The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Hack That Adds Fall Flavor To Any Drink

As the seasons change and the leaves start to drop, we can look forward to many things as autumn arrives. One is the famous pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. The PSL is a beloved fall favorite, yet, as good as it is, there are so many more delicious concoctions waiting on the menu. If you're a fan of pumpkin spice but still want to enjoy all the other tasty drinks Starbucks has to offer, you can use a simple hack to get the best of both worlds.

When it comes time to order, simply ask to have the PSL syrup added to another drink instead of getting the pumpkin spice latte itself. This way, you can get that dose of autumnal goodness you're craving and still enjoy the flavors of your favorite typical order. Since a venti-sized pumpkin spice latte usually has a sugary five pumps of syrup for a hot coffee and six for iced, we recommend that you ask for two or three pumps so as to not overwhelm your drink with sweetness.

You can even make your own PSL syrup at home and add it to your drink. The seasonings that typically make up pumpkin spice are cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and sometimes clove, and it turns out that the Starbucks syrup is unsurprisingly similar, though it takes out the allspice and, at least in the store's pumpkin sauce, adds pureed pumpkin. Just dissolve sugar in simmering water on the stove, add the spices, and strain after a few minutes to get syrup. Exact measurements are up to you, so adjust the ratio of spices and steeping times to your taste.

Of course, some of Starbucks' handcrafted drinks will go better with the pumpkin spice syrup than others. For best results, try to find drinks that match the flavor profile of the syrup. Cinnamon is the main ingredient that comes to the fore in the syrup, so look for ingredients that pair well with this distinctive flavor. For example, the Caramel Apple Spice beverage on the menu may not be coffee, but its eponymous combination makes it a great candidate for added pumpkin spice. It does already contain cinnamon syrup, so you may wish to replace it with the pumpkin spice syrup entirely to avoid a sugar overload, but, other than that, it makes a great complement. You can also try getting the Caramel Apple Frappuccino from the secret menu using the same syrup replacement idea or simply adding it to a standard coffee drink like a latte.

Since pumpkin spice has a very warm flavor, it's great for helping to cut through some of Starbucks' heavier menu items. The Mocha Cookie Crumble is one of the richest drinks Starbucks has to offer, for instance, so substituting some of its mocha syrup for the pumpkin spice can go a long way to balance it out while also using substitutions that can turn down the richness in Starbucks' Mocha Cookie Crumble.

Of course, all of this is a matter of taste. Drinks like the Strawberry Matcha Strato or the Lavender Creme Frappuccino might not be what first come to mind when you hear pumpkin spice, but if the idea makes your taste buds cheer, go ahead and give it a try.