Every year as the leaves begin to change color and a chill breeze replaces the summer heat, the obsession with the seasonal Starbucks drink, a Pumpkin Spice Latte, revives itself once more. From Instagram to Twitter, this popular drink seems to fill every social media outlet. According to starbucks.com, there have even been over 29,000 tweets featuring the hashtag “pumpkin spice” on Twitter since August 2012.

However, this enthusiasm may fade quickly if the expenses of the drink were more commonly known. A grande (medium sized) Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks costs a considerable $4.55, without tax, for just one drink.

The expenses do not stop there. A grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, made with whipped cream and 2% milk, contains a shocking three hundred and eighty calories along with a total of thirteen grams of fat, eight being saturated fat, according to starbucks.com.

Additionally, the sugar content in one of these fall treats tops out at 49 grams per beverage, double the daily sugar intake recommended by the American Heart Association. Yikes.

This information, while shocking, does not mean your dreams of having the all the flavors of fall wrapped up in a warm coffee beverage have to be over. The solution is simple: eliminate both the nutritional and monetary costs by making a homemade pumpkin spice latte.

Although this may seem challenging to many people, since let’s face it, not everyone can be Starbucks baristas, the end result is a delicious pumpkin drink without the extra cost and nutritional expenses. A simple pumpkin latte recipe can get you a flavorful fall drink costing less than two dollars and ten minutes.

One serving (half the recipe) is only 71 calories and contains a mere four grams of fat and two grams of sugar. Next time you are craving a fall drink, skip the line at the coffee shop and enjoy the rewards of being your own barista.

The ingredients needed are:

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients in a small sauce pan, stir to combine everything, and heat on a medium setting, for about 1-3 minutes, being careful not to boil the mixture.
2. Remove the ingredients from heat and add them to a blender, blending on high until the milk begins to form small bubbles, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture between two mugs, or save half for later in the fridge. Add a squirt of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon on top and enjoy!

[dashingdish.com]