Starbucks debuts Pumpkin Spice Latte rival as part of new fall menu
Autumn wouldn’t be complete without the return of the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), with the seasonal beverage having as much of a stranglehold on the season as Hallowe’en and dusted-off scarves.
To get ahead of demand, coffee stores both public and independent even release the PSL a little early to tap into that end-of-summer yearning for cosy evenings and quieter schedules.
While the PSL might seem like a relatively modern obsession, it’s actually been on Starbucks’ US Fall menus for over 20 years, with the chain branding it the ‘real’ PSL. Accept no imitations (unless they’re cheaper and/or tastier, of course).
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While you might think Starbucks would be happy to keep playing the hits where its Fall menus are concerned, the US’s biggest coffee chain has opted for a bit of intra-menu competition in the 2025 edition.
The PSL might need to brace itself for this incoming pretender to its throne: the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado.
Leaning into the nuttier side of its flavour options, Starbucks hopes this fresh spin on Autumn deliciousness will be a hit with its customers.
The Pecan Oatmilk Cortado will feature a hand-brewed cortado – an espresso with steamed milk, if you’re unfamiliar – using Starbucks Blond Espresso beans as the base. This is produced ‘ristretto’ style, where the same number of beans are used as a regular espresso but with shorter, more concentrated pulls.
With three shots, the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado will have a caffeinated kick, and that espresso base will be blended with steamed milk, pecan syrup and a thin layer of milk foam. Topping it off with be a crunchy Pecan blend.
It certainly sounds like a cosy beverage that could take Fall visitors by storm, but we’ll have to wait and see how the public fares with it.
The Pecan Oatmilk Cortado comes in 8-ounce cups as standard, so they’re in the ‘short’ bracket of Starbucks drinks. It’s also customisable in terms of milk preferences, shots, syrups and toppings, but sadly you can’t get an iced version.
While prices may vary between locations, The Takeout reported that the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado is being sold in New York City for $5.75 pre-tax.
Also entering the Starbucks menu this Fall are the PSL, because of course, along with the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte that debuted in 2024, an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, and some food items.
Amongst those are the Italian Sausage Egg Bites, coming at $5.65 in New York City.
These feature the eponymous Italian sausage, basil, sun-dried tomato pesto, and Monterey Jack Cheese. They’ll be prepped and sold in similar fashion to the Bacon & Gruyère and Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites, with sets of two served hot.
For summertime fans, we’ve already waved goodbye to Starbucks’ Frappuccinos, with those making way for the PSL and its cadre of Fall friends. You can tuck into the Fall menu at every US Starbucks location as of 26 August, with it due to continue until late October or the first week of November, stocks depending.
Rachael Davis