coffee

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

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Let’s face it. Pumpkin season is here and yet it’s still a tad warm in some areas so cold brew coffee is still refreshing. Or if you’re like me, cold brew is richly bold and amazing anytime!

I am a sucker for the pumpkin cream cold brew at Starbucks. A true sucker. You might be asking—what is a pumpkin cream cold brew? It is an iced coffee that has a layer of cold brew topped with a pumpkin cold foam. The foam is made using a mixture of cream (or half and half), milk, pumpkin, and spices. Super simple to whip with a frother, or blender, giving you that silky smooth topping.

I decided it was time to recreate their popular fall drink, and man am I glad I did. This pumpkin spice drink tastes exactly like their version but costs a fraction of the price and takes less than 5 minutes to make! Plus I can tweak it to my own taste preferences.

Here it is. So simple:

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
  • 2 tablespoons 2% or higher milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pure cinnamon essential oil)
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • pinch of ginger (or pure ginger essential oil)
  • 12 oz cold brew coffee
  • *if you opt to use essential oils, ensure that they are pure. I use this brand and can gladly coach you on proper use.

INSTRUCTIONS

How to Make Pumpkin Sweet Cream

  • Combine the cream, milk, syrup, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a jar.
  • Using a frother, mix for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cream begins to foam.
  • Alternatively, you can use a blender or mix by hand. Any way you decide, this pumpkin creamer is going to be the perfect topping!

BUILDING THE COFFEE: 

  • Add ice to 2 large glasses.
  • Pour 6 oz cold brew into each glass.
  • Divide the pumpkin sweet cream between the two glasses and enjoy.

One question I get often—

Can I make this dairy free?

Yes, but you will have a less foamy and creamy texture to your topping. I suggest trying oat milk for the heavy cream and milk.

Easy peasy and so much cheaper!

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Cranberry Tangerine Scones

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I am a sucker for a good scone. One of my favorite afternoon treats is a delicious coffee and a scone. I like to make these into small size scones so I don’t ruin my appetite or my exercise efforts. The little treat is so worth it, though.

These tangerine cranberry scones are super delicious pretty much any time of day. Not just for afternoon coffee time. You could have them for breakfast, brunch or dessert.

Health Benefits of Cranberries:

As far as healthy foods go, cranberries are at the top of the list due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content and are often referred to as a “super food.” Not to mention, half a cup of cranberries contains only 25 calories! The possible health benefits of consuming cranberries include lowered risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, decreased blood pressure and more.

Ingredients:

Scones

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold salted butter, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon grated tangerine or orange zest
  • 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup plus 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Glaze

Directions:For the scones:
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large glass bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the mixture using a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the tangerine zest and dried cranberries.
  3. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add ¾ cup of the heavy cream. Mix the dough together. It should have a slightly dry texture, but not crumbly. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream if the dough seems too dry.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 1 minute. Form the dough into a round 1-inch thick, and use a knife or a pizza 4. cutter to cut the round into 8 equal wedges. Arrange the wedges in a round, but about 1 inch apart, on the baking sheet. Brush the wedges with 4 tablespoons heavy cream and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the scones are golden and the edges are lightly toasted.

For the glaze:

  1. In a glass bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, tangerine zest, orange juice, and tangerine essential oil. Drizzle the glaze on top of the warm scones.

Serve the scones warm or cold. Either way they will be delicious!

*Note: It is important to be sure you are using an essential oil that is safe for consumption. Many so called ‘essential oils’ from drugstores and grocery stores are quite toxic if taken internally. I choose to use only Certified Pure Therapuetic Grade doTERRA Essential oils. I recommended working closely with someone who can mentor you on the use of essential oils. You can also downloaded this free ebook that is a perfect guide for using essential oils.

I would love to hear what you think! Comment below and let me know if you loved these!

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Healthy Pumpkin Spice “Latte”

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Did you know you can whip up a “latte” that is milk free? This version gets its creaminess from almond butter instead of milk, which gives it a much richer, more concentrated coffee flavor, more similar to a version made with espresso. Using quality essential oils gives the best most spicy and earthy flavor with all the immune boosting benefits. Remember though to never ingest essential oils unless they have a supplement fact label on the bottle. I only trust one brand to take internally.

In a blender, combine:

  • 1 cup hot brewed coffee
  • 1 teaspoon almond butter (or cashew butter)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
  • 1 drop clove
  • 1 drop cinnamon
  • 1 drop ginger

Pour into a mug and serve right away.

To learn more about the use of pure essential oils, check out this free ebook!