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I started making this keto pumpkin spice latte back in 2018 when I realized the Starbucks version has 52g of carbs in a grande. Mine has 2g net carbs and tastes richer than anything I've ordered at a drive-through. I had two the first time I made it.
The secret is blending freshly brewed coffee with real pumpkin puree, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil. That combination creates a frothy, creamy layer on top that a regular latte can't touch. The butter and MCT keep me full through my entire morning, which is why I make this almost daily from September through December. Some mornings I swap in coconut cream for the butter (the froth is actually better, holds longer) and it's become my go-to low-carb coffee ritual.
If you love coffee drinks, I have a whole collection worth trying. My keto cold brew coffee is what I switch to in summer, and the keto caramel macchiato is another favorite when I want something sweeter. For a frozen version, my keto frappuccino blends up in under a minute.
What makes this different from most pumpkin spice latte recipes is the real pumpkin puree. Not pumpkin pie spice stirred into coffee. Actual canned pumpkin blended in, which gives it body and that deep orange color. I use 4 tablespoons per batch, and that's not a typo. Thinner amounts won't give you the texture that makes this feel like a $6 coffee shop drink for a fraction of the carbs.
I've tested this as a low-carb iced version too. The trick is blending everything warm first, then pouring over a full glass of ice. If you try to blend it cold, it won't froth. I cover that method in detail below.
Bulletproof coffee is freshly brewed black coffee or espresso blended with grass-fed butter and MCT oil until it’s frothy and creamy. I’ve been making it since I started keto, and it keeps me full until my next meal without any crash. The high fat content supports ketosis, and when you add pumpkin puree and spice to the mix, it becomes something worth getting out of bed for.
I use a blender for this, and I’m not flexible on that point. A blender is what creates that thick froth on top. My favorite blender is by BlendTec. It pulverizes the butter and MCT into the coffee so there’s no oil slick, just smooth foam. One of my readers Angela has made this dozens of times and she says pouring it straight from the blender (not letting it sit) keeps the texture right. I’ve noticed the same thing.
If you don’t own a blender, a handheld frother is your next best option. It won’t get the same thick layer, but it’ll emulsify the fats so you’re not sipping oil. My keto dalgona coffee is another recipe where a frother works well if that’s what you have on hand. A shaker bottle works in a pinch too.
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You need actual pumpkin to make this, not just spice. I use canned pumpkin puree, usually found in the baking aisle. Do not grab the can that says “pumpkin pie filling” because that’s loaded with sugar and comes pre-sweetened. Make sure you buy 100% pumpkin puree.
I use 4 tablespoons per batch, and I’ve had people ask if that’s a typo. It’s not. Thinner amounts won’t give you the body that makes this latte feel substantial. That deep orange color and thick texture come from using enough puree. Pumpkin does have more carbs than other vegetables, but 4 tablespoons of puree adds about 4g total carbs to the whole recipe, split between servings. On keto, that math works if you’re tracking. The rest of your carb budget stays wide open for the day.
I tested this as an iced latte because readers kept asking, and I’m glad I did. The key is blend everything warm first, then pour over a full glass of ice. I tried blending it cold and the froth was flat, the butter didn’t emulsify, and the whole thing separated in the glass. Warm blending first fixes all of that.
Brew your coffee, blend it hot with the pumpkin, butter, MCT, sweetener, and spice, then pour it directly over ice in a tall glass. The ice chills it fast without killing the froth. I fill my glass completely with ice before pouring. The foam settles into this creamy layer on top that holds for a good 10 minutes.
If you like frozen blended drinks, my frozen hot chocolate uses a similar technique and it’s another one I make on repeat in the summer.
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Add all pumpkin spice latte ingredients to a blender.
Blend together until smooth and frothy.
Per serving: 1 cup
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
My recipe comes out to about 4.5g net carbs per serving. I've calculated this using erythritol (which is 0 net carbs) and real pumpkin puree. For comparison, a grande Starbucks PSL has 52g of carbs. When I first did that math, I stopped ordering out permanently.
I tested this both ways. Blend everything warm first, then pour over a full glass of ice. When I tried blending it cold, the butter didn't emulsify and the froth was nonexistent. Warm blending creates the foam, and the ice chills it without ruining the texture. I fill my glass all the way with ice before pouring.
I've tested all three, and coconut cream is actually my favorite swap. The froth is thicker and holds longer than heavy cream. It makes the whole thing taste like a coffee shop drink. I use full-fat canned coconut cream, not the carton stuff, which is too thin.
I make a batch concentrate that lasts all week. Cook pumpkin puree, sweetener, pumpkin pie spice, and a splash of water in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 8 minutes until it thickens. I store it in a jar in the fridge and spoon 2 tablespoons into my coffee each morning. Saves me 5 minutes on busy days.
I've used a handheld frother when my blender was in the dishwasher, and it works. The froth layer is thinner, but the fats still emulsify so you're not sipping oil. A shaker bottle works in a pinch too. I just wouldn't stir it with a spoon because the butter separates.
You can, but it changes the drink. The MCT oil is what creates that thick foam on top. Without it, you'll get a creamier latte but less froth. I've made it both ways, and when I skip the MCT, I add an extra tablespoon of butter to keep the richness. If you're new to MCT, start with half a tablespoon because it can be intense on an empty stomach.
A regular latte uses steamed milk. Bulletproof coffee blends in butter and MCT oil instead, which keeps you full for hours and supports ketosis. I switched years ago and never went back. My keto peppermint white mocha and keto white mocha use the same butter coffee base if you want to try other flavors.
I'd start with half a tablespoon and taste. One of my readers used the full tablespoon of monk fruit and said it was way sweeter than he wanted. I tend to use the full amount because I like it on the sweeter side, but the pumpkin and spice already add a lot of natural flavor. You can always add more, but you can't take it out. My keto hot buttered rum is another recipe where I tell people to start low on sweetener.
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4.8 from 33 ratings, 18 written
Blending the butter in cold was my mistake for weeks. I let it sit out for ten minutes now and it emulsifies so much better, no oil slick on top. Your ratio is SO good once it actually blends right!
I’m on my second attempt and coffee matters more than the recipe lets on. Medium roast the first time, pumpkin spice took over completely. Switched to a dark pull and everything balanced out. This one stays, Annie.
Connor, dark roast is what I use for the same reason. The pumpkin spice overpowers anything lighter.
Three mornings of blender noise was enough to get my daughter into the kitchen asking questions. By day three she’d picked up my cup before I poured anything for myself, so I stopped explaining and just made two. Staying full until noon without the mid-morning slump is what I think actually sold her. The pumpkin pie spice makes it read more dessert than health drink, which probably helped.
Made it twice already. I’m not going back to Starbucks.
That’s what I love to hear! Once you blend your own, the drive-thru version tastes like syrup.
If the erythritol isn’t dissolving, run the blender a full 60 seconds instead of stopping when it looks done. Noticed a real texture difference once I started.nnOkay so I went keto about eight months ago and kind of accepted early on that the fancy coffee thing was just over for me. Started drinking black coffee, got used to it, stopped thinking about flavored drinks as something that applied to me. Found this on a random Tuesday when I had leftover pumpkin puree and figured I’d see what happened. Feel a little embarrassed about how long I went without it.nnThe butter frothing up in a regular blender with no attachment was the part I wasn’t ready for. I actually stopped and stared at the cup for a second. The half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice does more than you’d expect for that amount. Went back to re-read the recipe because I wasn’t sure I’d measured right.nnMade it five times in the last two weeks. I keep butter next to the coffee maker now.
You’re right about the 60 seconds, Lorraine. I run mine longer than feels necessary and the erythritol dissolves every time. Glad you have your fancy coffee back.
This just replaced my Starbucks order and I am not even a little sad about it!!
Made this this morning but by the time I got halfway through, the MCT oil had pooled on top. Is that just how these work or did I not blend it long enough?
That’s the emulsion breaking, not just how these work. Was the coffee still steaming when you blended it? If it cooled off even a little, the butter and MCT oil won’t hold together and the oil floats right back to the top. I blend mine a good 45 seconds with coffee straight from the pot and it stays creamy down to the last sip. A thicker mug helps too, mine separates faster in a thin one.
The variable nobody mentions is blender speed. Starting slow and ramping up over about ten seconds gives the butter time to incorporate before the vortex gets going, so you don’t end up with fat pockets floating on top. At full speed from the start, the MCT oil and butter just chase each other around instead of emulsifying. Obvious once you see it, but I wasted three batches getting there.
Three batches is exactly how that one gets figured out.
saving this for psl season
I pulled mine out in August last year. PSL season doesn’t wait, Nina.
Blending hot coffee felt sketchy but I held the lid down and went for it. Froth came out better than anything our machine has made. My wife had the second cup before I finished the first.
Your wife got the short end. That MCT froth settles in a couple minutes, so the first pour is the better one. I always throw a dish towel over the lid just in case.
That pumpkin pie spice smell. Almost exactly what I remembered.
That smell gets me every single time. I think it’s the real pumpkin puree doing that, not just the spice.
I batch the pumpkin base on Sundays. Five minutes max. Then each morning it’s just add coffee and blend. I tested whether it would separate in the fridge before committing to this, and it holds fine. That’s what makes the habit actually stick.
Tested the same thing. Five days easy, gets a little darker on top but stirs back fine.
I’ve been through enough keto PSL recipes that I basically gave up. Most taste like spiced coffee with a weird aftertaste, and you’re hungry again by 10. MCT oil is what every other version skips, and you feel it by mid-morning. Made one this morning after spring cleaning and didn’t need lunch until 1pm. Nothing from Starbucks comes close.
Until 1pm after spring cleaning is a real test. That’s the MCT, not the pumpkin spice.
On Sundays I batch pumpkin puree, erythritol, and pumpkin pie spice into small mason jars. Each morning I just drop one in the blender with butter and MCT oil. Done in under two minutes.
Stealing this. What size jars, one serving each?
Made this probably eight times since fall and just tried it with heavy cream instead of the butter last week. The froth is noticeably thicker and it stays creamy longer before it settles. Wasn’t expecting such a big difference from one swap. Two grams of net carbs and I’m full until noon, which still surprises me every time.
Heavy cream definitely holds the froth longer than butter. If you want to push it even further, full-fat canned coconut cream is the one I keep going back to. Thicker than heavy cream and it stays put.
Tried it with coconut cream instead of butter and the froth was insane. Way thicker than I expected, almost like a coffee shop drink. Added an extra half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice before blending and the whole thing turned this deep amber. My kitchen smelled like fall for the rest of the morning. It’s February and I’ve made this six times since October, but the coconut cream version is the one I’m keeping. Trying it over ice next to see if it holds up.
That deep amber means you got the spice ratio right. For iced, blend everything warm first then pour over a full glass of ice. Blending cold it won’t froth the same way.
Made this probably a dozen times since October. The MCT oil is what gives it that thick foam on top, and pouring it straight from the blender (not letting it sit) keeps the texture right.
Yeah, the froth window is short. I drink mine right out of the blender cup half the time just to catch it before it falls.
Was skeptical about the MCT oil but made this on a snowed-in Saturday and now every Starbucks PSL tastes watered down. The pumpkin puree thickness is everything.
MCT oil is the one ingredient everyone questions before making it. And four tablespoons of pumpkin is not a typo – thinner cans won’t give you that texture.
Swapped heavy cream for coconut cream and dusted extra cinnamon after blending. The froth alone is worth it on a cold morning. I brought it to my desk expecting a passable keto coffee and it actually surprised me. Tip: start with half the monk fruit. I used the full tablespoon and it was way sweeter than I wanted.
Coconut cream froth is actually better, holds longer than heavy cream. And yeah, I’d start at half the monk fruit too. The full tablespoon gets away from you fast.
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