Sweet Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer

It's still Pumpkin season and will be for quite some time. I've found myself going out to the supermarket and looking at all the pumpkin merchandise that is available. I've always enjoyed using Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer around this time but once I found out that I could make my very own homemade pumpkin pie spice (click on link for recipe), I also learned how to make my very own sweet pumpkin pie coffee creamer as well. I know a lot of people say that it's sometime cheaper to buy than to make and while that may be true, you also sometimes have most of the ingredients in your kitchen, so you're not really going out to buy them which saves you some money. You also know what's in your recipe so you're not worried about all the ingredients that you can't pronounce on the labels of the creamer that you're buying. This sweet pumpkin pie coffee creamer that I'm sharing with you is super easy to make and tastes super delicious as well.

Here is what you'll need:
Ingredients:

1 cup half & half
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Sweetener of your choice

Instructions:

Add the half & half, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and cinnamon to a small pan and whisk to combine.

Gently warm the half & half mixture over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently.

Turn the heat down to low and let it steep for about 10 minutes, whisking frequently.

If you want to add sweetener, you can use honey, sugar or any artificial sweetener of your choice. I used two packets of an organic Stevia blend, which made the creamer very sweet, but it was the perfect amount of sweetness once we added it to our coffee!

Remove the creamer from the heat, and line a wire mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth.

Place the strainer over a bowl or large measuring cup, and slowly pour the creamer or through it. Use a spoon to gently scrape the pumpkin from the bottom to help work the creamer through. Allow the creamer to sit in the cheesecloth until it has all drained through, which may take 5-10 minutes.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!

Notes:

Steeping is my favorite method when making homemade creamer. The little bit of heat really helps infuse the flavor, and straining it yields a smooth, velvety consistency.

If you want more pumpkin flavor or spice, just add more to the pan while it is steeping.

I've even used this to soak French toast instead of milk, and it is delicious!

This makes approximately one cup of creamer but can be easily doubled or tripled.