I Tried Pumpkin Spice Lattes From The 5 Most Popular Coffee Chains, And Here's My Definitive Ranking As A Former Barista
Hi! I'm Dannica, and I was a master barista and trainer at Starbucks for four years. To prove my expertise, I recently did a full-on taste test of Starbucks' 2023 new fall menu items, and they did not disappoint (surprisingly). Now, I'm back on Pumpkin Patrol™ to tackle what I would consider to be one of the most important taste tests of the season — trying and ranking pumpkin spice lattes from worst to best from some of the most popular coffee chains in America.
I'm from Southern California, so even though we don't really get a traditional autumn, we still like to pretend that 72-degree weather is ideal for a hot PSL and a beanie.
I'll tell y'all right now that I literally felt drunk by the end of the day. Don't ask me why I didn't get decaf or half-caff, because my quail egg-sized brain forgot that was even an option. I felt like a sugar and caffeine-stuffed piñata by the time the night ended. Even so, Pumpkin Patrol ended up being a success! I ended up going to five popular coffee chains: Dunkin', Starbucks, Peet's Coffee, Krispy Kreme, and Dutch Bros.
Each place had its own version of a pumpkin latte, so here's what I got in addition to the prices for a hot small size:
• Dunkin' — Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte ($4.29)
• Starbucks — Pumpkin Spice Latte ($6.45)
• Peet's — Pumpkin Latte with Oat Milk ($6.10)
• Krispy Kreme — Pumpkin Spice Latte ($4.09)
• Dutch Bros — Zero Sugar Added Pumpkin Pie Latte ($5.25 for a medium because Dutch Bros had this deal going on that made me upgrade from a small to a medium size, LOL.)
To welcome fall with open arms, I only tried the hot versions of these drinks and did so without any modifications. Here's the professional rubric I made up to judge the drinks:
OK, without further ado, here is my ranking of pumpkin spice lattes from worst (unfulfilling, kinda sad, meh) to best (amazing, spectacular, I feel like I'm in Gilmore Girls):
5. KRISPY KREME — Made with 2% milk by default, Krispy Kreme's PSL uses a limited-release Pumpkin Spice coffee blend that features notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This drink comes iced or hot and is supposed to be topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spice seasoning.
Krispy Kreme was the last stop of the day, so at this point, I was delusional and pumpkin spice-fatigued. I was smiling through the pain.
Alright, so...I don't mean to throw a fit, but the menu photo and the description said that the drink would come with whipped cream and topping, so imagine my surprise when I popped the top off and saw this:
Now, I normally don't get whipped cream so this wasn't a big deal, but I personally thought this PSL was sad-looking. However, the milk looked great. When steaming milk for lattes, the ideal texture is for the milk to look like wet paint — bubble-free and glossy with a smooth layer of micro-foam. If we were solely talking milk, I would put this cup of coffee in the top two for sure, but unfortunately, we're not.
Upon first sip, the pumpkin pie flavor definitely slapped me in the face. I was fairly surprised by the first sip because it had a great flavor, but the more I drank, the heavier it felt. It was overwhelmingly sweet, and I was starting to think maybe it was a good thing the whipped cream wasn't on there. I honestly don't think I could judge the espresso because of how sweet it was; the pumpkin pie sauce was so overpowering that I almost forgot I was drinking a latte!
TBH, I probably wouldn't get this drink again, simply because I think there are better options out there. However, coming out at $4.09, it is the most affordable PSL on this list!
OVERALL SCORE: 2/5 🎃
I would not parade around a small Vermont town admiring the fall foliage with this drink in hand, but I would take a donut.
4. DUTCH BROS — Dutch Bros offers a pumpkin pie latte that uses sugar-free pumpkin pie sauce. Made with 2% milk and Dutch Bros' bold and nutty Private Reserve Blend, this drink is topped with whipped cream and comes iced or hot.
For anyone interested, Dutch Bros has a couple of seasonal fall drinks on their menu! They had this deal going on when I went, so I ended up basically trying all of them. Definitely get the Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée Freeze if you're looking for a dessert-like drink.
I have to say...I was rooting for Dutch Bros, but alas, my taste buds were not. The biggest qualm I had with Dutch Bros' Pumpkin Pie Latte was that I could barely taste the pumpkin. Whereas the Krispy Kreme PSL felt like I was front and center at a pumpkin party, the pumpkin pie flavor in this Dutch Bros drink was simply nowhere to be found. But also, look at it — sad! I was glad it came with whipped cream, the lack of sprinkles or anything to add color to the appearance of the drink was not giving me the fall vibes I anticipated, especially since the other fall drinks came with some sort of festive topping.
Don't get me wrong, the espresso is delicious. It was smooth, not super bitter or sour, and had a nice mellow flavor to it. I think part of why Dutch Bros espresso is so good is because they pull ristretto shots, meaning there's a higher ratio of coffee to water. Ristretto shots take less time to extract since less water is used, which in turn produces a more concentrated espresso shot with a sweeter flavor profile. If I wasn't ranking these PSLs, I'd probably just call this a good cup of coffee and call it a day, but I can't lie and say I wasn't disappointed with the lack of flavor.
I also think the milk could have been steamed a little longer because it wasn't very frothy after the first couple of sips, but that's just me being really nitpicky. I wish there was some form of topping or maybe some caramel that was included in this drink to make it a little more presentable and give it a little more oomph, because the other seasonal drinks I got had a lot more goin' on! Like, I get this is supposed to be a sugar-free option, so maybe if you ask for some modifications, it would give a little more pizazz. But the espresso slayed for sure.
OVERALL SCORE: 3/5 🎃
I would choose this as my drink of choice if I were trying to pull an all-nighter and needed something to keep me company, but I would not drink this while frolicking through Vermont.
3. STARBUCKS — My alma mater, the great siren herself. Starbucks' iconic PSL is the Regina George of PSLs because every other seasonal drink wishes it could be as popular and well-known as her. Made with a default of 2% milk and a thick pumpkin sauce, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is topped with whipped cream and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping.
One time, I made this customer a PSL, and she returned 10 minutes later and said, "Can I get a new drink? This tastes like pumpkin, and I just wasn't expecting that."
One thing about the Starbucks PSL is that she's gonna be orange. I'm unsure how many pumps of flavoring go into the other coffee shops' drinks, but the amount of pumps Starbucks uses in their latte build ensures that it's almost always going to be sweet. I can appreciate that Starbucks doesn't skimp on the flavor, and of course, you're free to modify your drink, but the PSL as-is is just a little too sweet for my taste. However, the pumpkin sauce has a nicer, almost delicate taste compared to Krispy Kreme, and I think the flavor blends really well with the espresso.
Let's get into this milk...it was either the barista didn't groom the milk (swish it around and tap the pitcher to pop the excess bubbles) or they just didn't aerate it long enough. The aeration is what causes the micro-foam, which is what you want for a latte build. The longer the milk is aerated, the foamier the milk is going to be (long aeration is for drinks like cappuccinos). Doing this successfully results in a smooth and creamy texture, which gives a beautiful and airy mouthfeel. Kind of like what we saw with the Dutch Bros coffee, the texture of the milk wasn't consistent the more I drank it. But, like, if I'm being honest, the pumpkin sauce is tasty enough to pardon this.
As for the actual espresso, I know from experience that Starbucks' shots can be inconsistent; when it's busy, sometimes the baristas have to care more about speed than quality. This time around, though, it was good! Starbucks Signature Espresso is a dark roast with notes of molasses and caramel, and I think those flavor notes really complement the pumpkin spice sauce. Since the PSL is a sweeter drink, I think the dark roast espresso is an excellent pairing and really helps balance out the flavors. Aesthetically speaking, I really enjoy that Starbucks takes pride in how their drinks look, and I just think the Starbucks PSL is such a fall staple and icon that its popularity speaks for itself. BUT the price?!?!?!? A small was a whole $6.45, which I think is wild.
OVERALL SCORE: 3.8/5 🎃
If I had enough stars to redeem a free PSL, then I'd definitely carry this drink around with me to keep me warm from the crisp Vermont autumn air nipping at my skin. But I would not pay $6.45 for a small if there were other, more affordable options around.
2. DUNKIN' — This may be a shock to some (East Coasters), but this was the first time I had coffee from Dunkin'! I know "America runs on Dunkin'," but I was nervous. However, the Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte from Dunkin' really won in terms of being ~different~. Made with a default of 2% milk, this latte includes pumpkin sauce, vanilla syrup, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, AND cinnamon sugar. And the best part? It was $4.29.
Are coffee sleeves something you have to request nowadays? Because the only place that gave me my cup of joe with a sleeve already on it was Krispy Kreme...
Considering its ranking on the list, you already know that I loved it. You should also know that I was fairly surprised that I loved it since the receipt for the drink said everything that was in the recipe, and I was concerned that the latte came with vanilla syrup and caramel drizzle already. I was expecting it to be super sweet and heavy like the Krispy Kreme PSL, but no! It was actually a perfect blend of flavors!
I don't know about y'all, but this looks gorgeous to me. Whoever my barista was, you slayed. The milk was frothy perfection, it had just the right amount of caramel drizzle on top, and the cinnamon sugar was actually so good! I actually prefer a PSL to be topped with a cinnamon sugar mix rather than a pumpkin-type seasoning, and this drink solidified that. The pumpkin flavor itself was rich and paired super well with the vanilla. Honestly, I think what makes this drink work well is that all the ingredients are properly proportioned. I didn't feel like there was too much of one particular flavor, and really thought all the components worked pretty harmoniously. The only thing that I found kind of strange was that there would be an almost smoky flavor sitting on my tongue toward the end of a big sip. It might have been the espresso, but TBH, I was enjoying myself too much to really be too judgmental about it.
Speaking of the espresso, I liked that I was still able to discern the coffee flavor and that it wasn't hidden behind all the other components of the drink. It had a pleasant flavor profile that wasn't too bitter, sour, or weak, and I just thought the drink as a whole was well-balanced and delicious! It also blew my mind that I only paid $4.29 for it.
OVERALL SCORE: 4/5 🎃
Fittingly enough, I would for sure go to one of the many Dunkin' locations that probably reside in Vermont and take a PSL with me on a date to take fall photos. Then I would probably go to Canada and get a cup of Tim Horton's.
1. PEET'S — The Pumpkin Patrol winner! This stunning pumpkin latte from Peet's uses their Espresso Forte blend, which is a dark roast with bold and rich flavors. Made with pumpkin sauce and topped with baking spices, this latte was created beautifully and was also a winner for my stomach since its default milk is oat milk (thank god).
OK, so with oat milk, this latte is $6.10, but without oat milk, the cost of this drink is $5.30. I thought it was weird that the drink was advertised to already be made with oat milk, but then they still charged me for adding the oat milk to the drink. TBH, even though this latte is pretty pricy, I wouldn't hesitate to pay for it!
Peet, whoever you are, thank you. To the barista who made my drink, you have magic hands. I don't know if I just drink shitty coffee on the daily, but this was one of the best lattes I've ever had. The milk was steamed to absolute perfection, the espresso was delightful and so robust, and the pumpkin flavor was light, slightly sweet, and earthy.
The specks of spice, the bubbleless milk, the creamy texture — OMG. This drink was everything I wanted a PSL to be. It's a basic build, but the quality is outstanding.
I 100% drank this whole cup, and this being the coffee I tried right after Dutch Bros, the contrast between the two lattes was so apparent by the milk alone. The barista frothed and incorporated the milk with the espresso so well that every sip until the last felt like it was the first. There was such a lovely and light mouthfeel the whole time I was drinking, and what I loved the most was how the pumpkin flavor in this recipe wasn't so blunt and in-your-face, but was more like a whisper or a caress. If I'm being frank, I think I trashed the Dutch Bros PSL that I didn't finish to make room for the Peet's.
OVERALL SCORE: 5/5 🎃
If I had this drink in my hand in the middle of a crisp October evening in a small, fall-decorated Vermont town, I would probably consider that to be my peak form. This drink is festive yet sophisticated, and I imagine myself holding it as I clumsily bump into said small town's misunderstood yet handsome outcast. Sparks are felt, conversation starts, and romance ensues.
Whew, even recalling the Pumpkin Patrol experience I feel jittery. I want everyone to know that no, I didn't end up sleeping well, and yes, that was definitely a lot of sugar. Let's just say I woke up the next day feeling bloated and hungover. Even so, I had so much fun, and it was the biggest pre-game for spooky season that I've ever had. Of course, everyone likes their coffee differently, so if you want to go do your own Pumpkin Patrol, feel free (but bring a lot of water and maybe don't do it all in one day like I did)! That said, I do think that every PSL from these coffee chains has tons of appeal for different reasons.
Here are my pumpkin spice superlatives:
• Most Affordable — Krispy Kreme's Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Best Value — Dunkin's Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte
• Best Drink for Those With a Sweet Tooth — Dunkin's Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte
• Best Drink for Those Looking for Sugar-Free: Dutch Bros' Pumpkin Pie Latte
• Best Espresso — Peet's
And remember, you can always ask to modify your drink if needed!
