Holiday Bevy for the Tea Drinker

I know the Holidays have officially arrived as soon as I see my first red Starbucks’ cup of the season. For whatever reason, these red cups bring me an odd amount of joy. Well, that “whatever reason” might have something to do with Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas all in one. Unfortunately, the only holiday drink that I get to enjoy out of this beautiful red cup is the peppermint hot chocolate.

All the other holiday drinks have coffee and most people know my feeling about coffee. Though my hate for coffee probably helps my bank account, I still want to enjoy those yummy holiday drinks like everyone else! It’s November, and pumpkin is surrounding me every day, so why can’t a non-coffee drinker have a yummy pumpkin drink too?

That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands: Pumpkin Tea Lattes.

First you have to make pumpkin spice syrup, similar to how you would make a chai latte syrup (on my list of to-do’s…)

Pumpkin Spice Syrup:

*Adapted from Sugarcrafter

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin purée
• 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

All you do is add all the ingredients together in a sauce pan and let heat for about 10-15 minutes on low. Don’t let it boil…we don’t want it to carmelize! Then strain it so you can get all the gritty pieces out.

Now onto the spiced whipped cream (totally optional but totally worth it).

Spiced Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp finely grated orange rind
• 2 tsp. sugar

Whip the cream with your mixer until peaks form. Then fold in the rest of the ingredients.

Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte:

• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie syrup
• 1/3 cup warmed milk
• 2/3 cup brewed black tea
• Optional: Spiced Whipped Cream

Just mix all three liquids together and adjust according to your preferences. Add more milk if you like it milky, or more tea if you want it to be thinner. Then, top with Spiced Whipped Cream!

As delicious as this may be, I think I will have to go snag some red cups at s-bux. Something about them just gives me a warm holiday fuzzy feeling inside.

Wow, I just realized that I have officially been brain-washed by the Starbucks Holiday advertising campaign.