Pumpkin spice: Fall flavor permeates everything from pies to puppy treats

The pumpkin spice invasion is in full force now.

You could pretty much eat three pumpkin spice-enhanced meals daily: there's pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin cereal for breakfast, pumpkin soup for lunch, and pumpkin pasta for dinner. And that's just at home.

"Restaurants are getting more creative with their pumpkin offerings this year, too, adding savory items like pumpkin vinaigrette, pumpkin curry, pumpkin black bean soup, and pumpkin ravioli," Kevin Bryla, chief marketing officer at SpotOn, which provides software and payment systems for restaurants.

And, of course, you can cap off your meals with pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin flavored coffee or other drinks. Restaurants are experimenting with pumpkin spice espresso martinis and pumpkin spice boba beverages, he said.

You can even indulge your pets in the pumpkin spice trend. Chewy.com has pumpkin treats and supplements for cats and dogs. So does, Petco, which also has a limited supply of its new 4-foot Pumpkin Spice cup-shaped plush toy ($49.99), plus pumpkin T-shirts for your pets and other toys.

The spice experts at McCormick predicted the ascendance of pumpkin pie spice in its 2010 McCormick's Flavor Forecast. Now, pumpkin spice "is so iconic it became synonymous to 'fall'," McCormick executive chef Hadar Cohen Aviramshe told USA TODAY. "Those warm spices immediately ground you in that mindset and brings up those warm experiences and memories."

Here's some of the newest items for those who love everything pumpkin.

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Pumpkin coffee goes beyond Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin spice and caffeine is a combination that transcends Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Dunkin' and Starbucks both have pumpkin spice coffee you can brew at home, too. Here's more ways to perk up your joe with pumpkin flavor:

• Chobani: The Greek yogurt brand's pumpkin spice lineup has two new products this year: Chobani Pumpkin Spice Barista Oatmilk ($4.49, 24-ounce bottle) for adding flavor to coffee, tea and espresso drinks, and Chobani Pumpkin Spice Greek Yogurt Drink ($1.99, for a 7-ounce single serving bottle). Also from coffee roaster La Colombe, which was acquired by Chobani in December 2023: La Colombe Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte ($3.29 for individual cans or $9.99 for a 4-pack), and in La Colombe Cafes, two new drinks, Pumpkin Pie Chai Draft Latte, a tea-based drink, and Pumpkin Spice Latte.

• Daily Harvest: The organic food company has a Pumpkin Spice Latte mix ($9.99 for a six-pack) coming in September; it's made with organic kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) puree, and other organic ingredients and spices. You add milk, cold brew or espresso. Sign up here to be notified when it's available online or in stores.
• Eight O’Clock Coffee: Now available, the coffee brand's Pumpkin Spice Coffee ($9.69, 11-ounce bag), which promises the "enticing flavor and pleasant aroma of warm spice and sweet cream notes" that remind you of pumpkin pie.
• Planet Oat: Arriving in stores in August is the brand's Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer ($4.99), available for a limited time only.
• QuickChek: The convenience store chain has its own Pumpkin Spice coffee, available self-serve, hot or iced.

Pumpkin pancakes

If pumpkin pancakes are your breakfast jam, it's just about time to get your order in:

• Denny's: The restaurant chain begins serving its Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes on Aug. 21. A stack starts at $3.99 and you can devour them at the restaurant or get them for takeout or delivery on Dennys.com and through other delivery services. Also available: the Pumpkin Pecan Slam ($10.49), which includes pancakes, two eggs, hash browns, and bacon or sausage.
• IHOP: Seasonal pumpkin spice menu items return to the breakfast restaurant chain on Sept. 1 with Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake as IHOP's September Pancake of the Month. You can also opt for Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (both can be part of a combo with 2 eggs, hash browns and bacon or sausage). Prices vary by restaurant, but Pancake of the Month stacks start at $8.99 for a short stack; $12.99 for a full stack; and $14.99 for a combo. Also available: Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam Cold Brew.

Pumpkin desserts

Pumpkin spices are a perfect match for baked goods and desserts. That's because the blend of spices was originally created to flavor pumpkin pies.

McCormick's Pumpkin Pie Spice blend combines "the Cinnamon’s sweetness, Nutmeg’s earthy nuttiness, Ginger’s peppery kick, and Allspice’s emphasizing qualities (to) create a warm, earthy, sweet, irresistible flavor that has undeniably earned its own place in the spotlight and in our hearts," said Cohen Aviramshe, the brand's executive chef.

Here's some of this season's harvest of pumpkin spiced cakes, cookies and other sweets:

• Bubbies Pumpkin Spice Mochi: The ice cream maker, which wraps premium ice cream in a sweet mochi rice dough, has a limited-time pumpkin spice ice cream version hitting shelves mid-September ($5.99-$6.99). Sold online via the brand’s website, FreshDirect delivery or in supermarkets including Albertsons, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, and Whole Foods.
• Carvel Pumpkin Cheesecake: The ice cream chain, with 345 locations in the U.S., brought back its Pumpkin Cheesecake lineup on for a limited time starting Aug. 15. Treats include Pumpkin Cheesecake Soft Serve, Pumpkin Cheesecake Scooped ice cream, shakes, sundaes, Flying Saucer sandwiches, and a soft serve ice cream pop dipped in white chocolate. Available at participating Carvel shops, in the Carvel app or from third-party delivery services. Prices vary depending on the location, but start at $2.99 for the pop and sandwiches to $6.79 for shakes and sundaes.

• The Cheesecake Factory: The restaurant chain, with about 340 locations, brings back its Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecakes on Sept. 1. Prices start at $9.95 for a slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake and $10.50 for Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake (whole cheesecakes run $35.95-$65.95). Members of the Cheesecake Rewards loyalty program who are signed up before or during September will get a special reward on Sept. 3 – a free slice of one of the pumpkin cheesecakes is among the rewards. New members who sign up by Sept. 30 are eligible for a reward, too. All rewards good through Sept. 30.
• Dairy Queen: Pumpkin gets the Blizzard treatment starting Aug. 26. The Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat is made with real pumpkin pie pieces blended with soft serve and garnished with whipped topping and nutmeg.
• Duncan Hines: Bake two dozen cookies with the Dolly Parton Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix ($6.98), coming to grocers and retailers including Walmart and available via delivery from Instacart.

• Entenmann's: Among the brand's many pumpkin snacks in stores are an Iced Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Donuts, and Little Bites pumpkin muffins.

• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Coming to the fast-food chain Aug. 20 (and available through Oct. 23) is a Pumpkin Pie Concrete ($5.89-up), a blend of vanilla frozen custard and pumpkin pie, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, and a Pumpkin Pie Shake ($5.69-up), which adds some milk to make it easier to drink.

• Great American Cookies: The Pumpkin Spice Cookie ($2.59), made with pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and white chocolate, and dusted with powdered sugar, is available now.
• Insomnia Cookies: Coming to the late-night bakery chain Sept. 3 to Sept. 22 is a Pumpkin Spice Latte Classic cookie made with pumpkin spice cookie dough and vanilla flavored chips. Join the new Insomnia Rewards loyalty program and get a free classic cookie when you sign up.

• Marble Slab Creamery: The small-batch ice cream maker, with nearly 400 locations, has a new Pumpkin Spice Latte ice cream, made with pumpkin, coffee and cinnamon, available until Oct. 31. Prices start at $7.49 for a 12-ounce shake and $7.59 for ice cream.
• Macarooz: Starting Aug. 19, the gourmet macaron maker has its Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée Macarons ($35 for six) and Pumpkin Spice Mac Pops ($27 for six) available online.
• Pepperidge Farm: Arriving on store shelves this month from the bakery brand are Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl Bread ($4.69) and Milano Pumpkin Spice Cookies ($5.09 for a 7-ounce bag), filled with pumpkin and chocolate cream.
• Werther’s Original Pumpkin Spice Soft Caramels: The caramel candy maker's fall product adds pumpkin spice for "a smooth, buttery texture," the company says in a press release. (prices range from $3.99 to $9.99).

More pumpkin foods

Pumpkin pie and pumpkin donuts are just the start when it comes to pumpkin foods:

• Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP: The popcorn purveyor embraces pumpkin spice with Pumpkin Spice Flavored Kettle Corn ($4.29), sweet popcorn with a bit of spice. Available at grocers and stores nationwide including Kroger and Walmart.

• Fit Butters Pumpkin Pie Cashew Butter: Here's what to slather on your pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffins. Arriving in stores at the end of August and the beginning of September, Fit Butters’ Pumpkin Pie Cashew Butter ($12.99) is vegan and made with pumpkin pie filling and vegan marshmallows.
• GoGo squeeZ Apple Pumpkin Spice: This flavor of the fruit pouches – made with apples, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and with no added sugar – can be found in September within a variety pack at grocery stores nationwide (suggested price, $14.99 for 20-count pack).
• Nicola's Marketplace: This New Jersey grocer will ship you its homemade Pumpkin Ravioli ($16.99 for box with 24 pieces), made with local pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and Parmigiano Reggiano.

• Pumpkin Spice Cheerios and more: In addition to the limited-time cereal made with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, General Mills also has Pillsbury Grands! Pumpkin Spice Rolls ($6.18), premade ready-to-bake cinnamon roll dough with premade pumpkin spice icing, and a new entry, Pumpkin Spice Pillsbury Bread Batter ($5.99). Oui Pumpkin Caramel whole milk French-style yogurt ($1.69) has real pumpkin puree folded in. All expected to be available mid-August through October at various retailers nationwide.

• Premier Protein Pumpkin Spice High Protein Shake: Available for a limited time starting in August, these shakes provide 30 grams of protein with 1 gram of sugar and pumpkin spices. You can drink them or use them in recipes and in tea or coffee. Sold in 15-packs and 18-packs of 11-ounce bottles ($25-$35, prices vary) and in packs of one dozen 11.5-ounce ($32), nationwide at retailers including Walmart and on Amazon.com.

• Pumpkin Pie Perfect Bar: This seasonal special bar, made with organic peanut butter, honey, dried pumpkin, fall spices and more than 20 superfoods, has 14 grams of protein. You will find them in the refrigerated section because they are made with freshly ground nut butters and have no added preservatives. They start hitting stores August 18 and will be available nationwide by late August at PerfectBar.com (8-pack for $29) and at retailers including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Costco.

• Schlafly Vanilla Pumpkin Ale: The St. Louis brewery already makes one of the top pumpkin ales. This year it's added a new brew to its fall portfolio. The Vanilla Pumpkin Ale (8.0% ABV, $13.99 per six-pack), like the traditional Pumpkin Ale, has cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and pumpkin, plus a vanilla touch that adds "a creamy sweetness to the fall favorite," the brewery says in a press release.

• Seven Sundays’ Real Pumpkin Spice Oat Protein Cereal: Hitting stores in September, this cereal ($7.99) is made with real pumpkin, cinnamon and other spices with more protein and fiber than whole oats. Available online and at retailers including Natural Grocers, Thrive, Whole Foods and more.

• Smoothie King: Members of the Healthy Rewards loyalty program get a head start on the chain's seasonal Pumpkin Smoothie Line-up on Aug. 20, while all customers can order starting Aug. 27. Pumpkin options include Pumpkin Power Meal, made with 100% organic pumpkin, seasonal spices, almonds, dates – for 21 grams of protein; and the Pumpkin Slim-N-Trim smoothie, made with pumpkin, seasonal spices, bananas, dates, 13 grams of protein, and weighs in at under 250 calories. From Aug. 20-26, Healthy Rewards members get 1,000 bonus points when they buy pumpkin smoothies. From Aug. 24-26, they get 32-ounce pumpkin smoothies for $7.

• siggi’s yogurt: The Icelandic yogurt brand's pumpkin & spice limited edition small batch flavor is available at retailers across the U.S. including Whole Foods through December. A single 5.3 oz. cup, with 15 grams of protein, has a suggested retail price of $1.97.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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