- Starbucks announced a new line of creamers inspired by some of its most popular drinks, including a Pumpkin Spice creamer that lets fans enjoy their favorite fall treat from the comfort of their own home.
- The creamers, which also come in White Chocolate, Caramel, and Cinnamon Dolce flavors, are set to hit grocery shelves nationwide this month.
- The INSIDER food team got an early taste of the brand’s four debut creamers and had mixed reviews across the board.
- But, much to our chagrin, we thought the Pumpkin Spice creamer was the best of the bunch.
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It’s almost Pumpkin Spice Latte season, but this year you won’t have to break out your Ugg boots to get a piping hot cup of your favorite Starbucks drinks.
The coffee giant recently announced a new line of creamers inspired by some of its most popular beverages, including a Pumpkin Spice creamer that lets fans enjoy their favorite fall treat from the comfort of their own home.
Starbucks’ creamers, which also come in White Chocolate, Caramel, and Cinnamon Dolce flavors, are set to hit grocery shelves nationwide this month. The INSIDER food team got an early taste of the brand’s four debut creamers and had mixed reviews across the board.
First things first - coffee
We poured four cups of freshly brewed coffee from the INSIDER kitchen, a Stumptown's House Blend that had notes of chocolate, florals, and nuts.
Then we paired each creamer with a cup of coffee, but not before trying each flavor on its own.
The White Chocolate creamer, which was inspired by Starbucks' White Chocolate Mocha, was the sweetest of the bunch
The first thing that stood out to us about the White Chocolate flavor was its consistency. On its own, the creamer was thicker than similar products we've tasted in the past and was - obviously - considerably sweeter.
Its taste was similar to a milky icing you might find atop your typical toaster pastry.
Read more: Starbucks is releasing a Pumpkin Spice Creamer so you can make your favorite fall drinks at home
Even after adding it to the coffee, the White Chocolate creamer was a little too sweet for our tastes. Meredith thought the flavor was reminiscent of marshmallows, but liked it overall because she does not like coffee and it masked the taste. Ian, however, is an avid java drinker, and thought the cup with the White Chocolate creamer tasted like a regular coffee with one too many sugars - stirred all together with a White Chocolate Kit Kat.
INSIDER lifestyle editor Anneta Konstantinides is a huge fan of Starbucks' White Chocolate Mocha, but said she was disappointed to find her coffee with the creamer didn't "taste anything like" the original.
The Caramel-flavored creamer tasted true to form, but it still fell on the sweet side
The hints of caramel were definitely there when we drank the Caramel creamer straight as well as when we mixed it into the coffee, but there was an artificial sweetness that detracted from the naturally warm notes of caramel.
Still, the Caramel flavor was certainly less offensive on the palate than the White Chocolate variety, and it wasn't too far off from replicating the taste of Starbucks' fan-favorite Caramel Macchiato.
Our least favorite, the Cinnamon Dolce creamer, had a few major drawbacks
Alone, the cinnamon in the creamer overwhelmed our senses, making it difficult to smell or taste any other flavors.
The creamer was a bit more muted once we added it to the coffee, but still slightly overshadowed the chocolate, florals, and nuts notes. We also noticed that this creamer made our coffee taste somewhat burnt.
Much to our chagrin, the Pumpkin Spice creamer reigns supreme
Although we came into this taste test rooting for an underdog, the now-ubiquitous Pumpkin Spice flavor easily took the top spot.
The creamer's subtler spices and drinkability set it apart from the other flavors, and it undoubtedly resembles its in-store inspiration.
Notably, the Pumpkin Spice creamer was the least sweet of the bunch and allowed highlights of the coffee - as well as the signature pumpkin flavor - to shine through.
For now, we'll stick to our in-store orders, but those who are looking to taste Starbucks' new creamers for themselves can find them at any major grocery store this month. Each flavor comes in 28-ounce bottles for $4.99.
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