My Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew features smooth, cold brew coffee topped with a creamy, cloud-like pumpkin foam and a hint of warm spices. It’s the perfect fall drink and it’s dairy-free!
When pumpkin spice lattes start popping up on the menu at Starbucks, that means fall has arrived! Personally, the drink I look forward to the most this time of year is their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Living in Florida, it’s hot all year round so I almost always order cold drinks from Starbucks. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is the perfect drink for me- I still get to enjoy the flavors of fall and a boost of caffeine but in a refreshing, cold beverage. It features smooth cold brew coffee that’s sweetened with vanilla syrup. It’s topped with a creamy, cloud-like pumpkin cream foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping, which has hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
I decided to make my own version of Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew but lighten it up a little. My recipe has less calories and sugar than the Starbucks version, which has a generous amount of cream and vanilla syrup. This recipe is really easy to make and it only has 6 ingredients!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Cold brew coffee
- Oat milk
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
- Pumpkin pie spice
Oat Milk Instead of Cream
Instead of heavy cream, I use oat milk, which also means that my version is dairy-free. Oat milk has become popular recently and for good reason. It’s a dairy-free, vegan-friendly milk alternative that’s made by soaking, blending and straining oats. It’s often enriched with many nutrients and is a good source of several vitamins, minerals and fiber. It’s a good option for people with food allergies or intolerances as it contains no lactose, nuts, soy or gluten (if made from certified gluten-free oats). It’s also very creamy and whips up to a nice frothy consistency when using it in drinks like this Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.
Oat milk has a mildly nutty flavor which works really well with the pumpkin and spices in this tasty coffee drink.
How to Make the Pumpkin Cream
First, make a batch of the pumpkin oat milk “cream.” I usually make a large jar of it and store it in the fridge so I can enjoy it over several days.
Heat unsweetened oat milk with canned pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and a little maple syrup in a saucepan on the stove. This helps infuse the oat milk with all those delicious flavors. Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. I only use 3 tablespoons of maple syrup for 2 cups of oat milk, which is 8 servings. This is a lot less sweetener than the Starbucks version.
Then, I pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a mason jar and let it cool in the fridge until I’m ready to use it. The strainer step is optional but I like to do it because it removes any small pieces of pumpkin and also makes it easier to froth the mixture later.
Cold Brew Coffee
When you’re ready to have your drink, fill a glass with ice and pour in some cold brew coffee. At this point, you can stir in a teaspoon or two of a sweetener of your choice (like maple syrup, sugar or Stevia) or skip it altogether. Starbucks adds a lot of sweetness with a couple of pumps of vanilla syrup.
When it comes to the cold brew, you can either buy it or make it. You can find many varieties of bottled cold brew coffee at the grocery store. It’s also easy to make at home but requires at least 12 hours for the coffee to soak in the water so you have to plan ahead.
What exactly is cold brew? Cold brew is coffee that’s made by steeping coffee grinds in cold water instead of hot water. When coffee comes into contact with the intense heat of boiling water, a specific chemical reaction occurs. With cold-brewing, that chemical reaction doesn’t occur so it creates a different flavor profile than drip coffee. The result is that cold brew is less bitter and has a smooth, almost sweet flavor. Want to learn more? Read my post about how to make homemade cold brew coffee and get the recipe by clicking on the link below.
Cold Brew Coffee
Steps to Assembling Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Pour cold brew into a glass with ice. Add sweetener if desired.
- Foam some pumpkin oat milk “cream”
- Pour the cream on top
- Garnish with pumpkin pie spice
- Insert straw and enjoy!
When you’re ready to assemble your Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, fill a glass with ice. If you want to make the drink extra special, make some coffee ice cubes ahead of time. I love doing this because unlike regular ice cubes, as the coffee ice cubes melt, your drink won’t get diluted. Plus, the ice cubes look really cool when you use fun ice cube molds like this one.
Once you have your cold brew in a glass, foam up your pumpkin cream. Pour about ¼ cup of the pumpkin oat milk “cream” for each drink you’re making into a frothing pitcher or cup. Then foam it up with a handheld frother until it’s nice and creamy. I use a frother like this one. It’s light, easy to use, and inexpensive. If you don’t have one, you can even use a good old fashioned mason jar. Pour some of the cream in and shake, shake, shake until foamy.
Finally, pour the pumpkin “cream” into the cold brew and dust it with a tiny bit of pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Smooth, cold coffee topped with a creamy, cloud-like pumpkin foam and warm spices. All the flavors of fall in a delicious, refreshing coffee drink. Enjoy!
Enjoy these recipes with this Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (with vegan option)
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened oat milk
- 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice plus extra for garnish
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- Cold brew coffee (bottled or homemade)
- 1-3 teaspoons sweetener of your choice, optional
Instructions
- Make the pumpkin oat milk “cream.” Heat the oat milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup in saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, whisking to combine. Do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer (optional) into a mason jar or large glass. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Pour some pumpkin oat milk into a frothing pitcher or cup (I use about ¼ cup per glass of cold brew). Foam it with a hand-held milk frother for 15-30 seconds until foamy.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour in about a cup of cold brew coffee. Add sweetener of your choice (like sugar, maple syrup, Stevia, etc.), if desired.
- Pour the frothed pumpkin oat milk “cream” into the glasses. Garnish with pumpkin pie spice. Serve immediately.
- Store the remaining pumpkin oat milk “cream” in a sealed jar in the fridge.
So happy to see this copycat recipe! I love the pumpkin cream cold brew, but it’s a bit indulgent. I’m looking forward to trying this healthier version.
Thanks, Janet! Let me know how it goes if you try it out!