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New Starbucks Fall Drinks Falls Short of Keto Options

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FACT CHECKED
  Published on September 6th, 2021
  Reading time: 2 minutes
  Last modified June 29th, 2023
Starbucks fall drink sign in the window

September 21st may be the first official day of fall, but August 24th kicked off the commercial autumn season. Pumpkin spice was suddenly everywhere again– from lattes to hard seltzers. You might find yourself wanting to indulge in your next Starbucks adventure; however, you may find it difficult to remain keto with their new fall menu.

The launch of the Starbucks fall menu included the classic pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin cream cold brew, iced apple crisp macchiato, and pumpkin spice frappuccino. Featured fall-flavored foods included the pumpkin cream cheese muffin, pumpkin scone, and fox cake pop.

Unfortunately, every one of these menu items is packed full of sugar and there aren’t any sugar-free alternatives. 

Starbucks Fall Drink Menu

Let’s break down the nutrition facts of each drink and whether or not there is a keto alternative available.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The traditional pumpkin spice latte combines espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove all together into this iconic Starbucks drink.

A grande pumpkin spice latte has 390 calories, 50g of sugar, and 14g of fat.

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

The pumpkin cold brew is an autumn-inspired take on the traditional smooth cold brew. This drink includes vanilla syrup, pumpkin cream cold foam, and pumpkin spice topping right on the top.

A grande pumpkin cream cold brew contains 250 calories, 31g of sugar, and 12g of fat.

Apple Crisp Macchiato (Hot or Iced)

This new drink features apples, brown sugar, espresso, milk, and caramelized apple drizzle!

A grande iced apple crisp macchiato has 280 calories, 46g of sugar, and 5g of fat.

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino

Starbucks finally turned their beloved PSL into a frappuccino! Similar to the original, this drink combines coffee, milk, and pice with pumpkin pie spice and whipped cream

A grande frappuccino contains 420 calories, 65g of sugar and 15g of fat.

Can You Make These Fall Starbucks Drinks Keto?

Pumpkin spice latte from starbucks

In short, no, not entirely. One key component of these drinks is the added pumpkin sauce.

The pumpkin spice sauce contains sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin puree, coloring, and preservatives.  One pump contains 30 calories, about 7g of sugar. Unfortunately, there is not a sugar-free alternative at Starbucks, and sugar and keto do not mix well.

Yes, you can substitute regular milk for heavy cream, sugar for stevia, and vanilla syrup for sugar-free vanilla or cinnamon dolce syrups, but you will be missing out on the apples, brown sugar caramel sauce (and caramel drizzle), and pumpkin flavors added to these drinks.

Keto Fall Drink Order at Starbucks

While you may not be able to replicate the PSL or apple crisp macchiato, you can still enjoy a fall-inspired drink.

Start by ordering your favorite coffee (americano, flat white, etc), add in heavy cream or almond milk,  add sugar-free cinnamon dolce and SF vanilla syrup, and add pumpkin spice flavored topping (includes warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove).

Take a look at our guide to ordering keto drinks at Starbucks.

What Are Your Favorite Fall Inspired Starbucks Drinks?

Comment below and share your go-to orders with the community!

At ketogenic.com, we are committed to supporting, inspiring, and educating people on the benefits of living a ketogenic lifestyle. We do this by bringing together the top researchers, practitioners, and thought-leaders who provide resources, experience, and awareness associated around the Ketogenic diet. Utilizing the latest cutting-edge research along with practical experience, the team at ketogenic.com aims to foster awareness, understanding, and connectedness in helping others optimize their life on a ketogenic diet.

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