Autumn coffee shop drinks ideas and inspiration
While the seasons are changing, certain trends are evergreen – like comforting, warming and flavourful coffees.
Flavoured coffees are even more attractive in Autumn when being cosy is key. Familiar flavours can be comforting, while new or limited edition flavours are invigorating. And while hot coffees are perfect for the colder days, iced coffees are still an important staple for the occasional bright, sunny day.
A range of familiar and up-and-coming flavours are perfect for Autumn coffee shop drinks:
Pumpkin Spice and all things nice
The Pumpkin Spice Latte has become as much of a seasonal staple as Spritzes are to summer or mulled wines are to winter. Starbucks’ signature drink might now be 20 years old, but its reinvention over the years has kept it fresh. Premiumisation is the name of the game in 2023, seeing ‘PSLs’ topped with whiskey barrel-aged whipped cream, toasted spices, or premium ice creams for coffee shop drinks. For at-home enjoyment, decadent twists on the Pumpkin Spice Latte, such as malted or vanilla-laced versions, can be recreated using Autumn coffee syrups.
Another favourite for 2023 is nut and chocolate combos. Blending flavourful nuts like hazelnut, pecan or pistachio with milk, dark or white chocolates can create decadent drinks, whether made from scratch for added texture or created using a coffee syrup for extra ease. Greggs offers hazelnut mochas and hot chocolates, while Starbucks has a pistachio cream cappuccino, and in the US, Aroma Coffee & Tea is serving macadamia nut lattes.
For a fresh new flavour, try sesame this season. Black sesame can give a nutty flavour and added aroma to lattes or mochas, as well as giving drinks a new hue or dark sprinkle for an appealing aesthetic too. Baristas in the US have used black sesame with chocolate ganache, vanilla and orange blossom, and syrup.
Dessert-inspired autumn coffee syrups
Richly flavoured dessert-inspired drinks mean you needn’t choose between a sweet or coffee. Instead, lattes, cappuccinos and mochas can be elevated with extra flavour. Try a tiramisu latte or create a crème brulee cappuccino using Autumn coffee syrups. Or pick up on the pumpkin trend with a pumpkin pie-flavoured coffee syrup or puree, inspired by the quintessential ‘Fall’ dessert. Then add extra texture with light chocolate mousses, torched marshmallows or caramel, or crumble-like toppings.
For coffee lovers who love to dip a biscuit in their brew, why not work those same flavours through the coffee itself? Many of the smells and tastes we associate with Autumn come from the best bakeries, after all. Sweet treats like biscotti, cinnamon rolls and oatmeal cookies all offer great inspiration for autumn coffee syrup flavours.
Sea salt, and extra hot coffee
If Halloween had you maxed out on sweet treats, bitter flavours can be added to coffees too. Salt can enhance or balance flavour profiles. In the US, bourbon smoked salt and smoked sea salt are being sprinkled over flat whites and cappuccinos, to create unique, complex coffees. Similarly, Starbucks stores in Singapore are using Himalayan salt sprinkles in Caramel Oatmilk Iced Shaken Espresso.
For extra sensory coffees, build on the 2023 drinks trend for spicy and smoky flavours. Heat and smoke can create fusion flavours perfect for Autumnal coffees. Spicy ingredients like ginger or cayenne complement botanicals like date or pumpkin which are already elevating coffees, giving extra kick. Smoky-flavoured ingredients can elevate the earthy flavours of coffees, such as smoked apple with cinnamon.
Bobbing for apple coffee
As another seasonal staple, apple is already being seamlessly added into coffees. Apples pair perfectly with cinnamon, caramel, vanilla and pumpkin, allowing the fruit to be worked into coffee syrup recipes, such as spiced apple syrups inspired by seasonal spiced apple ciders. This warming flavour suits Autumn coffee shop drinks perfectly, whether served hot or cold – Starbucks has an Iced Apple Crisp Espresso, shaken and served with oat milk, while over in the US, they’ve combined spiced apple cider, ginger beer and bitters with an espresso.
At Simpsons Beverages, we are experts in the development and manufacture of coffee syrups. Chat to us today to bring your ideas to life.
Image source: Trendhub The Food People 2023