Norman coffee shops prepare to serve fall drinks, baked goods

Sep. 25—Fall is finally here, and coffee shops around Norman are beginning to release their seasonal drinks and sweets.

Some fall-themed drinks are already back on menus at Norman coffee shops, and more will be released in the coming weeks. We've compiled a list of some offerings from locally owned shops around town to give Normanites a taste of the season.

Sweater weather & drinkable pie

Michelangelo's Coffee & Wine Bar, 207 E. Main St., has four unique fall drinks, including two inspired by the tastes of Thanksgiving dessert.

Their pecan pie latte blends praline, vanilla, caramel and toffee — a concoction that may remind someone drinking it of the traditional American sweet dish.

The pumpkin pie latte combines cinnamon, with pumpkin and white chocolate.

While pumpkin drinks may be the big seasonal seller at many coffee shops, co-manager Rachel Byrd said Sweater Weather is their fall hit. The drink — best served hot, according to staff — is a trio of chai, espresso and gingerbread.

Autumn Leaves has cinnamon, vanilla and caramel drizzle. The fragrant drink is aptly named, with contrasting light and brown hues reminiscent of fall.

Byrd said pumpkin sauce, pumpkin pie syrup, gingerbread and caramel pecan are available as additions to any drink. All of the fall drinks at Michelangelo's can be served hot, iced or blended.

Cider, maple and 'moon milk'

Oklahoma-based StellaNova has a considerable variety of traditional and craft fall drinks, in addition to sweets.

Krista Cater, manager of the Norman location, 1415 W. Main St., said sales of pumpkin flavored drinks and ciders are beginning to pick up, with fall officially here as of last week.

"Of course we have the classic pumpkin spice latte, and you can get that iced or hot," Cater said.

Cater said their pumpkin spice frappe is always popular beginning in September, as well as their pumpkin spice cold foam that people can add to cold brews.

Maple and toasted cinnamon syrup, released last fall for the first time, can be added to any drink.

"The most popular is the toasted cinnamon cold foam cold brew," Cater said.

For cider lovers, StellaNova has passion apple, classic apple and caramel apple ciders.

Perhaps the most unique and colorful drink on the fall menu is the Magic Moon Milk. Cater said the halloween promo drink is made from a butterfly pea flower base.

"It's similar to macha, but it looks like a full moon because it's blue," Cater said.

Warming fall flavors

Gray Owl Coffee, 223 E. Gray St., will release their seasonal drinks next month, but Norman residents wanting a taste of the season early can grab last season's fall drink year-round.

Co-owner KT Murray said until Thanksgiving, their seasonal focus is all about pumpkins and "warming spices."

"In the fall, we stick to a lot of pumpkins, so we do pumpkin bread and brownies," Murray said. "Our autumn spice latte is along the same lines as a pumpkin spice latte, but we make our syrups here, so it's a blend of spices that you find in the fall, like cinnamon and nutmeg."

The french toast latte was a fall seasonal item last year, but due to its success, it's now an all-year offering.

"People really love it," Murray said.

The upcoming months are the busiest times for the shop, Murray said.

"Coffee is always great, but I think people get really excited about being inside and being cozy," Murray said.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.