Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

It takes me 20 minutes to get to the nearest Wal-Mart. It takes me 45 minutes to get to the nearest Starbucks. And the nearest real, cozy, unique coffee shop? I haven't found one less than an hour away.

An hour away.

But, lest you feel sorry for me, this is a good thing. A very good thing. Because, you see, Allison loves coffee. And Allison adores coffee shops. Allison could be the girl in the corner with her Moby-wrapped baby, her thick framed glasses, and her swirly-foam latte, every single day. Or twice a day. So this is really yet another benefit to living far away from most things -- I'm far from the temptation of such a delicious waste of money and time, and I'm forced into creativity.

I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple of years ago, and I've made it at least once a year since then, tweaking it a bit to suit me even better. It takes only a few minutes and a few ingredients to make a pumpkin spice latte better than any other I've had. So since it's almost November, and it feels like summer outside, go make a scrumptious pumpkin coffee so you can pretend it's cold.

Better-Than-Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Serves 2

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of black pepper (don't skip this!)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (I know this sounds extreme, but in my experience it's perfectly balanced)
2 cups whole milk
2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup regular double-strength coffee

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of nutmeg

Make your coffee. I get to use this wonderful little espresso maker that Dillon had lying around, but it tastes just as good with any style of coffeemaker. Just make sure it's way too strong to be drunk alone.

Heat the pumpkin, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat. You only need to heat until the delicious, strong fragrance fills the air. Mix in the maple syrup, then the milk and vanilla, and keep cooking until the mixture is quite hot, but not bubbling.

Divide the coffee between two cups, and use any kind of blender or whisk to mix the hot milk mixture at as high a speed as you can achieve, until it's thoroughly foamy but still hot. Pour it into the cups, and give each one a sprinkle of nutmeg.

You can also cool the milk and save it in a jar for even faster, easier deliciousness later!