30 Of The Best Pumpkin Spice Foods And Drinks In 2023
Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice everything has arrived early this year. Summer may still be in full swing, but pumpkin spice foods and beverages began popping up in early August. An annual food craze that rakes in big bucks, to the tune of over half a billion dollars, pumpkin spice heralds the arrival of fall, cooler weather, holidays, and a celebratory vibe that's the kind of contagion worth catching.
While the addition of pumpkin spice, a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and occasionally cloves or mace, didn't begin with Starbucks introducing the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003, it certainly catapulted the seasoning blend to instant culinary rock stardom. Since then, the overwhelming number of new pumpkin spice-themed edibles introduced seemingly daily has skyrocketed.
To help you navigate the wide world of pumpkin spice foods and beverages, we have sampled every item we could get our hands on. We wanted to provide the scoop on what's good, what's hype, and where you should spend your hard-earned money this pumpkin spice season.
1. Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows
Having made homemade marshmallows many times, we may be the wrong audience for store-bought marshmallow brands. This labor-intensive process yields the lightest, fluffiest marshmallows you could ever eat. Despite this bias, we were determined to give the Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows a fair chance.
At first sniff upon opening the bag, the aroma of pumpkin spice is spot on, rife with notes of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. These marshmallows are somewhat daintier in size than what we are used to but have a cute ribbed shape to them. Their flavor is less cloying than expected, with a subtle hint of cinnamon shining through. Though these are denser than homemade, they would be great for a cup of hot chocolate or an autumnal rendition of a s'more.
2. SkinnyDipped Almonds Pumpkin Spice
The SkinnyDipped brand name refers to how this company coats its almonds, cashews, and peanuts, enveloping them with the thinnest possible layer of yogurt or chocolate, making these crunchy snacks delicious and more well-balanced. It uses only natural ingredients, including sustainable RSPO-certified palm oil. The new Pumpkin Spice Almonds are wrapped in a yogurt coating rife with festive flavors like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, and nutmeg. Each 1-ounce serving contains 140 calories, 9 grams of fat, 65 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.
The first thing we noticed when we opened the package was the distinct aroma of cardamom, which gives these nuts an exotic flair. The cardamom translates to the taste of these boldly seasoned almonds, which may not be a classic holiday flavor but is delicious. Where these nuts really shine is their texture, which is crunchy and creamy.
3. Cheerios Pumpkin Spice
As avid Cheerios consumers, we were dubious about this particular combination. We had concerns that the pumpkin spice flavoring would overwhelm the cereal and be too sweet. Fortunately, our fears were unfounded. Pumpkin spice Cheerios are delightful and worth the investment.
Made with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this twist on a classic is delicately seasoned with enough of the spice blend to make its presence known without masking the natural whole-grain oats. The aroma is festive, the cereal is crunchy, and the flavor is warm and inviting, like sitting by a warm fireplace on a brisk fall night. As a bonus, pumpkin spice Cheerios are still a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D and are gluten-free.
4. International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
As creamers go, International Delight's pumpkin spice offering is quite pleasant. It had more of a pumpkin pie crust aroma and flavor than pure pie spice, but that didn't bother us. This gave it an almost nutty undertone that accentuated a well-brewed, strong cup of joe.
The overall flavor of this creamer was more cinnamon-forward than anything else, and it was sweet but not cloying. It also had a luxurious viscosity that stirred well into the coffee. We noted that we needed a double serving of creamer to taste it in the coffee, which confers 70 calories per eight-ounce cup. This is contingent on your unique palate, but of which you should be aware.
5. Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Complete Pancake Mix
We can effusively say that this was one of our favorite pumpkin spice-flavored products we sampled. These Krusteaz pancakes are ridiculously convenient and easy to make. All it requires is adding water to the packaged dry mix. Within minutes, we had fluffy, moist, perfectly browned pancakes without fuss.
The flavor of these was spot on. They were not too sweet, had a hint of pumpkin that wasn't overwhelmingly squash-tasting and contained just enough of the pumpkin spice flavor to reveal itself. We might have enjoyed more of the spice, but we tend to like foods more aggressively seasoned. The texture had a hint of grittiness that was likely a result of the corn flour in the dried pumpkin flakes, but this wasn't distracting. Next time we make these, we plan to add some chopped pecans for crunch and a Thanksgiving pie vibe.
6. Thomas' English Muffin Pumpkin Spice
This pumpkin spice English muffin is a far cry from Samuel Bath Thomas' Original Nooks & Crannies variety invented in 1880. Though the nooks and crannies are there, this muffin was far more tender, perhaps even slightly doughy, comparatively. This may be a by-product of the pumpkin purée included in the muffin batter. It also lacked a hint of the sourdough-like flavor of the original that we love.
The aroma of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice are present, becoming more pronounced as we toasted the muffin. The flavors are sweet but not overly so, with the spices balancing out the mild pumpkin taste. Overall, we found this product well executed, though we preferred topping these English muffins with more savory ingredients, like goat cheese, to help tame the slightly sweet pumpkin flavor.
7. Entenmann's Little Bite Pumpkin Muffins
Introduced as a limited edition seasonal offering in 2012, Entenmann's Little Bite Pumpkin Muffins became an instant hit, getting released earlier every year. We found these delectable little nuggets at the grocery store in early August, which made us ecstatic. Though we generally don't eat a lot of sweets, these are not-so-guilty pleasures we can't avoid.
The thing we love about them the most is how moist they are. Baked goods tend to dry out quickly, but the handy little foil packs that these come in do a bang-up job of keeping them tasting oven-fresh. Their flavor is sweet but well balanced by the strong clove and allspice seasonings, which are potent but ideally suited to our palates. These are terrific pumpkin spice flavors that we will return to annually.
8. Great Value Pumpkin Spice Instant Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a staple breakfast in our home. It is high in fiber, helps us feel full, and gives us energy. But honestly, it is so uninspiring. For the most part, we put up with the bland stuff. The one exception is during the annual pumpkin spice season, when we allow ourselves to indulge a little, investing in something with a hint of extra flavor. Though other brands have pumpkin spice-flavored oatmeal, Great Value is a budget-friendly variety we can find at our local Walmart.
This pumpkin spice oatmeal is on the sweeter side but not to the point of being syrupy. The seasoning is cinnamon-forward in aroma, with cloves and allspice becoming more pervasive once you taste it. We also detect a hint of vanilla that punctuates the spices beautifully. Be sure to thoroughly stir the oatmeal after adding hot water to disperse the seasonings evenly.
9. Dunkin' Pumpkin Spice Ground Coffee
While Dunkin' began in 1950 with a donut shop in Quincy, Massachusetts, it has since expanded its empire by producing high-quality coffee that has generated a loyal fan base. One of the flavors that has garnered a huge following is the seasonal pumpkin spice, which is available both in-store and to brew at home. We picked up a package of pre-ground coffee to try at home.
This coffee, laced with abundant ground cinnamon and nutmeg, captures the idea of pumpkin spice. What it loses in translation is the coffee, which is virtually undetectable once you brew it, even when made very strong. This is common with ground coffee, which loses up to 60% of its flavor within 15 minutes of grinding. One positive about this versus most flavored coffees is that it does not taste synthetic. For our tastes, we will stick to grinding our beans and adding flavored creamer.
10. Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer
This creamer has been Coffee's Perfect Mate since 1961. For this reason, we knew we had to pick up a container of its seasonal pumpkin spice variety. Unfortunately, not every flavor can be perfect, and this was one of those. We had a tough time identifying much by way of pumpkin or spice. The aroma was not too dissimilar to its regular vanilla-flavored creamer.
The texture of this creamer was less unctuous than other creamers, making it blend less effectively with the coffee and requiring two to three servings to add enough creaminess. As far as taste is concerned, while we detected a hint of cinnamon after adding it to our cup of joe, that was about all we tasted. Compared with other pumpkin spice creamers, this was a dud. It was sorely lacking in spices and was bland.
11. Nature's Path Organic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Frozen waffles of any kind are notoriously underwhelming, in our opinion. The idea of a frozen gluten-free waffle made us even more skeptical. Throw in that this is a seasonal specialty item, and we had low expectations. We couldn't have been more wrong. First, these were super quick and easy to prepare, requiring just a few minutes in the oven to reheat.
The texture of these waffles was chewy, had elasticity, was moist, and had a distinct crispy exterior that was delightful. We tasted a hint of graininess, likely from the corn flour, but we enjoyed that juxtaposition in mouthfeel. Its flavor was cinnamon and brown sugar-forward, though not overtly pumpkin spice-flavored. It didn't have much sweetness, which we appreciated. Overall, these are dynamite, and we'd highly recommend them, even if they are not as overtly pumpkin-spiced as we might have enjoyed.
12. Pillsbury Pumpkin Cookie Dough with Cream Cheese Flavored Chunks
If you are looking for a simple, quick, flavorful cookie dough that you can pull out of the refrigerator in a pinch, these pumpkin cookies with cream cheese-flavored chunks were delightful. We baked them according to the package directions in an electric oven for 14 minutes until the edges began to brown and the center of the cookies was still a bit gooey. As they cooled, they set up, creating a chewy and slightly crispy cookie roughly two inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick.
The flavor of these cookies was less pumpkin spice than a cross between a gingersnap and a snickerdoodle, which is a delightful marriage indeed. Though we felt the cream cheese-flavored chunks were few and far between, these were still delicious. They were not too sweet and had lots of cinnamon flavor. We will keep these on hand for surprise guests.
13. Chobani Flip Pumpkin Harvest Crisp
Chobani brand is a gold standard in producing high-quality Greek-style yogurt. The Pumpkin Harvest Crisp Flip pairs seasonal pumpkin spice low-fat yogurt with crunchy oatmeal pastry pieces, creamy frosting chunks, and cinnamon-frosted cookies. Though the idea appeared promising, the execution was less exciting.
The little compartment of crunchy, creamy bits was overkill. They were cloyingly sweet and unnecessary. The flavor of the pumpkin spice yogurt was sweet enough as is with the quintessential sourness of Greek yogurt that we love. It had plenty of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, with just a hint of pumpkin to satisfy our autumnal cravings. We ended up eating the yogurt and throwing away the rest. We'd skip the flip and stick with the plain Chobani pumpkin spice yogurt.
14. Dunkin' Pumpkin Cake Donut
We couldn't complete a round-up of pumpkin spice-flavored food items without including at least one of Dunkin's pumpkin-baked goods. We opted to try the pumpkin cake donut, which we had high hopes for. Unfortunately, we were dismayed by the one we sampled. We think this was location-specific, not the product itself.
The donut we ordered appeared to be a bit stale. The aroma was overwhelmed by the smell of fryer grease. Its flavor was similarly permeated by fryer grease, which indicated that it was not fried at the correct temperature. The texture was less fluffy than is usual for Dunkin' Donuts. If cloves or allspice were present, we did not taste them. All we tasted was some residual cinnamon. We would recommend getting these first thing in the morning when they are fresh rather than waiting till the afternoon.
15. Goldfish Limited Edition Dunkin' Pumpkin Spice Grahams
Those who love the bite-sized crunch of Goldfish and the sweetness of a Dunkin' pumpkin spice donut will adore this mash-up. These little crackers are delicate, crunchy, and super addictive. We could have eaten an entire bag in one sitting, but we restrained ourselves.
The texture of these reminded us less of a classic Goldfish than of an animal cracker. The aroma wasn't overly discernible because of the vacuum-sealed foil packaging. You didn't get the full flavor until you ate a handful. Once we did, the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg began to surface, with a bit of the sweet donut glaze in the background. Though the seasonings did not slap you in the face, they were enough to make you think of fall. Kids and grown-ups will want to make these a regular feature of their seasonal pumpkin spice round-up.
16. Califia Farms Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Oat Milk, Creamer with Almond Milk, Latté with Almond Milk
Califia Farms has a stellar reputation for producing plant-based, dairy-free alternatives for all your coffee and culinary needs. We have previously had great luck with its oat milk creamers and were eager to sample its seasonal pumpkin spice delights, which include an almond milk creamer, oat milk, and a latté. Again, we were not disappointed. Quality is obviously of utmost import to this company, as evidenced by its products.
Though the pumpkin spice flavor shone through in all three of these offerings, our favorite was the latté made with almond milk. It is not overly sweet, has a good quality brewed coffee that isn't shrouded in pumpkin spice flavoring, but still manages to feature the seasoning boldly. This is no small feat. And though the almond milk products are less thick than the oat milk ones, this was thoroughly satisfying, resembling a chai tea latté in spice profile.
17. Rebbl Protein Spiced Pumpkin Pie
The Rebbl brand launched in 2013 to produce beverages curated from ingredients indigenous to Peru, using the ancient medicinal wisdom of native cultures. All products are certified organic, gluten-free, vegan, free of cane sugars or artificial flavorings, and produced with sustainability in mind. And 2.5% of the net sales for every product sold is donated to a non-profit called Not For Sale, which aims to eliminate human trafficking and support survivors.
Its latest innovation is the limited edition Spiced Pumpkin Pie protein drink, which has 16 grams of plant-based protein, ashwagandha, maca, and reishi. Though this beverage should taste healthy, it is delicious. The aroma and flavor are that of a strong chai, fueled by cinnamon and ginger extracts, cloves, and nutmeg. It is sweet but not cloying. It's a beverage that makes us feel festive and like we are doing something good for our bodies and the world.
18. Oreo Pumpkin Spice
Oreo Pumpkin Spice originally debuted in 2014 but seemingly disappeared from circulation around 2017. After a lengthy hiatus, it was re-introduced in 2022, much to the joy of fans worldwide. Thankfully, sales were sufficient to guarantee they made a comeback the next season, and they are now available in stores countrywide.
The cookie itself is made from the Oreo golden base. Its pumpkin element comes from the flavored creme center, with a bright orange hue reminiscent of the puréed stuff in a can. Unfortunately, that's pretty much where the resemblance to anything pumpkin spice or pie-related ends. We attempted to sample the filling alone to see if we could detect anything that tasted like pumpkin pie spice. Sadly, it just tasted like plain vanilla frosting. We would have enjoyed more liberal use of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg. Frankly, these were underwhelming and not necessarily worth the hype.
19. Werther's Original Harvest Caramels Pumpkin Spice Soft Caramels
Debuting in 2016, Werther's Original Harvest Caramels Pumpkin Spice Soft Caramels expanded an already impressive catalog to celebrate the fall season in the sweetest way possible. Though we typically go for the classic hard caramels when we purchase Werther's, we thought we'd give these a try.
These candies are delicious, if not just a tad challenging on dental work. As much as we enjoyed them, we didn't notice anything overly pumpkin spice-like about their flavor. They seemed like quality soft caramels with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. There was nothing about them that tasted like the holidays to us. In the future, we will likely stick with the regular hard candies we love and save our seasonal confection cravings for other brands that go bold with their pumpkin spice flavors.
20. Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Caramel
Speaking of seasonal confections that go bold with pumpkin spice flavors, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Caramel hit the sweet spot for our fussy palates. Ghirardelli is our go-to chocolate for virtually all our needs, from baking to eating to cocoa. The quality of its chocolate is undeniable, and these festive squares are no exception to this rule.
The creamy milk chocolate is delicately wrapped around a gooey caramel center overflowing with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors. We were drooling as we sampled these. The only thing that could make them even better would be if they were made with dark chocolate, which would juxtapose the sweet caramel with even more nuance. That said, these scored a home run.
21. King Arthur Baking Company Pumpkin Spice Donut Mix
Having had great luck using King Arthur Baking Company mixes before, we eagerly anticipated trying these seasonal pumpkin spice donuts. To make this mix into donuts, you must own a donut pan, which not everyone does. The baking mix has instructions on making these into muffins as an alternative, which is what we did.
These muffins were easy to assemble, baked in just 15 minutes in an electric oven, and had a wonderful texture, which would be ideal for a donut. They are moist, fluffy, and tender. Our only disappointment was that they weren't as rich in pumpkin spice flavor or aroma as the King Arthur quickbreads are, both gluten-free and non. That said, topped with some cinnamon sugar or homemade glaze with pumpkin spice, for which there is a recipe on the box, you'd have a festive autumnal sweet treat.
22. Pillsbury Grands! Pumpkin Spice Rolls
Our initial reaction to the Pillsbury Grands! Pumpkin Spice Rolls was to question how these could be that much different from a regular cinnamon roll. Cinnamon rolls inherently have that bright spice that makes them festive from the get-go, so what could this pumpkin spice icing add to make it seem even more autumnal? The answer is not much, but it doesn't matter.
These rolls prepared with Cinnabon cinnamon roll dough are dynamite. They are easy to make, yield enormous fluffy rolls, and taste like they were made from scratch. The pumpkin spice icing boasts plenty of cinnamon and perhaps hints of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, which has some element of the holidays. That said, the overall flavor of the rolls isn't transformed into something completely different. Would we recommend baking these up on Christmas morning? Absolutely. These are a delightful treat for any celebratory breakfast.
23. Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice Latté
We could not do an overview of the best pumpkin spice foods and drinks without sampling the original PSL from Starbucks. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this is the drink that started it all. We have never had one of these before, so we were curious to see if it lived up to the hype. For our money, probably not. A tall latté will set you back a pretty penny, and if we were looking for a caffeine buzz, this did not cut it.
That said, if you want a sweet treat that is more of a dessert with a hint of espresso, this is the drink for you. Does it scream fall? Not really. The pumpkin purée and spices are barely present, masked almost entirely by the amount of sugar. Once you add the whipped cream, you have a belly bomb of a drink, but it is tasty.
24. Kind Thins Chocolate Pumpkin Spice
Kind bars have long been a favorite for a pre or post-workout snack or quick breakfast on the go. We love that these bars are made with all-natural, nutritionally dense ingredients that taste great. The thin bars are even more exciting because they are packed with all the same flavors at just 100 calories a bar. These new Chocolate Pumpkin Spice varieties do not disappoint.
These bars are crunchy, chewy, and peppered with hints of allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin, and dark chocolate. They are just the right balance of sweet and savory. If we were being nitpicky, we felt the peanuts slightly overpowered all the other flavors in this bar. This didn't bother us because we like peanuts. We just wanted more of the pumpkin spice flavor to shine through. That said, we love these new seasonal bars.
25. Swiss Miss Pumpkin Spice
Diving into a hot cup of Swiss Miss cocoa is like walking down memory lane. This was the cocoa of our childhoods, slightly watery yet tasty, especially when topped with mini marshmallows. We were eager to relive that childhood with this limited-edition Swiss Miss Pumpkin Spice flavor, and we were not disappointed. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised.
The flavor of this chocolate is far richer than we recall it being in the past. That may be because of the 23 grams of sugar, 46% DV, in each packet. Nonetheless, the flavor of this cocoa was super chocolatey, and it had a delightful hint of pumpkin spice flavor that begins subtle and grows as the cocoa coats your tongue. The predominant spice present was cinnamon, with perhaps a hint of cloves. We made this into a grown-up beverage by pairing it with coffee to create the ultimate fall-flavored mocha.
26. My Mochi Ice Cream Pumpkin Spice
Mochi is a delicate cake made from pounded, steamed, short-grained rice. They are a tradition in Japanese culture that has evolved to myriad formats, including those surrounding ice cream. The My Mochi brand expands on this tradition, encapsulating ice cream made from milk obtained from cows that are not treated with rBST.
Its pumpkin spice flavor combines this ice cream with a pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and crumbled graham crackers. These get coated with chewy, delicate mochi dough for a delicious and intriguing sweet treat. This mochi is as close to tasting like pumpkin pie in an ice cream delivery format as possible. And each mochi is only 80 calories and is gluten-free. We love these and can't wait to dig into the rest of the container.
27. Halo Top Pumpkin Pie
Halo Top is a brand of light ice cream designed to have fewer calories and sugar and more protein than its classic frozen treat counterparts. Its Pumpkin Pie flavor has just 360 calories and 16 grams of protein for a whole pint of ice cream, which is great because it is delicious, and you may want to eat the entire thing in one sitting.
This luscious ice cream contains pumpkin purée, cinnamon, and allspice for the perfect fall delight that will become a favorite. The texture of this ice cream is so velvety it is almost chewy. It also has a distinctly nutty aftertaste that we very much enjoyed. Our only disappointment is that this ice cream contains wheat and is not gluten-free. Otherwise, it is a fabulous pint of ice cream we can feel good about eating.
28. Kodiak Cakes Flapjack & Waffle Mix Pumpkin
Kodiak Cakes is a brand known for producing delicious and nutritious breakfast offerings with whole grains and protein. We sampled its Pumpkin Flapjack & Waffle Mix, which can be prepared as is or turned into muffins or blondies. We followed the basic instructions for making the flapjacks, which involved adding water to one cup of the mix.
We found the batter for this extremely thick, which made it a bit challenging to cook. The flapjacks took a while to cook and were on the dense side once finished. Their aroma was pleasantly rich with pumpkin spice notes, like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. This didn't carry through to their flavor, which tasted like a plain pancake. They were a bit of a belly bomb, which is fine when eaten before physical activity but perhaps too heavy for a simple fall Sunday brunch.
29. Siggi's Pumpkin & Spice
Since 2005, Siggi Hilmarsson has been producing Icelandic-style yogurt, known as skyr, stateside. Compared with traditional American yogurt brands, this product is higher in protein, lower in sugar, low-fat, and loaded with live active cultures. The Pumpkin & Spice flavor has the delightful addition of pumpkin purée, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg for just a hint of fall.
This yogurt is similar to the Greek iteration. It is thick, rich, and creamy. The flavor is slightly sour with just a hint of sweetness. The spices are present but not overwhelming, and the vanilla offers a delightful, nuanced flavor. It is smooth going down and a wonderful treat for a healthy and easy breakfast that is both satisfying and delicious. We give this yogurt a resounding A+ grade.
30. Entenmann's Pop'ems Pumpkin Donut Holes
Entenmann's has been delivering delectable baked goods since 1898. Its latest limited-edition Pop'ems Pumpkin Donut Holes are here just in time for the cooler fall weather. If you love donuts and all things pumpkin, then you might just dig these little bite-sized beauties.
Upon opening the package, the aroma didn't scream pumpkin and instead was more of a cross between sweet donut glaze and fried dough. The texture was tender and quite moist. The flavor profile of these donut holes is pumpkin-forward, with hints of cinnamon poking through. They were incredibly sweet, which can be off-putting to some.
Each four-piece serving has 240 calories, 13 grams of fat, 29 carbs, 18 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Those with food allergies should note that the donut holes contain wheat, soy, milk, and egg.