This homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup is made with real pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and warm fall spices, and it's the one I keep in my fridge all season. If you've been making my favorite coffee shop drinks like Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew or Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, this is the syrup that goes in them.
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I started making it because I was going through a bottle a week every fall. One batch makes about 2 cups, takes one saucepan, and costs a fraction of the store-bought stuff. You also get to decide how sweet and how spiced it is, which you can't do with a bottle.
Stir it into coffee, drizzle it over Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream, or pour it over a stack of Pumpkin Pancakes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar gives the deepest, most caramel-like flavor. Light brown works too and tastes a little lighter. White sugar is fine in a pinch, but you'll lose some richness.
- Pumpkin puree. It adds body and a mild earthy pumpkin flavor. Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling already has sugar and spices in it and will throw the balance off.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in one jar. No jar? Use my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- Cinnamon stick. Optional, but it adds a nice warm depth while the syrup simmers.
- Vanilla extract. Stir it in at the end, off the heat, so the flavor stays bright.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Combine sugar and water. Add the brown sugar, water, and cinnamon stick to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add pumpkin and spices. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Simmer. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is what lets the pumpkin and spices fully meld into the syrup.
Add vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Strain. Let the syrup cool for 15 minutes at room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick, then pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container or jar. This removes any bits of pumpkin and gives you a smooth, clean syrup that pours easily into drinks.
Store. Refrigerate within 2 hours, and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Give it a good shake before each use, as it may settle slightly.
Jeri's Testing Note
I tested this over a few batches before landing on this ratio, trying different amounts of pumpkin pie spice. Anything more than 2 teaspoons was too strong and started to overpower the pumpkin and brown sugar. I also tried simmering it longer, but past 15 minutes it got too thick to pour easily into cold drinks. It's what I use in both the chai base and the frothed cream for my Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, and it mixes in well when the drink is cold.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Strain it, don't skip it. The fine mesh strainer is what makes the syrup pour cleanly into cold drinks. Without it, you'll find bits of pumpkin at the bottom of your latte.
- Simmer, don't boil hard. A rolling boil reduces the syrup too fast, and it turns thick and sticky once it cools.
- Taste it once it's cooled. It thickens as it cools, and that's the version you'll pour into drinks. If you want it sweeter, dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar in a splash of warm water and stir it in.
- Date the jar. It's easy to lose track of a jar in the fridge. Write the day you made it on the lid.
Ways to Use Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons per drink and adjust from there.
- Coffee drinks. Stir into Lattes, cappuccinos, my French Press Cold Brew, or my Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. It works in hot and iced drinks.
- Chai latte. Use it in my Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte.
- Hot chocolate. A tablespoon or two makes a pumpkin spice version.
- Pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Use it in place of maple syrup.
- Oatmeal and yogurt. Stir in a spoonful for a quick fall breakfast or snack.
- Cocktails and mocktails. Use it like a flavored simple syrup in fall cocktails or sparkling mocktails.
- Ice cream and desserts. Drizzle it over Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream or Ninja Creami Chai Ice Cream, or stir it into whipped cream to flavor it.
How Long Does Pumpkin Spice Syrup Last?
Refrigerator. Store it in an airtight mason jar for up to 2 weeks. Shake it before each use since it can settle.
Freezer. Freeze it in ice cube trays, then move the cubes to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
FAQs
After 15 minutes it should be slightly thickened and smell like fall. It thickens more as it cools, so don't worry if it looks thin right off the stove.
Yes, you can cut the brown sugar a little.
Yes. Double everything and plan on closer to 20 minutes of simmering for the larger volume.
Yes. Since 2015 the sauce has included pumpkin puree, along with sugar and condensed skim milk. This syrup is just brown sugar, pumpkin, spices, and vanilla, so it's dairy-free.
More Fall Drinks You'll Love
Printable Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
Ingredients
- 1½ cups packed brown sugar (dark or light)
- 1½ cups water
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar, water, and cinnamon stick (if using) to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and no grit is left on the bottom of the pan.
- Whisk in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until smooth, with no streaks of puree.
- Bring to a gentle boil, with small bubbles breaking around the edges. Reduce the heat to medium-low and and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The syrup should look slightly thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Let the syrup cool for about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, then pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight jar or container.
- Let the jar cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it within 2 hours. Store for up to 2 weeks and shake before each use.
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Notes
- Pumpkin puree. Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling has added sugar and spices that throw off the balance.
- Consistency. The syrup thickens as it cools. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of warm water.
- Serving size. Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons per drink and adjust to taste.
- Food safety. Keep the syrup in the fridge. Pumpkin puree is perishable, so don't leave the jar on the counter.
- Freezing. Pour cooled syrup into ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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