The Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte might be just what you need to kick off fall... if you have a sweet tooth!
It's almost that time of year again, folks.
Now I'm not the type of fall fan who salivates at the prospect of PSL (for the uninitiated, that's Pumpkin Spice Latte), but I don't turn my nose up at the flavor's omnipresence starting as early as August either. Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ravioli (it exists and it's weirdly delicious!) ... bring it on!
Pumpkin products have made their debut particularly early this year. But I feel like this is one of those annual complaints that isn't original at all, like how drivers in your hometown are the worst or how kids these days are always on their dang phones. When I first heard about the Aug. 21 debut of Dunkin's pumpkin products, my first instinct was to shake my fist at the sky and proclaim that the greatest season (summer) is still in full swing and that it isn't yet time for the gourds to come out. But I'm a dedicated caffeine queen who was intrigued enough to try them out the first day. I also remembered that seasonal norms aren't rigid and that it's OK to enjoy things when you want. Did I have a pumpkin drink on the same day I wore a bathing suit? Yes. And it was glorious!
The item from the fall Dunkin lineup that most caught my eye was the Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte (say that 5 times fast!) The fact that they came up with a pumpkin latte besides just a classic PSL was exciting. I respect the hustle. I got it iced, duh.
Sure enough, the cinnamon sugar takes the pumpkin to a much sweeter level than even the classic PSL that hails from Starbucks. The taste is close to that of a super-sweet chai, which is a good thing in my book. The whipped cream has a dusting of cinnamon to really top things off.
The peanut gallery: Wait! We though you hated whipped cream! You spent a considerable amount of another post talking about how much you hate it.
I do hate whipped cream. But since I am a perfectly professional reviewer, I ordered the drink in its pure form with no personal modifications. (Well, that, and I forgot about the probability of W.C. topping off the latte.) And it wasn't a completely hated aspect of the drink. I loved the light cinnamon dusting, and the whipped cream melted down into the latte as I drank it, creating a creamy swirl of sweet deliciousness.
But while we're on the subject of modifications, if I ordered this drink again I might go for an extra espresso shot just to amp up the coffee flavor. That being said, the drink wasn't as milky or watered down as it could have been. So as someone who loves nothing more than the taste of espresso even in the sweetest of drinks, the level of strength was surprisingly adequate.
I often assess the espresso-to-milk ratio in a latte based on my extremely scientific method of looking at the color. If it's dark like the color of chocolate, you're about to get real messed up. If it's closer to beige or white, it's basically just flavored milk. The Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte was a classic tan color, like khaki pants. Do with that what you will.
What's coffee without a baked good by its side? I tried the new apple cider donut, because Starbucks has the same thing on their fall menu and it's my favorite of the fall treats there so I wanted to compare. It was a perfectly soft, cinnamon sugar-dusted ring of dough. The apple flavor in the Dunkin apple cider donut is definitely stronger than in the Starbucks variety, which is doused with a heavy spread of frosting that might mask the apple taste (but is delicious regardless). If you like apple fritters, apple pie, or other baked goods featuring this classic red fruit, you'll love this cinnamon-packed donut from Dunkin.
The classic pumpkin donut is another favorite of mine from autumns past, but the apple cider variety is a nice complement for a pumpkin drink so you don't overdo it on the pumpkin.
Would I order this drink every day? Probably not. It clocked in at $4.19 for a medium, which isn't terrible for a latte of this size, but at Dunkin I'm more likely to go for the cheaper iced coffees (which you could get pumpkin flavoring in!) But is the Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte worth trying? That would be hearty yes! Especially if you like sweet chai or anything cinnamon, as this flavor edged out the pumpkin as the more prominent taste.
While I was sipping on the Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte, my BFF Kat was trying Dunkin's PSL! Check out her review of Dunkin's take on the classic fall drink here:
Thanks for reading! If you try a pumpkin coffee you love (from either Dunkin or another fast-food joint), let me know so I can check it out!
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