Measurements for 12 oz cup

• 1 tbsp organic pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp organic pumpkin spice
• 1 tbsp organic maple syrup
• 1 tsp organic vanilla
• 1 can of RISE Oat Milk Latte, or 7-8oz of RISE Oat Milk
• Top with approximately 4 oz of our original black nitro (about ⅓ of the 12 oz cup)

First, stir the puree, pumpkin spice, maple syrup and vanilla. Next, add RISE Oat Milk Latte and coffee. Stir all ingredients and ensure it is mixed evenly. Congrats, you’re done! It tastes amazing both hot and cold! If you prefer it hot, just steam the milk.

Oh, the pumpkin spice latte! You either love it or hate it. I personally prefer pumpkin in “pie” form - I occasionally add it to my oatmeal (and I recommend trying that if you haven’t already). In the past I stayed away from pumpkin spice lattes but, as a barista and RISE’s cafe coordinator, I could no longer run! So, I took a whack at it... OR you could say I gave into the “inevitable” Fall trend. 

It’s important to note that RISE prides itself on using all organic ingredients. So, my Lil’ PSL recipe began with tasting several rounds of premade all-organic “pumpkin spice latte” syrups.

My thought process went as follows…

1. All organic? Check.
2. Pumpkin Spice flavor? Check.

Sounds simple and easy to make, what could go wrong? Well, the first syrup was labeled “all organic” yet had a bizarre minty smell. One of my co-workers even compared the smell to a cheaply made candle. Don’t get me wrong - I really tried to make it work. But, no matter how many times I changed the syrup/coffee/milk ratio, the taste was “just ok” and resulted in a less than satisfying after-taste. Unfortunately, the second and third organic pumpkin spice syrup brands I tested had a similar outcome.

I decided to take matters into my own hands, with an organic approach. I gathered the essential organic ingredients that are used to make pumpkin pie and got to work. However, there were several issues with this approach: it was more expensive (but worth it for our customers!), messier, and time consuming (again - totally worth it!). Thanks to the pumpkin gods, I finally found the answer to creating an amazing recipe on my first attempt.

First off, I used pumpkin puree - which I initially thought was too thick for a beverage. I was also worried the puree wouldn’t mix well for our cold version. To my surprise, I was wrong! When the puree was mixed with spices, vanilla extract, and maple syrup, it created a syrupy consistency that mixed in seamlessly with milk and coffee. Of course, I used RISE branded Oat milk which did wonders for the recipe. RISE Oat milk has no added sugar and the oats that are sourced are sweet- the perfect companion to maple syrup.

The Oaty hints acted as “crust” to the pumpkin pie flavor I was aiming for. Finally, the “kicker” in every way possible was RISE’s original black nitro cold brew. Its rich, chocolate-like taste from specially sourced Peruvian beans was the cherry on top!

If you’re ready to “give into” the PSL trend or an OG PSL consumer, come try the RISE version- AKA the super-natural and organic version. Your great- grandma would approve of the jolt of caffeine combined with her homemade pumpkin pie!

 

Come by our cafe on Delancey street and give it a try (hot or cold!) & the pumpkin gods will thank you :)

 

By Haley Beney