Fall is arguably the coziest season, the crisp air prompting us to throw on a favorite sweatshirt or blanket and settle in with a good book and warm beverage in hand. Perhaps that’s why it’s a popular time for flavored coffee drinks — pumpkin spice latte, anyone?!
While the PSL and similar beverages may be delicious, many options also tend to lean heavy on the sugar and artificial flavors. That doesn’t need to be the case: With a few strategic swaps, you can still honor your healthy habits while enjoying seasonal treats.
We asked a few Life Time team members and healthy-living enthusiasts at Life Time to share how they order their favorite coffee beverage from the LifeCafe in the fall. Take inspiration and try one of these curations at your local LifeCafe! (Certain ingredients may vary depending on the LifeCafe location.)
Dulce de Leche Latte
Mercedes Morones, LifeCafe leader at Life Time in Shenandoah, Texas
At the LifeCafe at Life Time Shenandoah, we recently started making a take on a “dulce de leche,” (thanks to Constanza Macias, our LifeCafe barista who created it!) which consists of cinnamon roll LTH Prime Collagen Peptides, double espresso, oat milk, and one pump each of vanilla and caramel flavoring. (The vanilla and caramel syrup are Monin products with no artificial ingredients or preservatives.)
This drink combines comfort, sweetness, and a boost of nourishment from the collagen protein. The velvety “dulce de leche” (oat milk and flavorings) melts into the freshly brewed espresso creating a golden, caramel-kissed richness. The collagen dissolves seamlessly into the warm liquid, adding body and cinnamon taste while also supporting skin, hair, nails, and joints. The aroma is warm and buttery, and the flavor is smooth with notes of caramelized milk and roasted coffee.
Power Vanilla Cold Brew
Christopher Pica, LifeCafe lead at Life Time Middletown – Red Bank in Middletown, N.J.
My go-to order is a cold brew with almond milk, two packs of stevia, two pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup, a dash of cinnamon, and LTH Power Creatine. This drink is a perfect midmorning or early afternoon pick-me-up. Plus, I find it helps curb my appetite some.
Vanilla Cold Brew with Spiced Brown Sugar Cold Foam
Erica Speranza, director of operations for the LifeCafe at Life Time
This year we added cold foam to our coffee offerings and that’s been my new favorite! I order a vanilla-flavored cold brew with spiced brown sugar cold foam on top — it’s delicious!
The cold foam is a frothy and creamy topping for iced coffee drinks that’s made by whipping cold milk with a sweet syrup of your choice. We’ll soon be offering protein cold foam (which has 21 grams of protein!) and when that rolls out, I’m looking forward to ordering a protein-packed cold-foam-topped latte.
Vanilla Oat Milk Latte
Stephanie Koperski, director of LifeCafe development at Life Time
My go-to drink in the morning is an oat milk latte with vanilla LTH Prime Collagen Peptides. It’s the perfect balance of comfort and fuel — the taste is smooth and lightly sweet, and it’s packed with protein to keep me energized. I love that it includes collagen, which supports healthy skin, hair, nails, and joints. It’s my favorite way to start the day feeling both nourished and ready to go.
Cinnamon Roll Americano
Anika Christ, RD, CPT, senior director of Life Time Health
I order an Americano with a scoop of the cinnamon roll LTH Prime Collagen Peptides, and then leave room for a little half-and-half. I love it because it delivers a good serving of protein (19 grams), gives me a seasonal dessert-like treat (without any added sugar), and is a perfect pick-me-up without the energy crash that many of the other coffee-shop drinks give me.
