Pumpkin Spice Coffee Ice Cubes

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When I was little, one of my favorite ice cream flavors was coffee. I loved a big bowl full of coffee ice cream, half melted down and covered in chocolate syrup. I adored a coffee milkshake. I was obsessed with coffee royale at the ice cream parlor. But I hated drinking actual coffee. My whole family (minus one brother) had coffee after every dinner, coffee every morning with breakfast, and sometimes coffee in the middle of the day. Hot, steaming, bitter cups of something that tasted absolutely nothing like my beloved coffee ice cream.

Then, one day, I was driving around with my husband and realized I was getting a migraine. He said that caffeine would help and, since I also don’t like soda, he figured a big, sugary iced coffee would closely mimic a coffee milkshake and also help me fight off the headache that was coming. Well, friends, my world changed that day. I did not get a migraine, and I discovered that I, too, love coffee! …Provided, of course, that it is iced, full of sugar, and loaded with milk.

*Very excitedly drinking a pumpkin spice latte*

I can now tell you all the best coffee shops in the area, and cannot go on a trip out of town without first looking up where I can get a seasonal cold brew or a fun latte. And I am 100% one of those girls. You know the ones. The pumpkin spice girlies who wait all year for the first day of Starbucks’ fall menu. Who want pumpkin spice everything as soon as it’s available. And to anyone who says, “You’re not even really drinking coffee,” I assure you that I’m not in the least bothered by that. If coffee makes you bitter and rude about other people’s drink choices, then I’ll happily concede I’m drinking a coffee milkshake.

So, since it’s the fall, and it’s fully pumpkin spice season, what better treat than an iced pumpkin spice latte (or your coffee style of choice) loaded with delicious pumpkin spice latte ice cubes! They’re cute, they’re seasonal, and they won’t water down your coffee in the slightest. In fact, they’ll just enhance that autumnal flavor even more! And they really couldn’t be easier to make!

First, you’ll brew up a cup of coffee. Now, if you have a pumpkin spice ground coffee or coffee pod already, go ahead and make one of those. You might want to go a little extra strength, but the flavor will be baked in.

If you don’t have anything like that on hand, get yourself some instant coffee and some pumpkin pie spice. In a heat-safe glass measuring cup, add 1 rounded teaspoon of the coffee to 6 ounces of water, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. (If you don’t have any pre-made on hand, my recipe for a batch is: 4 parts cinnamon, 3 parts ginger, 1 part allspice, 1 part ground clove)

Now, place your measuring cup into the microwave and turn it on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Give the coffee another good stir when you take it out of the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave, feel free to do this step on the stovetop. Use a small saucepan and stir your ingredients together over medium heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat off and pour everything into a heat-safe glass measuring cup. Now, add 2 ounces of milk. I use whole milk, but you can really use whatever you like, including lactose-free or dairy-free. Just be aware that dairy-free milks may change the flavor slightly, but if you’re already using them, you should already know what you like!

Let the mixture cool down to room temperature and then carefully pour it into your ice cube tray. I used this fun silicone mold so my ice cubes will come out looking like little potion bottles, but you can use whatever shape you like, including a regular old plain ice cube tray. If you’re using a silicone mold, make sure to place it on a sheet tray first so that it’s got a stable surface to rest on when you bring it to the freezer.

Let your coffee cubes freeze up for at least four hours, or overnight. When they’re fully frozen, pop them out of the tray and store them in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to a month.