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Food August 30, 2022

Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fall flavors back on the menu at Starbucks

PHOTO: Pumpkin season is back for a limited time at Starbucks.
Starbucks
Pumpkin season is back for a limited time at Starbucks.

Although temperatures are still above 70 degrees in a majority of the U.S., with a little under a month left of summer, Starbucks kicked off the unofficial start of fall with the return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes on Tuesday.

With the price of coffee beans rising steadily since July 2021, and soaring inflation in the U.S., the popular PSL is not immune to price adjustments.

A Starbucks spokesperson told "Good Morning America" that while prices vary market to market, a 16-ounce grande PSL "ranges from $5.45 to $5.95 in company operated U.S. stores."

"The price range for PSL is on par with historical pricing trends and consistent with others in the industry. Last year, the price of a grande Pumpkin Spice Latte ranged from $5.25 to $5.45," the representative explained. "We continually evaluate pricing on a product-by-product and market-by-market basis, evaluating and adjusting prices on an ongoing basis allows us to balance the need to run our business profitably while continuing to provide value to our customers."

The iconic "PSL" -- made with Starbucks Signature Espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, real pumpkin, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices -- will officially return to the coffee chain's menu for its 19th year.

For customers not quite ready to turn to hot drinks just yet, the fall-flavored drink is available in iced or blended form as well.

The limited time lineup also includes the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, which is sweetened with vanilla syrup, topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice.

The Apple Crisp Macchiato -- inspired by the layered apple, cinnamon and brown sugar flavors of apple crisp -- will also return to the menu after its debut last season. This year, the drink is made with oat milk and Starbucks Blonde Espresso as its standard recipe.

Harvey Rojas Mora, Starbucks beverage developer, said in a statement that the "oatmilk adds a creaminess and brings forward the oat flavors of a traditional apple crisp topping."

The Apple Crisp Macchiato will also be available hot, iced or blended throughout the season.

As for the pastry case, pumpkin is up for grabs in muffin form as well as a Pumpkin Scone and Pumpkin Loaf. The Seattle-based coffee shop chain has also added an Owl Cake Pop, made with vanilla cake and buttercream that's dipped in purple chocolate coating.

Starbucks also has added a new selection of colorful drinkware for fall from hot and cold cups to water bottles all under $30. Plus, Rewards members who bring their clean, reusable cups to a participating location can earn 25 Stars in addition to 10 cents off their beverage order.

To help celebrate the start of the fan-favorite season, Starbucks has created a "Pumpkin Portal to Fall," a quiz-style game that tests customers' knowledge of emojis, pop culture and Starbucks.

The company has created new designs for its whole bean coffee packages, inspired by the people and stories associated with the blends' origin and flavor. The artwork and color scheme of supermarket Starbucks products have also been designed to help shoppers find the perfect coffee for brewing at home.