It’s the world’s healthiest chocolate and served with pumpkin. You can’t go wrong.

On our first snow as we shivered getting used to the suddenly-freezing temperatures, this warm drink was fun to make and a huge hit with all ages. I used fresh pumpkin puree. You could use puree of any winter squash. Of course, you could also use canned pumpkin puree. Substitute a strong cocoa drink for the cacao if you don’t have it. The recipe is extremely forgiving. We used dairy milk but coconut milk would be divine.

For the cacao, I used ground nibs as I describe in our cacao drink recipe. We use this brand of cacao from our affiliate partner. I recommend two tablespoons in a 1/2 cup of water for the recipe here — a strong mixture. Cacao does have caffeine. This drink does not have a huge amount of caffeine given all of the milk but it may not be the best night time drink for caffeine-sensitive children.

This recipe makes about 3 1/2 measured cups of the beverage.

Pumpkin Spice Cacao Ingredients

• 2 cups milk (dairy or coconut)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 3 parts cinnamon to 1 part each nutmeg and ginger)
• 1/2 cup strong cacao
• Whipped cream and spices for serving.

Pumpkin Spice Cacao Steps

1. Combine all ingredients except the whipped cream and extra spices in a sauce pan.
2. Warm to drink temperature — close to boiling if you want a very hot drink.
3. Move ingredients to a blender and blend for about two minutes to make a fluffier mixture. (If your kitchen is as cold as ours, consider warming your blender in advance.)
4. Pour into individual cups, add a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of the spice blend.