Can You Buy Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Syrup?

The annual return of Starbucks' pumpkin spice drinks serves as a pivotal seasonal marker. Cravings for pumpkin spice lattes before they hit Starbucks' store menus are reasonable, and we understand the desire to try to replicate these sweet, comforting flavors in your own kitchen. While you can sometimes buy Starbucks' syrups from your favorite branch, they aren't always available. The location you visit hoping to purchase a particular flavor to bring home could have low stock so the store staff won't be able to sell any in case they run out for other customers. 

And, unfortunately for lovers of all things pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice syrup is a particular seasonal favorite that cannot be purchased at all. In fact, staff at Starbucks can lose their jobs for selling the syrup to you if they try to slide you a container on the down-low. They're not even allowed to give you a few pumps in a cup. Though you may be able to find Starbucks' syrups and flavors online, these products may not deliver the same kinds of recipes your favorite baristas use to make your beloved Frappuccino and latte orders. Astute connoisseurs of Starbucks' pumpkin-flavored drinks have noticed that any pumpkin sauce products Starbucks has sold to customers aren't the same as the syrup added to drinks in store. This has paved the way for black market finds at extortionate prices, not all of which are reliable. 

While you can find pumpkin-flavored dupes (and many other brands of pumpkin syrup) to pour into drinks and drizzle on top of desserts, you can also set out to make your own classic pumpkin spice latte using actual pumpkin puree, sweeteners like maple or agave syrup, and spices of your choosing. It might not be the exact tall beverage you would receive from a Starbucks barista, but when fierce yearnings strike, this kind of homemade recipe can help take the edge off until you hit your nearest coffee shop for the offical cup when the season starts.

For those determined to find shortcuts to sweet pumpkin spice bliss without having to make anything from scratch, several store-bought pumpkin spice syrups can be splashed into coffee drinks. Take Torani Puremade pumpkin spice syrup, for example. This sweetly spiced concoction is ideal for your morning latte. For those wanting the taste of pumpkin-flavored desserts without the sugar, Jordan's Skinny Syrup in the pumpkin cheesecake flavor offers a sugar-free version that can be swirled into culinary creations. Top off your sweet drinks with dollops of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice powder, and you may actually trick yourself into thinking you've picked up this sipper from your local Starbucks.