pumpkin spice syrup

I always know that fall has arrived when people start obsessing over the Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. Overheard conversations, Facebook statuses, and Tweets all tell me one thing: people seriously love those suckers! Now, while I can definitely appreciate the allure of fancy coffee drinks, their sky-high price and often times questionable ingredients are kind of a bummer. So, I've come up with a recipe for pumpkin spice syrup you can make at home. It'll be significantly cheaper and all of the ingredients are wholesome as well as delicious.

A lot of recipes I've seen use very little pumpkin (sometimes only 2 tablespoons) and about 1.5 cups of white sugar. In my version, I've bumped up the pumpkin content significantly and opted for a lot less maple syrup in place of the sugar. The result is more puree like than syrupy but it's still sweet and yummy. I've also found that the end product is great for spreading on whole wheat pancakes or toast (think apple butter).

makes about 1.5 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup homemade pumpkin puree

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (make sure you get the real stuff)

1 cup water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until reduced.

2. Use immediately or refrigerate or freeze leftovers.

Also, if you're interested, this is how I make my Pumpkin Spice Coffee. I don't have an espresso maker, so I just use a regular cup of joe.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee

makes 1-2 servings

Ingredients

1.5 cups coffee

1/2 cup pastured milk

3 tablespoons pumpkin spice syrup (or to taste)

Fresh whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Heat milk and pumpkin spice syrup in microwave or on the stove top.

2. Add heated milk mixture and coffee to a blender. Blend until mixed and foam forms on top.

3. Enjoy! Add a dollop of whipped cream if you want to be indulgent. However, this is a cool whip free zone. The real thing tastes much better and is much better for you. The chemicals and hydrogenated oils in cool whip are terrible, no matter how few calories they have. No fake "food" here.

What are your favorite coffee shop drinks?