Anything involving Starbucks pumpkin spice has people obsessed. But with inflation, everything is so expensive now, so why not make your own?
This recipe is a healthy alternative to the classic Starbucks syrup and will cost you less in the long run.
It has a homemade taste that can’t be replicated by anything else. You can make as much or as little as you want, so don’t worry about wasting any extra.
If you’re not convinced already, this recipe is completely from scratch, which means it will be super fresh when you finish and get to try it!
This post is all about a better-than-Starbucks pumpkin spice recipe.
Pumpkin-flavored things are all the rage right now because of their connection to the holidays. Whether it’s a pumpkin pie or a pumpkin spice latte, the options are wide in variety.
After Halloween, thousands of pumpkins are discarded into the trash. That’s what inspired me to make this recipe.
I saved all of my pumpkin scraps and turned them into a delicious treat that will last longer than any of my carved pumpkins would have.
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Depending on the size of the pumpkin you use will determine how long the recipe takes you. The bigger the pumpkin, the longer you will have to spend carving everything Into appropriate sizes.
But that also means that you can make more syrup!
This recipe is truly perfect for a night in and reminds me of hot chocolate in a different form. The steps are almost identical so you can also use it as an alternative for any friends or family that don’t particularly like hot chocolate.
Although it was quite the journey from start to finish, this better-than-Starbucks pumpkin spice steamer has won me over.
You could also use this recipe to convince people who don’t like pumpkins. This was a super yummy and warm treat that was shared with skeptics, and they loved it!
It has become a fan-favorite and has become a part of the nightly routine.
Before getting into the recipe, here are a couple of tips you may want to keep in mind:
The recipe may be slightly different if you own a convection oven.
Heat distributes differently in a convection oven, so you will want to cut down the degree OR the time by 25%.
You should not do both, only one is necessary. If you don’t think you will remember this, don’t worry! There will be instructions for both as you go through the steps.
How to cut a really big pumpkin:
If you’re like me, you chose the biggest pumpkin you could find. At first, the idea of carving into this pumpkin to make itty bitty pieces may seem overwhelming.
But once you figure out what to do the rest is super easy!
First, carve the top of the pumpkin out where the stem is, just like if you were to carve it for Halloween.
Next, cut vertical lines down about three to four inches into the pumpkin. Repeat this five to six times until you have sections like an umbrella.
Next, start at one of the vertical lines and cut horizontally across to the next vertical line. At this point, you should have a rectangular-like section.
Next, continue this until all sections have been cut out. Then, do the exact same thing for the next part of the pumpkin. You should be doing this about two to three times before you hit the bottom.
Once you get to the bottom, it becomes difficult to use the same method, so just try to get the bottom piece as flat as you can.
Next, slice it up into pizza slices and you can cut them smaller from there.
*feel free to reference this later on!*
Should I wash the pumpkin before starting?
It is always a good idea to wash off your fruits and veggies before cutting them up to be eaten. Especially if your pumpkin has been on the front porch collecting dirt and other particles from the wind.
Just a good rinse should do, no need to add any special cleaning products.
And that covers it! Now we can move on to the fun stuff!
Keep in mind that this recipe goes from scratch, but if you want to take a shortcut, you can go straight to the pumpkin spice syrup recipe.
These are the supplies you should prepare for the pumpkin puree:
A Pumpkin
1-3 Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper
A Food Processor
Something to cut the pumpkin with (Pumpkin Carver, etc.)
A Bowl*
*The bowl isn’t required, but if you want to save the pumpkin seeds for another recipe, you can put them in there!
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay out your baking sheets and place parchment paper on them.
Step 2:
Cut up your pumpkin into small pieces, about two by two-inch squares. Place them on the parchment paper, with ½ an inch of space in between.
Use the bowl for any pumpkin seeds you want to save.
Step 3:
Place your pumpkin sheets in the oven for 40 minutes, and if you have a convection oven, leave them in for 34 minutes.
Step 4:
Once the timer goes off, let the pumpkin cool for 10 minutes then peel or cut off the skin. Cut each piece into even smaller pieces and place into a food processor.
Step 5:
Prepare a cup of water and continue to blend while slowly adding small amounts of water until you have a puree consistency.
Do this as many times as you need until all of the pumpkin pieces have been turned into puree.
Step 6:
Transfer to a container and store in the fridge. If you plan on saving this until later, you can store it in the freezer and then transfer it to the refrigerator the day before you intend to use it.
Now onto the pumpkin spice syrup!
This recipe was inspired by Bakerita’s Healthy Pumpkin Spice Syrup!
These are the baking tools you will need:
Measuring Cups
Tablespoons and Teaspoons
A Container (for storage)
A Strainer
A Spatula
And these are the ingredients to prepare:
½ cup of pumpkin puree
1 tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of ginger
½ tsp of nutmeg
3 cloves
⅓ cup of water
¼ cup of agave syrup
2 tablespoons of coconut sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
This recipe will only take a couple of minutes, the hard part is over!
If you skipped straight to this step, you can use canned pumpkin puree instead.
Step 1:
In a saucepan, add ½ cup of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ginger, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and three cloves.
Stir on medium-low heat for about a minute and a half until incorporated.
Step 2:
Add ⅓ cup of water, ¼ cup of agave syrup, and two tablespoons of coconut sugar while continuing to stir on medium-low heat. Mixed together until the syrup has darkened completely in color then let it simmer for 1 minute.
Step 3:
Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir until combined. Then, take off the heat and prepare your strainer and whatever container you’re going to store it in.
Step 4:
Strain the syrup into the container and discard the leftovers. You can store this in the fridge or choose to use it right away.
And that’s it! From pumpkin to syrup, this very fresh and tasty recipe is perfect for the cold season!
My favorite way to drink it is by adding spoonfuls of the pumpkin spice syrup to warm milk, then stirring and tasting until my personal preference.
Just like hot chocolate, you add it to some milk, warm it up, and share it with friends and family. Not only is this recipe healthy but it is also super delicious!
It will keep you feeling warm and cozy inside even if the weather is cold. So far I’ve only tested it out with milk, but you can also add this to your coffee in the morning for a little boost of the season!
Perfect for a pumpkin spice steamer, latte, or cold brew, you can use this syrup to make a mock version of a Starbucks drink anytime!
If you did choose to use a really big pumpkin to turn into syrup, you have several days’ worth to keep you occupied and possibly experiment with.
I recommend setting this recipe for a day when you know you will have nothing going on. This recipe took me four hours, but I also roasted the pumpkin seeds so that took more time.
You can make this recipe on a Sunday for week prep, and have this syrup with your breakfast drink for the week!
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I hope you love this recipe as much as I did, and make it several times to enjoy!
After the initial preparation of the pumpkin puree, the pumpkin spice syrup recipe only takes a couple of minutes for days of happiness and satisfaction.