The time has finally come. The most anticipated flavor of the year is FINALLY back! Say goodbye to tropical fruit smoothies and margaritas and say hello to my favorite part of October: our good old friend pumpkin spice. The two-month scramble to stuff your face with all things pumpkin spice starts now! With limited time and every Starbucks promotion email going straight to junk, our source of pumpkin spice information is scarce. Worry not, I’m here to fill you in on all things pumpkin spice to ensure we all get our fair share this fall season. Remember people t-minus 30 days until Mr. Gingerbread comes knocking with his partner in crime Peppermint Patty, let’s get to listing.
1. THE SWEET SHOP: Pumpkin spice muffin and Witches Brew latte
Being that this establishment is right across the street from my dorm I figured it would only be fair to let it go first on the list. My roommate is a barista here so the number of times I am in here on a week-to-week basis is well let’s just say quite high. Let’s start with this pumpkin muffin. The ratio of pumpkin spice to cinnamon is perfect in the way that you can enjoy the pumpkin without feeling the spice in your throat hours later. The cinnamon crumbles on top resembling that of their coffee cake cinnamon muffin simply tops it off and sends my tastebuds right into party mode. It is the perfect beginner pumpkin treat to start your fall season and pair it with the Witches Brew latte (two shots of expresso, milk of choice, white chocolate, pumpkin and cinnamon syrup) and you are good to go, my friend.
2. TRADER JOES: Pumpkin spiced joe-joe sandwich cookies
I truly wanted to save the best for last, I did, but on the off chance that some of you don’t read to the end, I felt it was necessary to give these pumpkin treats all the glory they deserve. Every one of my friends can tell you about these pumpkin cookies because they practically became a rite of passage in order to enter the dorm room. I’m seriously about to geek out over these scrumptious gifts from the pumpkin gods so buckle up and get ready. These cookies are the pumpkin twist to the Trader Joe’s original joe-joe cookie (fancy name for an OREO). It starts with the pumpkin spiced cookie hugging the pumpkin spiced cream filling ever so perfectly, next covered in pumpkin yogurt, and finally last but not least the tiniest sprinkle of sea salt to top it all off. Now that your mouth is watering, run don’t walk for this limited-time treat.
Also before you leave trader joes don’t forget to throw a pumpkin spice broom in your basket so that even when you aren’t eating one of these pumpkin-spiced treats, it will feel like you are!
3. Jeremiah’s Italian Ice: Pumpkin Pie Gelati
Now if you are not from Central Florida I have discovered that many people in Tallahassee are unaware of the greatness that is Jeremiah’s Italian Ice. Well in case this is you, read carefully and start entering the address into your GPS. To sum it up, Jeremiah’s is the only Italian ice place I am aware of that allows you to combine the wonderful creation of Italian ice with its creamier long lost friend ice cream. Jeremiahs on any regular day is amazing but in October… well that is another story. The pumpkin pie Italian ice tastes exactly like your grandmother’s homemade pumpkin pie and layering it in with regular vanilla ice cream and literal Biscoff cookies will absolutely knock your socks off. Both refreshing and comforting, in my mind it is unbeatable.
4. Dunkin Donuts: Pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin glazed donuts, pumpkin munchkins.
Whether you are a hardcore Starbucks girl or a Dunkin Donuts Contesseuir, no one can change my mind on the fact that Dunkin donuts wins in the pumpkin competition in terms of food. The Starbucks pumpkin cold brew deserves every bit of hype it receives but the pumpkin loaf doesn’t stand a chance against the Dunkin pumpkin cream cheese muffin, let’s be real. This muffin is creamy when it needs to be and moist when the roof of your mouth gets lonely and needs some stick. The pumpkin glazed donut will always be my favorite and the munchkins are always a solid choice when you are on the run or coming back from the gym and simply want a taste.
5. IHOP: pumpkin spice pancakes and scary face pancakes
Once an IHOP fan, always an IHOP fan. Even though they seemed to have taken away their beloved flavor syrups which would often be consumed more than the actual pancake at times in my case, they always pull through with their seasonal releases. This pumpkin spice pancake is everything a pumpkin spice pancake should be. It’s light and fluffy, and the specs of cinnamon and pumpkin spice dance in perfect harmony within the vanilla batter. Would they be better with the butter pecan syrup? Yes. Will I still run to IHOP and eat these pancakes in the original syrup? Absolutely. Lastly, for all of my kids at heart out there, the scary face pancakes are exactly how they have always been: full of sugar and hilarious to look at.
In consideration of my word count, I will list my honorable mention pumpkin spice treats minus the wannabe-reviewer reviews.
6. Bruster’s Ice Cream: pumpkin cheesecake, caramel apple crunch and butter pecan.
7. Crumbl: pumpkin chocolate chip, pumpkin cheesecake and apple caramel cookies.
8. Target: Pumpkin spiced goldfish, pumpkin cheerios, pumpkin spiced Milano cookies.
9. Dennys: Pumped-kin pancake breakfast
10. Lofty pursuits: pumpkin pie candy
Now I release all you pumpkin lovers to go run to these stores and stock up NOW! Remember… 30 days people. Session adjourned!!
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