Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte for a Crowd
The coffee-shop favorite, made with a can of pumpkin from the pantry and kept warm all through Thanksgiving morning. The coffee stays on the side, so grown-ups get a latte and kids get a pumpkin steamer from the same pot.
What you'll need
- 8 cups whole milk (1.9 L)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
- 0.75 cup canned pumpkin puree (180 g)
- 0.5 cup brown sugar (100 g)
- 2.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)
- 4 cups strong brewed coffee or espresso, regular or decaf (950 ml), kept on the side
- Whipped cream and cinnamon, for topping
How to make it
In the slow cooker, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, spice and salt with 1 cup (240 ml) of the milk until smooth.
Whisk in the remaining milk and the cream.
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, whisking every 30 minutes. Do not let it boil.
Stir in the vanilla and turn to warm.
For a latte, fill a mug 1/3 with coffee and top with 2/3 pumpkin milk. For kids, serve the pumpkin milk on its own.
Warm everything except the vanilla and coffee in a large pot over medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes, whisking, until steaming. Stir in the vanilla.
Glass: Mugs. Garnish: Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
Chef's secrets
Whisk before every ladle; the pumpkin likes to settle.
No pumpkin pie spice? Use 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and a pinch of cloves.
A thermos of hot coffee next to the cooker keeps the bar self-serve.
Good to know
Holds on warm for up to 2 hours (it's dairy, so no longer). Mix the base the night before and refrigerate; keeps 3 days.
