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Pumpkin Spice Latte At Starbucks

Most Of Us Don’t Really Drink That Many Per Season

DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Save $ and Calories!

If we were to believe the countless #PSL mentions on Twitter and Instagram, it would not be unreasonable to assume that the masses are probably: a. Living at Starbucks, and b. Draining their savings accounts to support their habit. But does the social media hype really line up with the statistics?

Yes and no. Yes, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is Starbucks most popular seasonal drink, and a huge number of them have been sold. And yes, according to The NDB Group, a global information company, a consumer purchasing a Pumpkin Spice Latte does tend to spend more money per transaction, thanks to food add-ons. However, when it comes to frequency of purchase, a small percentage of consumers actually buy multiple PSLs in one season. They say 72 percent bought just one, about 20 percent bought two, and, surprisingly, only eight percent bought three or more. Basically, we all like to talk about our love for the #PSL more than we like to actually buy them.

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August 25 is not a day that is particularly known for feeling especially crisp or autumnal in most parts of North America. And yet its the day in 2020 the earliest release date so far that Starbucks chose to ready its blazing orange jugs of pumpkin sauce and unleash its annual run of pumpkin spice lattes upon its customers.

Youd be forgiven for mistaking this tone for one of disdain. Since its inception in 2003, the pumpkin spice latte has become something of a straw man for discussions about capitalism, seasonal creep, and the meaning of basic, resulting in widespread hatred for an otherwise innocuous beverage.

For example, back in 2014, at the height of pumpkin spice mania, this very website described the PSL as an unctuous, pungent, saccharine brown liquid, equal parts dairy and diabetes, served in paper cups and guzzled down by the liter even though clearly the pumpkin spice latte is a highly delicious treat that pairs well with wearing vests and making dorky comments about how crisp the air feels today. Yes, it contains 380 calories yes, it will make your coffee a rather unappetizing orange color no, you should not guzzle it down by the liter.

Questions You May Have

Whats in Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte?

In a grande drink, theres 2% milk, 4 pumps of pumpkin sauce, 2 shots of espresso. The drink is topped with vanilla whipped cream and pumpkin spice topping.

Whats in pumpkin spice topping?

There are 4 spices in the pumpkin spice topping at Starbucks: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove.

Is pumpkin spice sauce the same thing as pumpkin spice syrup?

Sauces contain dairy and theyre thicker than syrups. Both the sauce and syrup contain pumpkin puree.

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It’s Addictive As Proven By Science

What exactly is it about the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte that makes us weak in the knees? For that answer, we need to look to the brain. According to Today.com, who spoke to NBC News Health and Nutrition Editor, Madelyn Fernstrom, there are three reasons we can’t quit the PSL.

  • Fat + sugar = bliss. Fernstrom says that the combination of fat and sugar basically do a dance on our taste buds and cause flavors to be more intense, particularly the nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. Add in a hefty dose of salt, or as Fernstrom calls it “nature’s most powerful food enhancer,” and those flavors are amped up even more. Bottom line: “People love tasty drinks. And taste is number one on why people choose foods,” she said.
  • We just love fall, plain and simple. We associate the season with holiday traditions and flavors, and when we smell or taste those telltale autumnal spices contained in a PSL, our brains connect it to happy memories.
  • The buzz why else? We know that caffeine addiction is a real thing, and our brains tell our bodies to revolt if we don’t get our fix. The energy boost we get from a PSL keeps us coming back for more.
  • What Actually Is A Pumpkin Spice Latte

    Starbucks New Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Will Taste the Same

    A Pumpkin Spice Latte is a combination of Starbucks Espresso Roast, pumpkin pie flavored sauce and steamed milk, topped with delicious whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices, according to Starbucks website.

    Fortunately, Starbucks lovers can also make the drink at home, as their website offers step-by-step instructions on how you can put together the drink yourself.

    First, you will need to make the Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup. Here are the ingredients:

    • 1½ cups sugar
    • 2 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 4 Tbsp pumpkin purée

    Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When all the sugar is dissolved, add the cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and pumpkin purée. Let simmer for 20 minutes before removing from the heat and immediately straining through a cheesecloth.

    To make a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, you will need the following ingredients:

    • 1cup whole milk
    • 1oz brewed Starbucks® Espresso Roast or Starbucks® Espresso Roast
    • 3Tbsp Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup
    • 1/2cup whipped cream
    • 1pinch pumpkin pie spice

    Place the Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup into a mug, followed by the hot espresso. Stir together and fill the mug with heated frothed milk until ¾ full, then top with whipped cream.

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    It Doesn’t Always Win Taste Tests

    It’s hard to imagine that ardent fans could ever choose another pumpkin-flavored coffee over their beloved Starbucks PSL, but it happens more often than you might think when put to the test against competitor’s lattes.

    Cosmopolitan conducted a blind taste test using pumpkin spice lattes from Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, and McDonald’s, and the results will come as a shock to true Sbux PSL lovers. Overwhelmingly, Starbucks ranked dead last, with tasters noting its similarities to a candle. “Imagine taking a pumpkin spice candle, melting the wax into a liquid, and then mixing said liquid with warm milk that is what drinking the Starbs PSL tasted like to me. Not here for it,” said one taster. The winner? McDonald’s, by a landslide.

    In a similar test conducted by Las Vegas Review-Journal, tasters routinely chose lattes that weren’t Starbucks, with even 7-Eleven besting the apparent front-runner in one case. One taster remarked upon the reveal, “I think I’m surprised by the Starbucks, because I just… I don’t know… I thought it would be better.” Ouch.

    How To Make A Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte

    Step 1 Combine the sauce and coffee Once you have all your ingredients you just need to put them together in your favorite mug or cup. Start with the pumpkin sauce or syrup and then stir in your hot coffee. The hot coffee will help dissolve the pumpkin sauce.

    Step 2 Add the steamed milk Steam your milk and then pour it over top of the coffee/syrup mixture. To do this you can bring milk to an almost boil on the stove top. Remove and froth with a milk frother. Top with whipped cream and a dash ofpumpkin pie spice.

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    Have You Ever Taken A Look At Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte Ingredients

    AP/REX/Shutterstock

    Before 2003, you knew fall was around the corner when leaves began turning, back-to-school items popped up in stores, and the temperature dropped. Today, however, those things hardly matter. Its not fall until Starbucks starts selling its pumpkin spice latte.

    Need your PSL fix right now? Heres how we make them at home.

    Whether you like a good PSL or not, you cant deny that the world just cant get enough pumpkin spice. Since their creation, Starbucks has sold 350 million of its famous lattesthats more pumpkin lattes than there are people living in the United States. Not many PSL fans actually know whats in their drink, however, so we broke down the ingredients to find out how much pumpkin is in that to-go cup. Heres whats really in a pumpkin spice latte, listed from the greatest quantity to the least.

    Ingredient #1: Milk

    OK, no surprise here. Plenty of Starbucks beverages are actually more creamer than they are coffee, including the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Unless otherwise specified, Starbucks uses 2% milk to give you that rich, creamy flavor. Even if it seems odd that the biggest ingredient in this beverage is milk, the good news is that all that dairy delivers 40 percent of your daily calcium!

    Ingredient #2: Pumpkin Spice Sauce

    Ingredient #3: Brewed Espresso

    This is where you get that energetic buzz. Theres roughly 75 milligrams of caffeine in a tall PSL, comparable to half a cup of coffee or two cups of black tea.

    Ingredient #4: Whipped Cream

    Marketing Lessons From Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

    Food Theory: How Pumpkin Spice Killed Coffee! (Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte)

    Look to the person on your left. Now look to the person on your right. One of those two people bought a pumpkin spice flavored item within this last year.

    In 2017, one in three people picked up something pumpkin-y, propelling the pumpkin-infused industry into a $361 million dollar business. And the most popular pumpkin product of all? You guessed it: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Today, that velvety flavor of Fall has elevated Starbucks spicy sips to a whopping $500 million craze!

    The PSL has become the #1 selling seasonal drink of all time, with over 200 million being sold since its inception. To the PSLs cult followers, its more than espresso with flavored syrup it represents all things fall. In fact, Starbucks specialty latte has become so popular that the beverage has its own Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

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    Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte

    One of my all time favorite drinks from Starbucks is the pumpkin spice latte. There is just something about sipping your first PSL of the fall season. It makes me want to put on a sweater and boots and walk through a pile of leaves.The pumpkin spice latte was invented by a Stanford graduate who was working at Starbucks at the time. It debuted in 2003 and quickly became one of the most popular seasonal drinks.

    The Starbucks pumpkin spice latte is combination espresso, steamed milk, fall spices and whipped cream. Its basically fall in a tall, grande or venti sized cup.

    Summer Be Damned Starbucks’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Has Officially Landed

    While it might not look like fall outside your window, Starbucks is signaling the start of the season with the return of its *drum roll please* pumpkin spice latte! Starting Aug. 24, you can sip on the delicious coffee drink made with steamed milk and flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove all fall season long. Snag it hot, iced, or blended depending on your mood and the chill factor outside it’s up to you!

    Alongside its highly coveted pumpkin spice latte, Starbucks is also bringing back its pumpkin cream cold brew as well as some seasonal favorites like a pumpkin cream cheese muffin and a pumpkin scone, so prepare your tastebuds for a full-blown pumpkin awakening.

    Keep in mind that fall doesn’t officially start until Sept. 22, so we’re getting these special treats almost a whole month in advance . And if you’re local Starbucks is too far off the beaten path, you can make one for yourself at home. Now, bring on the cold weather!

    Image Source: Starbucks

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    Pumpkin Spice Lattes Are Back On The Menu

    The Starbucks fall menu is finally out, and we can confirm that the Pumpkin Spice Latte will be back on August 24 this year, along with a number of other delicious pumpkin-y goodies, including, yep, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. If it seems a little too warm to indulge in a PSL already, you can always order it on ice!

    Dont forgetyou can also get that sticky sweet syrup in just about any beverage you buy from Starbucks. Other popular variations include the Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte, the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino and, if youre looking for a kick of caffeine, ask for a little of the good stuff in your Americano for a small upcharge.

    Are There Other Pumpkin Beverages From Starbucks

    Homemade Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe (with Video)

    There sure are! And you’re in luck because I have copycat recipes for both of them. The first one that’s been around for many years is the Copycat Pumpkin Pie Latte, which is basically like drinking a piece of pumpkin pie. Totally decadent. The other beverage is a chilled one: the Copycat Pumpkin Frappuccino. This one is also so delectable, thick and creamy. Enjoy all three any time of year now that you can easily make them at home!

    Up next, try the 20 best Starbucks copycat recipes!

    Check out:

    • 1 large/grande Servings

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    Be Exclusive And Current

    One thing everyone knows about the PSL is that its seasonal. Despite pleas from fans, Starbucks has held fast to its transience and created a cult following that thrives on the exclusivity of its product. This gives the Pumpkin Spice a velvet rope, VIP feel. You can incorporate this by launching an exclusive service that you offer during a specific time frame, season, or holiday. Make it a point to acquire honest feedback about how that service or campaign went over and improve it for the next year, if its worth repeating.

    Dont be afraid to evolve your brandor your products

    New Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Flavored Ground Coffee

    Available now where groceries are sold nationwide, this new fall coffee features Starbucks lightest roast coffee with notes of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a splash of cream and a bit of sugar to evoke the familiar flavors inspired by the handcrafted Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. The suggested retail price is $9.99 for an 11-ounce bag.

    This year, customers will have six ways to enjoy the flavors of Starbucks PSL where groceries are sold as the new offerings join returning favorites Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffe Latte K-Cup® Pods, Starbucks® Iced Espresso Classics Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks VIA® Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte and Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® Chilled Coffee Drink. For more info about Starbucks At Home coffee offerings in Pumpkin Spice, read a Fact Sheet here.

    Starbucks first launched the handcrafted Pumpkin Spice Latte at stores in 2003 and this fan-favorite beverage has since become Starbucks most popular seasonal beverage of all time. Enjoy these Starbucks Pumpkin Spice offerings and stay tuned for news about the return of the handcrafted beverage.

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    The Backlash Is About Our Anxieties Around Capitalism

    The fact that the pumpkin spice latte which, to many, conjures the scents and imagery of Thanksgiving is released in increasingly hot weather year after year is often touted as an ominous harbinger of the evil forces of seasonal creep. Its agricultural revisionism! argue some, citing the fact that pumpkins arent actually in season until autumn proper.

    A viral John Oliver clip from 2014 declares as much, noting that that bottle of pumpkin-flavored science goo sits behind the counter of Starbucks, never aging, like Ryan Seacrest:

    Perhaps in response to such criticism, in 2019 Starbucks released its second pumpkin spice beverage since the PSLs introduction, but this time, its cold. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is a vanilla cold brew with pumpkin cold foam and topped with pumpkin spice, which CNBC describes as less sweet and has a stronger coffee taste than a pumpkin spice latte.

    The success of the PSL is also largely responsible for the barrage of pumpkin spice-flavored everything else, including cream cheese, dog treats, Kahlua, and an especially wacky seasonal crossover, Peeps. There have also been air fresheners, deodorant, even Four Loko , resulting in the expected amount of hand-wringing about a food trend gone too far.

    What Its Made Of

    The Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Latte

    Starbucks pumpkin spice sauce is made of 2% pumpkin puree, condensed milk, sugar, and less than 2% vegetable and fruit juice, natural flavoring, annatto , potassium sorbate , and salt and is used in fall favorite beverages such as the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. The pumpkin puree is the most important ingredient, followed by the condensed milk.

    On the other hand, Starbucks pumpkin spice syrup consisted of sugar, sweetened condensed nonfat milk, condensed nonfat milk, natural and artificial flavors, annatto color , and caramel color , potassium sorbate , and salt. Sugar was the most important ingredient in this syrup.

    The Pumpkin spice sauce wins as far as ingredients are concerned. In addition to all that the syrup contains, it also has real pumpkin puree.

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    Starbucks Fall Menu And Pumpkin Spice Release Date Leaked On Social Media

    Its that time of the year when we try to hold on to the last gasps of summer, even as we look ahead to Pumpkin Spice everything season at places like Starbucks and Dunkin. With stores dropping their Halloween and Autumn merch as early as the beginning of July, is it any surprise that people want to know when the Fall menu and especially the Pumpkin Spice Latte are returning to Starbucks.

    Luckily for us, it seems like the official Starbucks Fall menu with release dates has been leaked online. And we have Insta-foodie to thank for this!

    In the post shared by one of our favorite social media foodies, we learned that the Fall menu will be returning to Starbucks locations nationwide on August 30.

    So what can we expect starting at the very end of August?

    It Doesn’t Really Launch Earlier And Earlier Every Year

    You’re not imagining it: The PSL does consistently launch in the summer, specifically late August and very early September. Sure, fall starts on September 22, but since 2011, the official launch of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has happened no later than September 8 still summer. But is it happening earlier and earlier each year, as media outlets tend to proclaim every August? No, it’s not. Business Insider tracked the PSL launch date over the years and since 2015 it has actually been released later than years prior. Sorry, media, you’re going to have to find something new to complain about.

    Even if this rumor were true, there is no shortage of those willing to drink a fall-flavored coffee no matter what the temperature or season. Sa’iyda Shabazz, a PSL-lover in Los Angeles, told NBC News, “There is something so inherently fall about pumpkin spice. Even when it’s 100 degrees outside, it can make you think of cool weather, the leaves changing colors and boots.” Who votes for year-round PSLs?

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