It’s that time of year to tell Becky to pull out her Uggs and scarves because Starbucks brought back the Pumpkin Spice Lattes on August 25th! Is it cliche? Yes. Is it basic? Yes. Are we literally standing in line at Starbucks right now? Yes, and we’ll take a venti with whipped cream, thank you very much.
So, here are some PSL memes and a little about how the little latte that could sparked a cult following so large we eventually ended up with Pumpkin Spice deodorant.
When Is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Available?
August 25h is the earliest that Starbucks has ever officially released the PSL, and we are here for it. It may be 95 degrees outside, but it’s a crisp fall day in our hearts.
When did this PSL mania start in the first place?
Starbucks debuted the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003 at their stores in Vancouver and Washington D.C., and it didn’t take long to hit cult status. Now the PSL even has its own Twitter and Instagram accounts, and we spend our summers counting down to what John Oliver calls “that special time of year where we voluntarily imbibe pumpkin spice lattes, the coffee that tastes like a candle.”
Official PSL Release Dates
Honestly, we’re just sharing this because we want you to understand how exciting it is that PSLs coming soon! Here are some of the previous Pumpkin Spice release dates:
- 2011: September 5 (Aug 30 early release)
- 2012: September 4 (Aug 31 early release)
- 2013: September 3 (Aug 28 early release)
- 2014: September 2 (Aug 26 early release)
- 2015: September 8 (September 4 early release)
- 2016: September 6 (September 1 early release)
- 2017: September 5 (September 1 early release)
- 2018: August 28
- 2019: August 27
- 2020: August 25
What’s In a Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Mostly sugar. Some caffeine (not sugar), and magic (sugar).
Here are the real ingredients in a PSL:
- Milk
- Pumpkin Spice Sauce [Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Pumpkin Puree, Contains 2% Or Less Of Fruit And Vegetable Juice For Color, Natural Flavors, Annatto, Salt, Potassium Sorbate]
- Brewed Espresso
- Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan)
- Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)]
- Pumpkin Spice Topping [Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Sulfiting Agents]
We hear you asking, “What are diglycerides?!” Sorry, can’t answer you through this mouthful of pumpkin spice magic.
How Many Calories Are in a Pumpkin Spice Latte?
If you’re having the occasional PSL, don’t sweat the calorie count. But if you’re having one every morning for breakfast, here’s the caloric breakdown. Tell your dentist we say hi.
There are 420 calories in a PSL. Here are a few more nutrition facts:
- Calories from Fat 160
- Total Fat 18g
- Saturated Fat 10g
- Trans Fat 0.5g
- Cholesterol 60mg
- Sodium 220mg
- Total Carbohydrate 52g
- Dietary Fiber 0g
- Sugars 50g
- Protein 14g
- Caffeine 150mg** (approximately)
(The stats above are for a Grande Whole Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte with Whipped Cream because that’s our preferred order. You can customize it to match your size and milk preferences here.)
How Can I Enjoy a Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Make one at home? Otherwise, for a skinny pumpkin spice latte, order a tall, skip the whipped cream, and ask the barista to use only half the pumps of syrup. Then weep. Softly. (That’ll cut the calories to around 270.)
Or… you could make your own at home like Wholesome Yum did with this Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Is Starbucks’s Pumpkin Spice Latte the Only One?
No, apparently it doesn’t live in the same world as the Highlander. Every local coffee shop will have their own spin on the pumpkin spice latte.
Even nationwide brands are getting in on the action. Dunkin Donuts started selling their Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte last week, along with some apple cider munchkins. And sometime between now and the end of September, Coca-Cola will be releasing Cinnamon Coke, because they got the message that you add Fireball to everything.
Of course, PSL season wouldn’t be complete without PSL memes, so we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for you! Enjoy!
25 Pumpkin Spice Memes You Should Retweet
1. How dare they?!
My card was just declined at Starbucks and when I called VISA they told me I was 39 and to settle down about pumpkin spice lattes.
— Simon Holland (@simoncholland) September 7, 2017
2. OMG yaaaaaas!
3. Don’t try this at home.
if you say "pumpkin spice latte" in the mirror 3 times a white girl in yoga pants will appear & tell you all her favorite things about fall
— ♛ (@JustNuteIla) August 12, 2016
4. Someone order us a Bloody Mary.
4. What is wrong with me?
Me: That's pretty good. What is it?
Wife: A pumpkin spice latte.
Me: *falls to my knees because I've become everything I hate*
— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) September 22, 2017
5. Can someone please help?
Planting some pumpkins. How do I get the spice in there? I'm thinking Injections. Maybe spicy water or a dry rub
— Katzenjammer (@Kat_ZenJammer) September 11, 2018
6. Fall is here BB!
*sees one leaf on the ground* pic.twitter.com/uouIm49yv9
— Anastasia Мarie (@anniemariesj) September 2, 2016
7. Maybe we should see a doctor.
8. #sorrynotsorry
Basic white girls in their natural habitat pic.twitter.com/kafG43Ri2r
— UNILAD (@UNILAD) October 8, 2016
9. You already know!
"Hi, welcome to Starbucks, how ca-"
Me: "PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE!"— Bethany Stenander (@bjstenander) August 29, 2018
10. Becky is so pumped.
Everyone named Becky today, rushing to get a #PumpkinSpiceLatte: pic.twitter.com/aIr070cHpG
— Paul 🏃 (@paulludwig) August 28, 2018
11. Gotta go all out.
My yoga pants and Uggs are a little hot in 90 degree weather but I want my #PumpkinSpiceLatte to know I’ll do anything for love.
— Blayr 🐝 (@UncommonBee) August 28, 2018
12. Your jokes don’t hurt me.
me when people judge me for ordering a pumpkin spice latte pic.twitter.com/ZWJOCfEKGF
— megan YELI MVP brown (@thatgirlondeck) September 1, 2016
13. No.
Can we please show some respect to summer rosé and not pull out the pumpkin spice at the first sign of fall
— Cat Quinn (@catquinn) September 2, 2017
14. Wait, is ordering one against the rules?
https://twitter.com/sammmaiam/status/1162539926707216385
15. We need this.
@elle91
*Coughs so hard a puff of cinnamon sprays out of my mouth* I love this time of year— Ꮍᴀᴇʟ 🖤s her mailman (@elle91) February 6, 2016
16. Same.
My spirit animal is a Pumpkin Spice Latte
— sarah schauer 🦂 (@sarahschauer) November 20, 2013
17. Common mistake.
Sorry you didn't know your hot pumpkin drink was really a scented candle.
— Abbi Crutchfield (@curlycomedy) September 22, 2014
18. That took quite a turn.
Fun Autumn Activities
1. Try a pumpkin spice latte
2. Go on a hayride
3. Knit a very large sweater
4. Go for a walk
5. Encounter the kraken
6. Offer him your new sweater
7. Say he "tentacles your fancy"
8. Fall in love
9. Return to the sea
10. Go apple picking— Roxi Horror 💀🌸 (@roxiqt) September 24, 2018
19. Owned.
PERSON WHO LIKES PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES: *breathes*
GUY HOLDING A FISH IN HIS AVATAR THAT LIKES ALL MUSIC EXCEPT RAP & COUNTRY: rofl, you like pumpkin spice lattes? pumpkin spice lattes aren't even good honestly… anyways, what are you doing later? have you seen The Avengers?
— Roxi Horror 💀🌸 (@roxiqt) August 11, 2018
20. Standards, people.
Girl getting coffee: large skim, decaf, caramel, pumpkin spice, sugar-free vanilla latte with whip
Girl choosing guy: is he taller than me?— Rads (@FeelingEuphoric) December 29, 2015
21. RIP.
Moment of silence for the senseless slaughter of pumpkin spice on today, the #FirstDayOfFall
— Missy Martinez (@MissyXMartinez) September 23, 2015
22. You’ve got a braver stomach than ours, sir.
Well, it wasn't quite an enchilada, but nachos followed by a pumpkin spice latte hit the spot. It's fall already!
— Ryan (@rjpryan) September 9, 2007
23. We’ve got a contender!
It’s real, it’s delicious and it’s for your enjoyment. Look for limited edition SPAM® Pumpkin Spice 2-packs coming Sept. 23rd to https://t.co/cdPAAqrwms and https://t.co/EEa1WIc63I. Eat one, save one! #SPAMBrand #pumpkin #pumpkinspice #PSL #fall pic.twitter.com/T9XwqwfPw8
— SPAM® Brand (@SPAMbrand) August 15, 2019
24. Life between PSL seasons.
When will my pumpkin spice latte return from the war
— Rosiee Thor (my hiatus is a joke sos) (@RosieeThor) August 12, 2019
25. We surrender.
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I’ve written hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics. My work has been published in more than a dozen publications, including The Dallas Morning News, The Chicago Tribune, Newsday, The Houston Chronicle, The Seattle Times, Complex, The Charlotte Observer, Sun-Sentinel, The Austin American-Statesman, Reason, Austin Chronicle, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Dallas Observer, OC Weekly, The La Crosse Tribune, The Intelligencer, The South Bend Tribune, Phoenix New Times, and more.
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