Life
Did you know the quintessential fall coffee drink — the Pumpkin Spice Latte — was not originally intended for autumn at all? That's right: before it was even known as a PSL, the Pumpkin Spice Latte was dropped as a member of the holiday drink menu. Later it became a fall feature, and has since become bar none the most popular seasonal beverage sold by the chain. All this is to say: pumpkin is way more versatile than you think, so feel free to mix it up. In fact, here are seven other Starbucks drinks you should add the Pumpkin Spice Latte syrup to, if you're feeling particularly bold this year.
As is the case with most of the yummy drinks at Starbucks (or any other coffee shop), the flavor of the drink comes from a sweet syrup. So if you're looking to inject some fall flavor into another one of your favorite Starbucks drinks, you absolutely can. In fact, if you ask nicely you can add some to any beverage you please — hot or iced. Mocha? Definitely. Iced tea? Absolutely. Just some steamed milk or hot water? Kind of a strange idea but nothing is stopping you! Some combos would definitely taste better than others, though, so consider trying a pumpkin spiced version of these favorites.
Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino
Pumpkin pie spice, the main flavor profile for both pumpkin pie and the PSL, is a mix of allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and — you guessed it — cinnamon. If it's not PSL season, try this icy blended frappuccino to get your cinnamon fix. It is a mix of Starbucks' signature cinnamon dolce syrup, coffee, white chocolate mocha sauce and vanilla bean, and finished with whip and cinnamon sprinkles.
Ultra Caramel Frappuccino
Few flavors go hand and hand like pumpkin ad caramel; ask any baker you know. The Ultra Caramel Frap, a newer addition to the permanent Starbucks menu, is a caramel coffee-flavored base sandwiched between two layers of cold brew whipped cream and squirts of caramel throughout. Jut imagine how indulgent it would be with yet another flavor added to the mix.
Cafe Vanilla Frappuccino
The Cafe Vanilla Frappuccino is perhaps the most classic selection on Starbucks' extensive frap menu. A mix of vanilla bean powder and iced coffee, this sip is like a fancy adult-version of a milkshake. Or, if a milkshake and an iced coffee had a baby. However you want to describe it, the Cafe Vanilla Frappuccino is delicious, sweet, and refreshing — and a perfect pumpkin spice primer, if you're up for a twist.
Caramel Coffee Cheesecake Frappuccino
For pumpkin heads in the UK, definitely take advantage of the Caramel Coffee Cheesecake Frappuccino. It is a mix of caramel and coffee cheesecake mix, finished with whipped cream and topped with cookie crumbles. This idea isn't all that original, though, as a pumpkin cheesecake frappuccino menu hack made rounds last fall.
Horchata Almondmilk Frappuccino
What the PSL is to fall, the Horchata Almondmilk Frappuccino is to summer. The sweet, relatively new sip is made from a mix of coffee, almondmilk, caramel, cinnamon dolce syrup, vanilla, coffee frappuccino syrup, and is topped with whip. Traditional horchata is a Mexican beverage made from rice, milk, cinnamon, and sugar, so this frap is like a caffeine-filled, altered version of it — and you can alter it even more with some sweet pumpkin syrup to boot.
Iced Vanilla Bean Coconutmilk Latte
Just added to the year-round cold coffee menu is the summery vanilla bean coconutmilk latte. Pumpkin and coconut may not strike one as the most obvious flavor marriage, but when before have you had the opportunity to mix the two? Give it a (literal) shot — Bath & Body Works sure did this year, and it's already been a hit.
Peppermint Mocha
This one is kind of a no-brainer. The second-best seasonal drink of Starbucks' is the Peppermint Mocha — a rich flavorful combination of chocolate, coffee, and mint. Do these flavors go well with pumpkin? If your local Starbucks happens to still have Pumpkin Spice Latte syrup on hand when the Peppermint Mocha comes back, there's only one way to find out.
