Pumpkin Spice Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)
Homemade pumpkin spice syrup made with real pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and warm spices. One small saucepan, about ten minutes, and enough for a week of pumpkin coffee.
Make this once on a Sunday, and every pumpkin spiced drink you want for the next week is a thirty-second job that costs pennies.
Pumpkin spice syrup is a simple syrup infused with real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, used to sweeten and flavor coffee drinks. This version uses brown sugar for a caramel depth, makes about six servings, and keeps in the fridge.
It tastes like pumpkin pie filling thinned out. Earthy sweetness from the pumpkin, molasses from the brown sugar, and the spice sitting on top of both. It is noticeably better than the bottled stuff and costs about a dollar to make.
Once you have a jar, use it in my Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam, my Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte, or anything in my 30 Starbucks Copycat Recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
(Amounts are in the recipe card below. These are my notes on why each one is in there.)
- Dark brown sugar: the molasses is doing real flavor work here, not just sweetening. White sugar makes a syrup that’s sweet and flat. Light brown works, dark is better.
- Water: equal parts with the sugar. That ratio gives you a syrup thin enough to pour and stir into a cold drink without sinking.
- Canned pumpkin puree: a quarter cup, and check the can lists pumpkin as the only ingredient. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced and will make this cloying.
- Pumpkin pie spice: half a tablespoon, which is more than it sounds like and correct. Sugar mutes spice, so a syrup needs more than a baked good does. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in place of the blend works fine.
- Vanilla extract: stirred in off the heat at the end. Added earlier the alcohol cooks off and you lose most of it.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- Combine the water and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved and it reaches a gentle boil.
- Turn the heat to low and whisk in the pumpkin puree until the mixture is smooth with no streaks.
- Whisk in the pumpkin pie spice.
- Simmer gently 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens slightly and darkens.
- Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
Tips Before You Start
- Shake the jar before every use. The sugar dissolves into the water but the pumpkin and spices don’t, so they settle. A quick shake is the difference between a flavorful pour and a watery one.
- Strain only if you want it clear. Running it through a fine mesh strainer gives you a smoother, thinner syrup, but you’re removing the pumpkin and most of the spice to get there. I leave it in. If the texture bothers you, let it settle in the fridge first, then strain.
- Use a squeeze bottle if you’re making it often. Pouring syrup from a mason jar into a travel mug at 7am is how you end up with a sticky counter. A funnel and a squeeze bottle solves it permanently.
Ways to Use It
In coffee. Two tablespoons into a latte, a cold brew, or plain drip coffee. It dissolves into hot coffee immediately and needs a stir in cold.
In cold foam. This is what it was made for. It goes into my Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam in place of the brown sugar and vanilla syrup.
On breakfast. Over pancakes, waffles, or swirled into oatmeal or yogurt. It’s thinner than maple syrup so it soaks in rather than sitting on top.
On dessert. Over vanilla ice cream, or brushed onto a spice cake before frosting to keep it moist.
As a gift. Into a small bottle with a ribbon in October. Costs a dollar, looks like it cost fifteen.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Cool it completely, then transfer to an airtight jar or bottle and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Label it with the date, because homemade syrup with real pumpkin in it doesn’t keep the way a plain simple syrup does.
Don’t freeze it. Freezing separates the pumpkin from the sugar syrup and the texture doesn’t come back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes. Cook, mash, and drain it well first, because fresh pumpkin holds more water than canned and a wet puree thins the syrup out.
What’s the difference between pumpkin syrup and Starbucks pumpkin sauce?
Starbucks’ pumpkin sauce contains sweetened condensed milk alongside the pumpkin, which makes it opaque and much thicker. This is a syrup, so it’s thinner and pours clear into a drink instead of clouding it.
Can I make it sugar free?
Yes. A cup-for-cup brown sugar replacement like a monk fruit brown sugar blend works. The texture will be slightly thinner because sugar is what gives syrup its body, so simmer it a couple of minutes longer.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the canned pumpkin puree. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and the pumpkin is fully incorporated.
- Stir in the pumpkin spice mix. This will infuse the syrup with the warm and aromatic flavors of pumpkin spice.
- Allow the syrup to simmer gently for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps the flavors meld together.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. This adds a layer of depth and sweetness to the syrup.
- Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Like
- Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Pumpkin Baked Oats
- Pumpkin Pie Protein Ice Cream
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
If you make this, leave a star rating and a comment below and tell me what you put it in. And if you post it, tag me @basicswithbails or use #basicswithbails.
About Bailey
I love to bake, cook, exercise, and document all of the above. Nutrition is not low fat. It is not low calorie. It’s not feeling deprived or being hungry all the time. It’s nourishing your body with real, whole foods so that you are consistently satisfied and energized to live your life to the fullest! Read more…
