Pumpkin Chai Latte
Spiced black tea concentrate with pumpkin purée and steamed milk: the tea answer to a pumpkin spice latte.
A pumpkin chai latte combines a spiced chai concentrate with a little pumpkin purée and maple, topped with steamed milk.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 45 mg in one serving (10 oz (300 ml) cup), a concentration of 15 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Chai concentrate, pumpkin and steamed milk |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 60 g concentrate : 20 g pumpkin : 180 g milk |
| Base & finished drink | 12g → 268g |
| Grind size | Strong black tea leaf (Assam works well) |
| Water temperature | 203°F / 95°C |
| Target brew time | Spices 5 min simmer, tea 4 min off the heat |
| Serving | 10 oz (300 ml) cup |
What you need
- Chai concentrate (makes 4): 320 g water, 12 g strong black tea, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 green cardamom pods (cracked), 4 cloves, 4 black peppercorns, 10 g sliced fresh ginger, 30 g brown sugar
- 60 g chai concentrate
- 20 g canned 100% pumpkin purée
- 8 g maple syrup
- 180 g milk
- Ground cinnamon, to finish
Required gear
- Small saucepan
- Fine sieve
- Small whisk
- Milk steamer or frother
- Scale
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00For the concentrate, simmer the spices in 320 g water for 5 minutes, lid on.
- 5:00Take it off the heat, add 12 g black tea, steep for 4 minutes, strain, and stir in 30 g brown sugar.
- 10:00Whisk 60 g concentrate, 20 g pumpkin purée and 8 g maple syrup together in a small pan and warm them through.
- 11:00Pour into the cup, steam 180 g milk to 60-65°C, and pour it in. Dust with cinnamon.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
The caffeine count
About 45 mg, from the black tea in a quarter of the concentrate. Adding a shot of espresso brings it to about 110 mg.
Estimate; varies with the tea and the steep.
Real pumpkin
Canned pumpkin purée is just cooked pumpkin. 20 g adds body and colour with very little sugar.
What to watch out for
- Contains caffeine from black tea. If you are pregnant, nursing, sensitive to caffeine or have been told to limit it, it is a moderate amount.
- Contains dairy unless made with a plant milk. Refrigerate opened pumpkin purée and use it within five days.
A pumpkin chai latte combines a spiced chai concentrate with a little pumpkin purée and maple, topped with steamed milk. Chai and pumpkin pie share most of their spices, cinnamon, ginger, clove, so the two blend naturally; the pumpkin adds body and an earthy sweetness, and the black tea keeps it from tasting like dessert.
Origin & Story
Where it comes from
The pumpkin chai latte is an autumn café drink that grew out of two others: the chai latte, and the pumpkin spice latte that Starbucks launched in 2003 and that made "pumpkin spice" a seasonal flavour across American food and drink. Pumpkin versions of chai lattes, cold foams and concentrates are now common on autumn menus. There is no single original.
Chai and pumpkin pie share their spices
Pumpkin pie spice is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove, sometimes with allspice. A chai concentrate is usually cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom and black pepper. The overlap is almost complete, which is why the drink tastes coherent rather than like two flavours stacked on each other. Cardamom and pepper, which pumpkin spice lacks, keep it tasting of chai.
Where the pumpkin comes in
"Pumpkin spice" contains no pumpkin, and for years the pumpkin spice latte did not either; Starbucks added pumpkin purée to it only in 2015. In this drink real pumpkin earns its place: 20 g of purée gives body and a faint, earthy sweetness that makes the cup feel more substantial. Use canned 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Why a concentrate
A café chai latte is built from a strong, sweetened tea concentrate rather than tea brewed in milk, so it is quick to assemble and the strength is consistent. Making your own lets you control both the spice and the sugar. Whisk the pumpkin into the hot concentrate so it disperses evenly; added to milk directly, it can settle or leave strands.
Making it at home
Make the chai concentrate in a batch (it keeps about five days in the fridge); the method is the same as for our dirty chai latte, which adds espresso to the same base. Then whisk concentrate, pumpkin and maple together, warm them, and top with steamed milk. For a coffee version of the same flavours, see our pumpkin cold foam cold brew.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 64/100 |
| Acidity | 16/100 |
| Bitterness | 26/100 |
| Body | 72/100 |
| Aroma | 82/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Pumpkin Chai Latte?
One serving, 10 oz (300 ml) cup, contains approximately 45 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Pumpkin Chai Latte?
Brew the base at 95°C (203°F). Where the milk is heated, 60–65°C is the target; past about 70°C it tastes scalded and loses its sweetness.
How long should Pumpkin Chai Latte be extracted?
Timing: Spices 5 min simmer, tea 4 min off the heat. Method: Chai concentrate, pumpkin and steamed milk. Ratio: 60 g chai concentrate + 20 g pumpkin purée + 180 g steamed milk. Grind or leaf format: Strong black tea leaf (Assam works well).
Why does my Pumpkin Chai Latte taste bitter?
In a milk drink, bitterness comes from the base (espresso pulled too long or tea steeped too long) or from scorched milk. Brew the base to the stated proportion, and if the milk is heated, stop at 60–65°C.
Does a pumpkin chai latte have coffee in it?
No. Its caffeine comes from black tea, about 45 mg. Add a shot of espresso and it becomes a dirty pumpkin chai, at about 110 mg.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
It is better not to. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so the drink ends up too sweet and the spices clash. Use 100% pumpkin purée.
Can I make it iced?
Yes. Whisk the pumpkin into the warm concentrate first, cool it, then pour over ice and cold milk.
What is the difference from a pumpkin spice latte?
A pumpkin spice latte is espresso with pumpkin-spice syrup and milk. A pumpkin chai latte is spiced black tea with pumpkin and milk, so it is lower in caffeine and has cardamom and pepper in the spice.
Who should avoid Pumpkin Chai Latte?
Contains caffeine from black tea. If you are pregnant, nursing, sensitive to caffeine or have been told to limit it, it is a moderate amount. Contains dairy unless made with a plant milk. Refrigerate opened pumpkin purée and use it within five days. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
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