Does our favorite Fall drink, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, have coffee in it? Here are the details, including how to order it decaf!
I don’t know about you, but I get so pumped when Fall season starts. I love the cooler weather, I love the colors… and I love everything pumpkin spice and all the Fall flavors.
Luckily for us, Starbucks stores release all of the Fall drinks in late August so we can enjoy them even longer. And they’ve come out with different pumpkin drinks now too:
- Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
- Hot Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
I have ADHD, so when I take my medication in the mornings I have to be careful of how much caffeine I drink after that. So I’m always on the lookout for whether my favorite drinks have caffeine in them. The good news is, you can still enjoy your favorite coffee drink with or without caffeine!
The short answer is, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte does have coffee in it. But there are ways you can change around the amounts of caffeine, and I’ll go over them in this post!
What’s in the Pumpkin Spice Latte?
According to the Starbucks website, this is what’s in a 16-ounce Grande size drink:
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]
And this is a more simplified list:
- Steamed milk (Can substitute almond milk or oat milk in most locations)
- Foam
- 4 pumps of Pumpkin Sauce
- Whipped cream
- Pumpkin spice topping
- 2 shots of espresso
It also has 50 grams of sugar and 390 calories.
How much caffeine is in it?
The grande size has 150 milligrams of caffeine. For reference, one cup of coffee has between 80-100 mg of caffeine. And 400 mg daily seems to be the safe amount for healthy adults- which is 4-5 cups of coffee.
For me, that might be a little too much caffeine if I drank it early on in the day. But your mileage may vary, depending on your caffeine tolerance.
How can you order a decaf latte?
Did you know that Starbucks has decaf espresso? You can easily order a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and just ask for decaf espresso when you order.
You can also get “half-caff”, so you still get SOME caffeine but not as much. Or just ask for one shot of espresso instead of two. I’m so happy I can still order lattes and not have the jitters!
Just to clarify, only the espresso-based beverage can be made decaf as far as I know. Most stores don’t have decaf iced coffee or cold brew. But when in doubt, just ask!
Can you get this drink without coffee?
If you absolutely dislike the taste of coffee, you can just order it without espresso! It’s basically a “creme” drink, so it’s steamed and frothed milk with the pumpkin spice syrup and a dusting of pumpkin spice. It’s great for kids, as they can get the famous latte without the coffee flavor.
Starbucks’ Fall menu doesn’t last long. But I definitely take advantage while it’s here! And now that I know I can control the caffeine in it, I can enjoy these most popular seasonal drinks more often. Remember, you can ask for different options!
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.