Hi all! Coach Stefanie here!
As I am writing this, the first day of Fall is upon us and many of the coffee places have already brought out their fall menu including the ever so popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. I wrote a blog post a few months ago (read HERE) showing you how you could make your coffee house favorites at home. So today I am bringing you the fall version! Making these at home will save you time, money and BITES- what more could you ask for? Plus, you can make it exactly how you like!
What you'll need:
There are a few things I suggest getting for this endeavor. My favorite thing I purchased to make my own coffees is an espresso maker. I bought a hybrid that can both brew Nespresso pods as well as espresso powder. Unfortunately, they are not very common and it did not last very long. So I recently got a Mr. Coffee Espresso maker instead. It only uses ground espresso coffee powder and is a little more work but totally worth the $40 I spent on it. If you're often in a hurry and would like to splurge, the Nespresso machines are a great option (even though, over time the capsules tend to be more expensive than ground espresso). If you are not looking to invest in an espresso machine just yet, a Keurig with espresso coffee grounds on the strong brew setting will work too.
In addition to that, I keep a wide variety of sugar free syrups on hand. I love the skinny mixes but any kind works great! And lastly, I grabbed a milk frother wand which is the cheapest option to froth your milk. You will see that some recipes call for the frother and some don't.
With that out of the way, let's get into the recipes!
"Pumpkin Spice Latte"
Additional Thoughts:
This drink is perfect on a cold day and it is super versatile. By simply changing out the syrup flavor, you can make an infinite amount of drinks. This recipe is definitely my go to for all seasons. Depending on the syrup, you may need more or less of it.
"Chai Tea Latte"
Additional Thoughts:
You can sweeten the mixture to your taste with any sweetener that you like. It is best to use actual tea bags to brew your tea as the concentrate often has added sugar and therefore BITES.
"Indulgent Hot Chocolate"
Who doesn't love a good hot chocolate during the colder days? But hot chocolate can add up quickly, especially if you buy it somewhere or make it the traditional way. So I am sharing my favorite indulgent recipe. You can choose to add all of the ingredients or omit parts based on how many BITES you want to spend!
Additional Thoughts
This recipe is super indulgent and has all the bells and whistles. Feel free to omit toppings and mix ins based on your taste. Some days I may just do the powder and marshmallows and others I want it topped with whipped cream.
"Hot Apple Chai"
This drink is fresh off the secret Starbucks menu (meaning it is a customization using existing drinks and ingredients). I really wanted to include a hot apple drink and this one is the perfect option.
Additional Thoughts
You can sweeten the mixture to your taste with any sweetener that you like. It is best to use actual tea bags to brew your tea as the concentrate often has added sugar and therefore BITES. The original recipe calls for apple juice and the chai tea concentrate but I lightened it up by using apple sauce and real tea. It's the perfect apple- cinnamon mixture!
Bonus Drink!!
Another fall staple in my house has nothing to do with the coffee house and everything to do with my favorite protein drink! The premier protein with oats in apple cinnamon is perfect for the fall. I pour it into a cup and heat it up in the microwave for 1 minute for a warm and comforting drink that will also fill you up!
Happy Tracking!