pumpkin spice, but make it protein.
short answer: pumpkin spice was never the problem. the spice blend is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove, and it is basically free. the 50 grams of sugar it usually rides in on is the whole story. so this fall we did the obvious thing and built the pumpkin lineup on protein instead.
is a pumpkin spice latte actually bad for you?
no single drink is bad for you, and we are not going to pretend one latte undoes anything. here is the honest math instead. a grande pumpkin spice latte from the big green mermaid runs about 390 calories with roughly 50 grams of sugar, per their own published numbers. that is a dessert, and desserts are fine.
the part worth thinking about is frequency. one PSL is a treat. one every workday from labor day to thanksgiving is close to 2,000 calories a week, most of it sugar, attached to a habit you barely notice. that is the quiet math that makes october feel heavier than september.
the fix is not giving up the flavor. it is deciding which days are treat days, and having a better default for the rest.
what is pumpkin spice, actually?
a chef's answer: it is a warm spice blend, cinnamon first, then ginger, nutmeg and clove. no pumpkin, usually. the spices themselves carry essentially zero calories and a lot of flavor, which makes them one of the best deals in the kitchen.
that is exactly why the seasonal drinks add up. you are not paying a calorie cost for the pumpkin spice. you are paying it for the syrup, the whip and the milk it arrives in. keep the spice, rebuild the vehicle, and the whole equation changes.
the fall drop: pumpkin, but make it protein
this is our first fall menu, live now, cooked fresh in minneapolis every week.
the headliner is the jacked o'lantern roll, our gooey cinnamon roll gone pumpkin, with 22 grams of protein per roll for four dollars. same soft dough people line up for at the markets, dressed for the season.
the psl alternative with 23g of protein
brew boo is our answer to the daily PSL habit: bottled protein cold brew with pumpkin pie flavor, 23 grams of protein at 150 calories. more protein than three eggs, less than half the calories of a grande PSL, and it lives in your fridge so the default is already cold and ready.
if you want the deeper dive on whether protein coffee is worth it in general, we wrote an honest take on protein coffee that covers the category.
the rest of the lineup
the swolloween shake is the halloween bottle at 150 calories, and sticky minnies are mini sticky buns at 141 calories with 5 grams of protein apiece, built for sharing, or not.
everything above joins the regular menu of meals and bakes. browse the whole kitchen and build a box.
a chef trick if you make yours at home
two things make a homemade pumpkin latte taste like the real thing instead of cinnamon water. first, bloom the spice: stir it into a few tablespoons of hot coffee and let it sit ten minutes before it goes in the cup, because cold raw spice tastes dusty. second, salt. a small pinch flattens the bitter edge and makes the pie flavor bloom. sweeten last, after the spice and salt are in, and you will use less than you think.
come get it
the fall drop is live at the store right now. order by thursday night and it arrives sunday across the twin cities. we are also at the farmers markets into october, richfield on saturdays and lake harriet on sundays, where the rolls tend to go first.
FAQ
Is a pumpkin spice latte healthy?
One pumpkin spice latte is fine. A grande from a coffee chain runs about 390 calories with roughly 50 grams of sugar, which is dessert territory, and the habit is where it adds up: one every workday is close to 2,000 calories a week of mostly sugar. If you love it, have it and enjoy it. If you want the flavor as a daily thing, pick a version built on protein instead of syrup.
How many calories are in a pumpkin spice latte?
A grande Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte made with 2% milk and whipped cream is about 390 calories, with around 50 grams of sugar and 14 grams of protein, per the published nutrition data. Smaller sizes and lighter milks bring it down, but sugar stays the main ingredient doing the work.
What is pumpkin spice actually made of?
Pumpkin spice is just a spice blend: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. The spices themselves have essentially no calories. Everything people worry about in pumpkin spice drinks and treats comes from the sugar and cream they ride in on, not the spice.
Is there a high-protein pumpkin spice latte?
Yes. Protein cold brew is the same idea as a PSL, cold brew plus milk plus pumpkin pie flavor, but built on protein instead of syrup. Our bottled version, brew boo, has 23 grams of protein at 150 calories. That is more protein than three eggs, at less than half the calories of a grande PSL.
The whole seasonal lineup, with live availability, lives on one page: the tandoco fall menu. Everything on it is tagged seasonal in the store, so what you see is what is baking this week.
How long does the tandoco fall menu run?
The fall drop is live now and runs through the season. Everything is cooked fresh in Minneapolis each week. Order by Thursday night and it arrives Sunday across the twin cities, or find us at the farmers markets, which run into October.
tandoco is a scratch kitchen and wellness bakery in minneapolis. we cook food and we are not dietitians or doctors, so treat this as one chef's take rather than clinical advice.