Natural, Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spiced Coffee

I don't drink a lot of coffee. It makes me jittery. But from time to time I do need a bit of a "pick-me-up" (especially on these cold almost-winter mornings). And when I do sip a cuppa, I like a bit of flavour.

But a tall, 12 oz Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is a whopping 300 calories [1] and costs somewhere in the $5 range. Even store bought flavoured coffee grounds are more expensive, usually contain artificial ingredients and sweeteners and questionable flavouring, and many of them are not fair trade or organic.

However, a plain cup of homebrew with no milk or sugar is only 2 calories [2] and costs only a few cents. Making it pumpkin spiced is as easy as brewing a cup of coffee. Here's how I do it...


This is a method I came up with a couple of years ago when I was craving a flavoured cup of coffee at home. The first time around I tried putting the spices directly in the cup of coffee, but the effect was less than desirable (a bit grainy and overpowering). So the next time I put the spices in with the grounds and...

Oh my!!

Our whole apartment smelled like pumpkin spice coffee. 

 If that isn't aromatherapy I don't know what is.

So this is what I do:

Ingredients (makes 5 cups):

5 cups filtered water
5 scoops organic coffee grounds (more or less depending on how strong you like it)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/16 tsp ground cloves

Organic sugar and milk of choice as desired (cow, rice, almond, coconut, etc)
Whipping cream if desired


Directions:

1. Add water to the filter of coffee maker. Add coffee grounds and spices to the maker (I usually just dump the spices on top of the ground as I measure them out, and they seem to disperse just fine)

2. Brew coffee as usual and add any extras you like!

* In the summer I've been known to brew this extra strong and blend it in the blender with a few ice cubes for an iced spiced coffee.


And there you have it! A spiced coffee for pennies at home :)


If you're looking for a way to clean your coffee maker naturally and effectively, check out my post on  How to Clean a Coffee Maker Naturally and on the Cheap


How do you like YOUR coffee?

Citations: 
1. From the Starbucks website
2. The Mayo Clinic

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This post was shared on the following great link parties: Waste Not Want Not Wednesday,  The Healthy Happy Green Natural Blog Hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesday, Healing with Food Friday, Fight Back Friday, Whole Foods Friday,