Pumpkin Chai

One of our favorite fall rituals is sitting down to enjoy a steaming mug of something sweet and creamy. Unfortunately, this often means consuming inflammatory ingredients like sugar, dairy, and artificial flavorings. Not exactly rejuvenating! Crafting your own coffee shop concoctions at home will save you money and allow you to choose only healthy, high-quality components for your beverages. 

For our scrumptious pumpkin chai, we combine home-brewed chai tea concentrate with vanilla oat milk and a spiced pumpkin sauce made with real pumpkin. In addition to the usual pumpkin spice superstars like cinnamon and ginger, we included turmeric, which lends the lattes a beautiful golden color. 

While the seasonal pumpkin spice craze floods grocery stores with sugary processed foods that taste a little bit like pumpkin, it can be easy to forget about pumpkin itself. A member of the squash family, pumpkin is a delicious and healthy fruit. It’s low in calories and high in fiber. Even better, it may help reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, and infections. (1) Incorporate pumpkin puree -- either purchased organic or homemade -- into soups, casseroles, and baked goods to reap the benefits of this delicious squash. 

Pumpkin Chai Recipe

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients

For tea concentrate:

4 chai tea bags (decaf or regular) 

For pumpkin spice sauce:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Pinch of ground cloves 

• ½ cup maple syrup (substitute your favorite stevia sweetener if preferred) 

For latte: 

• 4 cups unsweetened vanilla oat milk 

• Cinnamon sticks, for stirring (optional)

• Coconut whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Directions

Step 1: To make the tea concentrate, boil 2 cups of filtered water. Pour water into a heatproof jar and add tea bags. Steep for at least 24 hours, covering and transferring tea to the refrigerator once it’s cooled. This makes a double strength tea ideal for mixing with milk to make lattes. It will keep for up to a week. 

Step 2: Make the pumpkin spice sauce. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir well. This sauce will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Step 3: Make the lattes. In a large saucepan, combine tea concentrate, 1 cup pumpkin spice sauce, and oat milk. Heat, whisking constantly, until almost simmering. Divide amongst 4 large mugs and serve with cinnamon sticks and coconut whipped cream, if desired.

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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.

Check out her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!

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