Why Starbucks’ New Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Is Superior to the Pumpkin Spice Latte

samantha leffler
sep 7, 2019

There's a new pumpkin-flavored drink on the Starbucks menu!

On Aug. 26, Starbucks announced its famed Pumpkin Spice Latte (aka the PSL) was getting a pumpkin pal called Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew—a drink that combines the chain's cold brew coffee with vanilla, pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping. A day later, both drinks debuted on the coffee chain's fall menu for a limited time. Immediately, many who tasted the new beverage took to social media and remarked that it was worthy of all the fanfare. Some people even went so far as to say that the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is superior to the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Skeptical of all this hype? Scroll down to see why we believe the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (PCCB, for short) could replace the PSL as fall's tastiest (and trendiest!) beverage.

It Tastes Really, Really Good

As someone who's never really bought into all the general pumpkin spice hype (I could probably count on one hand the number of Pumpkin Spice Lattes I've had), I was a bit skeptical about trying Starbucks' latest pumpkin-centric offering. However, my fears were allayed after I took my first sip. This drink is good. Like, really good. While I've always found the PSL to be cloyingly sweet and a tad too potent, this drink has the perfect balance of coffee and sweetness, and just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. The seasonal, familiar notes are subtle, but they're definitely there. If the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a sweet, naive high school freshman, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is the seasoned, more mature high school senior.

 

Even Pumpkin Spice Skeptics Will Have a Hard Time Not Liking It

Like I said, I consider myself to be neutral towards pumpkin spice (at best) and a pumpkin skeptic at worst. If you're excited to welcome fall, but don't want to greet the season with what is essentially a slice of pie in liquid form (Note: That's not necessarily a bad thing, just different) this is the drink for you. The subtle hint of pumpkin in the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is enough to get you to break out a plaid scarf and a pair of Ugg boots, but not strong enough to make you sick of the autumnal flavor before the season has officially begun.

 

It's Made for Instagram

Unlike the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is most frequently ordered hot and therefore served in a typical Starbucks cup, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew tastes just as good iced as it does hot, meaning you have the opportunity to get the cold version of the beverage in a clear, plastic cup. This means, that unlike the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is an Instagram-worthy drink. When iced, the thirst-quencher sports a dreamy, pastel orange hue that needs no filter to look social media-ready and downright delicious.

 

It's Totally on Trend

The Pumpkin Spice Latte made its debut in 2003, making it 16 years old. While it's still tasty, it's not exactly on-trend in 2019. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (a drink that combines cold brew coffee and pumpkin cream cold foam) however, is as on-trend as it gets in this day and age.

 

It'll Give You a Nice Energy Boost

When I took my first sip of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, I was struck by the dominant caffeine taste juxtaposed with the hint of pumpkin. Basically, it seemed like the reverse of the PSL, which, to me, always seems overly sweet and flavorful upfront with a whisper of coffee. When I compared the nutrition facts of the two drinks, my first impression was confirmed. A tall Pumpkin Spice Latte (made with whole milk and the requisite whipped cream topping) boasts 39 grams of sugar and 75 milligrams of caffeine. In contrast, a tall Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (which isn't made with whipped cream or added milk) has 17 grams of sugar and 145 milligrams of caffeine. In other words, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is stronger yet not as sweet as the PSL.

 

And It's Healthier

When comparing the exact versions of the two drinks mentioned above, another fact was painfully obvious: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is "healthier" (relatively speaking) than the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The PSL boasts more sugar, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and carbohydrates when compared to the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Not surprisingly, the PSL also has 330 calories to the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew's 140 calories.

 

For more Fall content, click HERE for a list of crossbody bags you need for the new season.

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