Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

This Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew recipe is inspired by the popular Fall drink at Starbucks! It’s naturally-sweetened and dairy-free, and you can make it in just minutes.

It reminds me of a homemade pumpkin spice latte, but this version is perfect for those who prefer iced coffee drinks, instead.

Why You’ll Love It

It’s dairy-free. If dairy doesn’t agree with you, this homemade coffee drink is a delicious alternative. No specialty milks required!

It’s easy to make. You don’t need a fancy milk frother to make the cold foam topping. Just a blender will do. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, use 2 tablespoons of cashew butter or almond butter instead of the whole nuts. 

You can use home brewed coffee. Do you ever get distracted in the morning and forget about your warm coffee? This is the perfect way to use it once it’s turned cold! Or, you can plan ahead and use a batch of homemade cold brew coffee instead. 

It uses simple ingredients. This delicious fall drink calls for real pumpkin puree and pure maple syrup. All ingredients that you can pronounce, and if you’re like me, they’re probably already in your pantry, too. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

What’s in a pumpkin cream cold brew?

• Cashews (or try almond butter)
• Pumpkin puree
• Maple syrup
• Pumpkin pie spice

The Starbucks version starts with a glass of iced cold brew coffee that is sweetened with vanilla syrup, topped off with a pumpkin-spiced whipped cream topping (also called cold foam), with extra pumpkin spice on top.

To make a healthier pumpkin cold brew at home, you can skip the vanilla syrup all together! Instead, the sweetener is in this easy pumpkin “sweet cream” topping.

Since this version is dairy-free, you’ll need to use a generous amount of this vegan pumpkin coffee creamer to get a similar sweet & creamy effect to the store-bought drink, so just keep that in mind.

I usually use about 1/4 cup of this pumpkin creamer, or more, in 8 ounces of coffee. This will create a creamy latte texture, similar to the Starbucks pumpkin cream cold brew. 

Don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand? You can make your own mix by combining a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and an 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg, if you like, but don’t use too much or the flavor can become overpowering.

How to Make It

1. Blend. Add cashews, water, pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice to a blender, and blend until smooth. The mixture should have the texture of heavy whipping cream when you’re done blending.

If you don’t have a high speed blender, use cashew butter instead, so you won’t have to worry about any cashew pieces not getting totally pulverized.

2. Prepare the cold brew. You can make your own batch of cold brew coffee overnight in the fridge, or you can simply ice a cup of cooled home-brewed coffee.

(If you’re like me, your coffee may get cold as you get distracted in the morning!) I recommend starting with 8 ounces of coffee over ice, but you can always add more, if you’d like to.

3. Add the pumpkin creamer. Pour a generous amount of pumpkin creamer on top of the iced coffee, and watch it swirl into the glass! It’s not quite as smooth as using real whipping cream, but it does become creamy once you give it a stir.

Stir very well, to distribute the flavor evenly throughout the drink. As I mentioned above, I usually use at least a 1/4 cup of pumpkin creamer for 8 ounces of black coffee, to get a similar taste and texture compared to the Starbucks version.

It should taste creamy, and lightly sweet, but not quite as sweet as a traditional pumpkin spice latte.

Storage Tips

You can store this pumpkin coffee creamer in a sealed mason jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. This recipes makes roughly 4 to 5 servings, so it should last you the whole week, if you want a daily pumpkin coffee fix.

It’s normal for non-dairy coffee creamers to separate when you store them in the fridge. Be sure to give it a good shake when you’re ready to use it again.

Substitution Ideas

I’ve been testing this pumpkin cold brew recipe many times over the past month, and have tried lots of variations. Be sure to try one of the ideas below if you need to use a different ingredient.

Make an oat milk latte. If you haven’t tried my iced oat milk latte, it’s the perfect nut-free and coconut-free option. If you scroll down in that recipe, you’ll see the pumpkin spice version I’ve already tested for you!

Use coconut milk instead. You can replace the cashews + water in this recipe with a 3/4 cup of canned coconut milk. To measure, make sure you pour the entire can of full-fat coconut milk (don’t use the light version) into a blender, and blend until smooth. This will ensure you have a thick, and creamy coconut milk that resembles heavy whipping cream. You can measure after blending.

No high-speed blender? Try using a nut butter instead. You can replace the cashews in this recipe with 2 tablespoons of nut butter instead. Keep in mind that they nut you choose will impact the flavor, so look for brands labeled “raw” if possible, to avoid a roasted flavor. I like raw cashew butter or raw almond butter best.

Use another non-dairy milk. If you don’t mind a slightly less-creamy drink, you can use 3/4 cup of almond milk or oat milk to replace the cashews and water in this recipe.

If you try this Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew recipe, please leave a comment & star rating below letting me know how you like it!