There are few things more alluring than hot seasonal drinks. We love flavored coffees, teas and hot chocolates. But we know that they can be high in sugar! And, aside from the high levels of sugar, fat and calories the drinks can contain, buying seasonal beverages at coffee shops is way too expensive!
Here in San Diego, many of our regular supermarkets have a Starbucks kiosk. We can’t miss the amazing smell or ignore the seasonal menu. There is no such thing as “out of sight, out of mind.” We don’t have to go into the coffee shop to know what we are passing up. But we also see the high price tag, making saying “no” easier!
Today, we are sharing four drink recipes inspired by favorite seasonal drinks from Starbucks. Unlike the versions from the shop, they are low in carbs. And when you make them at home, the cost goes way down!
The Starbucks apple crisp macchiato is the perfect fall drink for anyone who craves the season’s flavors but is over pumpkin spice! The problem is that a medium version of the drink has 45 grams of sugar. It’s hard to figure out how they dissolve that much sugar into it! This version is way gentler on your blood sugar! The instructions call for sea moss gel. It isn’t necessary; it is optional and added only as a supplement. Including it will make the drink more expensive, but if you like sea moss gel, it’s a good way to fit it into your day. As written, a serving has 40 calories, two grams of carbs and three grams of fat. Get the recipe.
As far as we can tell, the salted caramel mocha hasn’t been on Starbucks’ fall menu for a while. We might be wrong. As we’ve said, we don’t order the drinks often. But we have tasted it in the past, and it is delicious! It’s the perfect combo of chocolate, caramel and coffee with a hint of salt to balance it out and make all the flavors stand out brighter. It tastes like Thanksgiving is approaching! However, the Starbucks version has 68 grams of carbs in a medium serving. No, thank you! This version uses sugar-free syrups and unsweetened almond milk to lower the carbs and make the whole drink lighter! It uses half a cup of heavy cream, so if you want to cut fat and calories, use non-fat milk instead. That will lighten up the drink, and it will still be delicious. As written, a serving has 225 calories, three grams of carbs, one gram of fiber, and 23 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
The maple pecan latte is a newer drink that has quickly become beloved. Some people were distressed that there was no way to order the drink at the shop to make it vegan. That led to this wonderful low-carb and vegan version of it! The recipe was designed for vegans and is incidentally low-carb, so it uses maple syrup. You can swap that out for sugar-free maple syrup. They say not to use anything but pure maple syrup. But they seem to be concerned about precisely nailing the taste profile. It’s already low-carb, but you can cut it down even more! As written, a serving has 55 calories, seven grams of carbs, one gram of fiber and three grams of fat. Get the recipe.
The pumpkin spice Frappuccino is by far the most decadent fall drink on our list. It’s a milkshake in disguise. We always believe that you should be able to enjoy any food you want to in a healthy diet. Sometimes, it just takes some work to fit it into your lifestyle! Instead of Starbucks’ sugar-heavy version, this one is lighter and can be enjoyed as a wonderful seasonal drink on a warm October afternoon without worrying about your blood sugar! A serving has 64 calories, eight grams of carbs, two grams of fiber and two grams of fat. Get the recipe.
We hope these festive fall drinks help you feel the seasonal mood! We all hear the siren’s song of Starbucks’ seasonal drinks. But the high prices and extreme carb counts aren’t worth it!
