Breaking Down the Popularity of Pumpkin Spice: Can I Change Your Mind?

John Huber, a future resident of Osprey Village and an individual on the autism spectrum, graduated in December 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Design from Misericordia University. While attending college, John wrote articles for the university’s newspaper, The Highlander, and wanted to share one of those articles.

As the season of fall approaches, a new flavor has taken over every grocery store, coffee shop, and trendy restaurant one can think of. As Halloween approaches alongside Thanksgiving and its formal but informal feast, allow me to talk about a well-known flavor that has lasted longer than one may think—a flavor that has cemented itself as the definitive fall flavor, and that is Pumpkin Spice. But as usual, before I share my opinion on this flavor trend, let me tell you where it came from.

Spicing Up History: The 3,500-Year Journey of Pumpkin Spice

The history of pumpkin spice goes back as early as 3,500 years ago, according to archaeological records on Pulau Ay, one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia. To talk about the history of pumpkin spice is also to talk about the history of nutmeg as a spice. Nutmeg used to be a delicacy exclusive to that island until, at the latest, the 1300s, when traders arrived at the Banda Islands (or the “Spice Islands,” as they were known at the time, because it was the only place where they could grow nutmeg). Nutmeg played an integral role in kicking off the spice trade in Europe, with the Dutch East India Company at the helm. It was the Dutch who took control of the islands in the early 17th century, paving the way for the ancestor of the modern pumpkin spice we know today.

Pumpkins themselves are one of the earliest crops domesticated on Earth and were used by indigenous people in recipes, often sweetened with spices. When the Europeans arrived, they enhanced the sweetness factor by making pumpkin into a pie that called for cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper. Since pumpkins are a North and South American crop, they were associated with these regions.

By 1791, a similar blend appeared in The Practice of Cookery by a Scottish author known as “Mrs. Frazer,” which included mixed spices and Jamaican pepper for use in fried flour and mutton chops.

However, it wasn't until 1796 that the modern-day pumpkin pie recipe appeared in the New World. Then, in 1929, pureed canned pumpkin was introduced by a canned food company known as Libby’s, which inspired the first pumpkin pie spice mix in 1934. Finally, it didn’t start to gain wild popularity until Starbucks introduced their Pumpkin Spice Latte in limited numbers in the fall of 2003, to replicate the success of the Peppermint Mocha, Eggnog Latte, and other flavors like cocoa and toffee, which debuted the previous year. (It wasn’t until 2015 that Starbucks began using actual pumpkin.)

So, allow me to change your mind.

Pumpkin spice is an exquisite flavor as is… However, I’ve never had an interest in it, so I’m speaking from an outsider’s perspective to the whole phenomenon. I like the idea of using pumpkin spice as part of the fall lifestyle to give it that distinctive flavor, but to me, the novelty wears out once you start realizing that people will buy anything and everything that has “pumpkin spice” on the label. (In fact, it feels as out of place as bacon does, and that can be any time of the year—might save that for a future volume, though.)

What I mean is that, in my opinion, the pumpkin spice craze has spiraled out of control. I can tolerate pumpkin spice almonds, pumpkin spice Pringles, pumpkin spice candy corn, pumpkin spice hummus, pumpkin spice cream cheese spread, pumpkin spice cold brew coffee, and even things like a KFC Pumpkin and Feta Twister, a Pumpkin Spice Latte Burger by Umami, pumpkin spice Twinkies, and pumpkin spice Peeps. But once you step outside of the food category, you may want to consider not letting pumpkin spice enter that part of your life. This includes, but is not limited to, toothpaste, soap, beard oil, deodorant, dog shampoo, dental treats, car detail spray, and flavoring sprays.

However, there are other flavors that can accompany the fall season. One of them is apple (no, not the big tech company), which has been paired with cinnamon to make cupcakes, cobblers, dumplings, cheesecakes, and muffins, just to name a few. Another example would be cranberries, an option that pairs well with usual Thanksgiving flavors like mashed potatoes, turkey with gravy, and could even be an alternate flavor for cheesecake pies or grilled meats. Then there’s butterscotch, which combines caramel, browned butter, molasses, and vanilla to create a delicious flavor used in blondies (a vanilla variant of brownies), autumn-styled cheesecakes, cookies, and ice cream. Pears, which are harvested between August and October, can also be a great alternative. If apples don’t satisfy your fruity craving, pears can be paired with spices like cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla to create pear ciders, crumbles, chocolate pear cake, or poached pears.

While pumpkin spice is popular and apple cinnamon is nice, don’t let those two be your only choices. There are other flavors to get you into the fall spirit before the holiday season arrives.