Fall season is coming a little early this year! And you know what that means, right? I got two words for you: pumpkin spice. It’s that time of the year again when every fast food chain is coming up with brand new menu items that feature one of the coziest flavors known to man.
Pumpkin spice wasn’t actually all that famous until Starbucks made it a yearly tradition back in 2003. Since then, it has become a billion dollar industry. With the market pretty much being saturated with tons of pumpkin spice flavored items, it can get a little overwhelming to decide which ones to get. Which is why we’ve gathered all the best pumpkin spice items you can’t miss this season. So, here are the top 15 must-try pumpkin spice menu items this fall.
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15. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew – Starbucks
Let’s start off with the one that started it all. Starbucks is bringing back the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew this year as part of their pumpkin spice lineup. It was first introduced back in 2019 and has since become a fan-favorite for people who want something pumpkin spice flavored but isn’t all that sweet. It’s made with Starbucks’ signature cold brew, pumpkin cream, and topped with pumpkin spice topping. It’s an excellent drink and definitely should be on everyone’s must try pumpkin spice menu items this year. Starbucks has always been great at using pumpkin spice to its full potential so you can expect that this won’t be the only entry from them on this list.
14. Pumpkin Spice Iced Capp – Tim Hortons
Short for Iced Cappuccino, Tim Hortons’ famous Iced Capp is one of their signature drinks. This is a creamy blended drink made with coffee, milk, and ice. It’s all blended together in a way that has people describing it as a frozen coffee drink. There are plenty of Iced Capp flavors, but one of the best ones is its seasonal fall option, the Pumpkin Spice Iced Capp. The Pumpkin Spice Iced Capp is a great twist on the classic beverage that retains everything we love about it but enhanced with a rich pumpkin spice flavor It’s topped with whipped cream and another sprinkling of pumpkin spice.
13. Pumpkin Espresso Shaker – Caribou Coffee
Caribou Coffee is slowly making their mark in the pumpkin spice scene thanks to two new pumpkin drinks coming to their menu this fall. Out of the two of them though, the Pumpkin Espresso Shaker is the clear standout. Pumpkin flavored coffee is a staple during this season, so there’s a whole bunch of them out there. What makes Caribou Coffee’s take so special? Well unlike some of the pumpkin drinks out there, Caribou Coffee’s Pumpkin Espresso Shaker is made of real pumpkin sauce. It’s extracted from pumpkin and blended with their own mix of fall-inspired flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It’s mixed with their famous espresso to create one of the best drinks this season.
12. Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte – Dunkin’
Dunkin’ and Starbucks is shaping up to have some sort of mini-rivalry. Back in the summer, they both tried their best to one up each other by both releasing two part summer menus. While we don’t for certain if Dunkin’ is going to be releasing a part 2 of their fall menu this fall, they sure are upping their game when it comes to their pumpkin spice drinks. For years now, Dunkin’ has been reintroducing this seasonal favorite during the fall. The Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte combines their famous rich espresso with the flavors of the season like pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s a comforting, indulgent, and, most of all, delicious drink to sip on as the days start to get cooler. You can enjoy it hot or iced making it a pretty versatile drink to enjoy.
11. Pumpkin Pie Blizzard – Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen recently dropped their fall menu and I must say, there are tons of great new Blizzard flavors that we’re raring to try. But we all know that the one flavor everyone is looking forward to is DQ’s pumpkin-flavored offering this season. Dairy Queen brings back their famous Pumpkin Pie Blizzard this year in a move that reminds us why they’re the best at mixing flavors with vanilla soft-serve. The blizzard has all the makings of a classic fall-inspired treat with pumpkin pie pieces and a mix of different spices associated with the season like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. They’re all mixed together with their vanilla soft-serve and it’s topped with whipped cream plus a sprinkle of nutmeg.
10. Pumpkin Cheesecake Sundae Dasher – Carvel
While Dairy Queen is still definitely the “queen” of pumpkin spice flavored ice cream, Carvel just might have a chance to claim the throne for themselves. They became famous for their unique style of soft-serve that features a layer of distinctive “crunchies.” It’s basically what helped them earn the reputation of being America’s freshest ice cream. This fall, they’re releasing their own lineup of pumpkin-flavored products that all make us of their new Pumpkin Cheesecake. Out of all them though, the Pumpkin Cheesecake Sundae Dasher stands as the must-try item. This ice cream blends vanilla soft-serve with real pumpkin cheesecake pieces, topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Definitely one of the best desserts you have to try this season.
9. Pumpkin Pie Custard Treat – BurgerFi
With pumpkin products getting released earlier and earlier each year, we might as well start calling August Aug-tober. Cindy Syracuse, Chief Marketing Officer of BurgerFi, would certainly agree. This year, BurgerFi dropped two new Pumpkin Pie Desserts that will make us fall for fall even harder. For this list though, we’re going with the Pumpkin Pie Custard Treat as the must try pumpkin item from them this season. The Pumpkin Pie Custard Treat sounds like the perfect fall-themed dessert. It includes layers of Vanilla Frozen Custard, real Pumpkin Pie, and a drizzle of Caramel. It’s simple and delicious. In other words, it is simply delicious.
8. Iced Pumpkin Spice Matcha – TOUS les JOURS
How do you make a pumpkin spice drink even better? By making it dairy-free, sustainable, and adding matcha! Matcha might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I can guarantee that almost everyone has a thing for pumpkins. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be getting all these pumpkin flavored stuff, right? TOUS les JOURS is taking a bold step by combining matcha with pumpkin spice resulting in the Iced Pumpkin Spice Matcha. This is without a doubt an invigorating blend. It perfectly blends matcha and pumpkin spice together and served over ice. If you’re looking for something new to try that you can only enjoy this season, make it this one. Plus, you can even oat milk-based pumpkin spice cream to make it even more indulgent.
7. Pumpkin Pie Turnover – Arby’s
Arby’s may be more known for their sandwiches but this year, they’re making a name for themselves in the pumpkin spice space. Arby’s just dropped their seasonal dessert that perfectly captures the spirit of fall. Introducing the Pumpkin Pie Turnover. This turnover has a buttery pastry crust filled with a spiced pumpkin pie filling. It has notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger which complements the sweetness of the pumpkin. On the outside, it’s topped with a drizzle of icing to make it even sweeter. Lately, Arby’s has been making an effort to make their seasonal items better. The release of the Pumpkin Pie Turnover is definitely a good step in the right direction.
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6. Pumpkin King Cream Donut – Paris Baguette
We’ve had a couple of pumpkin-flavored pastries so far. But this is the first time that a donut is gonna be appearing on this list. Paris Baguette, the traditional French bakery with Asian-inspired flavors and techniques, came up with this seasonal twist on a classic donut. The Pumpkin King Cream Donut is a soft donut filled with pumpkin custard and topped with powdered sugar. The donut itself is pretty light and fluffy which is great because it complements the creamy pumpkin custard filling. It’s one of those must try pastries and would pair well with any of the pumpkin spice drinks we’ve seen so far. This may be the first pumpkin donut on this list but it definitely isn’t the last.
5. Pumpkin and Creme Pie – McDonald’s
We can’t go through a list of Pumpkin flavored treats without mentioning McDonald’s and their seasonal menu offerings. They have three items coming out this fall but the highlight is definitely the Pumpkin and Creme Pie. McDonald’s has always been famous for their signature pies and over the years, we’ve seen them drop some pretty unique flavors. The Pumpkin and Creme Pie has two distinct fillings all encased in McDonald’s signature deep-fried crust. On one side, you got the spiced pumpkin filling with hints of other flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. On the other side, you have a vanilla-flavored creme which adds a sweet creamy texture. Together, they all combine to make one of the best pumpkin spice items this season. It’s no wonder that this recurring menu item became a fan-favorite ever since it debuted back in 2011.
4. Pumpkin Pie Concrete – Freddy’s
Concretes are absolutely amazing! They’re like thicker and richer versions of regular ice cream plus they usually have tons more fix-ins and toppings. Freddy’s may be more known for their steakburgers but you shouldn’t miss out on their custard treats. This season, they just dropped their entry for the mandatory pumpkin spice menu item. Freddy’s Pumpkin Pie Concrete takes your favorite concrete and combines vanilla frozen custard with a slice of pumpkin pie, complete with a butter, flaky crust. It’s topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon. It has a nice balance of flavors thanks to the actual slice of pumpkin pie mixed into it. If you’re looking for a new frozen dessert to try that captures the spirit of fall, you can’t go wrong with this one.
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3. Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut – Krispy Kreme
We’re nearing the top of our list but there are still tons of pumpkin spice items coming out that we want to cover. We’re only focusing on the best of the best so you can be sure that you won’t be missing out. Next up, we have Krispy Kreme‘s Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut from their Essential Pumpkin Spice Collection. Look, it’s Krispy Kreme. We know that they always bring it when it comes to their themed collections. We have yet to receive anything from Krispy Kreme that actually disappointed us. The Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut is a good ol’ fashioned cake doughnut that has the flavors of pumpkin spice. The dough itself is infused with pumpkin and a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s glazed in a sugary coating that complements all the other flavors that went into it.
2. Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake – IHOP
We haven’t really had any breakfast items so far in this list but that’s set to change because of IHOP‘s latest Pancake of the Month. September is usually the time we see all the pumpkin spice flavors drop and IHOP decided to hop in the trend in a big way. They’re releasing the Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake this month. It’s made with four pumpkin spice pancakes topped with maple glaze, cheesecake mousse, and whipped cream topping. It’s definitely a celebration of all the fall flavors we know and love. It’s an elevated take on the classic pumpkin spice pancake plus it pairs really well with IHOP’s other pumpkin spice item, the Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam Cold Brew.
1. Pumpkin Spice Latte – Starbucks
And the top spot of course, belongs to everyone’s favorite seasonal drink during fall. At number one, we have Starbucks‘ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Could it really have been anything else? This is the very drink that started the whole pumpkin spice craze in the first place. Back in the day, pumpkin spice was sort of a niche flavor that you enjoyed during the fall. But Starbucks and their Pumpkin Spice Latte came out and started a cultural phenomenon. It turned pumpkin spice into a billion dollar industry. Since then, pumpkin spice has practically become a fall tradition with tons of other fast food chains, brands, and restaurants following suit. Once September rolls around every year, you can expect tons of pumpkin spice-flavored items coming out. And it wouldn’t be possible without Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. This seasonal beverage is a blend of espresso, steamed milk, and their own unique pumpkin spice sauce. It’s topped with some whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon for more flavor.
So if there’s ever a drink you just have to try this season, it has to be this one. Whether you’re a fan or you’re trying it for the first time, Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte is basically a rite of passage every fall. Apart from the cooler temperatures and leaves turning brown, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a great signal that fall is finally here. Plus, it also pairs well with another pumpkin flavored item from Starbucks, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin.
