Does Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce Have Dairy? (Ingredients In Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce? + More Information)

A properly mixed Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce makes a great drink with an authentic Starbucks taste. But what happens if you prefer dairy-free options? Does Starbucks pumpkin sauce have dairy?

Yes, because Starbucks’s pumpkin spice syrup used to make the sauce contains milk. You can opt for non-dairy milk, but it still won’t be an entirely vegan sip. Starbucks only calls it vegan friendly, and it’s rightly so. I didn’t know Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce had dairy until recently when my friend decided to quit dairy products and had to consider limiting dairy intake. She had to give up the pumpkin spice latte drink, which is honestly great beyond belief. This drove me to navigate the Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce to find out more about its ingredients and whether or not it’s vegan.

What Is in Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce? – Ingredients In Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce?

According to the official Starbucks ingredient list, the Pumpkin Sauce includes condensed skim milk (which is usually a combo of milk and sugar) and premium pumpkin puree. Then Starbucks adds flavoring according to any customer’s taste and adds to the espresso to make it a pumpkin spice latte or chai. I also hear some people saying there are copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce syrups that don’t have pumpkin at all. That was before 2015. After customer complaints, I can confirm that there is Pumpkin in the Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce. This made it the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Sauce. Well, if I’m being honest, I didn’t know about the puree until I did further research.

So, the Starbucks Pumpkin Sauce ingredients are Condensed skim Milk, sugar, pumpkin puree (pumpkin sauce or pumpkin syrup), and flavoring. There is also Pumpkin Spice Topping which contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and sulfiting agents to give it the great spiced pumpkin aroma. Some people can order it minus the milk.

Is The Pumpkin Sauce at Starbucks Vegan?

Nope. The pumpkin sauce isn’t vegan because it has dairy elements in it. While you can opt for plant-based milk like coconut milk or almond milk instead of real milk, it still won’t be fully vegan. Even Starbucks calls it vegan-friendly for a reason. The pumpkin spice in itself is completely vegan. But the pre-made pumpkin spice sauce has milk/dairy in it. This means even if you opt for plant-based milk in your PSL drink, you’ll still end up with dairy content.

I found a trick around it, though. When ordering your PSL, you can order a plain or vanilla latte made with plant-based milk like almond or coconut milk and ask the barista to top it with Pumpkin Spice topping. The pumpkin spice topping is completely vegan because it’s made of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and sulfiting agents.

Conclusion

The Pumpkin Sauce at Starbucks is an autumn favorite for many people. I’ve realized that it’s a dairy product and not completely vegan for the vegans’ options. I pity my friend who opted out of dairy products because she won’t be enjoying this delicious drink. I can tell her to always have her non-dairy latte with pumpkin spice topping.

FAQ Section

Is Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Sauce Dairy Free?

No, the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Sauce isn’t dairy-free. The pre-made sauce comes with dairy elements. But the Starbucks pumpkin spice topping is dairy-free. It’s a great topping for people who want the great pumpkin taste but don’t consume dairy products.

Can You Get the Pumpkin Spice Latte Dairy-Free?

No, that’s not possible. Unfortunately, the Pumpkin Sauce at Starbucks is not dairy-free. Even if you decide to opt for a non-dairy milk drink, it still won’t be an entirely dairy-free sip.