Reviews: Pumpkin Spice, Round 1

Pumpkin Spice Latte

@Starbucks

$5.85

This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means I receive a small commission if you click on and buy through the links in the post. The Amazon website and Amazon affiliate links have the same product prices

Fall has arrived, it is time to pumpkin spice up your life! Ok, I was listening to Oprah’s latest interview with Elizabeth Gilbert. Side note: if you have any interest in developing your personal creativity and have not read Big Magic ; read it *Amazon affiliate link*. Sometimes I wish Elizabeth Gilbert was my Inner White Girl.

I’m more of a sporadic Oprah Super Soul Sunday and Podcast listener than a regular Book Clubber. So I was surprised to learn that the book club is “now presented by” Starbucks. And there are drink pairings with the book selections. Who knew?  The pairing with Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest literary offering is Pumpkin Spice Latte. Or apparently it goes by PSL now. I haven’t had a Pumpkin Spice Latte since the early 2000s, when it first came out. Two plus decades later, I have no memory of what it tasted like. And if Oprah says to do something, well…I shall do thy bidding, my Master.

A short (8 fl oz) Pumpkin Spice Latte standard recipe consists of 2% Milk, Milk Foam, Steamed Hot Milk, Whipped Cream, Pumpkin Spice Topping, Pumpkin Sauce (2 pumps), Signature Espresso (1 shot). I customized to Whole Milk.

The cinnamon smell hit me first. The drink overall appeared to have a slight orange/pumpkin tint. The online nutrition information revealed that the pumpkin sauce does in fact have real pumpkin puree in it. Hooray for real ingredients!

The coffee/espresso taste is dominant but it was deeply softened by the sweetness of the whipped cream and pumpkin spice sauce. However, coffee is a strong flavor. I don’t think there was enough pumpkin in the standard recipe for it to have a true presence. There were some very mild, barely there, soft floral notes. Though real pumpkin tends to be more earthy than floral. This probably came from the “natural flavor” and not the actual pumpkin. Which I didn’t mind. Ultimately, the pumpkin spice topping and pumpkin spice sauce were just the opening act and back up dancers for the espresso.

Glad I re- tried it: Yes

Would I buy it again: Possibly, with some customizations

Pumpkin Streusel Muffin

@Costco

$6.99

There are many Costco bakery items I have watched from afar over the years. But what am I going to do with a gabillion muffins and a cheesecake the size of a rug. However, this Fall I have found myself wanting a solid pumpkin muffin, cakey something. And after a little freezer Tetris, I am now the proud owner of several Cinnamon Streusel muffins. You read correctly, cinnamon streusel. I know the label says pumpkin. So do the ingredients.  

This was definitely a decent Cinnamon Streusel muffin. Maybe I got a batch where they forgot the pumpkin. Or maybe it wasn't mixed well. So I had a second muffin for science, of course. I'll be generous and say that I got some very faint sweet potato notes. Think sweet potato pie.

Anyways, the muffin itself was light with a nice crumb. The streusel was sweet and crunchy. The strongest flavor was the cinnamon. Every now and bite I got a little tickle in the back of my throat. I think that might have been the ginger. I found myself wishing the muffin was a little moister. Perhaps some pumpkin could have helped with that, just saying. Or if they wanted to fill it with cream cheese, I wouldn't have been mad at that either.  All well. On to other pumpkin iterations!

Glad I tried it: Yes

Would I buy it again: Not this specific variety of pumpkin muffin

Entenmann’s, Little Bites, Pumpkin Muffins

@Target

$3.99

Maybe some ultra-processed, tiny pumpkin muffins will hit the spot? Well, the classic Entenmann muffin base was there. Sweet, great mouth feel, and almost melts in your mouth.

Tastewise, I got equal parts spice and pumpkin. The spice seemed to be nutmeg forward. And I actually got just a teeny, tiny little bit of a graininess in some bites. Which to me, was a good thing. I always appreciate the experience of real ingredients and the texture of real spices can be grainy.

The Pumpkin had some floral notes to it. So similar to the Pumpkin Spice Latte, I'm guessing that was the natural & artificial flavors versus the actual pumpkin in it.

Acceptable I suppose, but I'd rather have the flavor of real pumpkin enchant my taste buds. The search continues…

Glad I tried it: Yes

Would I buy it again: No