Starbucks Debuts New Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew For Fall

As you might have heard, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte is making its grand return earlier than ever to stores across the U.S. and Canada this year on August 27. But wait, there's more! Also on the 27th, the chain is launching its first new pumpkin beverage since the PSL crowned itself fall's favorite drink 16 years ago.

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Even though the Pumpkin Spice Latte is Starbucks' top-selling seasonal item by leaps and bounds, cold beverages now account for more than 50 percent of the chain's sales; hence the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.

The new limited-time drink is made with cold brew and a squirt of vanilla syrup, topped with pumpkin cream cold foam (regular cold foam mixed with pumpkin spice flavoring) and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping (cinnamon, nutmeg and clove). 

We had the opportunity to preview the beverage, and drinking the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is kind of like taking a bite of someone else's cake because you didn't want the whole slice. There's pumpkin in the cold foam only and a mere dusting of spices on top, so you get just a small taste of those fall flavors (which can sometimes taste like a candle if they're too pungent). A little baby sample of pumpkin spice in the foam is enough to satisfy a moderate craving. And once you've broken through that foam, any trace of those flavors is washed away by the underlying coffee.

There's no pumpkin syrup in the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew aside from what's in the pumpkin cold foam. If you want to go all-in on the pumpkin, you can always add the cold foam on to, say, an iced Pumpkin Spice Latte and proceed to turn into an actual pumpkin yourself. According to a Starbucks spokesperson, the pumpkin cold foam can't be made dairy-free because vegan milks like almond and soy don't yield the same results.

In our opinion, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is a winner. It's certainly not for the PSL-obsessed, but rather those who prefer the taste of coffee over sugar and spice. If you want to try it for yourself, head to Starbucks August 27 when the chain launches its new fall menu, which features the returning Salted Caramel Mocha, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin Scone, Pumpkin Spice Madeleines and Cat Cake Pop. If you are unapologetically excited about these seasonal eats and the inevitable demise of summer, that's just one of many signs you're obsessed with fall.