Starbucks is well-known around the world for lots of reasons, and one of them is undoubtedly the coffee chain’s signature beverage creations. These seasonal drinks tend to start as new additions to the Starbucks menu and turn into decades-long favorites – like the ever so popular Pumpkin Spice Latte.
But you may wonder what exactly goes into making the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte, and how many calories and sugars you’re consuming when you sip on one. If you’re looking for Starbucks drink options under 100 calories, this drink won’t be one of them: a classic Pumpkin Spice Latte in Starbucks’ standard grande size clocks in at 390 calories and includes a whopping 50 grams of sugar.
Take a look at the nutritional recap for a Pumpkin Spice Latte in each of the various cup sizes available at Starbucks, and keep scrolling to discover everything you need to know about this seasonal favorite.
| Short | Tall | Grande | Venti | |
| Calories | 210 | 300 | 390 | 470 |
| Total Fat | 9 g | 12 g | 14 g | 16 g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 26 g | 39 g | 52 g | 65 g |
| Sugars | 25 g | 38 g | 50 g | 63 g |

What’s in a Pumpkin Spice Latte?
In its smallest size (a short, which is 8 ounces), a Pumpkin Spice Latte contains 210 calories, while the largest size (a venti, 20 ounces) comes in at 470 calories. Meanwhile, the added sugars in the beverage range from 25 grams to 63 grams. So what are the ingredients that make up these numbers?
A Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is made with the following ingredients:
- Brewed Espresso
- Milk (2%)
- Pumpkin Spice Sauce
- Whipped Cream
- Pumpkin Spice Topping
The pumpkin spice sauce is what gives the seasonal drink its signature flavor. It’s what makes a Pumpkin Spice Latte a Pumpkin Spice Latte – and it’s also where most of the drink’s sugars come from. Starbucks’ pumpkin spice sauce is made of sugar, condensed skim milk, and pumpkin puree, along with additional ingredients like natural flavors and coloring.
Thanks to four pumps of this sugary sauce included in a grande size drink, as well as the whipped cream on top (which is made with sweetened vanilla syrup), a Pumpkin Spice Latte packs a lot of sugar into one beverage. The pumpkin spice topping, which is sprinkled on top of the whipped cream, is made of an array of spices like cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg.
These are all of the ingredients in the base recipe for Starbucks’ classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, but keep in mind that if you customize your drink – for example, if you choose a different milk option or modify the number of pumps of sauce included – this will ultimately change the calorie and sugar count of your beverage.
Make your own PSL using this video tutorial…
Pumpkin Spice Latte variations and nutritional differences
In its classic form, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is just that – a latte – which means the milk is steamed and the drink is served hot. But there are other variations of this seasonal beverage available on the Starbucks menu; if you’re not a fan of hot drinks, you can order an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte, a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, or a Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino.
While a Pumpkin Spice Latte is made with the same ingredients whether it’s hot or iced, the drinks actually contain slightly different amounts of those ingredients so there are some slight nutritional differences between the two; a hot Pumpkin Spice Latte has more calories and sugar, while an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte has more total fat.
A Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino contains the same base ingredients of milk, pumpkin spice sauce, whipped cream, and pumpkin spice topping, but it’s made with coffee instead of espresso and includes Starbucks’ house-made Coffee Frappuccino Syrup. The Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino, on the other hand, doesn’t contain any espresso or coffee and includes Starbucks’ Crème Frappuccino Syrup. For both Frappuccinos, the addition of these syrups results in even more overall sugar.
Here’s a look at how each drink variation differs in terms of calories, total fat, total carbohydrates, and sugars. These amounts are for a standard grande cup size.
| Pumpkin Spice Latte | Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte | Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino | Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino | |
| Calories | 390 | 370 | 420 | 360 |
| Total Fat | 14 g | 16 g | 15 g | 16 g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 52 g | 47 g | 66 g | 47 g |
| Sugars | 50 g | 45 g | 65 g | 47 g |
A Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks contains 25 grams of sugar in a short size, 38 grams of sugar in a tall size, 50 grams of sugar in a grande size, and 63 grams of sugar in a venti size.
There are 390 calories in a standard grande size Pumpkin Spice Latte, made with the original recipe of espresso, 2% milk, pumpkin spice sauce, whipped cream, and pumpkin spice topping.
The lowest calorie drink at Starbucks is either unsweetened hot or iced tea, as most of Starbucks’ teas contain zero calories. Black coffee is another very low-calorie choice, which ranges from 5 to 10 calories per cup depending on the type of brew.




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