How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup at Home That Tastes Better Than Store-Bought
Once fall rolls around, I start wanting pumpkin spice in just about everything—especially my coffee. And while I love a coffee shop drink as much as anyone, making pumpkin spice syrup at home is one of those little things that feels worth it because it’s so easy.
This homemade pumpkin spice syrup is made with real pumpkin purée, brown sugar, vanilla, and warm fall spices. It comes together in about 10 minutes and keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.
I like using it in hot coffee, iced lattes, cold brew, and even drizzled over pancakes or oatmeal.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Spice Syrup
This is one of those recipes that feels special without being complicated. You only need a handful of ingredients, and most of them are probably already in your pantry.
I also like that you can adjust it to your taste. Use a little less if you just want a hint of pumpkin spice, or add an extra spoonful if you want your coffee to taste more like a coffee shop drink.
It’s also a nice way to use up leftover pumpkin purée if you’ve opened a can for another fall recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade pumpkin spice syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added, so it will change the flavor and sweetness of the syrup.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Add the water, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a small saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring everything to a gentle simmer, whisking as it heats so the brown sugar dissolves and the pumpkin blends into the mixture.
Once it begins simmering, lower the heat and let the syrup cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally while it cooks.
You don’t need to boil it heavily. A gentle simmer is enough. The syrup will thicken slightly as it cooks and will continue to thicken a little more as it cools.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Should You Strain Pumpkin Spice Syrup?
You don’t absolutely have to strain it, but I usually do.
Because this recipe uses real pumpkin and ground spices, the syrup can have a little bit of texture or sediment. Pouring it through a fine-mesh strainer gives it a smoother consistency that feels more like the syrup you’d get at a coffee shop.
If you don’t mind a slightly thicker syrup, you can skip this step.
Once strained, let the syrup cool before transferring it to a glass jar, bottle, or syrup dispenser.
How to Use Pumpkin Spice Syrup in Coffee
Start with about 1 tablespoon of syrup per drink, taste it, and add more if you want a stronger pumpkin spice flavor.
I usually use somewhere between 1 and 2 tablespoons depending on the size of the drink.
You can add it to:
- Hot coffee
- Iced coffee
- Lattes
- Cold brew
- Cappuccinos
- Chai lattes
- Cold foam drinks
It mixes especially well into warm coffee, but you can also stir it directly into iced drinks.
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Once you have the syrup made, a pumpkin spice latte takes only a few minutes.
For one drink, combine:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice syrup
- 1 to 2 shots of espresso, or about 1/2 cup strong coffee
- About 3/4 cup warm or frothed milk
Stir everything together and sprinkle a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice over the top.
For an iced version, pour the syrup and espresso over ice, add cold milk, and stir.
Other Ways to Use Pumpkin Spice Syrup
This syrup doesn’t have to be reserved for coffee. I also like having it around because there are so many easy ways to use it during fall.
Try drizzling it over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or oatmeal. You can also stir a little into yogurt, homemade whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
It would also be good in fall cocktails and mocktails or drizzled over cheesecake and other desserts.
How to Store Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Because this syrup contains real pumpkin, it needs to be refrigerated.
Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to about one week.
The syrup may separate a little as it sits, which is completely normal. Just give the jar a shake or stir before using it.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Spice Syrup
A few small things make a difference with this recipe:
Use real pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling so you can control the sweetness and spices yourself.
Keep the syrup at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. You want the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to come together without reducing the mixture too much.
If you want a stronger spice flavor, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
And if you like a really smooth coffee-shop-style syrup, don’t skip the straining step.
Can I Use White Sugar Instead of Brown Sugar?
Yes, you can substitute granulated sugar for the brown sugar.
That said, I prefer brown sugar here because it adds a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor that works really well with pumpkin and warm spices.
You could also use half brown sugar and half white sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
Can I Make It Less Sweet?
You can reduce the sugar slightly, but keep in mind that sugar does more than just sweeten the syrup. It also gives it body and helps create that syrupy consistency.
If you cut the sugar significantly, the mixture will be thinner and will taste more like a pumpkin concentrate than a traditional coffee syrup.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Yes. This recipe doubles easily.
Just use a larger saucepan and keep the cooking time roughly the same. You may need an extra minute or two of simmering if you’re making a bigger batch.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Add the water, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup has thickened slightly.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
For a smoother syrup, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
Let the syrup cool, then transfer it to an airtight glass container.
Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Use about 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup of coffee or latte, depending on how sweet and pumpkin-spiced you like it.
A Simple Fall Coffee Upgrade
This is one of those recipes I start making as soon as I’m ready for fall flavors. It takes hardly any time, but having a jar in the refrigerator makes an ordinary cup of coffee feel a lot more fun.
And because it uses real pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices, it has a richer flavor than simply adding pumpkin pie spice to your coffee.
If you make a lot of coffee at home during fall, this is an easy one to keep on repeat.