Pumpkin spice latte: what it is, what spices it contains and how to make it at home

As soon as the temperatures drop, if you fancy something warm that smells of cinnamon, you probably already know what a pumpkin spice latte is like, even if you've never tried one. Frothy milk, spices, and that aroma of freshly baked cake. The funny thing is that pumpkin spice, the blend that gives it its name, doesn't contain a single gram of pumpkin. Here we explain where it comes from, what spices make it up, and how to make it at home in two minutes, whether with our Matcha Latte Pumpkin Spice or with the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which do contain real pumpkin.

From pumpkin pie to your cup

Pumpkin spice was born in the United States to flavor pumpkin pie. It already appears in American Cookery, the country's first cookbook, from 1796, and in 1934 it began to be sold as a prepared blend.

In other words, the pumpkin came from the pie, and only the spices went into the cup. The big leap came in 2003, when a coffee chain launched the pumpkin spice latte and turned it into an autumn classic. We've taken a liking to it in Spain too: Google searches tripled between 2022 and 2025.

What spices are in pumpkin spice and why does it go so well with tea?

Everyone has their own version, but the base almost never changes: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Cinnamon provides the sweetness, ginger adds a spicy kick, and the other three give it that warm homemade baking undertone.

And why does it go so well with tea? Because its slight bitterness balances the sweetness of the spices. With matcha, the earthy note also balances the cinnamon and ginger. If you like matcha tea with milk and cinnamon, you already know what it's all about.

That's why we made our own pumpkin spice, with the pumpkin that the coffee shop version was missing. We have two, and the difference between one and the other is the time of day.

The Matcha Latte Pumpkin Spice is the tea version: matcha, pumpkin, and spices instead of the coffee in the original latte. It contains the natural caffeine of matcha (here we tell you how much caffeine matcha tea has) and hardly any sugar, so it's the one for the morning, when you want your usual cup but with the taste of autumn. It's a limited edition and will only be available this season.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is just the opposite: no tea and, therefore, no caffeine. Here, the star is the pumpkin, with its seeds and coconut milk, and the usual spices are joined by turmeric and cardamom, so it tastes more like pumpkin pie than tea. It's the one for a cozy afternoon on the sofa, or after dinner if you've ever wondered if you can drink matcha tea at night.

How to make a pumpkin spice latte at home

Put one teaspoon (3 g) in the cup, add 200 ml of hot milk or plant-based milk, and stir. If it's the matcha one, whisk it first with a splash of hot water so there are no lumps. A pinch of cinnamon on top and you're done.

A few tips to make it taste like it's from a coffee shop:

• With matcha, no boiling water—75-80 ºC is better, otherwise it becomes bitter. We explain it in how to prepare a classic matcha tea.
• If you don't have a whisk, a jar with a lid works just as well. See how to prepare matcha tea without a whisk.
• Heat the milk without letting it boil and it will be frothier. Oat milk is the one that works best.

A plan for this afternoon

Blanket, soft lighting, and something to read. If you're looking for a seasonal novel, The Pumpkin Spice Café has become a cozy classic for this time of year. And to accompany it, there's nothing like a nice warm cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte.