a simple real food recipe :: pumpkin spice coffee or mocha with dairy free option

Alright, be honest.

How many Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes have you had this season already?!

Ok, here’s the deal.

I’m not down on Starbucks.

But I am down on a delicious drink that I can only justify having once or twice a year because of its price!

(And maybe I am a little down on Starbucks – have you seen THIS POST outing Starbuck’s ingredients by Food Babe?! Seriously – bookmark it or save it for later and read it.)

Enter homemade pumpkin spice coffee, latte, mocha…whatever you wanna call it!

I promise it is just as good, if not better than Starbucks. Believe me…I used to treat myself to the Starbucks one every year until I read that article by Food Babe, and I have guzzled sampled this homemade one I’ve made up every week the past few weeks. I’m officially switched over!

Affordable and simple enough that you can have it every day of the fall (and winter…ok and spring maybe too?!), and full of nourishing ingredients that you can feel good about.

For the coffee you will need:

¾ mug coffee of your choice

¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp unsalted butter (Preferably pastured butter. If dairy free try coconut butter or coconut cream)

3 TB  milk (Raw if possible, or stick with organic low pasteurized non homogenized. Definitely stay away from ULP) (if you are dairy free use coconut milk)

1 packet stevia (could use honey or maple syrup)

1. Whip all ingredients in your magic bullet, blender, or processor for about 30 seconds to get a foam. If you have a cool frothing tool like our SIMPLE mom, Carinn reviewed – use that!
2. Put the whipped coffee in your mug leaving space at the top for the whipped topping if you are going to use that (and why wouldn’t you?!)

For the whipped topping:

½ cup cream (if you are dairy free use coconut cream)

1 TB pure maple syrup (could use raw honey)

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Blend ingredients in a small mixing bowl using a handheld blender until it becomes whipped cream – will take a couple minutes.
2. Spoon what you want into your coffee or if you are feelin’ fancy pipe it on fancy with a piping bag 🙂
3. This makes enough whipped cream for 2-3 mugs of coffee – refrigerate leftovers for tomorrow’s cup! (or in my case the afternoon mug?!)

Kitchen Tips:

1. Don’t forget the kiddies! Instead of coffee, make a mug of warm milk, 100 percent cocoa, and stevia or honey and whip it up with the pumpkin spice – pumpkin mocha! And don’t forget the whipped cream topping!
2. I know some of you cringed at the butter ingredient…oh it is SO good. Cream is basically butter – think about it 😉
3. Read THIS and THIS on why you should NOT be afraid of friendly fats like pastured butter and good cream. Pregnant and nursing Mamas should be getting 4 TB of butter per DAY. You most likely are not drinking coffee while pregnant or nursing, but you can do up warmed up whole milk and cocoa and get that butter in there! And if you aren’t pregnant or nursing you should still be getting a good couple TB per day. Don’t starve your body of the fats it needs to function hormonally, physically, etc. (HERE is the pregnant and nursing Mama diet I referenced)

YOUR TURN!

PLEASE tell me you are going to try this?! Let me know what you think 😉

This post was shared at Real Food Forager’s Fat Tuesday, Real Food Freaks Freaky Friday, Too Many Jars In My Kitchen’s Fill Those Jars Friday, and Divine Health’s Healthy Halloween Link-Up!