Yield: 1 caramel pumpkin spice coffee // Total Time: 20 min. // Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. //
This post is sponsored by Papanicholas Coffee, all opinions are my own.
Pumpkin spice & everything nice (aka caramel pumpkin sauce!)
caramel pumpkin coffee with a caramel pumpkin cold foam
It’s fall and you know what that means: pumpkin spice everything! Personally I’m not pumpkin’s #1 fan but I’ll take a pumpkin spice coffee any day of the week. This delicious coffee starts out with pumpkin spice coffee grounds, is mixed with a homemade pumpkin spice caramel sauce, and is topped with a pumpkin spice caramel cold foam. You can make it either hot or iced, either way is delicious. So let’s get started!
papanicholas coffee
I’ve partnered again with my all-time favorite coffee brand: papanicholas coffee for this caramel pumpkin spice coffee. I use their coffee beans every day and am so happy to be able to partner with them to spread the love of their coffee. In this recipe I used their Pumpkin Spice Coffee which has a mild aroma with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.I definitely highly recommend trying some of their coffee, they have so many delicious flavors and are always the coffee I use in my recipes (and for my daily caffeine dose!). You can find their website by clicking here. Also, if you do end up purchasing their coffee be sure to use code FRESH20 for 20% off your coffee order!
ingredients and substituions
For the pumpkin caramel sauce:
Granulated sugar: the base of the caramel
Unsalted butter: helps make the caramel smooth and velvety. You can swap in salted butter for unsalted if that is what you have on hand, just be careful when adding additional salt.
Heavy cream: helps smooth out the caramel and make it pourable.
Pure pumpkin: for flavor! Make sure the ingredients on the can only say “pumpkin”, and that you are not using pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin spice: for flavor.
Salt: the perfect balance to the sweetness of the caramel. I used just regular table salt, but if you want to use sea salt or flaky sea salt you should double the amount.
For the caramel pumpkin coffee:
Pumpkin Spice Coffee: I used Papanicholas Pumpkin Spice Coffee. You can use any pumpkin spice coffee, or any neutral coffee or flavor that you think would pair well with the pumpkin spice and caramel!
Caramel Pumpkin Sauce: we’ll use some of the homemade caramel pumpkin sauce in here!
Milk (optional): I didn’t add any milk because of the cold foam on top, but you can add a splash of your favorite milk or creamer to the coffee if desired!
For the caramel pumpkin cold foam:
Milk: Whole milk, or any dairy milk will work the best here, or any barista blend non-dairy milk.
Heavy cream: essential for thickening up the cold foam.
Caramel Pumpkin Sauce: we’ll use some of the homemade caramel pumpkin sauce in here!
how to make a caramel pumpkin spice coffee:
caramel pumpkin spice coffee q&a
how do I store the pumpkin caramel sauce?
The sauce makes a larger batch of caramel than you’ll need for one coffee (but hey – I won’t judge!) Because of the addition of heavy cream, the caramel sauce does need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep well for 1 week. For longer storage, it can be kept in the freezer for 3 months!
can I use instant espresso?
Definitely! Simply combine 60mL of hot water with the amount of instant espresso needed as stated on the packaging. Espresso is much stronger than coffee so you’ll have a lot less liquid, and will probably want to mix in some milk.
can I use brewed coffee or cold brew?
Espresso is essentially just really strongly brewed coffee. You can use cold brew or brewed coffee, you will just need to play around with the ratios of coffee: milk to see what’s best for you, since 2 oz. of espresso makes a much bigger drink than 2 oz. of coffee or cold brew.
can I double this recipe?
Of course! You can double this recipe, triple it, or even quadruple it as needed! This is truly so easy to throw together and is so delicious. If you’re trying to make a large batch of the cold foam, it would probably be easiest to use a hand mixer to “froth” it.
why do you measure in grams?
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
did you make this caramel pumpkin spice coffee?
If you made this caramel pumpkin spice coffee and pumpkin caramel cold foam I would love to see it and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Ingredients
Pumpkin Caramel Sauce
- 200 g granulated sugar (1 c.)
- 28 g unsalted butter cubed (2 tbsp.)
- 75 g pumpkin puree (⅓ c.)
- 80 g heavy whipping cream (⅓ c.)
- 1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp. salt
Pumpkin Caramel Cold Foam
- 2 tbsp. whole milk
- 3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin caramel sauce
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Coffee
- 10 oz. Papanicholas Pumpkin Spice Coffee
- 1 tbsp. pumpkin caramel sauce
Instructions
Pumpkin Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar to a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar begins to melt and caramelize, then stir constantly until the sugar is completely melted, caramelized, and smooth.
- Add in the butter and pumpkin puree and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Take the mixture off of the heat, and slowly whisk in the heavy cream until it is completely incorporated into the caramel. Whisk in the pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- Transfer the caramel into a heat-safe container and set it in the fridge to thicken up.
- In the meantime, begin brewing a strong batch of pumpkin spice coffee.
Pumpkin Caramel Cold Foam
- Add the milk, heavy cream, and 1 tbsp. pumpkin caramel sauce to a medium sized cup or container. Froth or shake the mixture until it’s thick and foamy.
- Add 1 tbsp. of the pumpkin caramel to a coffee mug.
- Add in your freshly brewed coffee, then stir until combined.
- Top the coffee off with the pumpkin caramel cold foam, then serve and enjoy!