Imagine it's a chilly day and you're holding a perfectly spiced homemade chai concentrate topped with a rich and creamy pumpkin cream cold foam that's dusted with pumpkin spice... This Starbucks copycat of the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte is the quintessential fall drink.
If you're like me, you were already topping a Starbucks Chai Latte with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam. But come fall season and the release of the PSL, I love switching out the vanilla for Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam. It's the ultimate drink with all the fall vibes.
And now you don't have to custom order a Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam! Starbucks added it as a fall menu item in 2023 since it was such a popular combo.
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Why make this Recipe?
Nothing beats making chai concentrate at home. I personally could not stand the strong cinnamon flavor of bottled chai concentrate when I ordered this drink. It completely overpowers the pumpkin cold foam and had me making unflattering faces in public.
I prefer to make my own homemade chai concentrate that's tailored to my liking! Once you have the ingredients, you can make it dozens of times and start to cut costs.
The pumpkin cream cold foam is even easier to make at home than you think. Just a few ingredients and an electric frother and you'll be skipping the trip to Starbucks!
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
The Starbucks site lists the main ingredients for the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte as the following:
INGREDIENTS: MILK, ICE, PUMPKIN SPICE CREAM [VANILLA SWEET CREAM, PUMPKIN SPICE SAUCE], CHAI TEA CONCENTRATE, PUMPKIN SPICE TOPPING
I've significantly simplified what's listed for an easy-to-make dupe at home that's going to save you quite a bit of money over time once you have the ingredients!
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- Cream - Use heavy whipping cream or half and half, but heavy whipping cream will whip up the best and give the cold foam the structure to sit at the top of the drink.
- Milk - Starbucks uses a non-fat milk for their cold foam because it has a larger percentage of protein. The resulting foam is robust with larger bubbles, and holds up better than hot foam with micro-bubbles that we see with lattes. Just about any milk, including plant-based milks, will work but not as well as a non-fat dairy-based milk.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - Instead of using condensed skim milk, something which I've never seen in a grocery store, we're using sweetened condensed milk. You can also use plain condensed milk and add more or less sugar based off of preference.
- Pumpkin Puree - Don't purchase pumpkin pie filling, you'll want plain canned pumpkin puree. You can also make your own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkin. I personally think this is a great recipe if you have some leftover canned pumpkin puree from other recipes. Some people enjoy more than 1 tablespoon for more pumpkin flavoring.
- Pumpkin spice - Use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend or make your own. Starbucks makes their pumpkin spice with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Vanilla Extract / Vanilla Syrup - For the cold brew, use any bottled brand of vanilla syrup, i.e. Starbucks, Torani, Monin, etc. It's also really easy to make vanilla syrup at home with vanilla extract, sugar, and water. For this recipe, mix 1 teaspoon of both sugar and hot water and a dash of high quality vanilla extract. For the cold foam, since we're using sweetened condensed milk it doesn't need extra sugar. I recommend using vanilla extract instead.
Chai Latte
- Chai Concentrate - I always use my homemade chai concentrate recipe, but store-bought works just fine.
- Milk - Use any milk or milk alternative you like. I prefer whole milk for chai.
Recommended Kitchen Equipment
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How to Make an Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
- Make the homemade chai concentrate (or use store-bought). It should be chilled or room temperature for an iced latte.
- Add ice into a tall glass of choice. Then, pour 8 ounces of chai concentrate and 8 ounces of milk the glass for a 16-ounce drink.
- Add the ingredients for the pumpkin cream cold foam into a bowl or mason jar. Whisk or use an electric frother to whip until fully combined and the foam has thickened, just before it forms soft peaks.
- Serve about a ¼ - ½ cup of the cold foam per cup of iced chai latte. The recipe for the pumpkin cream cold foam makes 1-2 servings depending on desired amount.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin spice and enjoy!
Tip: Cold foams are best for cold drink. But you can easily make a hot chai latte and mix the pumpkin cream cold foam ingredients into a sauce and pour that into the chai. Then you'll have a rich and creamy pumpkin chai latte!
Storage Instructions
To store leftover cold foam, keep it in a mason jar with an airtight lid. When ready to use again, you can shake the mason vigorously, use a portable frother, a mini whisk, etc.
Variations
If you're a fan of the Dirty Chai Latte, add up to two shots of espresso for an extra kick.
I also love a Chai Latte with plain Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam during the warmer seasons.
More Starbucks Dupes to try
Recipe
Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte (Starbucks Dupe)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chai Latte
- 8 oz chai concentrate
- 8 oz milk, of choice
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam (1-2 servings)
- 2 tablespoon non-fat milk
- 6 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice, plus extra for sprinkling
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Pour in the non-fat milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sweetened condensed milk into a mason jar. Using a whisk or electric whisk, whip the mixture until it has large bubbles, and then becomes thick and smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt into the mason jar with the milk mixture. Optionally, add more sugar per taste. Continue to whip until fully combined and the foam has thickened, just before it forms soft peaks.
- Add the chai concentrate into the glass with ice. Mix an equal amount of milk into the glass. Pour the pumpkin cream cold foam over the top of the chai latte.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin spice and enjoy.
Notes
- Store additional pumpkin cream cold foam in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewhip with a whisk when ready to use, if necessary.
- Use any household item to whip the cold foam, i.e. frother, aeroccino, food processor, whisk, coffee press, blender, electric mixer
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Troubleshooting: If the mixture isn’t getting thick and frothy, it’s likely that the heavy cream got a little too warm or the tool isn’t strong enough to add air. Put the mixture back in the fridge and try again once it chills. Alternatively, add 1-2 tablespoons of additional chilled heavy cream.
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