I use real pumpkin, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice with a sweet, creamy base made by reducing whole milk and sugar. Make this homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer on the stovetop or with the Instant Pot’s Sauté and Keep Warm settings.
Reduce the milk. Add the pumpkin. Shake and pour.
Real Talk
I like the flavor of the freshly made milk base. The milk and sugar cook down before the pumpkin mixture goes in, and that reduction gives this creamer its body.
It is very sweet as written. Add a splash to your coffee, taste, and adjust from there. I personally prefer the Instant Pot for this recipe, but both methods are included below.
Why This Recipe Works
- A reduced milk base. Cooking milk and sugar together concentrates the mixture before the remaining milk and flavorings are added.
- Real pumpkin and warm spices. Pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla give the creamer its fall flavor.
- A choice of texture. Strain out some pumpkin and spice sediment for a smoother creamer, or leave it in if you prefer.
Ingredients
Sweetened Milk Base
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
Pumpkin Mixture
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
The recipe uses 4 cups of whole milk in total, divided between the two mixtures.
Plain Pumpkin Purée
Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling has added sweetener and seasonings that change the balance. The pumpkin and ground spices can leave sediment, which is why straining is optional and the finished creamer should be shaken.
Sweetness and Milk
Whole milk provides the richness. Sugar sweetens the reduced base, so this is a sweetened creamer. Omitting the granulated sugar would remove that added sugar, but whole milk still contains naturally occurring sugar. The dairy version would not become sugar-free.
Strain It or Leave It In
A fine-mesh strainer removes some of the pumpkin and ground spice solids. A colander lined with cheesecloth is another option. Straining makes the creamer smoother, but it will not remove every speck.
You can skip this step if you prefer more pumpkin and spice texture. Shake either version before pouring because the solids can settle.
Two Cooking Methods
Stovetop: simmer the milk-and-sugar mixture for 20–30 minutes after it reaches a simmer, until reduced to 2 cups. Allow additional time to warm the milk and prepare the pumpkin mixture.
Instant Pot: the milk-and-sugar stage uses Sauté on Normal for 15 minutes. The pumpkin mixture uses Keep Warm for 2–5 minutes. This creamer is not pressure cooked; leave the lid off for these stages.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Step 1: Reduce the milk and sugar
Combine 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of whole milk in your cooking vessel.
On the stovetop: heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking often until the milk is warm and the sugar has dissolved. Bring it to a rapid simmer over medium heat. Once it starts simmering, stop whisking and let it reduce undisturbed for 20–30 minutes, until the mixture measures 2 cups.
In the Instant Pot: use Sauté on Normal for the 15-minute milk-and-sugar stage. Whisk as the milk warms and the sugar dissolves, then stop whisking once the mixture begins simmering and let it continue undisturbed.
Stay nearby to monitor the milk as it simmers.
Step 2: Set the reduced base aside
Remove the saucepan from the heat, or carefully lift the hot Instant Pot inner pot out using oven mitts. Skim off any foam and pour the reduced milk mixture into a large heatproof bowl.
For the Instant Pot method, wash and dry the inner pot before returning it to the cooker.
Step 3: Warm the pumpkin mixture
Combine the remaining 1 cup of milk with the pumpkin purée, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.
On the stovetop: use a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk occasionally until the mixture is heated through and combined.
In the Instant Pot: select Keep Warm and whisk to combine. Heat for 2–5 minutes, until warmed through and well combined.
Step 4: Strain and combine
Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl of reduced milk and pour the pumpkin mixture through it. For a creamer with more pumpkin and spice texture, skip the strainer and combine the mixtures directly.
Whisk the two mixtures together. Expect about 3 cups; the final yield can vary with reduction and straining.
Expert Tips
- Shake before using. Pumpkin and ground spices can settle as the creamer sits.
- Taste it in coffee. The creamer is very sweet on its own. Start with a splash and add more to suit your coffee. If you want it sweeter, stir maple syrup into the finished creamer to taste.
- Know the serving unit. The recipe card’s tablespoon serving is a nutrition portion, not a full cup of coffee.
- Refrigerate promptly. Transfer to a clean, heatproof container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep airtight at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days.
FAQs
Yes. It uses plain pumpkin purée along with pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Some pumpkin spice creamers get their flavor from spices alone, so the ingredients depend on the recipe.
No. Straining makes the creamer smoother by removing some of the pumpkin and ground spice sediment. Leaving it unstrained keeps more of that texture. Shake either version before pouring.
Danielle reported success with plain, unsweetened almond milk in the comments after making the Instant Pot version. That is a reader-reported variation; the recipe was developed with whole milk. I would not assume that every plant milk will give the same richness or reduction.
No. The recipe includes granulated sugar, and whole milk contains naturally occurring sugar. Omitting the granulated sugar would remove that added sugar, but it would not make the dairy version sugar-free.
The milk-and-sugar mixture simmers for 20–30 minutes after it reaches a simmer, until reduced to 2 cups. Allow additional time for warming the milk, preparing the pumpkin mixture and combining everything. The shorter time displayed in the recipe card refers to the Instant Pot method.
Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of preparation, in an airtight container at 40°F or below. Use within 3–4 days and shake well before each use.
More Breakfast Recipes
For a pumpkin breakfast to go with your coffee, try Pumpkin Oat Bread, an oven-baked bread made with a blender batter. Banana Oat Bread is another option for a slice alongside your coffee.
Did you make this Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer?
Please leave a star rating and tell me how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk divided
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
To make in the Instant Pot:
- Combine 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of milk in Instant Pot. Turn on sauté feature, set to "normal".
- Sauté for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally as the milk warms and sugar dissolves. Once milk begins to simmer, stop stirring and allow to continue to rapidly simmer undisturbed for remainder of the 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove inner pot from Instant Pot. Skim off and discard any foam (there may be none), and pour milk/sugar mixture into a large bowl to cool. Wash pot, dry, and return to Instant Pot.
- Add remaining cup of milk, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice to pot and turn on Keep Warm setting.
- Whisk, then heat for 2 to 5 minutes, until milk is heated through and the mixture is well combined.
- Place a fine mesh strainer, or use a colander lined in cheesecloth, over the bowl containing the sugar/milk mixture. Then, pour the pumpkin mixture through the strainer to remove some of the pumpkin and pumpkin spice sediment (optional step). Whisk to combine milk mixture and pumpkin mixture. Store in an air tight container, such as a quart sized mason jar, in the fridge.
To make on the stove top:
- Combine 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of milk in a sauce pan over medium low heat, whisking often until milk is warm and sugar is dissolved.
- Once sugar is dissolved, bring to rapid simmer over medium heat. Once milk begins to simmer, stop whisking and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes (until reduced to 2 cups) undisturbed.
- Remove from heat. Skim off any foam that has accumulated on the top and discard. Then, pour milk and sugar mixture into a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine remaining cup of milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice over medium low heat, whisking occasionally.
- Heat pumpkin mixture until warmed through, then pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove some of the pumpkin and spice sediment (optional step) and combine with milk and sugar mixture. Store in an air tight container, such as a quart sized mason jar, in the fridge.
Notes
Expert Tips
- This creamer is very sweet as is, but if you prefer a sweeter creamer, add maple syrup to the finished product until desired level of sweetness is achieved.
- This makes approximately ¾ quarts, though it may make more or less depending on how much the sugar and milk mixture reduces while cooking.
- By simmering, and reducing, the milk and sugar mixture on the stove or in the Instant Pot, you are creating fresh sweetened condensed milk. I find the flavor to be noticeably fresher than canned sweetened condensed milk. However, in a pinch you could substitute 1 ½ cups sweetened condensed milk and skip steps 1 to 3 of the recipe. Please note that the finished product will not taste exactly the same.
- This recipe contains added sugar from the granulated sugar and naturally occurring sugar from whole milk. Leaving out the granulated sugar would remove that added sugar, but it would not make the dairy version sugar-free.
Michell
Tastes great!
Liz
How long will this keep in the fridge for?
Gary White
About a week.
Alice
How well would this work using Almond milk?
Gary White
We have not yet tested it with milk substitutes.
Danielle
This is amazing. Like, "I could drink it straight up" amazing. I made it in my Instant Pot and used plain, unsweetened almond milk (Blue Diamond brand). This is definitely a new autumn staple in our house. Thanks, Gary! I can't wait to try your other Instant Pot recipes.