Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

With all the recent hype on what's in (or isn't) in the infamous Starbucks PSL, I decided to forgo my usual 'First Day of Fall' treat. The normal version is too sweet for my taste anyways, so I would always add in a few extra expresso shots to get more of a coffee flavor. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to make my own version that didn't give me a stomach ache after drinking it!

The number one goal was to find a recipe that used natural ingredients like organic maple syrup for sweetness, and real pumpkin instead of a chemical filled syrup. Why do we want to use real pumpkin? Well aside from the fact that it tastes better, organic pumpkin is incredibly healthy and packed with nutrients like vitamin A. This is vital for your eye health and immune system among many other things. Read more on pumpkin benefits here.

I've seen so many recipes for healthy, homemade replacements so I decided to print out a few promising ones to see if I could create something I liked! The first one I tried was good, but not great. Even though it was free of preservatives, syrups, and the endless list of the Starbucks PSL, it was still a little too sweet for my liking. I wasn't even able to finish the whole cup, and it honestly felt a little bit like I was drinking sugar milk. Chris and I have been watching our sugar intake (more on that later!) so I think my tastebuds just weren't used to it anymore!

After a few more trial and errors with different recipes, I finally came up with a taste balance that I LOVE! In my opinion, it's better than Starbucks! Now if I can just master some latte art, I will be a regular barista!

P.S. How cute are these mugs from Home Goods?! I just couldn't pass them up for my morning pumpkin spice lattes!

Have you guys tried any homemade versions of the Pumpkin Spice Latte? What would you change/add to the recipe?