Who Actually Invented the Pumpkin Spice Latte?
There are few drinks that signify the start of a season quite like the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Simultaneously beloved and reviled by coffee lovers across the globe, the “PSL” is an unstoppable cultural phenomenon, with cafes everywhere releasing their versions earlier and earlier every year, much to the delight (or chagrin) of millions of people. But as it turns out, the story behind the famous espresso drink might not be as straightforward as one coffee chain makes it out to be.
Starbucks is widely credited with (and loves to take credit for) the creation of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which it added to its menu in a limited capacity in 2003. As the story goes, Starbucks was looking to add a seasonal fall beverage to its lineup after witnessing the success of the Peppermint Mocha, its winter-themed bev. In an effort to figure out what this drink could be, Peter Dukes, then-head of the chain’s espresso team, conducted a brainstorming session that generated over 100 potential flavor ideas. Some of the most popular flavors mentioned included chocolate, caramel, orange, cinnamon, and, of course, pumpkin.
To narrow things down even further, the coffee shop created a survey where customers could share their input. While chocolate and caramel were both highly favored, as was expected, pumpkin scored very high with consumers for its “uniqueness.” So pumpkin it was.
According to Starbucks, recipe and development for the drink started at Liquid Lab, the chain’s Seattle-based R&D lab, in 2003. That spring, team members allegedly forked spoonfuls of pumpkin pie into their mouths and chased it with shots of espresso to determine which flavor profile was best suited for their menu. Over the course of three months, the Starbucks team tinkered with the recipe before finally testing it in 100 stores across Washington, D.C., and Vancouver for the fall season. Spoiler alert: It was a massive hit.
The next year, Starbucks launched the Pumpkin Spice Latte across the United States and Canada, and in 2012, the latte was made available in markets across the globe. Nowadays, Starbucks sells roughly 20 million PSLs every year — while still taking credit for its creation. It’s a romantic story, but according to a new revelation, a version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte existed for almost a decade before Starbucks even started brainstorming.
As evidenced by a September 1994 edition of Seattle’s now-defunct music magazine The Rocket, the Pumpkin Spice Latte very well may have been invented by iconic musician Tori Amos. According to the excerpt — which was unearthed by travel and food writer Doug Mack on Bluesky — Amos dropped the information about her coffee creation during a show in Seattle, even mentioning Starbucks as she shared the news.
“You all have your Starbucks thing,” she allegedly said at the time. “Well, I have one that tastes like pumpkin pie. It’s my own invention; it’s my contribution to Halloween. A little witch warmer!”
While it’s impossible to know if Amos was actually drinking a pumpkin spice latte and not just some other pumpkin pie-flavored coffee, it is notable that she mentioned the drink a full 10 years before it landed on Starbucks menus nationwide. So perhaps it’s no real coincidence that the massive chain “created” the drink in the same city Amos shared her contribution.
Love it or hate it, call it a Pumpkin Spice Latte or a Witch Warmer, no matter what, the PSL clearly isn’t going anywhere any time soon — even if we don’t really know who exactly to credit with its creation.
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