Starbucks Just Dropped a Surprise New Drink—and I Tried It First

There are two types of people in this world: those who announce it's fall the minute pumpkin spice products start popping up on grocery store shelves, cheering as PSL season creeps ever earlier each year...And then there are the seasonal sticklers who insist that fall isn't here until the calendar says so.

Those in the former camp will likely have already been celebrating with PSLs at Starbucks for nearly a month now, as well as the coffee company's new drink for fall: Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai. Well, now, Starbucks is announcing another menu addition to please those who fall strictly in the equinox-abiding camp. In honor of the *official* start of fall on Sept. 22, Starbucks is surprising fans with another fall drink—and it's one that's never been on the menu before.

Starbucks Introduces New Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte

To usher in the (calendar) start of autumn, Starbucks is adding one more drink to its fall lineup. The Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte is made with Starbucks Blonde Espresso and oat milk, as well as flavors of nutty pecan, rich brown butter and holiday baking spices. The drink is topped off with a pecan crunch topping.

There is, of course, also an iced version of the drink, the Iced Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte. The iced latte features the same Blonde Espresso, oat milk, and nutty pecan, rich brown butter and holiday baking spice flavors, but served over ice and topped with non-dairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold (the same cold foam topper that the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai gets) and that yummy pecan crunch topping.

Seemingly taking a page from McDonald's book earlier this year, the drink was inspired by a grandma. Specifically, the grandmother of Patrick Penny, lead beverage developer for Starbucks, and her pecan pie.

“The flavors in this latte evoke memories of the smell of freshly baked pecan pie, but also the warmth and connection of moments at home with family and friends,” said Penny in a press release.

The Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte joins a bevy (pun intended) of other autumnally-appropriate, dessert-inspired drinks on the Starbucks Fall 2024 menu, including the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, and the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. It's a veritable Thanksgiving dessert spread, just in drink form.

“We’ve got pumpkin, we’ve got apple, and now we’ve got pecan. It’s the ‘pie-fecta!’,” added Penny.

*Game show host voice:* And that's not all! Starbucks has one more surprise in store for those who are nuts for nuts. The brand is adding another flavor of its beloved cold foam to menus: Salted Pecan Cream Cold Foam. Available in both dairy and non-dairy versions, the cold foam is made with pecan syrup and a hint of salt for balance. The Salted Pecan Cold Foam can be added to any iced drink, so let your imagination run wild (but tip your baristas well).

My Honest Review of the New Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte

I was lucky enough to get an early taste of the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, and these are my thoughts. It was honestly delicious, both in iced and hot versions. Where I found the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso a little too sweet to the point of cloying (for my taste), the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte hit all the right notes without being too sweet.

Pecans don't have the strongest flavor as far as nuts go, but they add a buttery richness and toasty flavor profile. The best way to describe the flavor is warm. There are definitely warming spices but none are overpowering, and the brown butter flavor is subtle—think more nuttiness than, say, Butterbeer. The oat milk base is super creamy without leaving a weird residue or aftertaste like some non-dairy milks. The crunchy topping is just the cherry on, well, top.

The iced version is a bit sweeter if that's your jam, since the non-dairy Vanilla Sweet Cream adds extra sweetness. I preferred the hot version ever so slightly, but I could easily see myself ordering either again. If this is what we get when Starbucks adds unexpected additions to its seasonal menus, then surprise me all you want, Starbucks!

The Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte and Salted Pecan Cold Foam both hit U.S. Starbucks locations on Sept. 19. They'll only be available for a limited time while supplies last, so I definitely recommend trying them while they're around.