mood booster after taking PSATs today!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Awesome! Thank you, Caroline! I remember being really nervous before the PSATs. Wish I’d had a pumpkin latte to look forward to afterward! :)
I made this immediately after arriving home from work yesterday. I made a few adjustments-I used whole milk, cut the honey down to 1/2 tbsp, and used pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. It was one of the best pumpkin drinks I’ve tried and I’m looking forward to another cup. Thank you!
Awesome! Glad you loved it! Thanks, Jayme.
This sounds absolutely delicious – could totally go for a cup now! Pinned!
Pumpkin? In chai tea? Why have I never made this!? It looks delicious :)
I don’t like to drink my calories either so avoid amazing sounding drinks at Starbucks for that reason. This one is perfect in so many ways! I wish I could make it now but I’m going to settle for some decaf roobios instead :)
Pinning for later!
Thank you, Aggie!
Oh my!!! I need a cup of this right now!!
When I saw this recipe I had to drop everything and make it… It was amazing! Thanks for the recipe :)
Hooray! Thanks, Kylie!
I am so trying this! It looks like it makes about a cup or so? I am thinking of bringing a thermous of this to work and drinking it thoughout the day (minus the whipped “cream”. Great way to get me to stop snacking on candy, etc. that is always lying around this time of year without feeling deprived.
That’s a great idea, Debbie! Yes, the amounts listed above yield about one cup.
Just made this for myself… Ahhh-mazing. So simple and so tasty.
Love it, thank you!
Hooray! Thanks, Victoria!
YES!! Pretty sure this is exactly what my mornings (and/or chilly nights) need!
Okay, can I just ask what the trick is to getting the coconut milk to whip up? In my store, there are cans of full fat coconut milk and there are also cans of coconut cream. I have had no problem using the coconut cream but the coconut milk I just can’t get to work…what is the difference?
Hey Jessica! Good question. I’ve never used coconut cream. I buy cans of full fat coconut milk and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Then when I open the can, I scoop out the solid coconut cream and leave the coconut water in the can. Then I whip up the cream in a chilled glass mixing bowl. That usually works well for me! If you have better luck with cans of coconut cream, though, I see no reason why to switch. I think coconut cream is just a richer coconut milk. See more here: http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-coconut-m-75446
This sounds so perfect for chilly weather! Can’t wait to make this!
That looks incredible! I love the idea of using a bit of arrowroot for a creamier beverage. Will def. try! I love using almond milk, but it’s always a bit weak in a tea or coffee beverage– it is mostly water!
Thanks, Michelle! Yeah, you’re totally right about almond milk. That has always been my hang up. Arrowroot makes all the difference!
This looks delicious. Definitely intend to make this soon. But I can’t believe no one has commented on your “10 things I’ve learned.” So I just wanted to say “cheers” to that and especially the first one you listed. I have the same outlook on life now and it feels good!
Thank you, Jenna! Cheers to living a full life, with a man or not. :)