I thought I was early with making my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season at my (Joey MAGA)’s homestead on Saturday morning (20 Sep.), two days before the beginning of fall (Autumnal Equinox)1The term “equinox” comes from Latin, meaning “equal night.” It is one of two days each year when day and night are approximately equal in length. and 41 days before Halloween. However, Starbucks, which is known for making the Pumpkin Spice Latte popular twenty years ago, began offering the seasonal beverage almost a month earlier, on 26 August.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients and coffee maker used to make my early-season-version Pumpkin Spice Latte (I put the amount used to make two 8-ounce cups to compare to the Grande 16-ounce version from Starbucks):
- Eight O’Clock Whole Bean Coffee (Original): 4–5 Tbsp2In my caffeine calculation, I used this: “A tablespoon of coffee typically contains about 60 to 80 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee bean and brewing method used.”
- Whipping Cream (Trader Joe’s): 2 Tbsp
- Raw Honey (ALDI): 2 Tbsp
- Pumpkin Pie Spice (Walmart): cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves.
- Italian Stovetop Espresso Maker
And here are the items pictured in my Victory Garden next to a couple of growing pumpkins:
Relatedly, back in 2023, at about this time in September, I shared a similar picture from the garden, but just of the same pumpkin pie spice, seasonal pasta, and pumpkins (“Study: Autumn is the Best Season of All”).3In June 2024, I posted about black coffee with an image taken in my garden (“Had a Cup of Joe’s Coffee to Jump Start This Long, Hot Day”). Also, note, I typically only drink black coffee, so the Pumpkin Spice Latte is only made as a seasonal treat. For instance, I made an eight ounce cup on Saturday morning, after having a cup of black coffee, prior to my once-a-week jog. However, after I came home from jogging, I made another cup of the treat. That’s a lot of caffeine for me, too!
They said, “There’s too much caffeine in your bloodstream
The Smiths: “A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours”
And a lack of real spice in your life.”
Pumpkin Spice Latte Nutrition: Starbucks’ vs Joey MAGA’s
Based on 16-ounces, my version is healthier, albeit more potent with caffeine. It has only one additive (carrageenan)4Carrageenan (Irish Moss), which is a thickener made from seaweed, is an alternative to gelatin. I normally buy unadulterated cream, but because I rarely use it, I bought some shelf stable mini-containers of it. Although it’s been used for hundreds of years, there is controversy about the use of carrageenan. in the whipping cream, zero preservatives, and lower amounts of calories, sugar (as carbs), and sodium.
Pumpkin Spice Latte | 16 ounces
| Pumpkin Spice Latte: 16 Ounces | Joey MAGA | Starbucks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 | 390 | |||
| Fat (g) | 10 | 14 | |||
| Sodium (mg) | 10 | 230 | |||
| Carbohydrates (g) | 35 | 52 | |||
| Protein (g) | 0 | 14 | |||
| Caffeine (mg) | 300 | 150 |
As for cost, my version costs roughly $1.25 for a “Grande” (16-ounce)5Honey (24 oz cost $7.00); Coffee (40 oz bag cost $16.80 or $.42/oz—got a >25% discount); Whipping Cream (8 oz cost $2.00); Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 oz cost $2.25). whereas the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte costs about $6.50. So, my version costs less than 20% of the Starbucks version.
Admittedly, mine isn’t really a “latte” since I didn’t use milk, just some whipping cream. Also, I didn’t use pumpkin purée, but I’ll do so after the pumpkins are ready for harvest whereby I’ll roast them and then use a blender to make the purée.
Devil is in the Details
As for Starbucks, it uses about 14-ounces of skim milk, pumpkin spice sauce, espresso shots, and whipping cream. What is noticeable, though, is the Starbucks version seems much sweeter than my DIY version, but according to its nutritional facts (see below), it’s implied that it only uses two tablespoons of sugar in the pumpkin spice sauce and whipping cream. My version uses the equivalent amount of sweetener of two tablespoons of raw honey.
My opinion is the natural sugar in the skim milk does not account for the seemingly extra sweetness of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. It seems at least 2x to 3x sweeter than my version, at least to my taste buds. Maybe it’s just an olfactory perception, though. Nevertheless, I’m curious whether Starbucks under-states the amount of sugar in the drink.
Moreover, Starbucks uses several unnecessary additives for texture and coloring, as well as a preservative, potassium sorbate.
Are these additives really necessary given the resurging MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) mindset?
Footnotes
- 1The term “equinox” comes from Latin, meaning “equal night.” It is one of two days each year when day and night are approximately equal in length.
- 2In my caffeine calculation, I used this: “A tablespoon of coffee typically contains about 60 to 80 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee bean and brewing method used.”
- 3In June 2024, I posted about black coffee with an image taken in my garden (“Had a Cup of Joe’s Coffee to Jump Start This Long, Hot Day”).
- 4Carrageenan (Irish Moss), which is a thickener made from seaweed, is an alternative to gelatin. I normally buy unadulterated cream, but because I rarely use it, I bought some shelf stable mini-containers of it. Although it’s been used for hundreds of years, there is controversy about the use of carrageenan.
- 5Honey (24 oz cost $7.00); Coffee (40 oz bag cost $16.80 or $.42/oz—got a >25% discount); Whipping Cream (8 oz cost $2.00); Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 oz cost $2.25).
