Crisp mornings, cool, sunny afternoons, and an explosion of autumn color from every leafy tree—fall is officially here! And the best way to kick off the season is with a freshly brewed #PSL, or pumpkin spice latte. There’s truly nothing better than tempering a cold fall morning with a warm cup of spiced coffee. Unfortunately, the PSLs you find at coffee shops can have a whopping 50-plus grams of sugar per Grande—which will leave you buzzing in all the wrong ways.

To help you celebrate fall without the guilt—and because I’m a certified pumpkin spice fanatic—I whipped up a totally delicious, low-glycemic PSL, plus four other autumn-approved pumpkin spice recipes. Each one received heaps of praise from my friends and family, and they’re sure to be hits in your household, too.

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Recipes

Low-Glycemic Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp. pumpkin spice mix
• 1–2 Tbsp. golden erythritol sweetener (it’s a convenient 1/1 sugar substitute)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tbsp. full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 shots of espresso, or 2–3 oz. of strongly brewed coffee

Instructions

1. Combine pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice in small saucepan over medium-low heat
2. Stir frequently for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant (the pumpkin pie scent is divine)
3. Add sweetener, to taste, and mix until combined
4. Pour in almond and coconut milks and simmer until warm, not boiling
5. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract and whisk until light and frothy, 30 seconds to 1 minute
6. Pour espresso or coffee in a mug and top with spiced milk mixture

Notes

Oh, yeah. This latte has all the characteristics of a true PSL—rich taste and texture from the milk, a sweet overtone, and spiced undertones. The recipe makes enough spiced froth to generously top four or five coffees—which we did.

No-Bake Pumpkin Oat Power Bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry oats
• ½ cup almond butter, unsweetened
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
• ½ cup mini sugar-free chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine 1½ cups oats, almond butter, pumpkin puree, chia seeds, honey, vanilla, and pumpkin spice
2. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine. The mixture should be a little sticky—if it’s too sticky, adjust with remaining oats
3. Divide the dough into balls (recipe makes roughly 20 bites)
4. Chill for 20 minutes before serving, and store for up to one week in the fridge

Notes

These remind me of the chocolate PB energy bites we made for our pre-workout recipes. A touch of honey satisfies your sweet tooth, and the almond butter adds a wonderful nuttiness. We ended up using the full two cups of oats, and the consistency was perfect.

Pumpkins: The Underappreciated Gourd

Pumpkins are positively packed with beneficial vitamins and other nutrients. They’re also great in soup. Read up on five health benefits of eating pumpkin to learn more about this fall-time staple.

The Great Pumpkin Keto Bars

Ingredients – Pumpkin Bars

• 2 oz. cream cheese
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 cup almond flour
• ²/₃ cup erythritol sweetener
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients – Cream Cheese Frosting

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened and cubed
• ½ cup erythritol sweetener
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a 9×9” baking pan with parchment paper
2. Melt the 2 oz. cream cheese and coconut oil together in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds
3. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt
4. Combine the wet and dry mixtures using a hand mixer until just combined, then mix in pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract
5. Transfer batter to baking pan and smooth the top
6. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
7. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients using a hand mixer until smooth
8. Let cake cool completely, then top with frosting

Notes

The whole Peanuts gang would approve of this recipe. The bar itself maintains moisture after baking, and the sugar-free buttercream frosting makes every bite indulgent. Pro-tip: you really should let the cake cool down before topping with frosting. But even if you rush it (like we did) and your frosting melts, you can still enjoy the thick, rich texture when it cools.

The #PSLlife Nutrimeal Protein Shake

Ingredients

• 2 scoops Nutrimeal Free
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
• 10 oz. unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup cubed ice
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth

• You can also use a BlenderBottle®† for easy, on-the-go mixing—simply skip the ice and add another 8 oz. of milk

2. Enjoy immediately

Notes

Pumpkin spice…and #gains?? Yes, please. Nutrimeal Free has a nice, light flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin. PSL fans, this is the meal replacement shake you’ve been dreaming of.

What is Pumpkin Spice?

Pumpkin spice, also known as pumpkin pie spice, is commonly made up of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice—each has unique health benefits.

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup sugar-free maple syrup
• ½ cup organic coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Blend all ingredients in a large mixing bowl
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet, about 1–2 Tbsp. per scoop
4. Bake 25–30 minutes
5. Cool before serving

Notes

The most popular pumpkin spice recipe of the day, these cookies disappeared within 10 minutes of serving. We baked a few batches and found them to be a bit finicky—the first batch was crumbly, but the second batch came out well-set. If they fall apart, bake for another 3–5 minutes. In a worst-case scenario, use the crumble as a topping on fresh peaches or ice cream—yummmmmmm.

All the Good—None of the Grief

These treats are enough to satisfy any autumn craving, and everyone at my place had their own favorite pumpkin spice recipe. Let me know which one you’re looking forward to making the most in the comments—then share your pumpkin spice success on social with the hashtags #LiveUSANA and #HolidayswithUSANA.

†Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.