Ever since the birth of the Pumpkin Spice latte from Starbucks, every single food and drink company has jumped onto the bandwagon of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, pumpkin spice flavored. When October comes around all these notoriously "basic" flavored things emerge, just calling out at us pumpkin lovers and even haters to try. These products are found from local supermarkets, to even the mothership of Whole Foods and Trader Joes. As much as I would love to try everything pumpkin spice flavored known to man, I tried a select few products from Big Y supermarket to really see if they deserve the "True Pumpkin Spice Seal of Approval" (patent pending).
1. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Pumpkin Scale: 2/5
Tastiness Scale: 2/5
I was so surprised by this one. Starbucks, WHY? My immediate reaction to this was the calorie and sugar content: 42 grams of sugar? 270 calories? I'm not sure what's going on in this little bottle, but whatever it is, it's not right. I served the drink over ice as instructed, and upon first taste it was bitter and had an off-flavor. That off-flavor had a bit of a pumpkin essence, but not what you'd expect from the normal Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. There wasn't much of a "spice" flavor, and if weren't for my roommate tasting this drink with me, I would've reported the pumpkin levels to be closer to a one. I had to try it a couple times to really taste the pumpkin, but I just couldn't get over that initial bitter flavor. Maybe the drink would taste better warm? Unfortunately, it was a bad start to the taste test, but I didn't let that stop me from trying everything else. I'm low key hoping Starbucks won't come for me if they read this...
2. Tazo Chai Pumpkin Spiced Latte
Pumpkin Scale: 2.5/5
Tastiness Scale: 4/5
Although Tazo ranks low on the pumpkin scale (due to the more prominent chai taste), taste wise, it's one of the top rankers of this list. Chai is actually so underrated, and the convenience of buying it pre-made makes it all the better. Chai literally translates to "tea", but the signature chai flavor itself comes from a perfect blend of cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamon. You definitely can't beat homemade chai, but Tazo makes a pretty good cup of chai, best served over ice and a little milk. This Tazo falls on the sweeter side of the chai spectrum, so if you're looking for something to balance it out, a good shot of espresso (according to Mandy Ennis from Spoon Tulane) should tone down the sweetness, as well as give a caffeine boost! Win, Win!
3. Pumpkin Spice Milano
Pumpkin Scale: 2/5
Tastiness Scale: 3/5
I was actually pretty surprised at this one. Normal Milanos along with Brussels are my top Pepperidge farm cookies, but the pumpkin spice flavor fell short of their normal standards. The cookie lacked in not only the pumpkin flavor, but also overall mouthfeel and flavor. The cookie is pretty average unfortunately, so if you are looking for a pumpkin cookie fix, I'd check out Trader Joe's infamous Pumpkin Pepitas Cookies, or go the DIY route found here on Spoon. Sorry Pepperidge farm, maybe stick to the classics. #sorrynotsorry
4. Lindt Lindor Pumpkin Spice Truffles
Pumpkin Scale: 0.5/5
Tastiness Scale: 2/5
Lindt! What happened? There was literally no "irresistibly smooth pumpkin spice truffle filling". So, so disappointed. First of all, I really think something happened over at the Lindt factory because even the chocolate quality wasn't that great. After trying this truffle a couple times, I can't eat the full truffle anymore; I mean its not horrible, but personally its way too sweet and leaves an off after taste. Try again, Lindt.
5. Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Caramel
Pumpkin Scale: 0.5/5
Tastiness Scale: 2/5
You too Ghirardelli, I know you're better than this! Basically non-existent pumpkin flavor mixed into a really sweet chocolate; on top of that the caramel was also very sweet. This chocolate isn't too bad though, but definitely not for someone looking for a strict pumpkin chocolate. I definitely think to balance out all the sweetness, Ghirardelli could've made the move towards dark chocolate, but that's just me.
6. Pumpkin Spice Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Pumpkin Scale: 5/5
Tastiness Scale: 5/5
This stuff straight up tastes like pumpkin pie filling. Very mellow but prominent pumpkin taste, perfect for bagels, toast, waffles, whatever your heart desires; even on its own (if you're into that). Philadelphia always hits the mark when it comes to their cream cheese flavors, and they certainly did it well with this one. You go Philadelphia, keep doing you.
7. Pumpkin Spice Chobani
Pumpkin Scale: 1/5
Tastiness Scale: 3/5
Chobani usually does a great job with their different flavors, and after just trying their delicious maple flavor, I expected a pumpkin spice explosion, but sadly Pumpkin Spice was MIA. This yogurt just tasted like normal plain yogurt with a slight pumpkin taste. I didn't hate the yogurt, but it wasn't that special compared to their other flavors. The plus side is that its not overly sweet, which can be expected for flavored yogurts. This yogurt would probably be better for the low key pumpkin lovers, or a base to mix in other toppings.
8. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios
Pumpkin Scale: 3/5
Tastiness Scale: 3/5
Cheerios did a pretty decent job with this one, although I expected a bit more pumpkin flavor, but I'm not mad. The cereal tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios, with a touch of pumpkin flavor, best served with your choice of milk. It's a pretty subtle pumpkin cereal, so if you're looking for a stronger pumpkin flavored cereal, I'd check elsewhere..I still love you Cheerios!
9. Turkey Hill Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Pumpkin Scale: 5/5
Tastiness Scale 5/5
I've never tried Turkey Hill ice cream before, and after my roommate gave good reviews about it, I was already expecting something pretty good. But wow, this ice cream really exceeded my expectations. A perfect combination of pumpkin ice cream with a sweet and crunchy graham cracker swirl, it was more than I could've asked for in a pumpkin flavored ice cream. It wasn't overly sweet, it had perfect creaminess, and it really aced that pumpkin spice flavor. I even added some crushed Oreos into it the second time I ate it and it was even more delicious. This ice cream is the absolute BOMB and I highly recommend it to both pumpkin lovers and even haters; maybe after eating this ice cream the haters will change their mind to this misunderstood flavor... #pumpkinsspicesquad