No—pumpkin spice was sold before Starbucks existed. The Library of Congress identifies a 1930 advertisement for “T&T Mixed Pumpkin Pie Spice,” while Starbucks says it developed the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003 and launched it across the U.S. and Canada in 2004. The company helped make pumpkin spice a signature seasonal coffee flavor; it did not invent the seasoning category.
What “pumpkin spice” means
Pumpkin spice usually means a blend of spices associated with pumpkin pie, not a spice made from pumpkin. McCormick describes its blend as a convenient pre-mixed seasoning for pie-making. Starbucks says its original latte used pumpkin spice sauce with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, finished with pumpkin pie topping. These accounts do not establish a single universal recipe for pumpkin spice. McCormick’s description and Starbucks’ account of the latte refer to related but distinct uses of the flavor.
How pumpkin spice predates Starbucks
1930: An advertised commercial blend
The Library of Congress’s historical overview identifies a 1930 newspaper advertisement for “T&T Mixed Pumpkin Pie Spice.” That establishes that a commercial pumpkin pie spice blend was advertised before Starbucks’ latte and before McCormick’s stated introduction of its product. It does not establish that T&T was the first company to sell such a blend, or reveal the blend’s recipe or the full market history. The Library of Congress overview is evidence of an earlier product, not proof of an absolute first.
1934: McCormick’s product milestone
McCormick says it introduced pumpkin pie spice in 1934 as a convenient, economical pre-blended product for making pie. This is a milestone in McCormick’s own product history; it should not be read as the first commercial pumpkin spice blend, since the Library of Congress points to the earlier 1930 advertisement. McCormick’s history and product information provide the company’s account.
#1 Best Overall
- [Flavorful Instant Pumpkin Spice Blend]: Maud’s “Love Me Some Pumpkin Spice Latte” instant coffee packets feature a delightful pumpkin flavored mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, steamed milk, and clove. Savor the smooth, warming taste of pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie all year round.
- [Everyday Value]: Delivering premium, sustainably sourced and freshly roasted coffee directly to your home. Cutting out the middlemen to provide cafe quality at affordable prices.
- [Quality in Every Cup]: Our pumpkin spice coffee ensures consistent, high-quality brews thanks to our use of ethically-sourced 100% Arabica coffee beans. You'll savor the great taste, enticing aroma, and an absence of bitterness in every cup.
- [Effortless Convenience]: Maud’s instant coffee packets are designed to be enjoyed hot or cold, just mix with 8oz of water, ensuring convenient latte brewing at home or on-the-go.
- [Maud’s Legacy]: As a small, family-owned business, we treat our customers like family. If you're ever unsatisfied with our instant latte packets, we promise to make it right. Committed to sustainability, we make sure that every step we take in bringing you your favorite coffee is thoughtful, ethical, and environmentally responsible, and produce our products in a solar-powered facility.
What Starbucks did invent: the Pumpkin Spice Latte
Development and testing
Starbucks says a small team began developing an autumn espresso drink in its “Liquid Lab” in early 2003. The team explored how pumpkin pie flavors might work with espresso and prototyped a drink with pumpkin spice sauce, espresso, steamed milk, whipped cream and pumpkin pie topping. Starbucks’ retrospective says the drink was tested in about 100 stores in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Washington, D.C., on October 10, 2003. Its earlier account says the company knew it had a winner after a week of testing: “We tested the drink in 100 stores, and in a week, we knew we had a winner.” That line is attributed to Starbucks as publisher, not to a named individual. Starbucks’ 20th-anniversary account and its 2026 retrospective describe the development and test.
Expansion in 2004
Starbucks says the latte rolled out across U.S. stores in fall 2004; its newer retrospective describes the launch as spanning the U.S. and Canada the following autumn after the 2003 test. These are company-reported milestones for the drink’s rollout, not dates for the origin of pumpkin pie spice.
Rank #2
- Big Train Blended Ice Coffee In Pumpkin: Fall in love at first sip with Big Train’s Pumpkin Spice Blended Ice Coffee Mix! Just add water! Drink hot, cold or blended with ice for a frozen frappe treat rivaling drinks at coffee chains like Starbucks.
- Wherever Beverages Are Served: Big Train Beverage mixes & blends are ideal for use in home kitchens, office kitchens, cafés, coffeeshops, & restaurants. Easy to mix & serve, Big Train mixes, blended frappes, & smoothie bases make beverage blending simple.
- Blend, Pour, Serve: Big Train mixes make it easy to serve up delicious drinks. From our just-add-water chai, to our blended crème and coffee frappes, Big Train provides quick to prepare beverage solutions for home kitchens, coffee shops, & restaurants.
- Try Every Flavor: Our entire line is crave-worthy. In the mood for a chai? Try our Spiced or Vanilla Chai Tea Latte. Coffee time? We've got Blended Ice Coffee in Java Chip & Caramel & more, plus Blended Crème Frappes like Cookies & Cream(caffeine-free!).
- Big Train Quality: Better beverages are a blend away. For over 30 years, Big Train has made it easy to provide high quality beverages made with people and the planet in mind. We're committed to consistency and sustainability in each mix we create
So, who invented pumpkin pie spice?
The documented record here does not identify a definitive inventor. A 1930 advertisement shows that T&T Mixed Pumpkin Pie Spice was being promoted commercially by that year, and McCormick says it introduced its own blend in 1934. Neither fact proves who first created or sold the category. The careful distinction is that pumpkin pie spice existed before Starbucks, while Starbucks developed a later coffee drink that brought the flavor to a much wider seasonal audience.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- COLD BREW COFFEE: The super-smooth and delicious Starbucks Pumpkin Spice cold brew coffee you love is easy to make at home with our multi-serve concentrate bottle, so you can craft it the way you love it
- PERFECTLY DELICIOUS: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Flavored Cold Brew Concentrate is a cozy fall coffee that comes to life with notes of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg that are perfect for the crisp days to come
- IT'S EASY: We've cold-steeped our custom blend of coffee into this rich liquid concentrate, so all you have to do is pour concentrate over ice and add water to craft your very own Starbucks iced coffee beverage
- PERFECT FOR FALL RECIPES: With Starbucks seasonal coffees like Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Flavored Cold Brew Concentrate, you can make comforting recipes that fill your cup, delight your taste buds and awe your friends
- LIMITED-TIME EXCLUSIVE: Like the season itself, this limited-edition fall favorite won't be around for long, so be sure to explore all the seasonal coffee offerings from Starbucks before they're gone
Rank #4
- New Flavor Alert! - Sift-Free Matcha Powder for Lattes - Lightly Sweet Matcha Green Tea Powder - Easy to Make
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors
