Pumpkin spice latté season has ARRIVED! As the weather gets cooler and cozier (pretty much everywhere except Southern California), the lines at Starbucks are getting longer and vegans everywhere wish they could take part. WHY STARBUCKS, WHY must you put dairy in your pumpkin spice mixture?! Trust me, we vegans love our pumpkin. You'd make a lot of money off of us if you made 'em vegan! But since you don't, we'll find our own, far healthier ways to enjoy delicious seasonal drinks. In our house though, we're just not coffee drinkers. We love tea, and occasional caffeine, but for the most part we're more of a 'chai latté' kinda couple. Keepin' it low key, ya know?
So THIS is how we get our fix. A frothy, foamy, sweet, pumpkin-y cup of steamed dairy-free milk blended with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It's fall, all wrapped up in a mug. Topped with a spoonful of coconut whip would be lovely, but this drink stands just fine on its own. Its the perfect fall drink for those avoiding caffeine or who just want a kid-friendly version. We know you're going to love it. And in case you forgot, it's GREAT PUMPKIN WEEK here on the site, so check the sidebar to keep up with all the pumpkin recipes!

INGREDIENTS:
16 ounces cold, dairy-free milk (we prefer coconut!)
3 tablespoons pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional, just enhances the pumpkin flavor!)

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, heat your milk on low to medium heat. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices. Heat to desired temperature, stirring occasionally.
If you have a milk frother (we have an attachment on our hand mixer), pour the milk into a large mug -or two smaller ones- and froth milk on high to create a thick foam. 
If you don't have a milk frother, pour the hot mixture into a high speed blender and blend 20-30 seconds, until a thick foam is created. Pour into mugs, and enjoy!
Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated later.