Pumpkin Spice – is it even autumn if we don’t get bombarded by advertisements everywhere promoting it as soon as autumn arrives? It’s so ingrained in our minds that even if you happen to be someone who doesn’t love Pumpkin Spice (*coughs* me), you automatically associate it with autumn. But how did it get so dang famous? Well, we know who to thank – Starbucks.

In 2003, Starbucks’ research and development team experimented with a few flavours for the autumn and winter holiday lineup. After numerous tests, they came up with a pumpkin spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, which was thought to capture the essence of autumn. Starbucks took a calculated risk by launching these flavours—even though, at the time, pumpkin spice was more commonly associated with pies and baked goods than coffee. But the risk paid off spectacularly; well, the rest is history.

Here’s a surprising fun fact: the original Pumpkin Spice Latte offered by Starbucks didn’t contain any actual pumpkin! That changed in 2015, however, when Starbucks reformulated the recipe to include real pumpkin in response to customer demand for ingredient transparency.

But is it really worth spending $6–$7 (or more, depending on where in the world you are) for one cup of pumpkin spice goodness? What if you could make a Pumpkin Spice Syrup at home in under 40 minutes—perfect for a dirty pumpkin spice chai latte and other recipes coming next in my Pumpkin & Everything Nice mini-series, with this as the first episode? Even better, you could use this syrup to make these treats multiple times with just one batch. Sounds good, right? Well… here’s the recipe, YAYYY!

Now, if you’ve been paying attention, you might be wondering, ‘Didn’t she just say she doesn’t like Pumpkin Spice?’ True, but that’s because I don’t enjoy how strongly spiced most pumpkin spice blends are—it almost makes it hard for me to taste the other notes in my latte. So, I decided to create a Pumpkin Spice Syrup that doesn’t rely on overpowering spices like allspice or cloves. Instead, it leans toward warm, sweet, and mildly spicy flavours, which ensures that whatever recipe you use it for—even coffee—it won’t overpower other flavours but will instead complement them.

BEE ROLL

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE SYRUP

Begin by cleaning the sugar pumpkin with a quick rinse under running water, then pat it dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and fibres using a spoon or pumpkin corer. Place one half pumpkin skin-side up and cut each into four vertical quarters. Then cut each quarter in half horizontally, resulting in 8 pieces to ensure even cooking. You can set aside the other half of the pumpkin for another use

Roast the pumpkin pieces in the air fryer at 190°C for 20 minutes. Once roasted, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully peel off the skin or any charred bits while they’re still warm.

Using a medium steel strainer over a bowl, mash the pumpkin to create a puree. Ensure the bowl is deep enough to avoid the pumpkin touching the strainer bottom. This step is essential to prevent any lumps in the pumpkin spice paste and helps achieve a smooth consistency—after all, nobody wants a chonky pumpkin surprise in their latte #worstlattenightmare.

In a shallow pan or milk pan, add the pureed pumpkin, dark brown sugar, fine white (or castor) sugar, spices, and water. Stir the mixture well and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Take note that as it begins to boil, it may splatter, so take caution and use a splatter guard on the pan or lower the heat slightly. For a hint of vanilla aroma and flavor, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract after removing the pan from the heat, and mix well. Allow the pumpkin spice syrup to cool until it reaches room temperature. Then, transfer the cooled pumpkin spice syrup into a small, clean, airtight jar.

This recipe yields 210 grams, with 1 tablespoon (around 15 grams) as one serving, giving you enough for multiple servings!

STORAGE

Store for about 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Use a clean, dry spoon each time you scoop the pumpkin spice syrup from the jar.