Before we embark on a journey of discovering the very best pumpkin spice products, we pose a question: From whence cometh pumpkin spice? It’s a noble question with a simple answer: from Starbucks, of course. Well, not really – they just made it ultra-popular!
But seriously, a big reason for this list is, in fact, rooted in the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The PSL is a drink that — with the help of a giant coffee chain, 21st century technology, and tribal customs (read: Starbucks, smartphones and social media) — single-handedly created pumpkin spice mania.
It’s Pumpkin Spice Time
One measure of its popularity is the fact that Starbucks has started releasing the PSL earlier than it ever has. It’s no surprise since Starbucks says the PSL is its number one most popular seasonal beverage. We’re just calling it PSS — “Pumpkin Spice Season.”
Our Review
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Pumpkin Pie protein bars never taste like you think they should, right? There have been some in the past that were impossible to eat because of how bad they tasted (even some of the other new pumpkin bars from other companies taste like cardboard). Luckily, ONE now has a Pumpkin Pie Protein Bar that’s absolutely fantastic. Seriously; it actually tastes like pumpkin pie with whipped cream. It’s also packed with 20g protein and only 1g sugar. They’re perfect for a go-to mid-afternoon snack or a pre-gym protein boost.
Honestly, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how good these pumpkin pie bars actually taste. If you’re like me, you have to suffer through most protein bars in order to get your protein fix, but these bars are different; you’ll actually look forward to eating them.
I will be keeping a pack of these in my home office for as long as they’re available, and I highly recommend you do the same.
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If we could, we would run to the nearest Starbucks and bring you a PSL anytime you asked. But because of the space-time continuum and all that, we’ll have to suggest the next best thing: these Starbucks VIA instant Pumpkin Spice Latte packs.
With this 6-Pack you get six boxes, each containing five packets. To continue with our scientific/mathematic theme, we’ll say that we’re no mathematicians but we know that this is a huge savings over getting the PSL from the Bucks directly.
Starbucks uses premium Arabica coffee beans and its proprietary natural pumpkin and spice flavors that created the whole craze. All you gotta do is tear open the packet, put it in a great looking mug (see item #21 on this list), add hot water, stir and in 10 seconds you’re in PSL heaven.
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If you haven’t tried Nature’s Path’s versions of the classic Pop Tart, you’re missing out. Not only are they made with natural ingredients, they taste much better, too. Here, they’ve got a Pumpkin Pie toaster pastry that you’re going to absolutely love to eat on brisk fall mornings.
Admittedly – they’re a bit pricey in comparison to Pop Tarts, but if you’re okay with splurging once in a while, they’re well worth it.
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If you haven’t yet tried any sort of creamed honey, then you’re missing out! This deliciousness from Desert Creek Honey is fantastic on an English Muffin or a cinnamon muffin, especially.
It’s super sweet – so beware – but it’s well worth the calories for a sultry fall breakfast.
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You haven’t tasted the best pumpkin spice thing yet until you’ve tried Sugar Bowl Bakery’s INCREDIBLE pumpkin fritters – that’s a promise! These things are absolutely stellar. If you’re a lover of the typical apple fritter, and you love pumpkin spice – you’ll LOVE these. They’re ultra gooey, with a glazed coating smothering a soft pumpkin pastry.
The flavor is on another level, and my only regret is that I ate 3 out of the 4 that came in the package in a day (my son beat me to the 4th!).
You know, you typically see pumpkin muffins, cookies, cakes, coffees, teas, and more during the season – but this is the first time I’ve seen a pumpkin fritter, and it’s legitimately my new fall favorite.
The Sugar Bowl Bakery Pumpkin Fritters will be available at Krogers nationwide starting on September 1st and will be available through Thanksgiving. You’ll also find them at Stop and Shops and Giant Foods starting in September up through October 15th, and at Costco in October.
And that’s not even Sugar Bowl Bakery’s only winning pumpkin spice pastry – they’ve got these delicious things called pumpkin Madeleines that are also ridiculously good. In fact, my favorite way to enjoy them was to put them in the fridge so that they were cold, and then I’d pop one out to enjoy with my morning coffee.
The Madeleines will be available at Smart and Final starting on September 15th, Winco from September 1st through October 31st, and HEB from October 1st through November.
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This will have you prepared for all the guests, all the family members who are over during PSS — pumpkin spice season — when you want to flex a little PS muscle. Green Mountain’s pumpkin spice coffee is a limited edition, so it’s not always available.
This is a pack of 72 K-Cups, which fit Keurig. (It is certified by Keurig.) The coffee is light roast, fair trade certified. Green Mountain is very popular, with more than 2,000 customer reviews and a 4.5 out of 5-star rating average.
And once the guests depart, you’ll be able to enjoy your pumpkin spice…knowing that you just made somebody’s life a little more pumpkin spicy and better.
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During the fall season, one of my favorite late night snacks is taking a cup of this Elan Pumpkin Spice Cookie Granola and put a half cup of ice cold vanilla almond milk in it – it’s delicious!
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This is almost a pumpkin spice cheat: just peel back the top on one of these tasty little monsters, pour it into your coffee and — voila! — you are now partaking in some serious pumpkin spice deliciousness.
This is a 4-pack, with each pack containing 50 pumpkin spice creamers. If you prefer to boom down a bit, you can get one 50-count creamer pack for around $18. (Obviously, the 4-pack is a great deal, comparatively.)
Also available: a 2-pack of 50.7 ounce each pumpkin spice pump containers, for a little more than $30.
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Blackberry Patch makes a variety of syrups, preserves and condiments from its headquarters in Thomasville, Georgia. For our purposes — and the purposes of those of us who crave pumpkin spice desserts — we are eternally grateful they’ve included Pumpkin Spice Syrup in the lineup.
This is a non-GMO certified product that is made with pumpkin, pure cane sugar and premium spices. Obviously, it works great with pancakes and waffles (see above), but it’s also a master stroke to use it on ice cream, cheesecake, in smoothies, on fruit — need we go on?
It’s an eight ounce bottle of PSH — pumpkin spice heaven.
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Ridiculously delicious – these protein-infused pumpkin muffins have some dark chocolate in them as well, and they’re super easy to make. They’re perfect for a late night snack or after dinner dessert.
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Even the most avid fans of pumpkin spice are allowed to prefer a beverage other than the colossal PSL. If you’re a coffee person, not a latte person, and you want to get your PS fix with your morning Joe, check out The Bean Coffee Company’s Organic Pumpkin Spice flavored ground medium coffee.
This is a seasonal blend that is only available for a limited time, so it’s a good idea to nab this 2-pack. Each bag contains 16 ounces of already-ground pumpkin spice coffee. We suggest adding a splash of cream and a bit of sugar to evoke the familiar flavors inspired of the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte.
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If you’re big on fall baking like my family is, you’re going to want to check out Krusteaz’s pumpkin spice stuff – specifically, the Krusteaz Pumpkin Pie Bars. These. Things. Are. Incredible.
They’re the perfect after dinner dessert to pair with your favorite cup of strong coffee (I’m personally a Starbucks Sumatra kind of guy). The pumpkin pie bars pair very well with your evening coffee, and they’re super easy to make. Plus, a little bit of fall baking with your kids goes a long way in their eyes!
My wife made these with our daughter for our yearly fantasy football draft, and they were a hit! They’re a sultry type of pumpkin pie that will leave you wanting more.
Krusteaz also has some great pumpkin quick bread, pumpkin spice cookies (they were a hit, too!), and pumpkin spice pancakes.
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There is quite a pedigree to Twinings of London. The Twining family, from Gloucestershire, had a son named Tom who, in 1706, bought a coffee store on London’s Strand. He decided to introduce tea and, it is said, that transformed a coffee loving nation into the tea loving nation it is today.
Twinings obviously knows a good thing when they see it, because they created this pumpkin spice chai tea. Each box contains 20 tea bags of the finest black tea that’s been “expertly blended with the light flavor of fresh autumn pumpkin and savory spice flavors,” according to Twinings.
Personal note: I was recently in London and I visited the Twinings store — which is still in the same spot — and it was one of the favorite things our group did while we were there.
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You won’t be able to tell that these are store bought! If you find them at your local grocer, be sure to pick up the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Bites from Cafe Valley Bakery.
They’re sweet, but not TOO sweet as to be cloying. Instead, they’re the perfect blend of sweet cream cheese and savory pumpkin cake. These are an absolute must for the fall season.
You can find them at HEB, Kroger, Shop n Save, Meijer, Market Basket, and more around the nation.
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A very popular pumpkin spice snacky, these Blue Diamond Pumpkin Spice almonds are very tasty.
It’s a six ounce container of Blue Diamond almonds that have been flavored with pumpkin spice. Each serving has five grams of protein, three grams of fiber and no trans fats. Buy enough to get you through PSS — pumpkin spice season.
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The pumpkin spice fan is wise to not only begin the day with a PSL, but a full breakfast that mines the rich vein of pumpkin spice products. This is a 6-pack of 16 ounce pouches of pancake and waffle mix. Ingredients:
- Pumpkin
- Buttermilk
- Brown sugar
- Pumpkin spices
You add water, mix and make. No eggs or milk are needed.
Birch Benders is based in Colorado, and is a labor of love from the wife/husband team of Lizzi and Matt. They say they “set out to create tasty and convenient products that allow you to slow down, enjoy the moment, and reconnect with your inner child.” Who can argue with that, especially when it comes in delicious pumpkin spice?
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If you’re a fan of mochi ice cream, and you love all things pumpkin, you’re going to want to check out Bubbies Pumpkin Mochi Ice Cream. They’re ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
It’s Bubbies’ sweet mochi dough wrapped around incredibly smooth and flavorful pumpkin ice cream that’ll make your autumn heart happy. The pumpkin ice cream is blended with your favorite seasonal spices to create a flavor you’ll crave for the rest of the year when you can’t buy them.
If you’ve got a Whole Foods in your area, you should be able to find them there in the frozen aisle.
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Whoever came up with this is a genius. Well, we know who came up with it: Lee Zalben, aka the Peanut Butter Guy, who started the company in New York City. Again, the genius knew something because his storefront in NYC expanded into a take home product that is sold in 10 flavors and stocked in more than 10,000 stores internationally.
Clearly, the Peanut Butter Guy saw the popularity of pumpkin spice products and he and his genius created the pumpkin spice peanut butter.
- Made with real pumpkin
- No GMOs
- Gluten free
- Certified OU kosher
- Certified vegan
You do get six, 16 ounce jars of the pumpkin spice peanut butter. If you prefer to go a’la carte and just buy one, it’s around $11. Obviously, the six pack is a great deal.
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Kind protein bars need no introduction. It’s a hugely popular brand.
These pumpkin spice bars are called “caramel almond pumpkin spice bars” and they are gluten-free.
- Low glycemic index
- No GMOs
- Very low sodium
- 0g trans fat
- 5g sugar per serving
The box comes with 12 bars. It’s only available seasonally.
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Start your pumpkin spice day right with organic instant oatmeal. Nature’s Path Pumpkin Spice oatmeal is enormously popular.
- Certified organic
- GMO free
- 29 grams whole grains per serving
- 5 grams protein per serving
- Chia seeds
You get six boxes of the instant oatmeal, and each box is 11.3 ounces. Each box contains eight individual packets, so it’s super easy to make: just add whatever temperature water you want, or you can whip it up in the microwave.
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Pumpkin Pie KitKats are returning in 2019, and you’d better pick them up before they sell out!
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This is a 100 percent vegan moisturizer that smells phenomenal.
Besides the fragrant aroma of pumpkin spice, the moisturizer also has vanilla chai going for it. It’s enriched with 100 percent pure natural hemp seed oil. It’s a hydrating formula with shea butter and essential nutrients for the skin. It is paraben free, THC free and gluten free.
According to Hempz, the pumpkin extract helps smooth, firm and improve the skin’s elasticity.
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This could be a gift for the person who has everything or the dog who has everything. Who would have thought? A pumpkin spice scented shampoo for the pup!
Obviously, the scent is that PS scent you love. On the ingredient side of things, this shampoos has pumpkin enzymes and is made with 100 percent organically grown aloe vera.
It doesn’t matter if your dog’s name is Poindexter, Mildred or Scout: for this season…and with this shampoo…you’ll call that pup Punkin’.
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The obvious here is to politely refuse the barista’s offer of a disposable sleeve when they deliver your pumpkin spice latte to you. “I never go anywhere without this!” you say, as you produce your artisan, hand-made knitted pumpkin spice sleeve.
They will ooh and aah, but you’ll be the one who keeps this cute little thing 4ever. And you can use it on 12 to 20 ounce to-go cups. It’ll also fit over soda cans and mason jars.
Made by Nandy’s Nook in Georgia, the sleeve is 100 percent acrylic yarn with a little pumpkin button toward the top of the four-inch wide sleeve.
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The near legendary brand of Burt’s Bees is well known for its great lip balms. Not everybody knows that Burt makes a limited edition pumpkin spice moisturizing lip balm.
This contains beeswax, which conditions the skin. Of course, it’s got that great PS fragrance that you — or whomever you share it with, in whichever method of sharing you choose — will love.
It is a little expensive for a lip balm, but it’s a limited edition. Tell yourself that…and maybe don’t share it so much.
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This is a large 22 ounce jar candle that’s six-and-a-half inch high, four inches in diameter.
We don’t know why Yankee Candle’s gotta be the different one of the bunch, but they call the fragrance “spiced pumpkin” instead of “pumpkin spice.” No matter, it’s the same clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar aroma that is unmistakable and irresistible.
It’s got 110 to 150 hours of burn time, so you will get all sorts of use outta this baby during PSS — pumpkin spice season.
Yankee Candle offers a handful of different sizes, but we think the featured one is the best deal. The next best deal is a 22 ounce tumbler candle with double wicks.
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When you’ve had your fill of pumpkin spice desserts and pumpkin spice coffee, do you feel like you still need just one more PS fix? This will do it, and do it throughout the house.
The Air Wick scented oil kit continuously diffuses pumpkin spice scent for up to 45 days (set on low). It comes with five refills, so by our calculations, that’s a solid 225 days of pumpkin spice in the air.
You can get a two-pack of refills for around nine bucks or an eight-pack for around $28.
Air Wick uses essential oils “sourced from around the world,” according to the company.