The Fall of Pumpkin Spice: Why Apple, Maple & Other Fall Flavors Are taking Over

For years, fall meant one thing: pumpkin spice everything.

The first cool morning would roll around, the sweaters would come out, the leaves would start changing, and suddenly pumpkin spice coffee was everywhere. Pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin spice candles. Pumpkin spice cereal. Pumpkin spice snacks. Pumpkin spice products that probably never needed to exist in the first place.

But lately, something has changed. We do not anticipate a world without Pumpkin Spice, but it certainly may be sharing the stage with some new flavors.

As coffee drinkers look for new ways to enjoy their seasonal favorites, classic Fall ingredients like apple, cinnamon, maple, caramel, nutmeg, clove and brown sugar are finding their way into more cups. And we're not mad about it.

At Fresh Roasted Coffee, we're still happy to give pumpkin spice its moment. But this fall, we're making a case for something a little different.

Let's be clear: pumpkin spice isn't going anywhere.

It's one of the most recognizable flavors of fall for a reason. Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove create that instantly familiar combination that tastes like crisp mornings, warm blankets and the first weekend when it's acceptable to turn the thermostat on.

Our Pumpkin Spice Flavored Coffee Pods lean right into that tradition, combining a medium roast 100% Arabica blend with warm pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Our Pumpkin Spice is also sugar-free, making it an easy way to get that classic fall flavor without turning your morning coffee into dessert.

But here's the thing: Fall has always been about more than pumpkin.

Think about what you actually associate with Fall. Apple pie cooling on the kitchen counter. Fresh cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning. Maple syrup on pancakes. Brown sugar and buttery crumble. Warm spices wafting from the oven. A cup of coffee while leaves blow across the porch. That's a pretty big flavor palette.

And pumpkin spice is only one piece of it.

Apple and cinnamon have always been a Fall classic. From apple pie to apple grain, the combination brings together tart fruit, warm spice and just enough sweetness to feel indulgent.

That makes it a natural match for coffee.

Fresh Roasted Coffee's Apple Crumb Cake Flavored Coffee brings those flavors straight into your mug, combining apple, cinnamon, brown sugar and buttery richness. It's basically the flavor of pulling a fresh apple crumb cake out of the oven with the added benefit of not having to actually bake one.

And that's precisely why apple makes such a good alternative to pumpkin spice. It's unmistakably fall, it gives your taste buds something different, and it pairs beautifully with coffee.

Honestly, there does come a point every Fall when you've had enough pumpkin spice. Maybe it's after your third pumpkin spice latte of the week. Maybe it's after walking through the grocery store and realizing that approximately 47 products now contain pumpkin spice. Or maybe you simply want your morning coffee to taste like fall without tasting exactly like every other fall coffee you've had for the last decade.

That's where Apple Crumb Cake coffee comes in.

The combination of sweet apple, cinnamon spice, brown sugar and buttery crumble gives you all the cozy qualities you're looking for in a fall coffee while taking things in a slightly different direction. FRC offers Apple Crumb Cake in whole bean, ground coffee, and coffee pods, making it easy to brew whether you're reaching for your favorite coffee maker or single-serve brewer.

Pumpkin Spice had its turn. Try apple. Your mug might thank you.

One of the best things about fall coffee is that you don't actually need pumpkin to make a cup taste seasonal.

Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Clove. Cardamom. Brown sugar. Maple. Apple. Caramel.

These flavors can transform a familiar coffee into something that feels completely at home in October and November.

Even FRC's own fall coffee lineup reflects that variety. The company's Fall Favorites Variety Pack brings together four seasonal flavored coffees, including Pumpkin Spice, Maple Crème and Apple Crumb Cake, giving coffee drinkers a way to sample different sides of Autumn's pallate instead of committing their entire season to one flavor.

That's really the future of fall coffee: More choice. More variety. More ways to make your morning cup feel like Fall.

That's what a fall coffee variety pack is for. Sample the flavors and let your taste buds decide which one deserves a permanent spot in your fall rotation.

Here's the good news for pumpkin spice loyalists:

You don't have to pick a side. There's room for pumpkin, and there's room for apple.

There's room for maple, cinnamon, caramel, chocolate and all the other flavors that make fall feel like fall.

Maybe the "fall of pumpkin spice" isn't about pumpkin spice disappearing. Maybe it's about finally giving other Fall flavors the attention they've deserved all along.

Pumpkin can keep its place on the seasonal coffee shelf. But this year, we're reaching for the Apple Crumb Cake too. And maybe a little Maple Crème.

Because when the leaves turn, the air gets crisp and your favorite sweater comes out of the closet, there's no rule saying your coffee has to taste the same every morning.

Let pumpkin have its moment. Then pour yourself an Apple Crumb Cake.

From classic Pumpkin Spice to Apple Crumb Cake and Maple Crème, Fresh Roasted Coffee has a fall flavor for every kind of coffee drinker. Explore the seasonal lineup, stock up on your favorites, or grab a variety pack and make this the year you discover your new favorite fall coffee.

Pumpkin spice may have started the fall coffee revolution, but Fall has a lot more flavors to offer.