Starbucks Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam

May 24, 2023 by Lima 48 Comments

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With oodles of creamy, decadent, pumpkin flavored foam, this Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe makes the ultimate latte. Inspired by one of Starbuck's most popular fall drinks. You can now make it at home, at a fraction of the price, anytime during the year!

Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe

I always look forward to Starbuck's seasonal lattes. They are oh-so-fancy and fun - but omg so pricey! While it's not always possible to perfectly reproduce every addictive Starbucks drink this one is a no-brainer. It's one of the easiest Starbucks copycat recipes to make at home.

This Iced Chai Tea Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe is perfect for chai or specialty tea lovers. Also known as Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte, this drink is a perfect fall drink recipe, special holidays or whenever you want to have a delicious dessert or non-alcoholic pumpkin drink. There is no need to wait for Fall to have this delicious beverage. Pumpkin pie filling is available all year round!

Why you will love this recipe

The pumpkin foam recipe is absolutely delicious! It's the best pumpkin cold foam for a latte. Bursting with pumpkin flavor, the texture is perfect - part of it is very stiff and part of it is foamy and runny. As a result, there is always some delicious pumpkin foam on top of your drink and a little that seeps drizzles down and flavors the iced chai.
All ingredients are easily available. The simple ingredients are easily available at your local grocery store.
Quick and easy. No special skills or equipment is required. Just a blender, a kettle, and a tall glass. You can even make the iced chai ahead and leave it to chill in the refrigerator. Zap the pumpkin foam in the blender and scoop it on top of the iced tea for the ultimate gourmet latte.
Available year-round and won't break the bank. The best part of this recipe is that you don't need to wait till September 1st for Starbucks to offer this iced pumpkin spiced latte. Not only can you enjoy this heavenly drink anytime you want, but you can enjoy it over several days for the price of one trip to your local Starbucks.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Pie Cold Foam

Iced Chai Tea

Chai tea bags. In addition to black tea, 'chai' tea or masala chai also includes warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and star anise. Starbucks uses the Teavana brand of tea, but you can use whatever is available in your local grocery store. You can also use a chai concentrate (e.g., "Tazo chai concentrate") in this recipe.
White granulated sugar. This recipe uses white granulated sugar or light brown sugar. Other types of sweeteners like maple syrup, brown sugar syrup, light brown sugar, Splenda and Equal can also be used to sweeten the tea.
Evaporated Milk. I recommend using evaporated milk or whole milk to get a tea with the best 'body.' You can substitute with your milk of choice like whole milk, oat milk or unsweetened almond milk. Some recipes use heavy cream in the tea - I am not a big fan because the added fat ruins the texture of the tea.
Ice. The ice is used to chill the tea. To get more concentrated chai flavor, freeze chai and use chai ice cubes.
Pumpkin pie filling. I prefer using pumpkin pie filling over pumpkin puree as it provides the perfect flavor, is already sweetened with spices and readily available. To make a no sugar version, mix pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and your preferred no-sugar sweetener. Do not add too much pumpkin pie filling as the recipe calls for only a hint of pumpkin flavor.
Heavy cream. Whipping or heavy cream is essential for making the foam and creating that addictive creamy consistency. In this recipe you whip the heavy cream to a foam-like consistency, so it is stiff yet runny. To make the foam a little runnier, add 2-3 teaspoons of evaporated or whole milk to the pumpkin foam mixture.

How to make Starbuck's famous Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe

Step One: Make the Iced Chai Tea. Steep the chai tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and evaporated milk. Stir until all the tea dissolves. If time permits, allow the tea to cool to room temperature. For optimal results, chill the tea in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The homemade chai concentrate can remain in the fridge (made ahead) for 3-5 days until ready to use.

Step Two: Make the Pumpkin Cold Foam. Add the pumpkin pie filling, cream, salt (optional) and sugar into a small glass. Blend or use a handheld milk frother until the mixture develops into a thick foam. Be careful not to over-whip as the foam should not be thick like whipped cream. Also, over-whipping can also liquify the foam. A handheld milk frother gives the best texture.

Step Three: Assemble the Latte. Add the ice cubes to a tall glass. Pour in the iced tea. Spoon the thick, delicious pumpkin cream cold foam on top. There will be stiff foam on top. Some of the liquid will stream down into the chai. Sprinkle with some pumpkin spice. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

Make chai concentrate not 'tea.' The chai flavor is lost and tastes watery when using regular tea because of the strong flavor of the pumpkin foam.
Dissolve the sugar in the hot tea. Sugar dissolves more easily in hot tea.
Make the tea ahead. Store some extra sweetened tea in the fridge. It will last 3-5 days. This way, you make this delicious drink in minutes.
For a stronger taste make chai ice cubes. Freeze some chai ahead of time and use them instead of plain ice cubes to get a stronger chai flavor.
Don't add too much sugar. The pumpkin pie filling already has sugar, and the tea is sweetened as well. Taste the tea and the homemade pumpkin cream with a spoon together, before assembling the pumpkin spice latte to make sure the amount of sugar is to your preference.
Add milk to correct cold foam texture. If the whipped foam is too stiff or you just prefer a runnier foam, add 1-2 teaspoons of whole milk or evaporated milk to the pumpkin cold foam mixture.
Salt adds brightness to the pumpkin foam. A tiny pinch of salt brightens the pumpkin flavor of the cold foam.

Storage

Iced chai latte with pumpkin cold foam is best served freshly blended.

Cold foam will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. During this time, it may lose some of its texture and need to be whipped/blended again.

Sweetened iced chai with milk will last in the fridge for about 3-5 days.

Variations

The chai concentrate can be substituted with other types of chilled tea e.g., green, oolong and herbal teas. You can also use iced coffee, cold milk, a double shot of espresso or cold crew coffee.

To make an Iced Dirty Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam, add two shots of espresso to the tea.

What to serve with Iced Chai Tea Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam

This delicious latte can be served alone or with simple desserts which are not overly sugary or sweet. I love eating this decadent drink with Banana Bread, Old Fashioned Pound Cake with Strawberry Topping and New York Style Cheesecake.

Nutrition

A single serving of this Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam recipe has about 303 calories, 20g of fat and 28.2g of carbohydrates.

This recipe yields approximately one serving. The nutrition guidance is intended for informational purposes only. Please use it as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

FAQs

What does pumpkin cold foam taste like?

Pumpkin Cold Foam tastes like whipped cream lightly flavored with pumpkin pie.

How do I make this a healthier iced chai latte with pumpkin cold foam?

The best way to reduce calories in this Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam Recipe is to replace the evaporated milk in the tea with a less caloric or healthier substitute like oat milk, almond milk or soy milk Not using heavy cream in the latte works because you still get some creaminess in the foam.
All the sugar in this recipe can be replace with healthier or no sugar versions.
You can also make your own no sugar pumpkin pie filling with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and a healthier or zero calorie sweetened.
Substituting the heavy cream in the pumpkin foam is not advised as it will completely change the signature texture of this drink.

Is iced chai tea latte good with cold foam?

I highly recommend adding cold foam to iced chai latte because it turns a regular latte into a delicious, fancy, dessert-drink. Unlike whipped sweet cream which sits on top of a drink, cold foam has a stiff layer that sits on top as well as a more liquid portion that seeps down the drink, distributing pops of flavor with each sip.

Can you put cold foam on a chai latte?

Putting cold foam on top of a chai latte transforms it from a regular latte into fancy, dessert drink. A stiffer potion of the sweet cold foam sits on top of the drink while the rest seeps down the drink, distributing pops of flavor with each sip.

Can you use any type of dairy other than milk?

For the chai latte, you can use any milk you prefer like almond milk, coconut milk or oat milk. For the best texture and taste, pumpkin foam is best made with heavy cream or whipping cream. Using a substitute will change the signature texture of the drink.

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