I Tried Starbucks’s New Fall Menu—Here’s What’s Worth Ordering

There are people who can’t let go of summer —and people who start hosting Summerween parties in July and stalking Home Depot for the first sightings of Skelly decorations. Starbucks is catering to the latter this year, releasing the Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL , to obsessives) earlier than ever . As in, you can walk into a Starbies on Thursday, August 22, and order one.

But that’s not the only drink—or seasonally inspired treat—you can try. I got to sample the menu in advance (Mom, I made it!), and after tasting everything, there are a few things I’d highly recommend—and one I’d skip.

The Drinks

If You Like Pumpkin, Order...

1. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

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The PSL is a classic for a reason, but if you're more of a cold brew fan, you cannot skip the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. It's my second-favorite drink to grace the fall menu (RIP, salted caramel mocha). Vanilla syrup sweetens classic cold brew, which is complemented by a lightly pumpkin-flavored, creamy cold foam topping. There's a sprinkle of pumpkin spice on top, but honestly, I'd omit it. Too much, and you'll start coughing like you took the cinnamon challenge.

This drink is well-balanced and isn't as rich as the other pumpkin-y bevs on the lineup. However, if you like a cozier drink, try the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai , a returning (and more decadent) sip that infuses black tea with milk, cinnamon and "warming spices," along with a pumpkin cold foam topping. It's rich but not overwhelming.

If You Prefer Apple, Order...

2. Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai

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New to the Starbucks menu, this drink tastes like a crisp afternoon spent apple picking (minus the cider doughnuts). You'll immediately get a soft, honeycrisp-like scent as soon as you raise a cup, though the flavor is chameleon-esque, moving from a refreshing apple juice to a sweet brown sugar finish. Thankfully, the nondairy drink remains light, not syrupy, but fair warning: It is one of the sweeter drinks on the menu this season.

While the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato will be returning to the menu, the lightness of the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai makes it my overall top pick in the apple category. (If you're craving more of a coffee-forward vibe, you can order two other drinks exclusively via the Starbucks app: the Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte and nondairy Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White.)

The Food

3. Baked Apple Croissant

You'll want to head to your local Starbucks (or order ahead on the app) first thing on the 22nd to snag this returning favorite. If it's anywhere near as popular as it was last year, it's likely to sell out fast—and frequently—in locations nationwide. And one bite in, I could see why: It has a solid ratio of gooey, caramelized-yet-cinnamon-y apple pie filling atop pillowy-yet-flaky croissant layers. Often, "cruffin"-esque creations get crunchy on the outside; not so here.

It's a nice complement to the sweeter, heavier fall drinks, though you can't go wrong with the pumpkin loaf and pumpkin cream cheese muffin either. (Kids will love the new raccoon cake pop, which is the brand's classic vanilla cake pop, only shaped into your favorite neighborhood trash-ravaging woodland creature.)

4. Starbucks Reserve Pumpkin Spice Cake

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OK, you'll have to make a trip to one of Starbucks's Reserve locations (in Seattle, New York and Chicago, currently) to snag this dessert, but if you're within driving distance, it's worth it. Consider it the best of Starbucks's pumpkin desserts dialed up to 100. The pumpkin bundt cake is moist and tender, with a little crunch from roasted pepitas and an incredible caramel sauce that's rich without veering cloying. It's all topped with a dark chocolate square that balances out the sweetness marvelously.

Oh, and if you're considering making the trip, you might as well order a Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew (which does not contain alcohol but still has those sharp, smoky notes, thanks to the cold brew being steeped in whiskey barrels). Or, if you're feeling like an actually boozy nightcap, the Pumpkin Spice Chai Martini has the vodka kick of a traditional 'tini that gives way to the cozy, soul-warming flavors of cinnamon and Chai.

Skip: The PSL

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Hot take: It's a classic, sure, but it's just a heavily seasoned latte. It's fine. It's nice for a chilly day when you need something to warm your hands. But with these other drinks on the menu, why not expand your lil' treat horizons? You deserve it.

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