Autumn might just be our favourite coffee season.
Cooler mornings, darker evenings and the return of jumpers all make a hot cup of coffee feel particularly welcome. And while we're certainly not against a blanket, a candle and five minutes of peace, good autumn coffee doesn't need to be complicated.
Whether you have an espresso machine, cafetière or something in between, here are four simple autumn coffee recipes you can make at home — plus a few tips for choosing a coffee that works beautifully with those lovely seasonal flavours.
What Coffee Works Best for Autumn Drinks?
For milk-based and flavoured autumn coffees, we tend to reach for coffees with chocolate, caramel, nutty or naturally sweet flavours.
Brazilian and Colombian coffees can work particularly well, as can a balanced blend with enough body to stand up to milk, maple, chocolate and warming spices.
But there really aren't any rules. If you've got a coffee you love, try it.
Our limited-edition Autumn Blend was created for exactly this time of year, with a rich, comforting flavour profile that works beautifully both black and with milk.
1. Maple Cinnamon Flat White
Sweet, warming and ridiculously easy.
You'll need:
- Double espresso
- 120–150ml milk
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Small pinch of cinnamon
Add the maple syrup to your cup and pour the espresso over it. Give it a quick stir, then add your steamed milk and finish with the tiniest dusting of cinnamon.
A coffee with chocolate, caramel or nutty tasting notes works particularly well here.
If you don't have maple syrup, a little honey or soft brown sugar will work too.
2. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
You don't need a bottle of fluorescent orange syrup to make a good one.
You'll need:
- Double espresso
- 180ml milk
- 1–2 teaspoons pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or soft brown sugar
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Tiny pinch of ground ginger
- Tiny pinch of nutmeg
Warm the pumpkin purée, maple syrup and spices together with your milk, then froth or whisk until smooth.
Pour over your espresso, finish with a little cinnamon and adjust the sweetness to suit you.
The pumpkin should add a gentle richness rather than completely take over the coffee, so start with a small amount — you can always add more next time.
3. Dark Chocolate Mocha
Part coffee, part hot chocolate — entirely appropriate once the temperature drops.
You'll need:
- Double espresso
- 15–20g dark chocolate
- 150–180ml milk
- Small pinch of cinnamon, optional
Break the dark chocolate into your cup and pour the freshly made espresso over it.
Stir until the chocolate has completely melted, then top with steamed or hot milk.
For an extra autumn touch, finish with a tiny pinch of cinnamon.
A rich Brazilian coffee or chocolate-forward blend is gorgeous in this because those deeper coffee flavours work beautifully alongside the dark chocolate.
And yes, you can absolutely add a little more chocolate. We're a coffee roastery, not the chocolate police.
4. Honey & Cinnamon Cafetière Coffee
No espresso machine required for this one.
You'll need:
- Freshly brewed cafetière coffee
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Small pinch of cinnamon
- A splash of warm milk, if you fancy it
Brew your cafetière coffee as usual.
Put the honey and cinnamon into your mug, add a small amount of hot coffee and stir until the honey has dissolved.
Top up with the rest of your coffee and add a splash of warm milk if you prefer something a little softer and creamier.
Simple, comforting and excellent on a cold morning.
Can I Make These Without an Espresso Machine?
Absolutely.
A double espresso gives the flat white, pumpkin spice latte and mocha a lovely concentrated coffee base, but you don't need an espresso machine to make them.
Strongly brewed coffee from a cafetière, AeroPress or moka pot can work too. You may need to experiment slightly with the amount you use, particularly when adding milk.
The important thing is making your coffee strong enough that you can still taste it once you've added the other ingredients.
If you're using a cafetière, take a look at our cafetière brew guide for an easy starting recipe.
Should I Use Whole Bean or Ground Coffee?
If you have a good grinder at home, we'd generally recommend buying whole beans and grinding only what you need immediately before brewing.
Whole beans retain their freshness for longer and having your own grinder gives you the freedom to adjust the grind to suit your brewing method.
But you absolutely don't need to buy a grinder just to enjoy freshly roasted specialty coffee.
We can grind your coffee for your preferred brewing method before we send it to you. Simply choose the appropriate grind option when ordering.
Can I Change the Recipes?
Please do!
These aren't rules.
If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the maple syrup or honey. If you adore cinnamon, add a little more. Use oat milk instead of dairy, swap dark chocolate for milk chocolate or leave the spices out completely.
The coffee should still be something you enjoy drinking.
That's half the fun of making coffee at home — finding your own version of the recipe.
Brewed for Autumn
Autumn coffee doesn't need complicated recipes or enormous amounts of syrup.
Sometimes it's simply a really good coffee, brewed properly, when it's cold outside.
Whether you're making a flat white before work, experimenting with pumpkin spice at the weekend or wrapping up warm with a freshly brewed coffee, this is a particularly lovely time of year to enjoy it.
If you're looking for a coffee made for the season, try our limited-edition Autumn Blend, freshly roasted here at our Wiltshire roastery.
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