I feel like nothing screams moody and *basic* fall vibes more than pumpkin spice and chai tea from Starbucks. The names alone make me nostalgic for the days of Taylor Swift wandering around New York with Jake Gyllenhaal sipping lattes and being tender (#rip that relationship). I wanted to make a beverage that would combine the flavors of both into one, insane fall treat, and here’s the barista-approved Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea.
If you follow these tricks, you’ll be able to get this crazy fall drink without annoying your baristas. If you’re lucky, they might even spell your name right.
The Order
It’s so simple, you can even do this on your Starbucks mobile-ordering app. Basically, it’s a chai tea latte with pumpkin spice sauce, and it combines the best of both worlds with sweet and spicy notes.
The order is as follows, “a chai tea latte with pumpkin spice sauce.” The pumps of sauce coincide with the size of drink you are ordering: three pumps for a tall, four pumps for a grande, and five pumps for a venti. You can obviously customize your pumps based on personal preference, but that’s the standard.
Additionally, you can decide whether to order the Classic Chai Tea Latte or the Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte, depending on how sweet you want your drink to be. I personally prefer the Lightly Sweet version because the aftertaste is a bit less intense than the OG edition, but both are yummy fall beverages that deserve all of the claps.
This drink has some more chai latte elements than the PSL, because you’re not going to get the whipped cream and pumpkin topping signature of a pumpkin spice latte if you order it like so. However, you can always add these on if you want a bit sweeter of a treat.
The Taste
I don’t want to say that this drink tastes like fall in a cup because that’s so extra, but it really does. You get some warm notes of nutmeg and cinnamon from the chai combined with the rich and creamy pumpkin sauce for the perfect fall treat. Don’t judge me for saying this, but this drink is truly a dream come true.
The chai tea and pumpkin spice collab combines sugar and spice (and everything nice), and I’d high-key recommend trying it at least once because you’ve got to embrace fall fully. This drink is perfect for anyone who likes either the pumpkin spice latte or chai tea latte, or at least likes fall.
Starbucks Lets You DIY It, Too
If you’re perpetually late and can’t wait in line at Starbucks all fall, Starbucks has made it possible for you to DIY this crazy basic drink combo. Target sells their pre-made pumpkin spice chai latte mix, and it tastes almost the same as the in-store-version, I swear.
Whether you order it in store or make your own version, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte is a legit fall beverage that will reinvigorate your love for the PSL.