Cold brew pumpkin cream coffee has become a popular seasonal drink at many coffee shops. As consumers become more health conscious, many want to know exactly how many calories are in their favorite Starbucks pumpkin drinks. This article will break down the calorie counts for a grande Cold Brew with pumpkin cream.
Calories in Cold Brew Coffee
A 16-ounce or grande Cold Brew Coffee from Starbucks contains 145 calories. Cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds in room temperature or cold water for an extended period of time, usually 12-24 hours. This slow steeping process results in a smooth, rich, and flavorful coffee concentrate. Cold brew naturally contains less acidity than traditional iced coffee.
On its own, a grande Cold Brew Coffee has 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. It contains 215 mg of caffeine, which gives it a nice energy boost. So a plain Cold Brew Coffee is a low calorie, refreshing drink for only 145 calories.
Calories in Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
Starbucks pumpkin cream cold foam is made by blending together pumpkin spice flavored sauce with vanilla syrup and heavy cream. It has a sweet pumpkin pie taste and a smooth, foamy texture.
A grande-sized pumpkin cream cold foam topping contains about 150 calories. It also has 14 grams of fat, 13 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. The main sources of calories come from heavy cream and the sugary pumpkin sauce.
Total Calories in a Grande Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
When you combine a grande Cold Brew Coffee with a grande pumpkin cream cold foam, the total calorie count comes to 295 calories.
That breaks down to:
- Cold Brew Coffee: 145 calories
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam: 150 calories
- Total Calories: 295 calories
So a grande pumpkin cream cold brew contains almost 300 calories. About half the calories come from the coffee itself, and half come from the sweetened foam topping.
Ways to Reduce the Calories
If you want to lighten up your pumpkin cream cold brew, there are a few easy ways to reduce the calorie count:
- Ask for less pumpkin cream foam. Getting light foam will remove about 50-100 calories.
- Ask for sugar-free vanilla syrup instead of regular vanilla syrup in the foam. This will save 45 calories from sugar.
- Request nonfat milk instead of heavy cream in the foam. Nonfat milk has about 50 fewer calories per serving.
- Order a tall size instead of a grande size. This will reduce both the coffee and foam portion sizes.
- Try a pumpkin spice cold brew with just a dash of nonfat milk for a light creaminess.
With a few tweaks and customizations, you can enjoy a pumpkin spice cold brew for around 200 calories instead of 295 calories for a grande. Keep the customizations in mind when ordering to help meet your dietary goals.
Nutrition Facts for Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
| Size | Calories | Fat (g) | Sugar (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tall | 140 | 9 | 14 | 2 |
| Grande (16 oz) | 295 | 14 | 13 | 2 |
| Venti (20 oz) | 375 | 18 | 17 | 3 |
This nutrition table summarizes the calorie, fat, sugar, and protein amounts for a Cold Brew with pumpkin cream topping in tall, grande, and venti sizes. As you go up in sizes, the calorie count rises accordingly.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam
Here is the list of main ingredients that go into making the pumpkin cream cold foam topping:
- Heavy cream – Adds creamy richness and foamy texture
- Vanilla syrup – Provides sweetness and vanilla flavor
- Pumpkin sauce – Made with pumpkin puree, sugar, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
- Milk – Usually 2% milk is used as the dairy base
- Ice – Blending the ingredients over ice makes the foam frothy
Heavy cream is the main contributor of fat and calories in the pumpkin cream foam. Sugars come from both the vanilla syrup and pumpkin sauce. Using nonfat milk and less pumpkin sauce are good ways to lighten it up.
Nutritional Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee
While the pumpkin cream foam adds quite a bit of fat and sugar, the underlying cold brew coffee has some positive nutritional qualities:
- High antioxidant levels – Cold brew is rich in powerful antioxidants like chlorogenic acids
- Lower acidity – The cold brew process creates less acidity than hot coffee
- Higher caffeine – Ounce for ounce, cold brew contains more caffeine for an energizing effect
- No additives – Plain cold brew just contains coffee beans and water
The antioxidant content of cold brew coffee can help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation. The lower acidity is gentler on your digestive system. And the caffeine provides a nice clean energy boost to start your morning.
Pumpkin Spice Ingredients and Benefits
The pumpkin sauce adds a tasty seasonal flare to cold brew coffee. Here are some of the ingredients and benefits of pumpkin spice flavoring:
- Pumpkin – Provides vitamin A, potassium, fiber for gut health
- Cinnamon – Has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
- Ginger – Can aid digestion and reduce nausea
- Nutmeg – Contains antioxidants to protect cells from damage
- Allspice – Provides phytochemicals that are good for heart health
- Cloves – Supplies antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory oils
So while the pumpkin sauce adds sugars and calories, it also provides some beneficial spices and pumpkin nutrition. The spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves contain antioxidants and compounds that are good for overall health.
Tips for Enjoying Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Here are some tips for enjoying a pumpkin cream cold brew coffee in a healthier way while still getting that delicious pumpkin spice flavor:
- Ask for light or minimal pumpkin cream foam to reduce calories and fat
- Order a tall size or split a grande with a friend
- Request sugar-free syrup in the foam
- Substitute nonfat or soy milk instead of heavy cream
- Enjoy it as an occasional treat, not an everyday drink
- Savor the spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for their health benefits
- Stay hydrated by pairing your coffee with a bottle of water
- Select plain cold brew some days to get the antioxidant benefits without the cream
With a few adjustments, you can still enjoy the pumpkin spice flavors you love while reducing the calorie count. Be mindful of portion sizes, added sugars and cream, and how often you indulge.
How Cold Brew is Made
Let’s take a look at the cold brew coffee process to see what makes it special:
- Start with a coarse grind of coffee beans. Use a dark roast bean with robust flavor.
- Add the coarse coffee grounds to room temperature or chilled water at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:8 coffee to water.
- Let the grounds steep in the water for 12-24 hours. Use a glass jar or French press.
- After steeping, separate the liquid cold brew from the grounds.
- Store the concentrate in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Dilute concentrate with water or milk when serving.
The long, slow steeping time extracts flavor without extracting acids and bitterness. The result is smooth cold brew with lower acidity. Choosing a coarse grind helps optimize the cold water extraction.
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee
Cold brew is different than traditional iced coffee in a few ways:
| Cold Brew | Iced Coffee |
|---|---|
| Made by steeping in cold water 12+ hours | Brewed hot, then poured over ice |
| Naturally sweeter taste | Can have acidic or bitter taste |
| Higher caffeine content | Lower caffeine when diluted with ice |
| Smooth, less acidic | Can be acidic and cause heartburn |
| Refrigerate concentrate up to 2 weeks | Best consumed fresh |
The slow cold brewing method creates acoffee concentrate that is sweeter, smoother, and less acidic than traditional hot brewed iced coffee. It also has more caffeine for an energizing cold drink.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew vs. PSL
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is often compared to the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) at Starbucks. While both feature pumpkin spice flavor, there are some differences:
| Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew | Pumpkin Spice Latte |
|---|---|
| Made with cold brew coffee | Made with espresso shots |
| Topped with pumpkin cream foam | Steamed milk with pumpkin sauce |
| Sweeter, bolder taste | Strong espresso flavor |
| 295 calories (grande) | 380 calories (grande) |
| Contains caffeine from coffee | Caffeine from espresso |
While both contain pumpkin spice flavor, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew gets its sweet, bold taste from the cold brew concentrate, compared to the sharper espresso notes in a PSL. A PSL also contains more calories due to the steamed milk.
Other Popular Starbucks Fall Drinks
In addition to Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Starbucks offers a few other festive fall drink options:
Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)
- Iconic PSL made with espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin sauce
- Topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spice topping
- Available hot or iced
- 380 calories (grande size)
Salted Caramel Mocha
- Mocha sauce, toffee nut syrup, coffee, steamed milk
- Salted brown butter topping
- 420 calories (grande size)
Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
- Shots of espresso with oatmilk and apple spice syrup
- Topped with a spiced apple drizzle
- 370 calories (grande size)
Beyond pumpkin flavors, these seasonal offerings feature bold fall flavors like salted caramel and spiced apples. However, the fancy toppings and syrups add more calories and sugar than basic coffee drinks.
Healthy Tips for Starbucks Pumpkin Drinks
While pumpkin-flavored treats are popular during the fall, they often come with added sugars and high calorie counts. Here are some tips for keeping your Starbucks pumpkin drinks in check:
- Ask for fewer pumps of syrup to reduce added sugars
- Request nonfat or lowfat milk instead of heavy cream
- Order the smallest size that will satisfy you
- Substitute brewed coffee for some of the espresso shots
- Ask for light or no whipped cream on top
- Enjoy pumpkin drinks occasionally as a treat, not daily
- Pair your drink with a lower calorie snack like oatmeal or fruit
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
- Opt for plain cold brew some days to get the coffee antioxidants without the syrups
Pumpkin coffee drinks can be a nice seasonal indulgence when consumed in moderation. Keep portion sizes reasonable, modify higher calorie ingredients, and enjoy them as an occasional treat in an overall balanced diet.
Conclusion
Starbucks’ pumpkin cream cold brew provides a tasty way to celebrate autumn’s flavors. A grande cold brew with pumpkin cream contains around 295 calories. About half those calories come from the heavy cream and sugary syrups used in the pumpkin foam topping. Enjoying the drink in smaller sizes, choosing lower calorie customizations, and keeping it as an occasional treat are some ways to keep your pumpkin drink consumption in check. Sipping a festive seasonal beverage can be a nice balance when paired with healthy fall foods like apples, squash, and leafy greens.
