The Best Pumpkin Spice Products 2017
Because not all pumpkin spice is created equal
The sugary, sweet unicorn treats of the spring and summer have faded, making room for the inevitable seasonal obsession with everyone's favorite love-to-hate flavor: pumpkin spice. Pumpkin is the quintessential fall essence and one that is as classic and traditional as it is worn and abused. When did the one flavor that effortlessly and simultaneously captures the yellowing of leaves, the cooling of temperatures and the fuzziness of sweaters become the next cliché?
We're here to tell you there is some hope for pumpkin spice, thanks to the following seven goodies. We tasted our way through both the inspiring and the offensive new pumpkin spice-doused products to bring you the best of 2017.
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Tea
Skip the sugary PSL and steep Trader Joe's pumpkin spice tea instead, with natural pumpkin flavor, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add steamed skim milk for a DIY pumpkin spice latte.
Photo: Trader Joe's
Breckenridge Brewery Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout
Though plenty of pumpkin spice beers exist, the addition of nitro is what makes this dark-roasted stout taste texturally similar to a real PSL. Nitro makes the bubbles smaller, so the beer tastes smoother and has a creamier head—almost as if made of foamed milk. The beer is even brewed with real pumpkin, as well as the usual sidekicks: cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and cloves.
Photo: Breckenridge Brewery
Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato
Talenti is undoubtedly one of the creamiest, most flavorful grocery store gelatos out there, and its pumpkin pie spice flavor is no exception. With real pumpkin, brown sugar and chewy bits of piecrust, we get the best of both worlds in one bite.
Photo: Talenti
Sweet Home Farm Pumpkin Flax Granola
Dessert for breakfast is one of our favorite meals, and this pumpkin flax granola does the trick (without actually eating pie for breakfast). With raw ingredients like whole rolled oats, crisp brown rice, pumpkin seeds, molasses and cinnamon bark, all you need is a little milk to get a bowl of crunchy fall goodness.
Photo: Sweet Home Farm
Peanut Butter & Co. Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter & Co. already captured our hearts and stomachs with its cinnamon raisin swirl and spicy cayenne pepper and chile powder peanut butters, so it's no surprise its pumpkin spice variety also lives up to expectations. This PB is perfect on a sandwich with jelly (duh), as a dip for apples and celery, and especially delicious by the spoonful.
Photo: Peanut Butter & Co.
Birch Benders Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Don't have time (or, let's be honest, the energy) to make a batch of pancakes from scratch? Just add water to this mix made with dried pumpkin, buttermilk, cinnamon and nutmeg for fluffy fall hotcakes or waffles in minutes. There's even a Paleo version for those looking to stay healthy during the holidays.
Photo: Birch Benders
KIND Caramel Almond Pumpkin Spice Bar
Most granola bars are packed with sugar and taste more like a dessert than a supposedly healthy snack, but with only five grams of sugar and no sugar alcohols added, this bar is one we can stand behind. Cashews and almonds come together with honey, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice in this indulgent bar packing four grams of protein.
Photo: KIND