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Best Fall Drinks For Those Who Don’t Like Pumpkin!

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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

This time of year, everyone is gearing up for the holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter Break…everything happens so quickly! Throughout the Autumn season, sometimes it’s imperative to sit down and chill—preferably with a nice fall-themed beverage in hand. But the most common fall flavor, pumpkin, doesn’t sit quite right on everyone’s taste buds. If that’s you, I have some crisp alternatives for pumpkin that should be positively splendid as a cozy Autumn treat.

  1. Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear—Celsius 

If you need a caffeine boost and enjoy a nice red apple, this drink is for you! By far my personal favorite Celsius, this drink encapsulates the essence of Autumn perfectly. It tastes exactly like an apple and gives me the perfect dose of energy (so I don’t nod off during midterm season!). 

  1. Autumn Maple Coffee—Trader Joe’s 

This is the PERFECT way to gear up for fall without a PSL. The maple flavor is subtly sweet, adding a hidden note to this coffee that makes it perfect to wake up to. It’s made with real Vermont maple syrup, and as someone who took a vacation to Vermont just to spruce up my pancakes, I can confirm: it’s just as delicious! 

  1. Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso—Starbucks

If you’re a cold coffee person, you will LOVE this seasonal drink! It’s super refreshing, and the notes of apple will hit you with every sip. It has the perfect amount of sweetness, showcasing the apple, oat, and espresso flavors in a delightful balance that will have you HOOKED from the first try. 

  1. Living In Gratitude Kombucha—GT
    Now, I know kombucha is not for everyone, but for those who enjoy it, this flavor is magical. It has notes of carrot, apple, turmeric, and cider spices, and it showcases all of those flavors with a delightfully crisp yet warm combination. This flavor will have you feeling the fall spirit, and best of all will have you feeling super healthy! 
  2. Chai Latte—Peet’s 

It wouldn’t be Autumn without some Chai spice, right? Personally, I like Chai lattes more than regular coffee ones, and Peet’s never fails to deliver! With the perfect balance of sugar and spice, as well as the hot option to warm up your hands as you stroll around the town, this drink is a fall staple! 

  1. Gingersnap—Philz 

I’m a sucker for Philz, especially their specialty drinks, and this one is no different! The subtle spices pair well with any milk option, but my favorite is to order it with oat milk. Next time you’re at Philz, this is a great autumnal option!

  1. Irish Coffee with Bailey’s

For my 21+ friends, the famous Irish coffee is a must for the fall! It consists of Irish whiskey, some coffee, and sugar and cream–or, for the best version, Bailey’s Irish Cream. A nice warm beverage, just hard enough to spice up a Fall party but not so hard that you wake up on the kitchen floor the next morning!

  1. Martinelli’s Apple Cider 

Who could complete this list without the absolute most classic drink of them all? Apple cider has been around for centuries, and it lives up to its legacy. Bubbly and sweet, comforting and homey. It’s like a fancy, adult version of apple juice. The best brand, of course, is Martinelli’s, but there are hot versions of apple cider as well if that strikes your fancy. 


You can totally do fall without a PSL. Autumn is the time of year with the best, brightest flavors to choose from, and there’s such a variety, there’s something for just about everyone! What’s your favorite fall flavor?

A fourth year English undergrad with enough bursts of sporadic, random knowledge to write intriguing articles! Self-published author of "Decima Unwritten," a short story depicting young lovers in Pompeii before the eruption, under the nom de plume NJ Standley. Frequent poetry and song writer, as well as beginning music producer. You can find me on YouTube (and probably every other social media ever). Born in the Valley, on a Navy base in Lemoore, CA. However, I have since moved over a dozen times, throughout CA, OR, MD, and CT. Most of middle and high school was spent in Sonoma, California, though my family recently relocated to Santa Rosa. Go bay area! I would love to travel outside of the United States, as well, and I am (slowly) learning Japanese and Greek! I am obsessed with food, wellness, literature, music, dance, cats...and it would be easier to list what I am not obsessed with, so I will stop there! Frequent visitor of Trader Joes, Kpop enthusiast, and kitten mom to my beautiful three-month old Calico, Mochi. Beginning to dabble in astrology. (If that strikes your fancy: I am a Sagittarius, Mochi is a Cancer). INFJ. I’m super bubbly, but also incredibly introverted. As Lana del Rey would say, “I contain multitudes.” Huzzah.