Stop paying $5+ for pumpkin cold foam. Shake this in a jar instead.

The short answer: This fall iced coffee is a copycat of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, made with real pumpkin and a little maple. You shake the cold foam in a jar, no frother needed, and it lands around 165 calories and 9 grams of sugar instead of about 31.

It’s 2 PM, the afternoon slump just hit, and the drive-thru is calling your name again. Of course, you want that orange cloud of foam on top. But you don’t want the sugar or another $5-plus charge. So this fall iced coffee takes 3 minutes and one mason jar.

It’s one of the meals from our guide to what to eat when you’re too tired to cook, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.

Why this fall iced coffee works on busy afternoons

• The foam is real pumpkin. One tablespoon of pure pumpkin puree gives the color and the flavor, so there’s no pumpkin sauce.
• A jar does the work. Cream and milk shaken hard for about 45 seconds turn thick and pourable, just like cold foam.
• Less sugar. Two teaspoons of maple syrup add about 9 grams of sugar. Meanwhile, the grande coffee shop version lists about 31 grams.
• Cold brew stays smooth. It’s naturally less bitter, so it needs no syrup at all.

For context, a grande Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew lists about 250 calories and 31 grams of sugar, according to Healthline, and most of that comes from the sweet foam and vanilla syrup. Also, the Harvard Nutrition Source notes the American Heart Association suggests women keep added sugar under about 25 grams a day. So one drink can use up more than your whole day.

The flavor: what makes it taste so good

The coffee shop foam tastes mostly like sugar and vanilla. Instead, this one tastes like pumpkin pie filling whipped into cream, and it melts slowly into the coffee as you sip.

• Pumpkin pie spice: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a little clove
• Pure maple syrup for a soft caramel sweetness
• A pinch of sea salt, which makes the pumpkin taste richer
• Real vanilla and a dusting of cinnamon on top

What you need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Coffee: cold brew coffee, ice
• Pumpkin cold foam: heavy cream, whole milk, pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, sea salt, ground cinnamon

Also, a note on the cream: real heavy cream foams best and has nothing else added. Plus, a little fat with your coffee may help it sit easier on your stomach.

How to make fall iced coffee with pumpkin cold foam

First, fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the cold brew. Next, add the cream, milk, pumpkin, maple, spice, vanilla and salt to a small jar, screw on the lid and shake hard for 45 to 60 seconds. Then pour the foam over the coffee and dust with cinnamon. The full recipe card is below.

Pumpkin Cold Foam Iced Coffee

A Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew copycat: cold brew topped with real pumpkin cold foam shaken in a jar. About 165 calories and 9g sugar.

3minutes

2gprotein

165calories

1servings

Servings

1x2x3x

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Ingredients Uncheck all

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Coffee

• 1 cup cold brew coffee or chilled strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup ice

Pumpkin cold foam

• 2 tbsp heavy cream cold
• 2 tbsp whole milk cold
• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree 100% pure pumpkin
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tiny pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon for dusting

Instructions

Tap a step to mark where you are.

1. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the cold brew, leaving about an inch at the top.
2. Add the cold heavy cream, milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt to a small jar.
3. Screw the lid on tight and shake hard for 45 to 60 seconds, until the foam is thick, doubled and pourable.
4. Slowly pour the pumpkin cold foam over the coffee, dust with cinnamon and drink right away.

Calories 165Protein 2gCarbohydrates 11gFat 12gFiber 1gper serving, estimated

Serving ideas

Pour it into a tall glass so you can see the orange foam sit on the dark coffee. Then sip it slowly, because the foam melts in and the last sips are the best. Also, pair it with something that has protein, like cottage cheese toast or a jammy egg, so it holds you until dinner.

Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 165 calories, 2g protein, 11g carbs and 1g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.

Swaps and variations

• Make it lighter: use 1/4 cup whole milk and skip the cream. The foam is thinner but still pretty.
• Make it sweeter: add one more teaspoon of maple, then taste first.
• No cold brew? Chill a cup of strong brewed coffee in the fridge the night before.
• Add protein: stir a scoop of unflavored collagen into the coffee before you pour the foam.
• Make it vegan: flip the Vegan switch on the card for the oat milk and coconut foam.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Mix a jar of the pumpkin base ahead: 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons maple, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. It keeps for 5 days in the fridge. Then each day, shake 1 1/2 tablespoons of base with the cream and milk, and your fall iced coffee is ready in a minute. Cold brew keeps for about a week in the fridge too.

Frequently asked questions

Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our healthy pumpkin spice latte next.

This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.