This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Get cozy with our healthier Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate recipe that’s about to become your new fall favorite!
Wrap your hands around your favorite steaming-hot mug while enjoying the aroma of rich dark chocolate, pumpkin puree, and warm spices.
About This Recipe
We’re talking real-deal pumpkin puree, unsweetened raw cacao powder, and dark chocolate chunks that melt into a velvety-smooth delight. Plus, you can customize it to your liking with your milk of choice and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Whether you’re a PSL purist or a hot cocoa enthusiast, this Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is about to steal the show.
The best part? You can whip it up in minutes with just a handful of wholesome ingredients…. faster than driving over to that other place.
So, go grab your favorite mug and let’s dive into some Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate… ‘Tis the season after all! 
When shopping for ingredients:
Canned pumpkin works great for this recipe.
Make sure you don’t accidentally pick up a can of pumpkin pie filling instead, because they are two completely different things!
Pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree often sit in cans or cartons right next to each other on the grocery store shelf. It can be easy to grab one, thinking it is the other, because the two products look very similar.
However, they are VERY different products!
Pumpkin Puree (that can also be made at home very easily) should say ONLY Pumpkin on the ingredient label.
Pumpkin pie filling usually has many ingredients, one of which is SUGAR.
Related Recipes
Why Pumpkin?
There are SO MANY reasons to add pumpkin to your diet – it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that are good for you.
PLUS … it’s low in calories and tastes great.
Here are just a few of pumpkin’s benefits: it’s good for your vision and immune health, and it may even help reduce your risk of cancer!
Pumpkin also protects your heart, lungs, and kidneys, helps battle high blood pressure, and is good for your skin.
Eating pumpkin can keep us looking young thanks to beta-carotene that helps protect us from the sun’s wrinkle-causing UV rays = younger-looking skin.
Cacao vs. Cocoa
Although they are both completely interchangeable in recipes, they are each processed differently.
Cacao is the purest form of chocolate. It’s an excellent source of antioxidants and has a high number of flavonoids. Cacao is higher in protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron than its cousin, cocoa.
If all you have on hand is cocoa powder, then that’s fine to use.
When you have a choice at the grocery store, reach for the less-processed raw cacao to take advantage of its incredible health benefits in all of your homemade treats!
What’s the difference between cocoa and cacao?
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/cacao-vs-cocoa/
Sweetness Factor is a very personal taste preference, so you may want to use more or less raw honey or pure maple syrup, depending on YOUR family’s specific taste preferences.
There are always lots of questions about which chocolate brand to buy – I like to visit the specialty (nicer) chocolate section at the stores and find a really high-quality, (often organic) dark chocolate bar on SALE – so I’m usually trying something different because the sale decides my purchase.
I like to buy the highest quality I can find when it’s on SALE! I’m always keeping an eye out for a good deal and will often stock up when a high-quality product is on special.
Or use any dark chocolate chips of your choice: the higher cacao percentage = more health benefits.
Use ANY unsweetened/plain milk of your choice. My personal favorite for this hot chocolate is unsweetened coconut milk or cashew milk. Any unsweetened nut milk, coconut milk, or high-quality grass-fed cow’s milk or cream works really well here. Use what you personally like and have on hand.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix:
- 1-1/2 Tbsps ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Combine well. Store in an airtight container.
Use the desired amount for recipes.
Recipe Details
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (recipe above)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsps raw honey or maple syrup, or to taste
- 4 ozs dark chocolate, chopped
- optional but recommended: 1 scoop of collagen powder (my favorite Equip Grassfed Bovine collagen) Equip Foods: https://www.equipfoods.com/CLEANFOODCRUSH
Instructions
- Whisk your cacao powder with the water in a saucepan until very smooth.
- Add in the milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla, honey or maple syrup, and chopped dark chocolate.
- Place your saucepan over medium heat and whisk until all ingredients are combined and the chocolate is melted.
- If adding collagen (recommended), add it now and whisk to combine.
- Once your hot chocolate is nice and hot and
- smooth, remove from the heat and pour into your favorite mugs.
- Enjoy!
🧡 Rachel
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (recipe above)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsps raw honey or maple syrup, or to taste
- 4 ozs dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk your cacao powder with the water in a saucepan, until very smooth.
- Add in the milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla, honey or maple syrup, and chopped dark chocolate.
- Place your saucepan over medium heat, and whisk until all of the ingredients are combined and the chocolate is melted.
- If adding collagen (recommend) add it and whisk to combine now.
- Once your hot chocolate is nice and hot and smooth, remove from heat and pour into your favorite mugs.
