From Pumpkin pie to coffee: The Story of pumpkin spice

The history of this iconic autumn flavor surprisingly didn’t start in the American coffee shops. Actually, it didn’t even start with pumpkins. It starts within the islands of Indonesia, the cradle of spices the world used to go crazy for.

Spices from the other end of the world

For centuries, the Moluccas were a source of the most prized spices: nutmeg and cloves. These ingredients were worth their weight in gold. Spice merchants’ travels lead them through one key port – the city of Mohka in Yemen. This destination was also the original spot from where coffee was spreading to the rest of the world in the 15th century.

Spices and coffee shared not only shipping routes, but also markets and merchants. So it’s no wonder that people still added cinnamon or cloves to their coffee by the end of the 19th century. One traveler shared in their memoir how the Arabic traders prepared their coffee; they supposedly crushed the spices with their fingers and then added them to a pot where the beverage was brewing.

America’s pumpkin pie

Let’s skip to the other side of the globe. Pumpkins were growing in America long before the arrival of Europeans. During the colonization, they were treated similarly to potatoes and people baked them into pies or added them to soups.

Did you know that the first ever American cookbook from 1796 contained two recipes for a pumpkin pie? And cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger were key ingredients even back then. In time, this autumn flavor became inseparable from Thanksgiving, an American holiday the locals celebrate by feasting with their families – and of course the festive table has to include a nice pumpkin pie.

Because Thanksgiving takes place in the autumn, this entire flavor concoction became a part of the autumn months. In the 1930s, companies began selling ready-made spice blends under the name ‘pumpkin spice’.

A Revolutionary idea came in 2003

In January 2003, the developer team in Starbucks set on a mission to create a new drink for autumn. Their winter specials were already widely popular and both peppermint mocha as well as eggnog latte had their loyal followers. But the earlier months lacked such iconic drinks. The company had a plethora of ideas for potential flavors such as pecans, honey, or a chocolate-caramel combo – in other words, all tried and safe options. But among them, there was an outlier, an option that stuck out for its unusual creativity. And that was pumpkin spice.

Peter Dukes, who led the team at the time, remembers how the idea sparked a heated debate. Nobody was making drinks with pumpkin flavor. If you were to go to a store at the time, you’d at most find a can of pureed pumpkins for pies.

Even the evolution of the blend was unusual. The team wanted to try the flavors together, so they poured an espresso directly over a pumpkin pie. Then they tried different ratios for cinnamon and nutmeg. And, finally, they created a formula where no pumpkin was needed. It only contained the spice blend, sugar, coffee, and milk.

In the autumn of 2003, Starbucks tested the drink in 100 selected stores in Vancouver and Washington. One week later, they could be sure they found their autumn hit. The rows of people were getting longer and longer and customers returned for more pumpkin spice lattes. Their supplies were disappearing faster than they could replenish them. Next year, pumpkin spice latte was available everywhere in America.

Phenomenon built on emotions

The triumph of pumpkin spice should be credited to more than the iconic flavor, though it also plays a major role. It’s a play of multiple different things and one of them is memories. The drink tastes just like the pumpkin spice people remembered from their childhood, like Saturday morning family breakfasts, like pleasant autumn moments. It evokes the feelings of home and safety.

The next factor is the limited supply. Pumpkin spice latte season is short, only a few weeks each year – if you know you can only have it now, the craving only increases. The third one is the influence of social media, especially Instagram. Each September, an avalanche of pics with this iconic beverage is posted all over the internet.

Pumpkin spice latte became an inseparable part of autumn and, in a way, people use it to express their affections towards this season. While some consider this spectacle to be too commercial, the fact that it’s been here for 20 years and still achieves this level of popularity says it’s much more than a short-term fad.

A Flood of pumpkin products

Between 2008 and 2012, the amount of pumpkin-spiced products increased more than three times. Suddenly, pumpkin spice was everywhere, whether it was candy, cookies, yogurts, or beer. Of course, pumpkin spice candles followed alongside pumpkin spice shower gels and even trash bags. By 2015, Starbucks sold over 200 million pumpkin-spiced drinks and by 2019, the number reached 400 million products sold worldwide.

Only in 2015 did Starbucks finally add actual pumpkin puree into their formula. They did so in response to numerous criticisms that the name of their latte doesn’t correspond to the ingredients found in the drink. However, most people didn’t even notice the change in the flavor.

Homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe

You can enjoy this iconic coffee even without having to visit expensive coffee shops. All you need is some Pumpkin Spice Flavored Coffee, which combines Brazilian arabica with a natural aroma of pumpkins and traditional spices. Brazil Santos coffee grows in the São Paulo region and it’s the Bourbon variety, cultivated in altitudes of 1,300m.

Careful selection of ripe coffee fruit and the subsequent wet processing guarantee a rich flavor profile. It’s naturally low in acidity and carries notes of chocolate and nuts that perfectly complement the pumpkin flavor.

Step by step

To make your own pumpkin spice latte from scratch, you need roasted coffee with a full body and rich flavor. One of our recommendations is Brazil Cerrado Black Diamond which is a regular winner in flavor competitions and shines with notes of dark chocolate and almonds.

Over 20 years of success

Most culinary trends last for months at most, yet pumpkin spice latte has been here for over 20 years. Nowadays, you can find it in coffee shops all over the world once autumn starts, but if you want to savor some during the year, you don’t need to wait for the major stores to stock it. All you need is to reach for some flavored coffee beans or a good decaf coffee. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the recipe to make it more personal, too.

Try adding more cinnamon, use honey instead of sugar, or maybe give a chance to coconut milk. Every cup of coffee can be unique depending on whatever you’re craving at the very moment.