Is Dunkin's Pumpkin Spice Latte Vegan-Friendly?

While there are still a few more days of summer left on the calendar to savor, pumpkin latte spice season is already underway at everyone's favorite coffee and donut shop, Dunkin'. Hard to believe we are already back to what this latte's fan base affectionately refers to as PSL season, especially given the first leaf crunch hasn't even been heard. But according to Elite Daily, this favored latte returned to Dunkin' on August 18th. Of course, if you live with a roommate, spouse, or significant other who likes to crank up the air conditioning so it always feels like winter in your home, you may be relishing this seemingly early arrival of the PSL. 

But what if you are leading a vegan lifestyle? As described by Vegan.com, a vegan diet eschews any foods derived directly or indirectly from animals – no meat, no eggs, no cheese, no honey, and no foods that result from animal by-products. If you're vegan or are even just contemplating going vegan and are a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, you may be wondering how the Dunkin' PSL would factor into your diet. Is it vegan? It's an excellent question, and fortunately, there's an answer, so we can all plan accordingly. 

Dunkin' describes its Pumpkin Spice Latte as a beverage made "with warm, frothy milk and blended with rich espresso, whipped cream, drizzle, and toppings." But even if you were to swap out the milk for a vegan alternative like almond milk, sadly, Elite Daily says this drink is still not vegan-friendly. The problem stems from that pumpkin-flavored swirl syrup Dunkin' uses to make its PSLs so addictive. It contains sweetened condensed nonfat milk – again not vegan. So, unfortunately, there is no way to make this autumnal favorite from Dunkin' vegan-friendly. The nutrition info for the latte also comes with this allergen warning: "Please be advised that any of our products may contain, or may have come in contact with, allergens including Eggs, Fish, Milk, Peanuts, Shellfish, Soy, Tree nuts, and Wheat."

What's a PSL lover to do? Elite Daily suggests trying an Apple Cranberry Dunkin' Refresher or the Apple Cranberry Dunkin' Coconut Refresher so you can fully embrace the flavors of the fall season sans dairy. (Just be aware that cross-contamination is still possible.) However, if you are a coffee lover, that probably is not going to do the trick for you. Luckily, there are vegans who have experienced this predicament and have come up with solutions of their own. Nora Cooks shares a recipe that utilizes maple syrup, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice mix, non-dairy milk, and espresso to create the PSL of every vegan's dreams.