Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte (Better Than Starbucks)
Make this Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte recipe for the ultimate fall experience. Made with real pumpkin puree instead of syrup, this latte is creamy and irresistibly delicious. Drink it hot to warm you up on a cold day, or serve it cold over ice. It’s a fantastic, creamy infusion that you’re going to LOVE. (Truthfully, it’s even better than Starbucks!)
This is the best cup of tea to have in your hand when you’re sitting in your car, and it’s almost 4:30 PM, but the sun hasn’t gone down yet. Sip, savor, and enjoy.
Pumpkin spice season has arrived. Fall is here. You know, when there are red leaves everywhere, and they fall off the trees, and suddenly you want to wrap yourself in plaid and carry around a hot mug for five hours straight? It’s the season where we crave natural flavors and cozy vibes. But as pumpkin spice everything invades the stores, the one ingredient that is conspicuously absent from nearly all of these coffee shop pumpkin spice lattes? REAL pumpkin.
I’ll be honest: the first time I tried to make this was on a rainy afternoon when all I really wanted was the best cup of tea to beat the slight chill outside. I had a vision of silky black tea leaves infused with a rich, comforting blend of fall spices like cinnamon and star anise. So I started with a very smooth black tea base, and I realized early on that the secret is in the spices. It took a little tinkering (and one very explosive whisking event), but I finally nailed it.
Why This Recipe Is Better Than Starbucks
Ingredient Notes
- Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate. This provides a super smooth black tea base with enough caffeine to really wake you up. If you don’t have concentrate, you can use three Tazo tea bags steeped in 2/3 cup of water. It gives you a great infusion of star anise, ginger, and cardamom.
- Pumpkin Puree. Please, for the love of fall, use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. One has ACTUAL squash in it. The other is a literal sugar-bomb in a can.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk. This is my “secret weapon.” It’s what gives this latte that velvety, professional mouthfeel without making your own simple syrup.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. I love the amazing blend of pumpkin pie spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. You can make your own or use store-bought.
- Milk. You can use any milk of your choice, including whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk.
- Vanilla Extract. Just a bit rounds everything out.
How To Make Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte
Make the Pumpkin Sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, and pumpkin spice. Whisk, whisk, whisk! You want to make sure that pumpkin is SUPER smooth so you don’t end up with “clumpy” tea. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from the heat.
Prepare the Chai Base. In another saucepan, add your milk, Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate (or your steeped tea), vanilla extract, and a little pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Heat this over medium heat. Pro Tip: You have to WATCH this. You want it steaming and hot, but you do not want it to come to a full boil. Boiling will scald the milk and ruin the subtle flavor of the smooth black tea.
The Assembly. Add ¼ cup of your prepared pumpkin sauce to the bottom of a large mug. Add the hot chai mixture and milk. Stir well. You want that pumpkin sauce mixed into every sip, so make sure it’s fully incorporated. And that’s it! Enjoy!
My Pro Tips for the Best Results
Spice Hack: If you feel like your latte is getting a little TOO sweet, add a minuscule, and I mean minuscule, crack of black pepper. I know it sounds weird, but it really makes the cardamom pop, turning this from “spiced milk” to an INCREDIBLE blend.
Lipton Hack: Need to save a buck? You can totally use Lipton teas. Brew 2-3 bags in 1/2 cup of water (basically a tea “espresso”) so the flavor doesn’t get lost when you add the pumpkin and milk.
Caffeine Level: To ramp up the caffeine, make a “dirty chai” by adding a shot of espresso.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Roast or steam fresh pumpkin until it’s soft, then blend it into a smooth puree for your own natural flavors.
The pumpkin sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. It’s great for “meal prepping” your morning caffeine.
That usually happens when it gets too hot. Don’t worry, whisk it quickly or stir with a spoon – it’s still totally fine to drink.
More Drink Recipes
- McDonald’s Iced Coffee Recipe
- McDonald’s Caramel Iced Coffee
- Best Vanilla Iced Coffee – Starbucks Copycat
- Eggnog Chai Latte (Better than Starbucks)
If you like this post on this Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte Recipe, please take a moment to rate the recipe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and leave a comment below!
The Best Ever Tazo Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte
Ingredients
The Pumpkin Sauce
- ½ cup Pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 1 can Sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
The Latte Base
- ⅔ cup Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate (or 3 tea bags steeped in ⅔ cup water)
- ½ cup Milk of choice (whole, oat, or almond)
- ¼ cup Prepared pumpkin sauce (from above)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice (plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
- Whisk the Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is an amazing blend and steaming hot. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat the Chai: In a separate saucepan, combine the milk, Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate, vanilla, and pumpkin spice. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally. Watch it like a hawk: remove from heat as soon as it's steaming. Do not let it boil!
- The Assembly: Add ¼ cup of your warm pumpkin sauce to the bottom of a large mug. Slowly pour the hot chai milk mixture into the mug.
- Serve: Stir well to ensure the pumpkin sauce is fully incorporated into the smooth black tea. Top with whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of spice if you're feeling fancy. Enjoy!
