The Easy Chocolate Upgrade For Your Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
It's that time of year again; summer is winding down, the days are just a little bit shorter, and before you can say "equinox," pumpkin spice latte season is in full swing. There's nothing like a cup of coffee paired with that unmistakable (and omnipresent) blend of warming spices on a cool autumn morning to make you feel the coziness of fall. Does it get any better? Well, actually it does — when you add the rich, dark flavor of mocha to your pumpkin spice latte.
Pumpkin spice blends are a little bit different everywhere, but they typically consist of a combination of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. We think that Starbucks has defined the blend. However, its perfect marriage of spices is easily elevated to a new level of comfort food exaltedness with the addition of chocolate — and Starbucks' mocha syrup easily meets this particular brief.
A match made in tastebud heaven
The pumpkin spice latte is Starbucks' most popular seasonal drink and in 2023, the beloved beverage celebrated its 20th birthday as it returned to the menu on August 24 to kick off the company's fall season. With over 600 million PSLs sold since its creation, it isn't hard to see why. For those of you who can't get enough of the PSL, you can enjoy them year-round at home with the right recipe.
Starbucks offers plenty of variations on its pumpkin spice latte, many of which incorporate a chocolate spin. You can order the classic hot PSL with the addition of two to three pumps of mocha syrup (for grande) for a simple cozy beverage that's the drinkable equivalent of eating a chocolate chip pumpkin muffin. Or, you can enjoy this combo iced in a slightly more caffeinated form with the double pumpkin cream cold brew with two to four pumps of mocha syrup (depending on your taste and size of your drink).
For a unique twist on the chocolate pairing, you can give the pumpkin spice white mocha a whirl. Simply ask for a grande pumpkin spice latte with two pumps of white chocolate mocha sauce and two pumps of pumpkin spice sauce with whipped cream and pumpkin spice topping.