5 Recipes Based On the Starbucks Fall Drinks

Every fall Starbucks unveils its seasonal drink menu, and I become obsessed. There’s nothing quite as comforting as a pumpkin spice latte or that pumpkin cold foam. Because of these drinks, I’ve had too much caffeine and spent too much money on Starbucks. If you love the Starbucks seasonal drinks and want a fun alternative, why not have them for dessert?

Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte- Pumpkin Chai Cookies

The pumpkin chai latte is an ingenious flavor combo, and it has been my obsession as of late. If you like this drink, you’ll love these pumpkin chai cookies. When I was making this recipe, I tried to encapsulate what makes the drink. I focused on lots of chai flavor, as well as recreating the refreshing “cold foam” with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting. I am so happy with the result. These cookies taste just like the drink, and they’re a big hit every time I make them. They are extra delicious when chilled. 

Pumpkin Chai Cookies

Base:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted browned butter, at room temperature 

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tbs chai spice mix

Chai spice mix:

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon all-spice 

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

White chocolate frosting:

½ cup White chocolate 

8 ounces (1 brick) low-fat cream cheese, room temperature

3 tbs butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Assembly:

1. Make your chai spice mix by combining all spices
2. Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy
3. Add in egg, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree
4. In a separate bowl, add all dry ingredients
5. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients to the wet mix
6. Scoop 4 tbs of dough onto a baking sheet
7. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes
8. To make frosting, melt white chocolate in 30 second intervals
9. Add cream cheese and vanilla extract
10. Add powdered sugar and coat the cookies once completely cooled

Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato – Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies

This is another original recipe I return to quite often. I recreated the oat milk flavor using a classic oatmeal cookie base. The apple notes come from apple cider and chopped apples added to the cookie base. The browned butter in the batter and the caramel swirl on top mirror the richness of a macchiato. If you love the apple crisp oat milk macchiato this will be your new staple dessert.

Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies

Base:

1 cup unsalted butter, browned

1 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped apples

2 tsp cinnamon

Caramel Topping:

2 cups caramel (store-bought or homemade)

Assembly:

1. Brown your butter by heating it in a saucepan over low heat until foamy and dark
2. Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy
3. Add in egg, apple cider, and vanilla extract
4. In a separate bowl, add all dry ingredients
5. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mix
6. Fold in chopped apples
7. Scoop 4 tbsp of dough onto a baking sheet
8. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes
9. Swirl caramel overtop

Pumpkin cream cold brew – Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars

This is not my recipe but is the closest thing to a pumpkin cream cold brew dessert out there. These maple bars are so refreshing, especially chilled. The pumpkin flavor shines through.

You can find the recipe by clicking the link above.

Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso – caramel apple crumb cake

This apple coffee cake is reminiscent of the smooth apple flavor of the drink. If you want to replicate the richness of espresso even further, you can brown the butter and add a shot of espresso to the base. The cake is perfect with whipped cream.

You can try out this recipe by clicking the link above.

Pumpkin Spice Latte – Pumpkin Spice Espresso Sweetrolls

For this fall flavor icon, I wanted to make something unique. Just like the PSL, these sweet rolls are the perfect morning pick-me-up. The whipped frosting gives them that light refreshing taste reminiscent of the whipped cream on a PSL. I had to add pumpkin spice in the dough and filling, because why not? 

Pumpkin Spice Espresso Sweetrolls

Rolls:

½ cup whole milk

2 1/4 tsp or 1 packet of instant yeast

1 large egg, room temperature

2 Tbsp espresso

1/4 cup melted butter

½ cup pumpkin 

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves 

Cinnamon Roll Filling

3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

2 Tbsp instant espresso 

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 tbs pumpkin

Frosting 

½ cup cream cheese

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup whipping cream

1 ½ tsp gelatin

Assembly:

1. Add warmed milk and yeast to a bowl, and allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes
2. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients
3. Slowly incorporate butter, eggs, espresso, and pumpkin into the mixture
4. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until a cohesive dough forms
5. Place dough in a clean bowl with oil, and allow to rest 1-2 hours until doubled in size
6. Mix filling ingredients
7. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle
8. Spread filling over a rectangle and roll up the dough
9. Use dental floss to cut into even rolls
10. Place rolls in baking dish and cover for another hour
11. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes
12. Use an electric mixer to whip cream until it forms stiff peaks
13. Add cream cheese followed by dry ingredients
14. Frost the cooled rolls and enjoy

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