It’s time for a new contender in the “Perfect Fall Coffee” category. Enter: Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew! Delicious cold brew coffee combines with an easy homemade cold foam recipe and the flavors of pumpkin spice in this delicious autumn drink!
Is there anything more perfect that the first signs of pumpkin flavored treats at the beginning of autumn? I think not! And now, thanks to this recipe, you’ll be able to add another one to your list of favorites!
Reasons to love this recipe:
- It’s easy. If you can access a spoon and a whisk, you can make it!
- It uses real pumpkin! No fake flavorings, chemicals, or additives. Just real pumpkin puree and quality spices!
- It’s cheaper than the drive thru. An entire batch of cold brew coffee with pumpkin cold foam costs about what three trips to Starbucks would. I’m all about saving that money to buy fall scented candles right now!
- This recipe starts with my perfect homemade cold brew coffee. Then the homemade cold foam from that same exact recipe is given a dose of real pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to make all your basic girl dreams come true! It’s so easy, you’ll feel like a seasoned Starbucks barista after the first sip.
What is cold brew coffee?
If you didn’t know, cold brew coffee is coffee that is brewed with cold water. It is a lengthy, but simple, process that leads to a smoother, less acidic brew that’s perfect over ice (but can also be heated up and served warm!).
To make cold brew coffee at home
- Combine ground coffee with water in a 1 ounce to 1 cup ratio (for example: 3 ounces of ground coffee to 3 cups of cold water), stir, and let steep overnight.
- Then, after at least 12 hours, strain the brew and store in the fridge until ready to use. It's that easy!
It’s also that much more concentrated than regular coffee. I recommend mixing with a bit of water before drinking. Find a full and in-depth recipe for it right here.
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam at home
- Make the base. Whisk together the whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Tada! This is the base recipe for Starbucks sweet cream.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. This is what takes it up an autumnal notch and makes it pumpkin cream!
- Whip the cream. In a NutriBullet or Ninja Blender or any other blender you have at home. This turns the pumpkin cream into cold foam!
Make the sweet cream. Add the pumpkin and spices. Make the pumpkin cream cold foam.
From there, it's just a matter of adding this homemade version of pumpkin cream to cold brew coffee and enjoying every delicious sip!
Storing leftover sweetened condensed milk
This recipe only calls for ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk. That’s a little less than half of a standard 12 ounce can. Now, the recipe could easily be doubled to accommodate the use of a full can (or the desire to make pumpkin spice iced coffee twice a day for two weeks – no judgement). Or!
The leftover sweetened condensed milk can be frozen! Yes! Simply pour the leftovers in a freezer-safe container, label it, and freeze for up to six months. It’s important to note: the condensed milk will not freeze totally solid due to the high sugar content, but it is still preserved!
Now you’re ready to enjoy pumpkin cream cold brew. No Starbucks required!
Other great pumpkin recipes
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip
- Pumpkin Sourdough Waffles
- Homemade Dog Biscuits (because our furry friends deserve treats, too!)
Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew (Copycat Starbucks Recipe)
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
For the Cold Brew Coffee with Cold Foam:
- 1 cup cold brew coffee concentrate
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Cream:
- Whisk together the whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
For the Cold Brew Coffee with Cold Foam:
- In a glass filled halfway with ice, add the cold brew coffee concentrate and water, stirring to combine.
- In a NutriBullet (or other blender) pulse ¼ - ½ cup (depending on how much cold foam you would like) of the pumpkin cream for 10 – 12 seconds, or until fluffy and thick. Voila! Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam.
- Top the iced coffee with the pumpkin cream cold foam and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired.
Video
Notes
- The Pumpkin Cream can be mixed into coffee (cold brew or regular) just like regular coffee creamer, if desired. (And if you don't want to futz with a blender!)
- A whisk or hand-held milk frother will also work to whip the cold foam, if desired.
- Leftover Pumpkin Cream can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to one week.
- Leftover Cold Brew Coffee will keep in the fridge for up to one month.
Veronica says
I had to leave a comment because this is SO good and spot on! Thank you! I've been obsessed with it at Starbucks and I'm so happy to have an at home alternative <3
Amanda says
Oh Veronica that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you! <3
Gloria says
Agreed! I felt I had to comment as well! Honestly, I think this tastes 100x better than Starbucks version (and I love theirs too). Thanks so much for the recipe!
Amanda says
Gloria! Thank you so much for your kind words and for making my recipe. So happy to help a fellow coffee lover out! 🙂
Evelyn says
Hi! I made double the batch, how long is it good for in the fridge?
Amanda says
Hi Evelyn! I've kept it for up to a week in the fridge. The biggest factor is how fresh the heavy cream you're using is. If it's about to expire or has previously been opened for awhile, I wouldn't keep it longer than a few days. But, if it's newly opened and the expiration date is ways away, you should be able to keep it for at least a week!
Meredith says
This is so good! Made a big batch and have been using it throughout the week. Definitely needs to be made in a blender-tried it in my nespresso frother on the cold setting and it definitely didn’t work nearly as well. As instructed, it’s perfect for these still warm fall days.
Madison says
Hello! Do you think this would work with a dairy-free heavy whipping cream alternative?
Amanda says
Hi Madison! I'm not sure, as I've never tried it. If the dairy free version is reliable in whipping up to beautiful fluffy, thickness, I would imagine so. If you try it, please do let me know how it works out!
V.V says
Hi, I don't have gelatin... Could I use anything else?
Amanda says
Hi, I'm sorry but this recipe doesn't even call for gelatin so I'm not sure how I can help you? Was it perhaps a different ingredient you don't have for this cold foam recipe?
Ivy Holmes says
I was looking for a diy pumpkin cold foam and this definitely hit the nail. Awesome recipe and thank you !!
Amanda says
You're so welcome Ivy! Thanks for making the recipe and leaving a kind review <3
Sarah says
Just made this - excellent recipe and I live that it's not super sweet!!!
Amanda says
So glad you loved it Sarah! I think using real pumpkin puree makes all the difference <3 Thanks for making my recipe!
Conor Lewis says
Would this recipe work in an isi air whipper?
Amanda says
Hi Conor, I'm not sure about that as I've never used one. I don't know if it would be light enough for the CO2 to whip it...if that makes sense? Because there's more than just heavy cream in the mixture. I know it works in a blender, with a whisk by hand, and with a handheld milk frother, though! Hope this helps 🙂
Jessica says
For some reason mine wasn’t really foam it sank to the bottom. How do I get it to be light enough to lay over the top?
Amanda says
Hmm...I'm not sure why this happened Jessica. Perhaps it wasn't whipped enough so it sank like a regular coffee creamer? Or maybe you put too much in so the weight of it was more than the coffee and ice could hold. Those would be my two theories as to why. I'm so sorry that happened to you, but my guess is it was still delicious!
Chelsey says
The same thing happened to me. I only put 1/4 cup in. How long do you wisk for?
It never became foam for me. I blended as well.
Amanda says
Hi Chelsey! I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you too - I'm going to do some troubleshooting and get back to you. I'm going to try under-whipping and over-whipping the cold foam and see what happens on my end and report back! So far what I can tell from your comment is that perhaps it wasn't cold enough? That's usually the issue that prevents the cream from thickening (just like with making regular whipped cream). I sure hope you'll give the recipe another try as I do think it's the tastiest Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam ever! <3
Cali G says
You may of had the same problem I did. I had to use my ninja blender because I didn’t have anything smaller. Ended up finding out it’s too powerful and was re-liquifying my mixture. It definitely needs a slower blend. Although my “foam” hasn’t come out right, the flavor is great. Next time I will use my hand mixer to get the fluffy foam.
Amanda says
I never knew this could be a problem, Cali! How interesting! I've only ever made my cold foam in those small, "bullet" blenders and never the big one. This is MAJOR insight into the issue. Thank you for sharing! I will make sure to note in the post and recipe to not use a large, high powered one!
Jamie says
I’m confused by the serving size. It says 1 serving but surely you’re not putting a whole cup of heavy cream in one glass of iced coffee, right? Can you explain?
Amanda says
Hi Jamie! One serving of the pumpkin cream cold foam is going to be 1/4 - 1/2 cup (depending on how much cold foam you like on top of your coffee!). The leftover cream (that hasn't been whipped into cold foam) can be stored in the fridge for up to one week. I've made sure to adjust the recipe card to reflect your question, thank you! <3
Jessica says
Ive made this recipe twice and could not get it to foam, i tried my nespresso frothed and hand whisk. Your pics look so foamy and yummy so im losing my
Mind over here! Any troubleshooting tips would be great! Im going to try to get it colder and use less to see if it foams that way
Amanda says
Hi Jessica! I am so sorry that has happened to you! I think you're on the right track with making sure it is cold, cold, COLD. Heavy cream (the base of this recipe) doesn't hold air and thus doesn't foam up if it isn't cold. I recommend storing any leftovers in the fridge (and maybe mixing up the pumpkin cream a night in advance so it has time to chill) and only removing it right before whipping. And actually, I would go the other way in terms of how much you use. Try using 1/2 cup and whisking by hand. It'll take a bit, I'd say about a minute or 90 seconds, but if it's cold enough it should get that thick, fluffy, gorgeously soft top like I have in the photos. I also really love using my ninja blender/nutri-bullet blender to make sure it gets REALLY thick (that is, if I feel like washing those dishes). But that's exactly what Starbucks does, they use a very high-powered blender for a just a few second (like 8 - 10) to make cold foam. I sure hope this helps and don't lose hope!
Katie says
Followed the instructions and could not get it to foam either. Help!
Amanda says
Hi Katie - it seems like what people have experienced when they can't get it to foam is that it's actually been over-whipped and the blender re-liquified the foam. Did you use a nutribullet or a similar style blender? If you did, I would suggest blending for less time than you did previously. Alternatively, use a hand frother or a whisk to be able to control the level of foam. I promise this recipe works like a dream and I hope you give it another shot!
kyrie says
just made this & it is IDENTICAL to the real thing--with the added satisfaction that i'm saving money! this recipe is perfect! honestly better than the drink corporate chains have--the pumpkin puree is key, i think--it tastes real instead of the artificial "sweet" you get with a lot of PSL drinks.
Amanda says
I am THRILLED to hear that, Kyrie! I couldn't agree more - using real pumpkin puree is the end all, be all of PSL season! Thank you so much for your kind words. Happy coffee drinking! <3
Erica Swint says
Is there any way to not use condensed milk?
Amanda says
Hi Erica, not for this recipe, no. The sweetened condensed milk provides the sweetness to the sweet cream base and also helps to make the pumpkin cold foam smooth and luxurious. I highly recommend you follow the recipe as written with the listed ingredients - I tested it so many times to perfect it and it's really, truly delicious!
Naomi says
So quick, easy, and delicious!
Amanda says
Thanks so much for making and enjoying, Naomi <3
Amy Morrison says
Do you always dilute your cold brew, if so what do you recommend for the 6:6 mixture once it’s done steeping
Amanda says
Hi Amy! Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't - it really depends on how I'm feeling. Not diluting it means the brew is stronger and more intense. If you like a bold, rich coffee and aren't sensitive to caffeine (or if you make decaf cold brew), then you don't *have* to dilute it. But, if you're going to dilute the cold brew add about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of cold water to it before topping with the cold foam. Hope this helped!
Elvia says
Can I substitute vanilla syrup for vanilla extract?
Amanda says
You absolutely can, Elvia. But! It will make the final product sweeter. Since we're getting our sweetness in this cold foam recipe from condensed milk the addition of more sweet from a vanilla simple syrup will lead to a sweeter end product. Enjoy!
Hope says
After trying a couple of different cold foam recipes, I feel like this one is the closest to the Starbucks cold foam. It's definitely worth the extra trip to the grocery store for the condensed milk. It tastes like fall!
@livingandlocal
Amanda says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Hope! I couldn't agree more! <3
Jamie says
Tastes good but I can't get mine to thicken with a milk frothet and I don't have a nutribullet
Amanda says
I know it is delicious, isn't it Jamie?! You can always just whisk the cream by hand to make cold foam (it takes awhile, but it's worth it). Or simply use as pumpkin sweet cream creamer 🙂
Beth says
Yum! But I have to admit, I didn't have any sweetened condensed milk on hand so I just use three tablespoons of honey instead and it turned out amazing! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe 🙂
Amanda says
I'm glad this substitution could work for you, Beth! I'll have to test it out myself to see how it goes. Perhaps pure maple syrup could also work?
Ep says
Mine didn’t thicken at all. Tried manic bullet and vitamin mix and then my hand mixer. I also put my bowl in the freezer just like making whipped cream homemade, still runny like creamer, which was delish just not thick and creamy like the cold foam.
Amanda says
Hi EP, a few other people have had this issue and apparently, when you use a magic bullet or vitamix or Ninja blender, if you let it go for too long, it can actually overwhip the cold foam and re-liquify it. Who knew?! I agree though - it's delicious no matter what form it's in! 🙂
KF says
OMG! This is the best pumpkin cream cold brew recipe I have had. Watch out Starbucks..
Amanda says
Ahhh! What a high compliment! Thank you, friend 🙂
Keila says
I love this recipe. I used a handmixer to whip the heavy cream to give it a thicker consistency. Then I added the remaining ingredients. This is absolutely delicious!!
Amanda says
That's a great way to make it, Keila! So, so thrilled you love this recipe as much as I do! <3
Carol says
This is perfect! Made exactly as written. Used my Bella immersion blender with the whisk attachment and it whipped up nicely. Thanks !!
Amanda says
LOVE to hear this, Carol! Thanks so much for making my pumpkin cream cold foam recipe <3
Sonya says
This recipe was delicious!
Amanda says
So thrilled to hear that, Sonya! Thanks for rating and reviewing 🙂 Happy coffee break!
Sonya says
This recipe is delicious!
Brittany says
Amazing!!! Thank you for sharing!
Amanda says
Of course! Thank you for making and reviewing it, Brittany! Enjoy your coffee break! 🙂
Kat says
It tastes so good I doubled the recipe!
Amanda says
Now that's just the best idea ever! Thanks for making my recipe, Kat 🙂
Tonya Spires says
Hello ! I was curious if anyone has tried half and half to help reduce calorie content … and if it worked at all?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Tonya! It should work, though it may not get as thick as if you used heavy cream. Hope this helps!