This pumpkin cream cold brew recipe allows you to enjoy the iconic flavors of this popular Starbucks drink in your own home for a fraction of the cost! A frothy pumpkin cold foam consisting of cream, milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla syrup is poured over cold brew coffee to create this delightful fall coffee drink.
I am definitely one of those people who marks the start of fall with the return of Starbucks' fall (aka pumpkin) menu! I told myself that I would not spend all my hard-earned money on coffee this fall and that meant I needed to create a dupe for the Starbucks pumpkin cold foam stat!
After a few test runs, this pumpkin cream cold brew recipe turned out to be pure perfection and I'm giving away the secret - free of charge! For more irresistible coffee beverages, check out our Chocolate Cream Cold Brew and Espresso Martini Mocktail recipes next!
Jump to:
- Important Ingredient Notes
- How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Variations and Substitutions
- What Is Cold Foam?
- Can I Make Pumpkin Cold Foam In Advance?
- What Coffee is Best for Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew?
- Can I Use Pumpkin Cold Foam in Other Beverages?
- How To Store Pumpkin Cold Foam
- More Fall Recipes You Will Love!
- 📖 Recipe
Important Ingredient Notes
A complete list of ingredients with measurements along with detailed recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Brown Sugar Vanilla Syrup (make in advance)
- Brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar may be used to give the vanilla syrup a caramel-like sweetness.
- Vanilla extract. Use good-quality, pure vanilla extract since it is such a prominent flavor in this syrup. Imitation vanilla flavoring or cheap vanilla extract can give your syrup an artificial, "off", or alcohol taste.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Cold brew coffee. I recommend using strong cold brew coffee since this beverage is served over ice. You don't want the flavors to become too diluted as the ice melts. Starbucks cold brew concentrate and Cold Brew Lab dark roast ground coffee are two of my favorites!
- Pumpkin. Be sure to use canned 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix, which has sweetener, spices, and other ingredients added.
- Pumpkin pie spice. This ingredient adds extra warmth and flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You may also add any combination of these spices individually to adjust the flavor to your liking.
How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Make the brown sugar vanilla syrup in advance. Heat water and sugars over medium-high heat until the sugars melt. Stir in the vanilla and remove the syrup from the heat. The syrup needs to cool completely before being added to the cold foam so I recommend completing this step at least an hour in advance or the night before.
- Make the pumpkin cold foam. Add the milk, cream, pumpkin puree, brown sugar vanilla syrup, and pumpkin pie spice to a large glass and stir with a spoon until smooth. Use a handheld milk frother to froth the pumpkin cold foam until it is foamy and thick but pourable.
- Assemble pumpkin cream cold brew. Pour the cold brew coffee and vanilla syrup into a glass over ice, leaving room for the cold foam, and stir the coffee to combine the ingredients. Pour the pumpkin cream cold foam over top and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Use store-bought vanilla syrup such as Torani, Monin, or DaVinci to sweeten the cold brew and pumpkin cold foam if you are in a pinch.
- Make pumpkin cream cold brew vegan by using almond milk instead of milk and cream. This is the only plant-based milk alternative I have tested although I've read that full-fat coconut milk works great as well. Almond milk will not froth up quite as much as dairy but is still a good plant-based alternative.
- Omit the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to make a universal vanilla cold foam that you can use in cold coffees and teas year-round.
What Is Cold Foam?
Cold foam is a dairy topping for cold beverages consisting of milk and vanilla syrup. The mixture is blended at high speed to create an airy and frothy foam that can be poured on top of old coffees and teas.
Starbucks' cold foams have soared in popularity in recent years with vanilla sweet cream cold foam, salted caramel cream cold foam, and chocolate cream cold foam being some of their most popular flavors. It is very easy to make cold foam at home and I recommend giving it a try to put some dollars back in your pocket!
Can I Make Pumpkin Cold Foam In Advance?
Yes! Make pumpkin cream cold foam base in advance by combining milk, cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla syrup, and pumpkin pie spice in a mason jar or airtight storage container and storing it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, just froth the cold foam with a handheld milk frother or by vigorously shaking the mason jar. You can also prep pumpkin cold foam base in large batches and froth single servings at a time.
What Coffee is Best for Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew?
You may use prepared bottled cold brew, or cold brew concentrate, or you may brew your own cold brew for pumpkin cream cold brew. Here are some of my favorites for each type:
Can I Use Pumpkin Cold Foam in Other Beverages?
Absolutely! Pumpkin cream cold foam can be used in many different cold beverages such as:
- Regular iced coffee
- Iced espresso
- Iced lattes
- Blended iced coffees
- Iced chai tea beverages
- Iced London fog tea
How To Store Pumpkin Cold Foam
Store pumpkin cream cold foam (before frothing) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can pour about ¼ to ½ cup of cold foam base into a glass or bowl and froth with a handheld milk frother or whisk for individual servings.
I do not recommend storing leftover pumpkin cold foam or pumpkin cream cold brew that has already been frothed and assembled as the cold foam loses its frothiness as it sits.
More Fall Recipes You Will Love!
- Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Southern Chicken and Dressing
- Southern Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
- Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Classic Southern Pecan Pie
- Southern Sweet Potato Pie
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
- Chocolate Gravy
- Soft and Chewy Chai Cookies
- Chocolate Chess Pie
- Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Chai Latte
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Vanilla Simple Syrup (make in advance)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup light brown sugar or dark brown
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cold Brew
- 8 ounces cold brew coffee
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar vanilla syrup recipe above, or store-bought vanilla syrup
Pumpkin Cold Foam
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons milk whole or 2%
- 1 tablespoon pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar vanilla syrup recipe above, or store-bought vanilla syrup
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Make the brown sugar vanilla simple syrup by adding the water, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a medium saucepan and stirring with a wooden spoon. Heat the syrup over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and allow the syrup to cool completely.
- Make the pumpkin cold foam by adding the cream, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla syrup, and pumpkin pie spice to a tall glass or automatic milk frother. Froth the mixture in the glass with a handheld milk frother or in the automatic milk frother until thick and foamy. Alternatively, you can whisk the pumpkin cold foam vigorously in a bowl until thickened or shake vigorously in a tightly sealed mason jar.
- Pour the cold brew in a glass over ice, add the vanilla syrup, and stir the coffee with a long spoon. Pour the pumpkin cold foam over the coffee and sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice on top.
Notes
- This recipe makes one large glass or two small glasses of pumpkin cream cold brew
- Make pumpkin cream cold brew vegan by using almond milk instead of milk and cream. This is the only plant-based milk alternative I have tested although I've read that full-fat coconut milk works great as well. Almond milk will not froth up quite as much as dairy but is still a good plant-based alternative.
- Store pumpkin cream cold foam (before frothing) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can pour about ¼ to ½ cup of cold foam base into a glass or bowl and froth with a handheld milk frother or whisk for individual servings.
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