When it comes to Starbucks, most people think of coffee and Frappuccinos. Since fall is here and summer has officially ended, the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte has come. In addition to that, Starbucks has a new secret menu item, the Pumpkin Cheesecake Frappuccino, to accompany its infamous fall favorite. I'm a firm believer that cheesecake is its own food group, so I figured I'd give this version a chance, if only to save readers like you from wrecking your taste buds and wallet if it's no bueno.
How to Order It
This is technically a drink that was derived from the secret menu, so most baristas might not know how to make it off the top of their head. When ordering, start off with a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino. Then ask for cinnamon dolce syrup, vanilla bean powder, and white mocha syrup.
If you're ordering a tall, ask for one pump of both syrups and the powder. If you're ordering a grande, ask for two pumps of both syrups and the powder. If you're ordering a venti, ask for three pumps of both syrups and the powder.
If you're like me and prefer to go through mobile ordering, open up the app (duh), and then tap "order" at the top of the window. Select "menu" and then "Frappuccino." After that, tap "Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino."
Then, select which size you want to order and tap "Flavors." Once you're done with that, add in one to three pumps of the cinnamon dolce syrup and the white mocha syrup. Tap the arrow at the top left to go back, and tap "Add-ins." Add one to three pumps of vanilla bean powder.
Once you're done with all of that, tap the top left arrow and then "add item." Proceed with the rest of your order, pay, and pick it up when it's ready at your Starbucks location of choice.
The Cost
Despite the fact that I ordered a little more syrup than the recipe calls for, the price of this drink including tax clocked in around $8 for a venti, which is a lot for Starbucks, but not surprising.
What I Thought...
If you're looking for a review before you buy, here's my take: it tastes alright. It's not the best tasting beverage that Starbucks has come out with, but it's not as atrocious as the Unicorn Frappuccino. The pumpkin cheesecake Frappuccino has a slightly thick texture, but that's to be expected with fraps from Starbucks. If you can get over the fact that it basically tastes like burnt coffee with pumpkin flavoring and whipped cream on the top, then you will be fine ordering and consuming this beverage.
From a general standpoint, the pumpkin cheesecake Frappuccino isn't worth it. It's not tasty enough and is way too sugary for something that expensive, especially given it's basically glorified coffee with flavoring. Save your cash and taste buds and either get something else to drink or skip your Starbucks run for the day.