Turn The Canned Pumpkin In Your Pantry Into A Dreamy Fall Cold Foam

It's no secret that pumpkin spice is a beloved fall flavor, finding its way into seasonal sips at your preferred coffee shop. Perhaps you've stocked up on canned pumpkin in preparation for making autumnal treats (or just in anticipation of Thanksgiving). As long as you have some in your pantry, you don't need to head out to a cafe every time you want a beverage topped with seasonal cold foam. The trick to making Starbucks-worthy cold foam at home involves simple gadgets and basic ingredients you likely already have on hand.

While there are many different recipe variations for cold foam, you typically need some type of dairy, sweetener, and your desired flavoring agents. Opt for the kind of syrup you'd put in your coffee as an easy sweetener — that way you don't need to worry about dissolving granules of sugar into your cold foam. Flavor it by adding a few tablespoons of pure canned pumpkin (as well as a dash of pumpkin spice, if you really want to accentuate those autumnal flavors).

Then, to transform your liquid ingredients into a dreamy cold foam, all you need to do is blend it. To make a small portion, a handheld milk frother is the easiest solution. An immersion blender or regular blender are both ideal choices for larger batches. And, if you don't want to bother with appliances, shaking your mixture in a closed mason jar will also work.

Due to its thick, creamy texture, you might assume that cold foam needs to be made with high-fat dairy, like heavy cream or whipping cream. However, you can use just about any percentage of milk, from skim to whole, or even non-dairy milk. It just depends on how you prefer to take your coffee.

For example, if you always add a generous splash of cream, something higher-fat for your cold foam may come close to what you typically enjoy. Those who only add milk needn't worry, either — skim milk is actually one of the best options. Because it doesn't have as much fat to weigh down the cold foam, it will take longer to lose all the air you've incorporated.

In terms of your canned pumpkin, just make sure you're buying regular purée and not pie filling. The latter already has spices and sweeteners in it, which might throw off the flavor of your cold foam. Starting with plain purée makes it easier to tailor your cold foam to your specific preferences. For example, go light on the sweetener and heavy on spices and canned pumpkin for a more intensely pumpkin-y cold foam. For more depth of flavor, you could also upgrade your canned pumpkin by roasting it before adding it to your mixture. Or, for a cold foam that tastes like your favorite fall baked goods, pair a smaller amount of canned pumpkin with vanilla syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon.