It’s that time of the year when our favourite high street coffee shops unleash a new collection of wintry-themed drinks on the nation.
And this year, it appears the theme is OTT.
Forget a simple pumpkin spiced latte. In 2026, autumn menus have merged popular food trends to create a range of Frankenstein treats for the Instagram generation.
Brightly-coloured syrups, cake-flavoured toppings and billowing foam come together to create apple crumble lattes, iced banoffee matchas and maple syrup, hazelnut hot chocolates.
Of course there’s also a plethora of the standard sweet, spiced coffees that’s synonymous with autumn.
But do the bells and whistles on this year’s offerings make them the most fattening yet?
Here, we analyse the new seasonal additions and reveal the healthiest – and most gut-busting- options.
Starbucks’ apple crumble matcha contains 35g of sugar – more than you’ll find in a Mars bar.
Starbucks iced apple crumble matcha latte
Per grande drink with semi-skimmed milk: 328 cals, 10g sat fat, 35.6g sugar
Starbucks’ green-coloured tipple features apple-flavoured syrup, sweet cream and a biscuit topping – all of which take the sugar count up to that of a slice and a half of chocolate cake.
That’s your entire daily limit of free sugars – the type that can rot teeth and should be restricted to seven teaspoons per day – in one drink.
Dietician Carrie Ruxton points out that this latte has the second highest calorie count of all the coffees analysed – as much as a McDonald’s cheeseburger – and the most fat.
‘The problem with drinking 300-odd calories rather than eating them is that it has a minimal impact on hunger and fullness,’ she says. ‘Our bodies barely notice the calories and we will probably go on to eat our usual amounts later in the day resulting in excess calories and weight gain.’
Verdict: 0/5
Starbucks maple pecan macchiato
Per grande drink with semi-skimmed milk: 215 calories, 3.1g saturated fat, 31g sugar
The one plus here, according to Ruxton, is that the calorie count isn’t sky-high, and there’s three times less saturated fat than you’ll find in the apple crumble matcha.
However she advises drinking very infrequently – if at all – due to the sugar count, which comes from two types of syrups and is more than the daily limit.
If you’re looking for a caffeine hit thought, you’re in luck, as, unlike many of the other autumn offerings, this has roughly the same caffeine as an bog-standard latte or cappuccino.
Ruxton advises opting for the small, rather than medium, which takes the calories down to 155 and the sugar down to five teaspoons, rather than seven, leaving you two teaspoons below the daily limit.
VERDICT: 1/5
Starbucks ‘mummy’ frappucino
Per grande drink with whole milk [as standard]: 95 calories, 3g saturated fat, 12g sugar
Ruxton says this drink – which sees a typical milk-based frappucino mixed with mocha sauce and topped with chocolate buttons – is the best of the bunch.
It’s made without cream, making the saturated fat content far lower than some of the other options.
But there’s still three teaspoons of sugar here – pretty much all of which is added. It’s worth knowing that there’s little point option for the small version, as the sugar, calories and fat are virtually the same as the medium.
VERDICT: 4/5
Tall: 94 cals, 3g sat fat, 11.5g sugar, 1.6mg caffeine
Starbucks pumpkin spiced latte
Per grande drink with semi-skimmed milk: 205 calories, 31g sugar, 6.4g saturated fat
The whipped cream added to the top of the drink adds a significant amount of fat; around a third of a woman’s recommended daily intake.
Too much saturated fat in the diet can trigger a rise in levels of harmful cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Even if you opt for no cream, there’s still one of the highest sugar counts of all the drinks – as much as nine custard cream biscuits.
However, calories wise, one of these every so often is unlikely to result in significant weight gain, says Ruxton.
VERDICT: 1/5
Costa maple hazel iced matcha
Per medium drink with semi-skimmed milk: 206 calories, 2.9g saturated fat, 26g sugar
‘This drink is far better than the majority of the others for heart health, due to the low amount of saturated fat,’ says Ruxton. In fact, all of the fat comes from the milk here, which is good news.
Studies show that saturated fat that comes from dairy may be less concerning than the type from other sources, like meat, due to the healthful compounds in milk, cheese and yoghurt.
And what of the supposed health properties of matcha? Made from powdered green tea leaves, the brightly coloured liquid has acquired a health halo in recent years, with adovates claiming it can prevent disease, burn fat and even extend lifespan.
Even a simple pumpkin spiced latte will cost you nine custard creams’ worth of sugar
But experts say these benefits have been somewhat overegged.
While matcha is thought to contain a higher dose of disease-fighting antioxidants, there’s little proof of the impact on human health.
‘Most of the evidence supporting the claims come from lab studies on cells or animals, not robust clinical trials in humans,’ said researcher Anthony Booker, expert in pharmocology from the University of Westminster, in a report for The Conversation.
‘So while the early research is promising, it’s far from conclusive.’
However, Booker adds that matcha may be a good option for those prone to caffeine-related jitters.
‘Unlike coffee, it contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation and may counteract the jittery effects of caffeine, making it a gentler alternative for people prone to anxiety.’
The sugar content here – from roasted hazelnut flavour syrup and maple sauce – is almost enough to bust your daily limit. A cup of tea with one sugar will take you over it.
Verdict: 2.5/5
Costa maple hazel hot chocolate
Per medium drink with semi-skimmed milk and ‘light whip’ topping: 456 calories, 12g saturated fat, 54g sugar
Dietician Carrie Ruxton describes this hot chocolate, made with two types of syrup and a ‘crunchy biscuit topping’, as the ‘big daddy’, as far as calories are concerned.
There’s about the same calories as an entire meal here, and more than twice that of a pumpkin spiced latte.
Ruxton also flags the whopping 13 and a half teaspoons of sugar – nearly twice the daily limit and around the same as half a tub of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream.
If you add the full portion of whipped cream on top, the calories total a gut-busting 520, which is more than a Big Mac.
Verdict: 0/5
Caffè Nero cinnamon roll latte
Per medium drink with oat milk [as standard]: 220 calories, 0.7g saturated fat, 23.3g sugar
Cow’s milk is substituted for oat in this sweet drink to ‘enhance the cinnamon notes’, according to the chain.
Nero’s banoffee matcha contains antioxidants, but experts say the benefits are unknown
‘This brings down the saturated fat and calories, and you also get nearly 10g of protein from the oats,’ says Ruxton.
The muscle-boosting nutrient will help with feelings of fullness, reducing the risk you’ll opt for calorie-heavy meals for the rest of the day.
In fact, there’s almost four times as much saturated fat in a traditional latte.
But the sweet syrup adds nearly six teaspoons of sugar, almost twice that of a Starbucks’ ‘mummy’ frappucino.
Verdict: 2.5/5
Caffè Nero banoffee matcha latte
Per medium drink with semi-skimmed milk:, 206 calories, 2.8g saturated fat, 28.6g sugar
This drink is essentially banana blended with matcha and milk, and topped with salted caramel sauce.
Ruxton says the only saving grace of this drink that packs in more sugar than a Twix is the addition of bowel-boosting fibre – which comes from the banana.
‘It only pushes the fibre up to 1.2g, which isn’t a massive help, but considering the very little amount many of us eat daily, it’s a valuable addition,’ she says.
Verdict: 2/5
Caffè Nero spiced pecan latte
Per medium drink with semi-skimmed milk: 203 kcal, 2.6g saturated fat, 28.4g sugar
The calories and saturated fat count here aren’t too terrible compared to many of the others, says Ruxton.
And, you’re getting in nearly 10g of filling protein.
However, once again, the whopping sugar count makes any healthful properties irrelevant, she adds.
Verdict: 1/5
