Finding the perfect coffee shop flavor at home can feel impossible, especially when you’re craving something seasonal but don’t want to spend five dollars every morning. Plus, store-bought syrups are often loaded with artificial ingredients and way too much sugar, which makes that daily coffee habit feel less than ideal.
That’s where this maple pumpkin coffee syrup comes in handy. It’s made with real pumpkin and pure maple syrup, takes just 15 minutes to whip up, and you can customize the sweetness to your exact taste. Best of all, one batch lasts for weeks in the fridge.
Why You’ll Love This Maple Pumpkin Coffee Syrup
- Quick and easy to make – This homemade syrup comes together in just 10-20 minutes, so you can have coffeehouse-quality drinks without leaving your kitchen.
- Perfect fall flavors – The combination of pumpkin, maple, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg brings all those cozy autumn vibes right to your morning cup.
- Budget-friendly alternative – Skip the expensive coffee shop syrups and make your own for a fraction of the cost using simple pantry ingredients.
- Customizable sweetness – You can adjust the maple extract and brown sugar to get exactly the flavor intensity you want in your coffee, tea, or even pancakes.
- Multiple uses – This syrup isn’t just for coffee – drizzle it over pancakes, stir it into oatmeal, or add it to smoothies for that perfect fall taste.
What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?
For this coffee syrup, you’ll want to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling – there’s a big difference between the two. Plain pumpkin puree is just cooked and mashed pumpkin with no added spices or sugar, while pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sweeteners mixed in. You can find canned pumpkin puree in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, and it works perfectly for this recipe. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can also make your own by roasting a sugar pumpkin and pureeing the flesh, but the canned version is convenient and gives consistent results every time.
Options for Substitutions
This cozy coffee syrup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:
- Brown sugar: You can easily swap this for white sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup. If using maple syrup, reduce the water by 2 tablespoons and cut back on the maple extract since you’ll get that flavor from the syrup itself.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If you don’t have any, you can substitute with sweet potato puree or even butternut squash puree for a similar fall flavor.
- Individual spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can replace the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead. It’s basically the same blend pre-mixed for you.
- Maple extract: If you can’t find maple extract, you can use a bit more vanilla extract or even add a tablespoon of real maple syrup. The flavor won’t be quite as strong, but it’ll still taste great.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla is pretty essential here for rounding out the flavors, but if you’re out, you can skip it or add a tiny pinch of vanilla powder if you have it.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making pumpkin coffee syrup is rushing the process and not letting the mixture simmer long enough, which results in a thin, watery syrup that won’t stick to your coffee or pancakes properly – aim for at least 10-15 minutes of gentle simmering until it coats the back of a spoon.
Another common error is adding the extracts too early in the cooking process, as the heat can cause them to lose their flavor, so wait until you remove the syrup from heat before stirring in the maple and vanilla extracts.
Be careful not to let the syrup boil vigorously, as this can cause the pumpkin puree to separate or create an unpleasant grainy texture – keep it at a gentle simmer and whisk occasionally to keep everything smooth.
Finally, taste your syrup before storing it and adjust the maple extract to your preference, since different brands can vary in strength and you want that cozy fall flavor to really shine through.
What to Serve With Maple Pumpkin Coffee Syrup?
This syrup is perfect for stirring into your morning coffee or latte to give it that cozy fall flavor we all crave. You can also drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, or French toast for a seasonal breakfast treat that tastes like autumn in every bite. I love adding a splash to hot chocolate or even mixing it into vanilla ice cream for an easy pumpkin spice dessert. For something different, try swirling it into plain Greek yogurt with some granola, or use it as a glaze for muffins and quick breads.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: This maple pumpkin coffee syrup keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 weeks when stored in a clean glass jar or airtight container. I like to use mason jars because they’re easy to pour from and you can see how much syrup you have left.
Make Ahead: This syrup is actually perfect for making ahead since the flavors get even better after sitting for a day or two. I often make a big batch on Sunday to have cozy fall coffee drinks all week long. Just give it a good stir before using since the spices might settle a bit.
Serve: The syrup will thicken up a bit when cold, but that’s totally normal. Just stir it well before adding to your coffee, or you can warm it up slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds if you prefer it thinner.
| Preparation Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Total Time | 10-20 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 300-350
- Protein: 1-2 g
- Fat: 0-1 g
- Carbohydrates: 75-80 g
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp maple extract (add more for stronger flavor)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Step 1: Combine Syrup Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Set a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat.
Add the water, packed brown sugar, pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, grated nutmeg, and ground cloves.
Whisk the mixture thoroughly so that the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes smooth.
Heat the mixture until it is just barely boiling, making sure not to let it reach a full boil.
Step 2: Thicken the Syrup
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until it has thickened just slightly.
This step helps concentrate the flavors and improves the syrup’s consistency.
I like to keep a close eye to avoid scorching at the bottom.
Step 3: Finish and Store the Syrup
- 1/2 tsp maple extract (add more for stronger flavor)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Whisk in the maple and vanilla extracts until well incorporated.
Let the syrup cool before transferring to a container.
Store the syrup in the refrigerator and use as desired.
