A dirty chai is already one of the best drinks you can order at a coffee shop and then fall comes around and suddenly I want pumpkin spice in everything including my dirty chai. This pumpkin spice dirty chai combines warming chai spices, real pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and two shots of espresso into the most cozy, layered, completely fall forward drink that you can make at home in five minutes for a fraction of what you would spend at Starbucks. Bold, spiced, creamy, and topped with whipped cream. This is the fall drink.
The pumpkin puree is what makes this taste like real pumpkin spice instead of artificial pumpkin flavoring. It gets whisked into the milk with maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice over the stove until smooth and warmed through before the chai concentrate and espresso go in. That little extra step of warming the pumpkin with the milk and spices first blooms the spices and ensures the pumpkin flavor comes through in every single sip instead of sitting heavy at the bottom. It takes about two extra minutes and makes a noticeable difference in the final drink.
The dirty part of a dirty chai is the espresso and it is completely optional depending on what you are in the mood for. Without it you have a gorgeous spiced pumpkin chai latte that is cozy and warming and absolutely perfect on its own. Add the espresso and you get that bold coffee depth underneath all that warm spice that gives you a serious fall morning energy boost. I usually make it dirty in the morning and skip the espresso in the afternoon when I want something cozy without the extra caffeine hit. Both versions are incredible.
Top it generously with whipped cream, dust with a little extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon on top, and settle into whatever cozy situation your fall morning calls for. This pumpkin spice dirty chai is the drink that makes getting out of bed in October feel like something worth looking forward to. Make it once this weekend and you will be making it every week until November.
Pumpkin Spice Dirty Chai
Ingredients
- ½ cup chai concentrate I used Tazo
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 2 Tbs pumpkin puree
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- optional to make it “dirty”: 2 shots espresso or 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
- whip cream
Instructions
- Make pumpkin chai base: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together pumpkin purée, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and milk until smooth and warmed through.
- Add chai + espresso: Stir in chai concentrate and espresso. Heat until just steaming (don’t boil).
- Serve: Pour into a cozy mug, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon.
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