Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte
This is my healthier version of the popular Starbucks drink, which, while delicious, is absolutely loaded with sugar. You can make the recipe hot or iced, but since we are still dealing with weather in the 90’s here I went with iced. Lots of ice. I am not really much of a coffee drinker, but there is something really compelling about turning coffee into dessert in a glass–and let’s be honest, that’s what this is.
I have heard a fair amount of confusion regarding the various coconut products and their labels. That makes sense, because the terminology varies so much from product to product. When I call for coconut milk, I mean the unsweetened coconut milk that you find in a can, not the refrigerated coconut milk beverages you often find in the milk section at the grocery. In most cases I shake the can or stir it to mix the solids into the liquid, but in this case I wanted the liquid to be a little thinner to blend well with the coffee.
When I refer to coconut cream, I mean the solid layer that you will find at the top when you open one of those cans. If you are avoiding dairy and/or trying to get more coconut into your diet, that solid layer is an excellent substitute for whipped cream. Just whip it until is almost doubled in volume, with or without some kind of added sweetener. Note that it will whip better if it is chilled. That dollop you see on top of the iced latte in the picture is some whipped coconut cream.
It’s a little more work than driving through at Starbucks, but it tastes pretty great and you won’t be left feeling bad about sucking down a cup full of sugar. Worth the trouble.
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup strong, brewed coffee, cooled
- 1/3 cup organic pumpkin puree
- 6-8 tablespoons coconut sugar
- pinch of salt
- cinnamon, to taste
- nutmeg, to taste
- Optional: whipped coconut cream, for garnish
Instructions
- For the unsweetened coconut milk, scoop the solids off of the top of the can before measuring out a cup of the remaining liquid. Use the solids to whip with a little extra coconut sugar for the topping, if desired.
- In a blender, combine the cup of coconut milk with the coffee, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings, as needed.
- Fill two tall glasses about 2/3 of the way with ice cubes. Pour half of the mixture into each glass. Garnish with whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately.
- Note: if you want to serve this hot, just place the blended liquid into microwave-safe mugs and microwave until hot.
