Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate “Latte” (vegan, WFPB, no coffee, no sugar)
I’ve been seeing Pumpkin Spice Latte publicity all over, but as a non-coffee drinker they never really crossed my mind….until I thought about pumpkin spice hot chocolate.
Although I’ve never had a real pumpkin spice latte, I must say this version is mighty delicious!
It’s thick and creamy, warm and soothing. This is no watery almond-milk wimpy hot chocolate. To boot, it’s sweetened only with nutritious dates (or you can use maple syrup or honey if you don’t like dates), and has real pumpkin in it. That’s a fruit and a vegetable in your indulgent drink, right thar!
If you’re in a pinch, you can omit the pumpkin puree. It doesn’t add much for flavor, but adds thickness and nutrition. To make it nut-free, you can also skip the almond butter and just add a little coconut cream (the thick part of a can of coconut milk) to make it creamy. If at all possible though, use the almond butter as it adds a lot of richness and a subtle nutty sweet flavor.
Simply whirl your ingredients in a blender and then heat up in the microwave or on the stove, and enjoy perfectly sweet chocolatey pumpkin-y warmth comforting you from the inside out.

A whole-food, plant-based version of the popular Pumpkin Spice Lattes that has no coffee, no refined sugar, no dairy, but thick and creamy deliciousness.
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 TBSP pumpkin puree
- 1 TBSP cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 2 medjool dates, pitted (or 1-2 TBSP maple syrup or honey)
- 1 tsp almond butter
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 dash of salt and pepper (just trust me on this one!)
- 1 blip vanilla extract
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Combine all ingredients in a blender or small twister jar. Blend until very smooth. You may still have some date chunks in the bottom, but it will still taste sweet all throughout if it's blended sufficiently.
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Heat through in microwave for 1 minute, or on the stove top.
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Stir in coconut cream or top with coconut whipped cream, if desired for even extra creaminess.
I wasn’t sure if this recipe would turn out but it was delicious! Very creamy even without coconut milk.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to report back. 🙂 You’re making me want to make this again, even though it’s not a cold night!
Absolutely delicious! I omitted the coconut cream but doubled the pumpkin. So delicious, creamy, and easy to make!
Yum! Good tips!