This week the weather has significantly began getting quite cold in the Chicago area, signifying to me, the beginning of winter has come. Yes, people. I said it. Winter is here and so is cozy sweater weather for us all.
As much as I hate saying good bye to those sunny beach days, music festivals, and backyard barbecues that accompany summer, winter brings it's own delight in many forms. With the beginning of winter comes snow replacing the leaves on the trees, curling up by the fireplace in the evening, holiday preparations, celebrations with friends and family, and of course pumpkin spice latte's.
While studying in med school, Starbucks has basically become my second home. And a lot of the time, the most interesting part of my day is trying a new drink on their menu. So when I saw the pumpkin spice latte pop up on their menu in fall for the first time this year, I was all about it. Yes, I know this isn't a new drink, but this was the first time I had tried one. Once I did, I knew I had been missing out.
The next week, I reordered the pumpkin spice latte but this time I asked for the "skinny" version. For those of you who don't know, when you order something "skinny" at Starbucks, it just means made with skim fat-free milk, and sugar-free flavored syrup. I was disappointed when the barista informed me there was no "skinny" version of the PSL because they don't have sugar free pumpkin spice syrup.
Yes I realize the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a seasonal fall drink at Starbucks and I am a few months late on this post. But when it comes to the PSL, I will always stand by better late than never. Why should we have to go the rest of the year without one of these warm drinks clenched in our fists? With so many warm notes, and such high demand and popularity, you'll be glad you picked up this simple recipe for a not-so-guilty PSL to hold you over all year long.
So how much sugar is in the PSL anyways? A grande pumpkin spice latte has a jaw-dropping 50 grams of sugar. That's more than a can of soda, and way too much sugar for me to not feel guilty if I were to give in and reorder this. So, I didn't. Instead, I went home and whipped myself up a "not-so-guilty" PSL and it was so satisfying. It tasted just as indulgent as the PSL from Starbucks, but with only 2 grams of sugar that come from the cool whip topping. And, even after the popular coffee chain pulled it off their menu for the winter season, I was still sippin. Take that Starbucks.
Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: ~60
Ingredients:
10 ounces of any coffee*
2 tbsp sugar-free Pumpkin Spice creamer**
1 tsp splenda
2 tbsp cool whip
nutmeg
cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg into a 12 ounce mug. Then fill it with the coffee of your choice.
2. Pour coffee creamer and splenda into coffee, and stir well with a spoon.
3. Top with 2 tablespoons of cool whip and another dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
* I normally stay true to the whole "Starbucks" PSL, and brew my coffee from a Starbucks House Blend k-cup, but any coffee of your preference will do.
** The creamer I normally purchase is the Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice from Coffee Mate, but again, any sugar-free creamer of your preference will do.
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