Baked Goods

11. Puff Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These pre-cut cookie dough pumpkins didn’t impress us much. They were pretty chewy and didn’t have a lot of pumpkin spice flavor.

Score: 1.2/5

10. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Blondie Brownies

Very underwhelming and kind of dry. Lacking any noticeable pumpkin flavor.

Score: 1.3/5

9. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Loaf

My dad liked this better than my mom and me. Overall, we found it dry and not flavorful. It tasted old, but we were eating it well within the best-by date.

Score: 1.7/5

8. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Again, the theme for the Trader Joe’s baked goods remains the same: pretty dry and not a lot of pumpkin flavor! The streusel on top didn’t add anything of value.

Score: 2.2/5

7. Aldi Pumpkin Cake Bites

These looked so cute, but didn’t deliver on flavor or texture. The strongest flavor was the cream cheese.

Score: 2.3/5

6. Aldi Pumpkin Cookie Sandwiches

The cookies were too soft, and the cream cheese filling was overwhelming, so they were kind of hard to eat. The delicate pumpkin spice flavor was a positive, however.

Score: 3.5/5

5. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Mini Biscotti

These had a good pumpkin spice flavor and good biscotti texture. My only complaint was that the mini ones were too short for dunking in a mug of coffee or tea.

Score: 3.7/5

4. Pillsbury Grands Pumpkin Spice Rolls

My dad and I loved these; my mom did not. They definitely had pumpkin flavor in the dough and in the icing, which was a nice treat. My mom thought they were too doughy and sickly sweet. I think she’d like these homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls much better.

Score: 3.7/5

3. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake

If you’re going to get any Trader Joe’s fall treat, it should be this cake. It’s moist, delicious and perfectly pumpkin spiced. Our only complaint was that there was a bit too much cream cheese frosting, which overpowered the pumpkin flavor.

Score: 3.7/5

2. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Biscotti

These biscotti are easy to enjoy on their own and are longer than the Aldi version, so they’re easier to dunk in your favorite fall mug. The pumpkin spice flavor felt balanced, and the texture held up well.

Score: 4/5

1. Aldi Pumpkin Sliced Loaf Cake

We were blown away by this loaf cake! It was moist and tasted exactly like pumpkin spice. I was surprised by how much it tasted like the homemade pumpkin loaves I usually bake.

Score: 4/5

Breakfast

6. brekki Ready-to-Eat Pumpkin Spice Oats

I was the only one who liked this! My parents both found it unappealing and unappetizing, but I thought the texture and flavor was nice.

Score: 1.7/5

5. Pop-Tarts Frosted Pumpkin Pie

Again, I was the only one singing this Pop-Tarts’ praises. My dad thought it was fine, but my mom thought it tasted too artificial.

Score: 2.7/5

4. Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Frosted Flakes

This cereal didn’t taste very good nor very bad. It came across as more sugary than actually pumpkin-spiced.

Score: 3/5

3. General Mills Pumpkin Spice Cheerios

These were fine. Considering how powerful the apple cinnamon Cheerios are, we were all disappointed that the pumpkin spice version wasn’t as bold.

Score: 3.2/5

2. Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini-Wheats

If you’re a fan of regular Frosted Mini-Wheats, you will enjoy these. That same sugary frosting drizzle has just a kick of pumpkin.

Score: 3.2/5

1. Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Special K

The seasonal Special K had great texture and nice pumpkin spice flavor, and it was our favorite overall cereal. This is a really lovely fall breakfast option when you don’t have time to make something from scratch.

Score: 3.3/5

Coffee and Tea

9. IQ Joe Pumpkin Spice Instant Coffee

Oh boy, this did not impress. This instant coffee managed to taste both like chemicals and like mud, unfortunately. Maybe instant coffees are better off sticking to the basics instead of seasonal flavors.

Score: 0.3/5

8. Jordan’s Skinny Pumpkin Spice Syrup

I wanted to like this, but it was too artificial tasting to enjoy. I’ll stick to pumpkin spice creamer instead of syrup.

Score: 0.5/5

7. Starbucks Cold Brew Concentrate

Even when we changed the ratio to include more water, this concentrate was unbelievably bitter. We wouldn’t buy it again.

Score: 0.7/5

6. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Black Tea

This tea was quite sippable, but we didn’t think it had any real pumpkin spice flavor. If you like a warming fall tea, this would be a good purchase.

Score: 1.3/5

5. Death Wish Pumpkin Chai Coffee

The chai wasn’t very strong, but this was a decent pumpkin spice drip coffee regardless. We voted it perfectly drinkable, but not super festive.

Score: 2/5

4.  La Colombe Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte

This was a smooth and creamy latte. It could be a little too sweet if you don’t like cream in your coffee, which my dad does not. Added points for convenience.

Score: 2.5/5

3. Swiss Miss Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa

This was a decent blend of pumpkin spice and hot cocoa flavors. It was very creamy and had a nice finish with no weird aftertaste. You’ll want to drink this while curled in a blanket watching your favorite fall movie.

Score: 2.7/5

2. Twinings Pumpkin Spice Chai

This is a really flavorful pumpkin spice chai that also lets the black tea flavor come through. We all enjoyed this cozy cuppa and would buy it again.

Score: 3.3/5

1. STOK Pumpkin Creamed Cold Brew

This was a pumpkin spice coffee lover’s dream. The coffee was smooth and not bitter, and the pumpkin spice flavor was perfectly balanced.

Score: 3.5/5

Cookies

7. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Batons

These were underwhelming in flavor and in texture. The wafer was too crumbly, and the filling didn’t give us that burst of pumpkin spice we were hoping for.

Score: 2.8/5

6. Reko Pumpkin Spice Pizzelles

We all thought these were really delicate and nice. They had good pumpkin spice flavor, but we thought that maybe they’d be better paired with something, like pumpkin ice cream or homemade whipped cream, to give them some oomph.

Score: 2.8/5

5. Aldi Crispy Pumpkin Cookies

These were truly crispy and a delight! The only reason we didn’t rank them higher is because we all felt that they tasted more like toffee or brown butter than pumpkin spice. But really, a nice fall cookie option!

Score: 3.7/5

4. Aldi Crème Filled Pumpkin Spice Wafer Rolls

These were lightyears ahead of the TJ’s version in flavor. They were crisp and had a nice cream filling that was smooth and full of pumpkin-y flavor.

Score: 3.7/5

3. Trader Joe’s Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These were my dad’s favorites out of all the cookies we tried. My mom and I liked the yogurt-coated ones better than the pumpkin spice ones in this mixed box.

Score: 3.8/5

2. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Joe-Joe’s

Every seasonal Joe-Joe’s cookie is a delight, and that is true of the pumpkin-spiced version too. They are so sweet and so decadent, it’s hard to eat more than one, but the flavor is unmatched.

Score: 4.3/5

1. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Crèmes

These were a favorite for everyone. When we opened the package, we all went “oooh!” The orange colored cream filling is a festive touch to a delightful pumpkin spice cookie.

Score: 4.5/5

Creamer

7. Dunkin’ Pumpkin Munchkin Coffee Creamer

This creamer really puzzled us. It was pretty thin, and we couldn’t really place the flavor. Whatever it was, it wasn’t pumpkin spice.

Score: 2/5

6. Planet Oat Pumpkin Spice Oat Milk Creamer

Planet Oat, which makes my favorite oat milk for a latte, had decent flavor and creaminess, but didn’t really have a wow factor. I’d say this is perfectly good for a dairy replacement, but if you can drink dairy, you’re better off with something else.

Score: 2.7/5

5. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

This was the most artificial-tasting of all the creamers we tried, but definitely very pumpkin spice-forward. None of us said we would buy it again.

Score: 3/5

4. Bulletproof Enhanced Creamer

Bulletproof’s creamer had the strongest pumpkin spice flavor of them all, but since it’s a powder instead of a liquid, it was messier to incorporate it into our coffees.

Score: 3.2/5

3. Chobani Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Just like all of Chobani’s coffee creamers, this one was thick, creamy and smooth. It had great pumpkin spice flavor and added a nice creaminess to our coffee.

Score: 3.8/5

2. International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer

I was surprised that this beat out Chobani, but after tasting it, I understood. International Delight’s creamer is everything you’re looking for from a flavored creamer: it’s smooth, blends seamlessly into coffee, adds bold flavor and gives an unbelievably creamy mouthfeel.

Score: 4/5

1. International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Cold Foam Creamer

Shoutout to the cold foam trend for making this product exist. It’s so good we were all a little surprised by it. I loved that the foam both sits on top of your beverage while also slowly swirling into the rest of the cup. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Score: 4.3/5

Dairy

5. The Laughing Cow Pumpkin Spice Spreadable Cheese

My mom and I liked this cheese, but my dad hated it. It’s creamy, a little tart and has some sweetness from the pumpkin spice. This is probably best reserved for pumpkin spice super fans.

Score: 2.8/5

4. Good Culture Pumpkin & Spice Cottage Cheese

Again, my mom and I were obsessed with this, and my dad didn’t like it. If you like cottage cheese, you will enjoy this. The pumpkin spice flavor is strong, but it’s not too sweet—it’s cut nicely by the saltiness of the cheese. This is only ranked so low because this is our most competitive category.

Score: 4/5

3. Ellenos Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

This is everything you want from a pumpkin pie yogurt: sweet, creamy and with crunchy add-ins. My mom took off points because she doesn’t like add-ins to her yogurt.

Score: 4.2/5

2. Cedar’s Organic Pumpkin Hommus

Wow, this is delicious. We were all expecting it to be savory, but it’s actually on the sweeter side! It would make a great fall hummus to keep on hand for a crudité platter.

Score: 4.3/5

1. La Fermière Pumpkin Spice Creamy Whole Milk Yogurt

Exceptionally creamy and smooth, this yogurt had plenty of pumpkin spice flavor. The texture was so rich, it almost felt like we were eating ice cream. I would call this a huge triumph in the yogurt world.

Score: 4.3/5

Protein

4. IQ Bar Pumpkin Pie Protein Bar

I liked this, and my parents really did not. I loved that it had texture, which is usually lacking in a protein bar. My mom felt it tasted a little sour, though the pumpkin flavor was decent.

Score: 2.7/5

3. Quest Pumpkin Spice Protein Bar

Quest’s protein bar was a lot sweeter than the other protein bar we tried, and unmistakably pumpkin spice flavored. Despite being on the sweet side, it’s good overall.

Score: 3.3/5

2. Catalina Crunch Pumpkin Spice Protein Cereal

This protein cereal had minimal “weird protein flavor,” according to my dad. The pumpkin spice flavor stood out and so did the crunchy texture. We ate it dry, but it would be good with milk or over yogurt.

Score: 3.3/5

1. Orgain Pumpkin Spice Protein Powder

I think we were all pretty blown away by how good this protein powder tasted. I blended it with oat milk, and there was no chalkiness or funky aftertaste; it was just a really nice pumpkin spice shake.

Score: 4/5

Snacks

5. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Cereal Bars

Are they exciting? Not really. Do they taste like pumpkin? Yes. If you like the other flavors of this bar, you’ll probably enjoy this seasonal variety.

Score: 3.3/5

4. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Kettle Corn

We’re all fans of kettle corn, but this one was just too sweet. The drizzle was almost frosting-like in its sweetness. Good flavor, though!

Score: 3.3/5

3. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

I’ll admit, this was the product I was most interested in trying because it felt like pumpkin spice inception. While they’re good, they really just reminded us more of candied pecans than anything pumpkin.

Score: 3.7/5

2. Boom Chicka Pop Pumpkin Spice Drizzled Kettle Corn

I think because the drizzle was cream cheese flavored and the popcorn itself was dusted with pumpkin spice flavoring, this was more successful than the Aldi version. We kept eating this.

Score: 4.2/5

1. Goldfish Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spice Grahams

Overall, these Goldfish really worked, though it did feel like a confusing mash-up of a lot of different flavors. There was a strong cinnamon graham flavor here and a good pumpkin spice sweetness.

Score: 4.3/5

Assorted Sweets

10. Bubbies Pumpkin Spice Mochi

The filling was too bland and the mochi shell tasted too artificial. Overall, it was just not something that worked.

Score: 2/5

9. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Almonds

I liked these almonds, but my parents hated them. “Why would you do that to an almond?” is a direct quote from my dad.

Score: 2.7/5

8. Entenmann’s Pumpkin Muffin Little Bites

These are great for kids who like pumpkin but might be overwhelmed by pumpkin spice. Plus, they’re convenient to throw in their lunch box.

Score: 2.7/5

7. Werther’s Original Pumpkin Spice Soft Caramels

These are fine. For me, they just tasted like regular caramel than anything else. I think my parents enjoyed them more than I did.

Score: 2.7/5

6. Aldi Frozen Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Listen, should this have been in the breakfast category? Maybe, but I forgot about them in the freezer! Either way, they’re nicely flavored and not too sweet. You could totally eat these for dessert.

Score: 3/5

5. Aldi Pumpkin Pie Caramel Clusters

These fall candies are a great combination of salty and sweet, plus gooey caramel and nuts. Good pumpkin spice flavor overall.

Score: 3.7/5

4. Trader Joe’s Glazed Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

These were a surprise delight! For being both gluten- and dairy-free, they had good flavor and had a decent crumb.

Score: 3.7/5

3. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin & Spice Brioche-Style Liège Waffles

This is a new product from TJ’s, and it’s delicious. You can eat them warmed up, but we liked them just out of the bag. They’re a little sweet, but they have a really nice texture.

Score: 3.7/5

2. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels

These were my favorite in the snack category! They have that perfect sweet and salty balance, with a dash of pumpkin spice flavor thrown in.

Score: 3.7/5

1. Aldi Pumpkin Spice Covered Pretzels

My first thought was that these taste just like Halloween. Dipped in a sugary yogurt coating, they are on the sweeter side. That nice pretzel saltiness and crunch cuts through the sweetness in just the right proportion.

Score: 3.8/5

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m glad that this experiment is over. It was a lot of pumpkin spice food to eat! The nice thing about sampling so many products, though, is that it made our favorites stand out pretty clearly. At the end of the two days, these were our favorite products (in no particular order):

• Aldi Pumpkin Sliced Loaf Cake
• Good Culture Pumpkin & Spice Cottage Cheese
• Aldi Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Crèmes
• Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Joe-Joes
• Pillsbury Grands Pumpkin Spice Rolls
• Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Special K
• Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Teeny Tiny Pretzels

And the one product that received the highest overall average rating? That would be the Aldi Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Crèmes with a score of 4.5. Even though I am feeling some pumpkin spice fatigue, I would go buy another container of those in a heartbeat.