When the leaves start to fall and the air turns crisp, there’s nothing sweeter than gathering the kids around the table with warm mugs in hand.
This caffeine-free pumpkin spice chai latte is the perfect companion for autumn homeschool mornings.
Did you know that my girl St Hildegard maybe kinda-sorta invented pumpkin spice?
She wrote:
“Take some nutmeg and an equal weight of cinnamon and a bit of cloves, and pulverize them. Then make small cakes with this and fine whole wheat flour and water. Eat them often. It will calm all bitterness of the heart and mind, open your heart and impaired senses, and make your mind cheerful. It purifies your senses and diminishes all harmful humors in you. It gives good liquid to your blood, and makes you strong.“
From Physica, St Hildegard von Bingen, circa 1151-1158
How cool is that? Her feast day JUST happened back on September 17th. So let us celebrate, calm our bitterness and be cheerful, and toast to her with our PSLs!
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A Cozy Autumn Ritual
In our home, fall often means slowing down with a stack of nature-themed picture books or a seasonal poem. Think Robert Frost, Christina Rossetti, or one of my favourite books for fall. This latte fits right in—it feels special enough to mark the season, but it’s simple enough to whip up in the middle of a homeschool morning. The kids love having their own caffeine-free version, and I also make this with coconut milk for my kid who has trouble with dairy.
Ingredients
- 2 rooibos tea bags (rooibos keeps it caffeine-free)
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3/4 cup whole milk, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
- Whipping cream (optional)
- Cinnamon, maple sugar, or cinnamon sticks (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Brew the tea: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 2 tea bags, turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Make the pumpkin base: In a small bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine: Remove tea bags, squeezing out any liquid. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the saucepan.
- Add milk: Pour in 1/2 cup of milk and warm over medium-low heat until combined. Turn off heat.
- Froth milk: Froth the remaining 1/4 cup of milk using a frother, or whisk while warming until foamy.
- Whip cream (optional): Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form, if desired.
- Assemble: Pour the pumpkin spice chai tea into a mug, top with frothed milk, and finish with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon, maple sugar, or add a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 1-2
Tips & Variations
- Dairy-free: Use oat or almond milk, and top with coconut whipped cream.
- Extra festive: Add a drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of nutmeg for a café-style twist.
- Make-ahead: Brew the tea and mix the pumpkin base in advance. Reheat and add frothed milk when serving.
Serving Suggestions
Try this latte during your morning time basket, while reading a nature poem aloud, or after a brisk nature walk collecting acorns and colorful leaves. It pairs beautifully with pumpkin bread, apple crisp, or even just a handful of maple sugar cookies. However you serve it, this simple recipe is a lovely way to bring warmth and rhythm into your homeschool days.
Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte (Caffeine-free)
This Saint Hildegard-inspired pumpkin spice tea latte is the perfect cozy drink for curling up under blankets in the crisp autumn sun on your front porch. And the use of rooibos tea keeps it caffeine-free for the kiddos!
Ingredients
- 2 rooibos tea bags (rooibos keeps it caffeine-free)
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3/4 cup whole milk, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
- Whipping cream (optional)
- Cinnamon, maple sugar, or cinnamon sticks (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Brew the tea: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 2 tea bags, turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
- Make the pumpkin base: In a small bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine: Remove tea bags, squeezing out any liquid. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the saucepan.
- Add milk: Pour in 1/2 cup of milk and warm over medium-low heat until combined. Turn off heat.
- Froth milk: Froth the remaining 1/4 cup of milk using a frother, or whisk while warming until foamy.
- Whip cream (optional): Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form, if desired.
- Assemble: Pour the pumpkin spice chai tea into a mug, top with frothed milk, and finish with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon, maple sugar, or add a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Notes
- Customize this drink with black or green tea as the base.
- Spice is nice: Add a pinch of black pepper for extra warming vibes
- Dairy-free: Use oat or almond milk, and top with coconut whipped cream.
- Extra festive: Add a drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of nutmeg for a café-style twist.
- Make-ahead: Brew the tea and mix the pumpkin base in advance. Reheat and add frothed milk when serving.
Let’s See You Live It!
I would love to see how your family does this. It is so inspiring to others, too. Send me an email or tag me on social media @kindlingwild and I’ll be sure to share!
Check out these Catholic devotions!
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