The Dream Harbor Pumpkin Spice Latte (Homemade PSL)

The official reading drink of a town that doesn’t exist

There was never going to be another drink for The Pumpkin Spice Café. I said as much in the review: if this book was a drink, it was a pumpkin spice latte, obviously, and we both knew it. So here is the homemade version, the official Dream Harbor reading drink, made with real pumpkin and warm spices rather than a mystery syrup.

It comes together in about five minutes, works hot or iced, and you do not need a café or an espresso machine to make it. Just a cosy book, a free afternoon and a slightly dramatic need to live somewhere autumnal.

Why make a homemade pumpkin spice latte?

Because you control it. Real pumpkin, real spice, as sweet or as strong as you like, and no queue. A homemade PSL is also far cheaper than the café habit, and you can make it the moment the craving hits, which for me is roughly every time I open this book.

Ingredients

Makes 1 large latte.

• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree (tinned or cooked and mashed, not pie filling)
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a pinch each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove)
• 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar, to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 240ml milk of choice
• 1 shot espresso (about 60ml), or 60ml strong brewed coffee
• Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, to serve

Method (hot)

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the pumpkin puree, spice and maple syrup for about a minute, until fragrant.
2. Add the milk and vanilla and heat gently, whisking often, until steaming but not boiling.
3. For froth, whisk vigorously, use a milk frother, or blitz briefly in a blender (mind the heat).
4. Pour the espresso into your favourite mug, then add the spiced milk.
5. Top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Open book. Begin.

Method (iced)

1. Whisk the pumpkin puree, spice, maple syrup and vanilla with a splash of warm milk until smooth, so it does not clump in cold milk.
2. Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour over the cold milk and the pumpkin mixture and stir well.
3. Add the espresso (cooled, or poured straight over for a warm-meets-cold effect).
4. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Cosy Kitchen Notes

• No espresso machine? Use strong instant coffee (1 to 2 tsp in a little hot water) or any strong brewed coffee. It still works.
• Real pumpkin matters. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, so if that is all you have, ease off the maple and spice.
• Make a batch of the pumpkin spice base (puree, spice, maple, vanilla) and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Spiced latte in under two minutes all week.
• Dairy-free works beautifully. Oat milk froths well and leans into the cosy.

What to read it with

This is the Dream Harbor house drink, so it belongs with The Pumpkin Spice Café. For the full café-morning experience, serve it alongside a warm Dream Harbor cinnamon scroll and refuse to answer any messages until you have finished the chapter.

Quick answers

Can I make a pumpkin spice latte without an espresso machine?

Yes. Use strong brewed coffee or a heaped teaspoon or two of instant coffee dissolved in a splash of hot water. The spiced milk does the heavy lifting, so any strong coffee base works.

What is pumpkin pie spice and what can I use instead?

It is a warm spice blend, usually cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove (sometimes allspice). If you do not have the blend, mix those yourself: lots of cinnamon, a little ginger and nutmeg, and a pinch of clove.

Is this a sweet drink?

It is as sweet as you make it. Start with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, taste, and adjust. Using tinned pumpkin puree rather than pre-sweetened pie filling keeps you in control of the sweetness.

The Last Sip

Is recreating a fictional café’s signature drink at home a perfectly normal thing to do? In this house, yes. Make it, take the obligatory photo with the book, and let me know if you went hot or iced. Dream Harbor would be proud.