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Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is the drink that turns your kitchen into the front of the fall coffee line, smooth cold brew under a cloud of fluffy pumpkin sweet cream, and the first time I made one on a warm September morning, I did the math on my coffee shop habit and winced. It joins our cozy gingerbread latte in the homemade coffee shop lineup.
Three minutes, five pantry ingredients, and one whisk stand between you and the best fall coffee order made at home.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 3 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 3 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 1 serving
- ⚡ Calories: 198kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smooth bold coffee under sweet spiced pumpkin cream
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, faster than our flat white
Quick Answer
Whip heavy cream, pure pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a small glass or bowl until soft peaks form, about a minute. Fill a serving glass with ice, pour prepared cold brew over the top, then spoon the fluffy pumpkin cream over the coffee so it floats. Garnish with a dusting of cinnamon and serve. It tastes just like the coffee shop version at a fraction of the price.
Jump to:
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew FAQs
- Other Recommended Coffee and Fall Drink Recipes
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Real pumpkin puree beats syrup. The coffee shop version uses a pumpkin sauce, but whipping actual pumpkin into the cream gives true pumpkin flavor without an artificial sweetness.
- Soft peaks are the float secret. Whipping just until soft peaks means the cream is thick enough to sit on top of the coffee but still pours into every sip like a melting cloud.
- Cold brew stays smooth over ice. Because cold brew is steeped without heat, it has less acidity than iced hot coffee, so the sweet cream never curdles or turns bitter against it.
- Milk loosens the cream just enough. A splash of milk keeps the whipped topping sippable instead of turning into a spoonable dessert layer.
- Cinnamon in the cream and on top. Spice inside the cream flavors every sip, while the final dusting gives you that signature coffee shop aroma before the first taste.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It costs pennies compared to the drive through version and takes 3 minutes flat.
- Real pumpkin and real cream, no mystery syrup pumps or artificial flavors.
- The pumpkin cream recipe makes enough to float on tomorrow morning”s coffee too, and it doubles as a topper for our eggnog latte in December.
Key Ingredients
Five simple ingredients build the famous fall float.
- Cold brew: Store bought or homemade, its smooth low acid profile is what lets the cream shine.
- Heavy cream: The body of the pumpkin cream, it whips to that signature thick but pourable float.
- Pure pumpkin puree: Real pumpkin, not pie filling, for genuine fall flavor in every sip.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the cream with a warm sweetness that ties the coffee and pumpkin together.
- Ground cinnamon: Whipped into the cream and dusted on top for the classic coffee shop finish.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Once you master the float, the flavor directions are endless.
- Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the cream for a sweeter maple pumpkin version.
- Swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice for a fuller spiced profile with nutmeg and clove.
- Make it decaf with decaffeinated cold brew for an after dinner fall dessert drink.
- Turn it into a pumpkin cream chai by pouring the cream over iced chai tea instead of coffee.
- For the hot espresso side of the fall menu, our gingerbread latte has you covered.
How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Whip the heavy cream, pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a small glass or bowl until soft peaks form, about 1 minute with a milk frother or small whisk.
- Fill a tall serving glass all the way to the top with ice.
- Pour the prepared cold brew over the ice, leaving about an inch of room at the top of the glass.
- Spoon the pumpkin cream over the cold brew so it floats on top. Garnish with an extra dusting of cinnamon if desired, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Whip to soft peaks only. Stiff peaks turn the float into a dessert topping that will not melt into the coffee, stop when the cream barely holds its shape.
- Use very cold cream. Cold heavy cream whips in half the time and holds the float longer over the ice.
- Pour the cream over a spoon. Letting it slide off the back of a spoon keeps the layers picture perfect instead of sinking.
- Make a cold brew concentrate batch ahead. A jar in the fridge means this drink really is a 3 minute morning routine.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling. It is pre sweetened and spiced, and it makes the cream too heavy to float properly.
- Scale the cream for a crowd. Quadruple the cream ingredients and keep it in a jar in the fridge up to 3 days, shake gently before each pour.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve it alongside a fall breakfast spread, it is unbeatable next to a warm slice of our pumpkin bread or a couple of our frosted pumpkin cookies.
For an afternoon pick me up, pair it with a square of our pumpkin cake, double pumpkin is not a crime in October.
Hosting brunch? Set out a pitcher of cold brew, a jar of the whipped pumpkin cream, and let guests build their own, with a slice of our pumpkin cheesecake to seal the fall deal.
The pumpkin cream keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so make a big jar on Sunday and float it on your coffee all week. Give it a gentle stir or quick re whip if it settles.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew FAQs
Cold brew coffee poured over ice and topped with a whipped pumpkin sweet cream made from heavy cream, real pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. This homemade version skips the sweetened pumpkin sauce the coffee shop uses and gets its flavor from actual pumpkin.
Extremely close, with a fresher pumpkin flavor since the cream is made with real puree instead of a flavored sauce. If you want it sweeter like the original, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or simple syrup to the cream before whipping.
Whip the cream only to soft peaks and spoon it gently over the coffee, ideally over the back of a spoon. The slight thickness lets it sit on top and slowly cascade into the cold brew as you sip, exactly like the coffee shop pour.
The pumpkin cream can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, which turns this into a true 60 second morning drink. Assemble the drink itself fresh so the ice does not water down the cold brew.
Cold brew is typically stronger than regular iced coffee, a 3/4 cup serving lands around 150 to 200 milligrams of caffeine depending on the brand or your homemade ratio. Use decaf cold brew for a caffeine free version that tastes identical.
Yes, a small whisk and 60 seconds of vigorous whisking gets you to soft peaks, or shake everything in a tightly sealed mason jar for about 45 seconds. A hand mixer on low also works for bigger batches of the pumpkin cream.
Made this Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me how much your coffee run budget thanks you!
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus more for garnish
- 3/4 cup prepared cold brew
Instructions
- Whip the heavy cream, pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a small glass or bowl until soft peaks form.3 tablespoons heavy cream, 3 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree, 1 1/2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Fill a serving glass with ice.
- Pour the cold brew over the ice.3/4 cup prepared cold brew
- Top with the pumpkin cream. Garnish with more cinnamon if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Use Cold Ingredients: Make sure your coffee and cream mixture are cold for the best results.
- Froth the Milk Properly: Use a handheld milk frother or immersion blender to get that perfect frothy texture.
- Adjust Sweetness: Add more or less sugar to taste. Everyone has a different sweet tooth!
- Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Avoid pumpkin pie filling for a more natural pumpkin flavor.
- Experiment with Spices: Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the foam for an extra flavor boost.
- Serve Immediately: This drink is best enjoyed fresh, so serve it right after making it.
Nutrition
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