Starbucks' Fall Menu Features Seasonal Twists On Classic Favorites

You know it's coming every year, but that doesn't dampen the excitement of Starbucks' fall menu. The big reason for the anticipation is always the return of all things pumpkin spice, and this year there's even more fanfare than normal because 2023 marks the 20-year anniversary of the debut of the iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte. Fittingly, Starbucks has a whole host of fall-themed items lined up for the celebration, including some new treats, with the seasonal menu launching this Thursday, August 24.

The 2023 Starbucks fall menu is highlighted by two new drinks, the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the brand's latest pumpkin creation, an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte. Returning drinks include the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte (available hot, iced, or blended), and the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. They're joined by the hot Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. For seasonal snacks there's a new baked apple croissant, which will be featured in pastry cases alongside returning favorites including pumpkin cream cheese muffins and owl cake pops. And if that isn't enough pumpkin spice for you, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice coffees and creamers are also available in stores right now.

Fans of Starbucks whole coffee beans can enjoy the return of Guatemala Casi Cielo, along with two new Starbucks Reserve coffees from Vietnam and Malawi. And as usual, there will also be a new line of fall mugs and drinkware available for purchase.

While you have a lot of choices this fall at Starbucks, the focus will understandably be on the two new drinks. The Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte is a chai-based variation on the popular Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, swapping out the coffee for a spiced chai tea and mixing it with pumpkin cold foam and a pumpkin spice dust. Interestingly, it was inspired by customizations ordered by customers, similar to a move the company made earlier this year with the Frozen Lemonade Refreshers.

In a press release sent to Tasting Table, Starbucks beverage developer Billy Altieri says, "We're excited to celebrate the creativity of our baristas and customers by offering the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte on the official fall menu," further noting that the pumpkin flavor blends perfectly with the creamy, spicy chai base. That makes plenty of sense as chai shares a lot of the same spices with the Starbucks pumpkin spice mixture, including cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The cold foam featured in the drink is also made using real pumpkin puree. Starbucks may not have invented pumpkin spice, but certainly made it the star it is today, and the new iced latte sounds like a fitting tribute to the original drink's 20th anniversary.

Pumpkin spice may get most the attention, but autumn also means apple season, and the company hasn't forgotten people who prefer the crispier fruit. The new Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is based on Starbucks' Blonde Espresso. It has apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar flavors, and gets topped with oatmilk. Altieri calls it "the warm, gooey taste of apple crisp paired with a cup of coffee." Starbucks' shaken espresso line of beverages debuted in 2021 and has stayed popular; these drinks get their signature light texture from the aeration that comes from shaking espresso and different milks together. If you liked the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato in previous years, the new drink sounds like a creamier, more milk-forward variation. The apple flavor in the drinks comes from an apple brown sugar syrup, which was a new addition for the fall menu rollout last year.

As always, the Starbucks fall menu is available for a limited time and usually runs until November 1, so if you're excited to try the new drinks, you have plenty of time to do so. And who knows, maybe, like the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato last year, these new menu items will be popular enough to become permanent fixtures of the fall menu lineup.