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This small batch pumpkin spice coffee creamer is creamy and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, made from scratch with real pumpkin purée and maple syrup. It’s ready in 15 minutes and makes enough for a week of coffee for one.
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Cool Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Equipment: 1-quart saucepan, 10 to 12-ounce jar with a lid
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Servings: 6 (3 tablespoons per 8-ounce cup of coffee)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Warm and lightly sweet, with maple, pumpkin, and cinnamon.
This homemade pumpkin spice creamer has no preservatives or stabilizers, so you know exactly what’s going into your morning coffee.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Spice Creamer Recipe
Once the weather turns cool, this pumpkin spice coffee creamer goes back into my fridge, and my morning coffee gets better for it.
Real pumpkin purée gives it a hint of natural sweetness, and maple syrup does the rest. Cinnamon and nutmeg come through on the first sip. One batch makes about 1¼ cups, or 6 servings, enough to get one person through a week of coffee.
Everything goes into one small saucepan. You whisk the milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and spices together, heat it until it steams, and it’s in the jar about 15 minutes later. Add more or less maple syrup to suit your coffee. I make it with whole milk, and half-and-half makes a richer version. It works with non-dairy milk too, so you can make it dairy-free.
Real pumpkin settles to the bottom of the jar, so give it a shake before you pour. That’s the trade for leaving out the stabilizers, and I’ll take it every time.
My other favorite homemade creamer is my small batch chocolate coffee creamer. The same from-scratch approach goes into my small batch pancake syrup and butter pecan syrup, and a slice of pumpkin coffee cake for one is the right thing to set next to your cup.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look
- Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Spice Creamer Recipe
- Homemade vs. Store-Bought Pumpkin Spice Creamer
- Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- How To Make Pumpkin Spice Creamer
- Expert Tips
- Ways To Use Pumpkin Spice Creamer
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Small Batch Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer Recipe
Homemade vs. Store-Bought Pumpkin Spice Creamer
We checked the labels on 5 pumpkin spice creamers from Coffee mate, International Delight, and Starbucks, and pumpkin isn’t listed on any of them. 4 of the 5 are made with added oil and thickened with gums or carrageenan.
Those bottles hold 28 to 32 ounces. This homemade pumpkin spice creamer starts with real pumpkin purée and makes about 1¼ cups, a size one person can finish.
Ingredients
This homemade pumpkin coffee creamer uses 8 ingredients, and you can see every one of them in the photo above. For ways to use any leftover ingredients, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Milk: Whole milk is the base, and it gives the creamer enough body to stand up in a cup of coffee. Skim milk works, though the creamer comes out thinner and less rich. For a richer creamer, use half-and-half or heavy cream instead. Non-dairy milks work too, and the dairy-free version is in the variations below.
Pumpkin purée: Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. The purée gives the creamer real pumpkin flavor and a hint of natural sweetness. It also settles in the jar as it sits, which is why you shake before pouring. The rest of the can can be used to make pumpkin pie for one or small batch pumpkin pancakes.
Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup sweetens the creamer and blends smoothly with the pumpkin and spices. Honey or brown sugar works if that’s what you have. Extra syrup goes into small batch maple granola or small batch mulled cider.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice: These four give the creamer its pumpkin spice flavor, with cinnamon leading and the cloves and allspice in the background. If you’d rather measure once, swap in 1 teaspoon of our small batch pumpkin pie spice for all four.
Vanilla extract: A small amount goes in after the pan comes off the heat and rounds out the spices.
Recipe Variations
These swaps change how rich or how sweet your homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer turns out. Make the recipe as written, then trade one ingredient.
Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Use 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk in place of the whole milk for the thickest dairy-free creamer. Oat, almond, or cashew milk works too, and each makes a thinner creamer.
Pumpkin Spice Creamer With Half-and-Half
Use 1 cup of half-and-half in place of the whole milk for a richer, thicker creamer. If you don’t have half-and-half, ½ cup of whole milk and ½ cup of heavy cream mixed together work the same way. For the richest version, use 1 cup of heavy cream.
Unsweetened Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Leave out the maple syrup. The creamer still carries the pumpkin and spices, just without the added sweetness, so you can sweeten each cup the way you like it.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Here’s how this pumpkin spice coffee creamer recipe comes together. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Whisk: Add the milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and spices to a small saucepan and whisk until you don’t see any streaks of pumpkin.
- Heat: Set the pan over medium heat and whisk often until the creamer starts to steam.
- Simmer: Turn the heat up just until the creamer reaches a gentle boil. Right away, lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking the whole time.
- Add vanilla: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Cool and store: Let the creamer cool for 5 minutes, then pour it into a jar with a lid and refrigerate. Shake the jar before each pour.
Expert Tips
Keep it at a gentle simmer: Let the creamer reach a gentle boil, then turn the heat down right away. A hard or long boil can curdle the milk.
Whisk the whole time: Pumpkin purée sinks as the milk heats and can stick to the bottom of the pan. Keeping the whisk moving holds it in the milk.
Use a small saucepan: A 1-quart saucepan keeps this small amount deep enough to heat evenly. In a larger pan, the creamer spreads thin and can scorch before you notice.
Check your spices: Ground spices lose strength as they sit in the cabinet. If yours don’t smell strong when you open the jar, use a fresher jar, or the creamer will taste flat.
Store it sealed: Keep the creamer in a jar with a tight lid in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Ways To Use Pumpkin Spice Creamer
This homemade pumpkin creamer goes in hot or iced coffee, and it works in breakfast recipes that call for milk.
- Hot coffee: Start with 3 tablespoons in an 8-ounce cup and add more to taste. A 12-ounce mug takes 4 to 5 tablespoons.
- Iced coffee or cold brew: Stir it in at the same ratio as hot coffee.
- Pumpkin spice latte: Stir the creamer into a shot of espresso or a small cup of strong coffee, then top it with warm frothed milk.
- Overnight oats: Swap it in for some of the milk in overnight oats for one.
- Baked oatmeal: Use it for part of the milk in baked oatmeal for one for a pumpkin spice version.
- French toast: Whisk it into the egg mixture for French toast for one in place of some of the milk. The creamer is already sweet, so taste before adding any sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade pumpkin spice creamer keeps for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in a sealed jar. It has no preservatives, so it won’t keep as long as a store-bought bottle.
Yes, but it may separate a little after it thaws. Since this recipe makes a small batch, it’s easier to make a fresh jar in about 15 minutes.
Start with 3 tablespoons in an 8-ounce cup of coffee, then add more to taste. One batch makes 6 servings of that size.
Whole milk makes a creamy creamer that isn’t too heavy. Half-and-half or heavy cream makes it richer, skim milk makes it thinner, and full-fat coconut milk is the thickest dairy-free choice.
Yes. Replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Yes. It’s made with fresh milk, so keep it in the fridge from the time it cools until the jar is empty.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch pumpkin spice creamer recipe, please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Small Batch Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin purée
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice until you don't see any streaks of pumpkin.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the creamer starts to steam.
- Raise the heat just until the creamer reaches a gentle boil, then lower the heat to low right away. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking the whole time.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Let the creamer cool for 5 minutes, then pour it into a jar with a lid. Refrigerate for up to 1 week, and shake the jar before each use.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Sounds delicious. Will non dairy milk like oatmilk or almond milk work in this recipe?
Yes, any type of milk will work.
Right in line with your homemade pancake syrups, I love the idea of making my own creamer. I know exactly what went into and I can pronounce every ingredient. With this base, I can launch out and make any flavor that sounds tempting at the store and know it will taste 1000x better made from scratch.
My next challenge is to replace the French vanilla non-dairy creamer my husband’s been drinking with his coffee for years. Joanie I welcome your ideas ☺️
I love hearing this! You’re absolutely right — homemade creamers and syrups are such a great way to control ingredients and flavor. For a French vanilla version, try using the same base (milk or milk and a bit of cream for a richer version) but add a touch more vanilla extract and pure maple syrup for sweetness. You can adjust the vanilla to taste until it matches what he’s used to — but smoother and better homemade!
Hi! Looks delicious. Trying right now. I did not see anywhere what the serving size is. Could you provide that please? I see nutritional facts but it does not say how much you have to use to meet what’s listed. Just want to watch how much sugar I consume in a day so that helps. Thanks!
Thanks so much! The nutritional information is based on using about 3 to 4 tablespoons for a rich, creamy flavor. I hope you enjoy it!
Can you use Pumpkin Spice instead of all those spices?
Yes, replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
I whipped my heavy cream before this recipe came out. Is there any way to incorporate it into this recipe? It has vanilla and powdered sugar in it.
You can use your whipped cream, but just know that the heat from the pan will deflate it, so it will blend into the liquid like regular cream. Since you’ve already added vanilla and powdered sugar, you may want to reduce or skip the maple syrup in the recipe so it isn’t too sweet.
Good recipe.
Thank you!
What size vessel do I need for storage?
The recipe makes a little over 1 cup, so a container that holds about 10–12 ounces is just right. A pint-size jar (16 ounces) will also work if that’s what you have on hand.
I love anything pumpkin spice, but I don’t like sugar in my coffee. Will this still work if I eliminate the sugar?
Thank you!
This recipe uses maple syrup for sweetness, not granulated sugar. Maple syrup is still a natural sugar, so if you prefer no sweetness in your coffee, you can leave it out. The creamer will still work — it will just be spiced without the added sweetness.
Sounds delish. Can you make with zero fat milk? Watching sat fat intake.
Yes, you can use zero fat milk. The recipe will still work, but just know it won’t be quite as rich or creamy as when it’s made with whole milk, cream, or half-and-half.