Fall is the perfect time to indulge in delicious treats, and pumpkin spice sauce is one of the most exciting recipes you can make. Why? Well, it means you are only a few minutes from some amazing pumpkin spice coffee. My super simple recipe combines sweet and spicy flavors that will excite your taste buds with a hint of warmth from nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger. Not only does it add an extra layer of flavor to pumpkin spice lattes (and other coffees), plus your favorite desserts.
What is pumpkin spice sauce
Pumpkin Spice Sauce is perfect for the fall season when you want to indulge in delicious treats. It forms the base for so many different great coffees, but can also go over ice cream, or pie to make a great desert even better.
Pumpkin Spice Sauce is perfect for the fall season when you want to indulge in delicious treats. But, just between you and me, I make this sauce year round. Because you never know when you are going to need some quiet personal time. And how better to relax and cheer yourself up, than with a PSL or pumpkin spice cappuccino?
With my quick and easy recipe you need never run out of this seasonal essential. Plus, you’ll never worry about having to make a run to any of the major coffee shops. Just use this sauce and follow my PSL recipe which actually tastes better than Starbucks pumpkin spice latte and Dunkin Donuts pumpkin spice latte.
How to make pumpkin spice sauce
Before you dive in to making your own pumpkin spice sauce, please remember you can use store bought sauce. It will not taste as good as homemade and it will cost a lot more. But it is a quicker solution.
My choice? Well it’s an investment in about 20 minutes of my time. So, for me its actually quicker than driving down into town. Oh, yes – it is really a no brainer because once you taste your made at home sauce, you won’t go back!
Please be aware, this recipe will make enough sauce for you friends and family to enjoy several PSLs. So once you have made it up, you can store it in an air-tight container (like a mason jar) and keep it in the fridge.
The taste of pumpkin spice sauce
It starts with a creamy sweetness that comes through from the syrup and condensed milk. Then you get the warm autumn spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger. THese are all balanced and blended together with delicious pumpkin.
But don’t forget the amazing aromas. Before you even taste it, the spices and pumpkin tell you your taste buds are in for a treat.
By adding in my secret ingredient, vanilla extract, you just take everything to the next level. The faint but distinct smell of vanilla teases you until you taste its gentle sweetness. It just has this unbelievable ability to make everything else taste better.
How to make pumpkin spice sauce
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
- 1 stirring spoon
- 1 airtight container
Ingredients
Please be aware, these ingredients will make enough sauce for you friends and family to enjoy several PSLs. So once you have made it up, you can store it in an air-tight container (like a mason jar) and keep it in the fridge.
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 14oz condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Gather the necessary equipment and ingredients to make the pumpkin spice sauce. If you want a longer explanation of this step, check out my simple syrup recipe.
- In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in pumpkin puree, condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice mix, salt and mix well on low heat until everything is combined.
- Keep stirring for about 10 minutes or so until all of the ingredients are completely blended together into a smooth mixture with no lumps remaining.
- Allow it to cool down completely before adding in vanilla extract. It is optional, but I can never resist adding up to 1 tsp.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps of pumpkin. Then pour into an airtight container like a mason jar and store it in the fridge for later use as needed.
Top Tips
- Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree. It will almost certainly be on the store shelf next to pumpkin pie mix. You should avoid the pie mix for this recipe because it has all kinds of other stuff in it; including sugar and spices – so it makes it difficult to balance the ingredients in the sauce.
- I use sweetened condensed milk. You can also get low fat and unsweetened condensed milk. But we are making a luxury sauce here, so I let myself have this treat. You can decide what type of condensed milk you prefer to use.
- Making simple syrup is really easy. You just have to make sure to use equal amounts of sugar and water, put them in a saucepan and heat on a medium level until the sugar is totally dissolved. Remember to stir to stop the sugar burning. For more detailed instructions, check out my simple syrup recipe.
- Remember to sterilise the storage jar before pouring the sauce in.
- This recipe makes enough sauce for a whole lot of lattes. So you get plenty of opportunities to experiment and get this recipe exactly how you love it!
- You can keep this sauce in the fridge for up to 1 week. But why would you keep it that long? It’s made to be used, and you deserve a treat!
The bottom line
Making pumpkin spice sauce is a great way to enjoy the flavors of Fall all year round. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and you can customize it with your own ingredients or my secret tricks like adding vanilla extract for an extra special touch.
Plus, you can store what’s left in an airtight container so that you have plenty of deliciousness on hand anytime cravings hit!
So give my easy-follow recipe a try and indulge in some cozy goodness today – your taste buds will thank you!
Other great syrups for coffee you can try
I have put together a guide to the best syrups for coffee, so feel free to check it out. Remember, making your own means you control the ingredients – there are not preservatives or other chemicals. Just good quality sauces and syrups. These will taste so much better than store bought AND save you money!
To get you started, take a look at some of these easy-follow syrup recipes:
- Vanilla – its just a simple syrup with vanilla extract. But it does so much more.
- Mocha – Add it to coffee. Wow, is there a better partnership than coffee and chocolate?
- Salted caramel – Add the flavor of your favorite toffee with some salt to give everything an edge.
- Gingerbread – another essential Fall flavor.
Pumpkin spice sauce: lookout Starbucks!
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
- 1 stirring spoon
- 1 airtight container
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 14 oz condensed milk
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/2- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Gather the necessary equipment and ingredients to make the pumpkin spice sauce. If you want a longer explanation of this step, check out my simple syrup recipe.
- In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in pumpkin puree, condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice mix, salt and mix well on low heat until everything is combined.
- Keep stirring for about 10 minutes or so until all of the ingredients are completely blended together into a smooth mixture with no lumps remaining.
- Allow it to cool down completely before adding in vanilla extract. It is optional, but I can never resist adding up to 1 tsp.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps of pumpkin. Then pour into an airtight container like a mason jar and store it in the fridge for later use as needed.
Notes
Top Tips
- Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree. It will almost certainly be on the store shelf next to pumpkin pie mix. You should avoid the pie mix for this recipe because it has all kinds of other stuff in it; including sugar and spices – so it makes it difficult to balance the ingredients in the sauce.
- I use sweetened condensed milk. You can also get low fat and unsweetened condensed milk. But we are making a luxury sauce here, so I let myself have this treat. You can decide what type of condensed milk you prefer to use.
- Making simple syrup is really easy. You just have to make sure to use equal amounts of sugar and water, put them in a saucepan and heat on a medium level until the sugar is totally dissolved. Remember to stir to stop the sugar burning. For more detailed instructions, check out my simple syrup recipe.
- Remember to sterilise the storage jar before pouring the sauce in.
- This recipe makes enough sauce for a whole lot of lattes. So you get plenty of opportunities to experiment and get this recipe exactly how you love it!
- You can keep this sauce in the fridge for up to 1 week. But why would you keep it that long? It’s made to be used, and you deserve a treat!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
All nutritional information is an estimate only, based on third-party calculations derived from an online nutritional calculator, Spoonacular API. The data provided is a courtesy and should not be considered a guarantee or fact. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients and brands you use, your measuring methods and portion sizes. For accurate results, we recommend that you calculate the nutritional information yourself, using a preferred nutritional calculator or advice from a nutritionist, based on your ingredients and individual processes.
Hi, I’m Eric Loftuss, co-founder of Bean Thirst with my wife Sophie.
My Coffee journey started young. I used to help my mom with the weekly shopping trip and we always called in to a coffee wholesaler and retail outlet in our town.
I really started to learn about coffee when, while in college, I worked in a local coffee shop and trained as a barista. Even though I went on to qualify and work as a lawyer, I still get a kick out of brewing a cup of Joe.
Sophie and I are so glad to be part of your coffee journey. Find out more about us