Is PUMPKIN SPICE a thing in the UK?

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YeeeepersJeeepers@reddit

My wife says it's a thing. I beg to differ.

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dualdee@reddit

I've seen signs for pumpkin spice coffees outside Starbucks (though I suppose that one doesn't really say much about the UK specifically) and Greggs.

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LovingWisdom@reddit

Wait. There's no pumpkin in pumpkin spice????!??!?!

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Ever tried pumpkin? Very bland. You would not think dried pumpkin would enhance anything. A mixture of warming spices though would definitely enhance something like a pumpkin pie. Bit like mulled wine spice…it’s not the wine doing the mulling but the pouch of spices you put into it

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CrazyPlatypusLady@reddit

A decent pumpkin isn't bland. Eating pumpkins =/= carving pumpkins.

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herefromthere@reddit

Much like a butternut squash. They're just bigger, differently shaped squashes.

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LovingWisdom@reddit

I never have, no. Sure, but it still has wine in it.

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Princes_Slayer@reddit

Mulled wine spices don’t have wine in them, silly sausage

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herefromthere@reddit

They do once you've mulled the wine.

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LovingWisdom@reddit

Of course not. Mulled wine does.

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Fasta_Benj@reddit

I learnt something today! I needed Febreeze and didn’t buy any because there was only pumpkin spice flavour and I didn’t want the house to smell of pumpkins. Perhaps I’m just an idiot but it never entered my head that it was mixed spice.

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MuttonDressedAsGoose@reddit

"Pumpkin spice" literally means "the blend of spices you put in pumpkin pie." it's sold as such.

https://amzn.eu/d/02P5hAH

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LovingWisdom@reddit

Well that's insane to me. It's like selling Apple spice but it doesn't contain apples and just goes in an apple pie. Never had a pumpkin pie, but I'm assuming they taste of pumpkin. Would make sense to include that flavour in the spice.

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Howtothinkofaname@reddit

Pumpkin pie tastes like pumpkin because it has pumpkin in it.

Pumpkin spice is spice for pumpkin, it doesn’t need to have pumpkin flavour in it. It’s just so associated with pumpkin in America that they use the name even when no pumpkin is involved.

I can go on the Sainsbury’s website and see a peri peri chicken spice mix, I’m not going to assume it tastes like chicken.

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LovingWisdom@reddit

I understand. It's just insane to me. Never heard of it before, no interest in trying it. Less now that I know it doesn't taste like pumpkin. I just assumed americans were walking around eating things that tasted like pumpkin. I am surprised to learn I was wrong.

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ClientDoorJust3759@reddit

I got a pumpkin spice latte from Greggs the other day and it tasted like warm sick. Went in the bin after three sips.

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rtrs_bastiat@reddit

There's some pumpkin spice stuff around, probably from cultural osmosis, but it's not a "thing" I would say.

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GnaphaliumUliginosum@reddit

It's largely a Starbucks invention (in that they took it from a niche idea to an internationally marketed phenomenon). Pumpkin pie isn't really a thing in the UK because we don't have Thanksgiving.

Instead, we have the unimaginatively named 'mixed spice' which is used in things like mince pies and Xmas cake/pudding as well as non-Christmas things like carrot cake.

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CasualGlam87@reddit

I was sceptical about pumpkin pie but my friend made one last year and it was really delicious. Definitely want to make one myself this year.

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Lynxiebrat@reddit

Fun fact: if using canned pumpkin pie filling, therr is quite a bit of butternut and acorn squash mixed in.

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Pure_Cantaloupe_3195@reddit

It only has to contain a minimum of 20% of pumpkin to be called pumpkin according to FDA regulations

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CasualGlam87@reddit

Canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling isn't a thing in the UK. No one really eats pumpkin here so supermarkets don't sell anything other than whole pumpkins as Halloween decorations, which very few people eat. Which is a shame as I actually like the taste of pumpkin.

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BlaggartDiggletyDonk@reddit

Done well, it's divine.

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TheSecretIsMarmite@reddit

I grew up eating pumpkin pie as my mother was raised in Canada and I absolutely love it.

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Lynxiebrat@reddit

Actually, before Starbucks i remember that Pumpkin Spice was a thing in a few other things not related to drinks. But not ti the same level.

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PassiveTheme@reddit

Pumpkin pie isn't really a thing in the UK because we don't have Thanksgiving.

Also because pumpkins aren't native to the UK and so we don't have a tradition of pumpkin pie. We have different traditional desserts associated with the same time of year.

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Green_Sprout@reddit

I'm raring to get my belly full of parkin!

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Acrobatic-Ad584@reddit

There seems to be a shortage of golden syrup at the moment, had devil's own trying to get some today in Morrisons - if you are making your own. Plenty of black treacle around thankfully. I am baking some tomorrow.

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MacGuffininabox@reddit

As opposed to potatoes

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PassiveTheme@reddit

We had other vegetables that filled the same role as pumpkins, and actual sweet fruits that could be used to make desserts, so pumpkins (and especially pumpkin pie) never really took off. They're also not as efficient to farm as potatoes, nor as versatile.

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Bajovane@reddit

You are missing out!! Pumpkin pie is so good!

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PassiveTheme@reddit

I live in Canada now, I've had plenty. It's fine.

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tittysherman1309@reddit

First time my boyfriend made me a chilli, he used 'mixed spice', thinking it would be things like paprika and cayenne. It did not go down well lol

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No-Willingness-4097@reddit

Funny thing is, pumpkin pie was invented in Tudor England.

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Mysterious_Soft7916@reddit

I think it's also an age thing. My 17-21yos often bang on about it, whereas millennials don't care so much

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spinachmuncher@reddit

Its vile

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Ruby-Shark@reddit

I don't know how they get away with not having pumpkin in.

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MuttonDressedAsGoose@reddit

They actually sell "pumpkin spice." That is to say, a blend of spices used to make pumpkin pie.

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Ruby-Shark@reddit

Hmm. But as Pumpkin Pie is not really a thing in my country... Seems silly.

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revrobuk1957@reddit

Pumpkin is, pretty much, tasteless. All you can taste is the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.

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philff1973@reddit

They dropped her when Ginger Spice could hit the high notes better than her.

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Hal1342@reddit

I’m in stitches!

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Exact_Setting9562@reddit

Annoyingly it is.

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PurplePlodder1945@reddit

My daughter loves autumn and especially pumpkin spiced lattes

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MarrV@reddit

My wife always gets pumpkin spice coffee around Halloween and has some pumpkin spice monin syrup for her coffees at home.

But never really encountered it before I met her and she spent a decade in the US.

So it exists but it's not particularly well known.

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LaraH39@reddit

We don't call it pumpkin spice.

It's a mix of spices that we put in Christmas cakes, Christmas biscuits and cakes, Christmas hot chocolate, things like that. We don't drink or eat pumpkin unless someone is in Starbucks.

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aries_163@reddit

I work in food product development in the U.K., and my colleagues love to wind me up about this as it gets my goat, haha!

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin desserts, etc aren’t a thing in the U.K. traditionally. I can’t think of any supermarket that launches a pumpkin pie at this time of year. It just wouldn’t sell.

Now the coffee shops, Starbucks, etc do pumpkin spiced drinks, and we see it in cookies, muffins, etc in some bakeries and cafes. But there’s never any pumpkin in these things! So to me it’s not ‘pumpkin spiced’, it’s just ‘spiced’. How can it be pumpkin spiced when a pumpkin hasn’t been anywhere near it?! It’s just spiced!

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jennywrensings@reddit

In certain coffee shop chains, you can get pumpkin spice latte. Other than that, no. We don’t tend to eat pumpkin in the UK.

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CrazyPlatypusLady@reddit

I eat pumpkins. I'm British. What?!

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therealdrewder@reddit

Pumpkin spice isn't made from pumpkin. It's a spice mix made from cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, potentially other spices. It's called pumpkin spice because the blend is most often associated with pumpkin pie. It is most often associated with autumn and the holidays and gives a cozy, warm, nostalgic flavor that evokes crisp leaves, sweaters, and seasonal traditions.

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Downtown_Physics8853@reddit

Which pretty much proves the old adage; The BEST pumpkin pie you ever ate wasn't really that much better than the WORST.....

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jennywrensings@reddit

I didn’t say it was made from pumpkin. But if we don’t eat it, why would the flavouring become popular?

We use different (although similar) winter spice mixes for mulled wine.

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ayeayefitlike@reddit

We have mixed spice, which is our festive spice mix in eg mince pies. It’s cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and then can also include coriander, ginger, and allspice, and sometimes even cardamom, mace, or star anise (but this is getting towards gingerbread or mulling spice). Mixed spice is more earthy than pumpkin spice.

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No_Imagination_2490@reddit

Well the humans don't. The squirrels, rats and birds in my local park probably have a very pumpkin-rich diet in November

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jennywrensings@reddit

Can’t imagine they are having much pumpkin spice flavouring though, are they?

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MrDemotivator17@reddit

Have you not read about the gentrification of Farthing Wood?

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notacanuckskibum@reddit

There is actually no pumpkin in pumpkin spice.

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jennywrensings@reddit

Yes but given its not something that tends to be eaten in the UK, the need for spices for the pumpkin hasn’t really come up.

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Love-That-Danhausen@reddit

I’ve seen a lot more advertising of “chai spice” drinks starting in October but not pumpkin spice

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woods_edge@reddit

Those are just mulling spices. We put them in red wine.

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AdThat328@reddit

Are you able to see? Then you'll surely know it's everywhere in the UK...

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Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

Only very recently, and only due to Americanisation from big chains picking up on the social media buzz.

What you call 'pumpkin spice' is very similar to what we call simply 'mixed spice'. In England at least, that sort of flavour is probably more associated with Christmas than with Autumn. Our traditional Autumn flavours, at least in my neck of the woods would be more like treacle (bonfire toffee) caramel (toffee apples, cinder toffee) and ginger (parkin).

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Inevitable-Slice-263@reddit

That spice list is similar to mulled wine spices, which is definitely a thing in the UK. Outside of some coffee shops that sell sugary hot drinks, pumpkin spice isn't really anywhere that I've seen.

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Sea_Appointment8408@reddit

This is the best answer I think. The spices listed is a typical Christmas spice blend you'll find in mulled wines and various desserts.

We don't call it pumpkin spice unless a venue is trying to sound American.

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FootballAndBicycles@reddit

Not really. We've gone straight into gingerbread for everything this year instead.

Gingerbread pepsi, gingerbread doritos, gingerbread Kitkats, gingerbread Malteasers, gingerbread lattes

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jbkb1972@reddit

Got it on my coffee van atm but it’s nearly gone and won’t be getting anymore

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Andybabez20@reddit

It is but typically only in coffee chains like Costa, Starbucks etc.

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Downtown_Physics8853@reddit

"These spices work together to enhance pumpkin’s natural sweetness and earthy flavor."

Huh? Have you ever tasted the filling of a pumpkin? It has essentially no taste.....

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Ilovepeanutbutter65@reddit (OP)

Oh yeah, we grow and eat pumpkin in so many ways!! Not just in sweet things either! There are so many different varieties of pumpkins & squashes

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kumran@reddit

We also don't do peppermint everything as a winter/Christmas thing here either. We have a lot of Christmas 'flavours' and that's never been one of them.

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CharmingMeringue@reddit

Not really. Coffee chains like Fastbucks tend to push pumpkin spice crap but given there's no actual pumpkin in said spice, and we don't really do much with pumpkins I'd say it's a minor thing

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Green_Sprout@reddit

We do have the spice mix, we just don't associate it with pumpkins, the blend is very similar to what we use as mulling spices for wine or cider.

But as other have stated we do have the annual Starbucks pumpkin spice latte craze.

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RejectedIdeas@reddit

As most have said ‘ No, it is not really a thing here ‘ it only really appears in certain American franchised coffee shops but I do not know a single person who has purchased or consumed it. Another point to note is, that when asking the UK, it is also an Americanism to call Autumn the Fall. Again it sneaks in and we have heard of it but we don’t use it. 2 countries divided by a common language.

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FrauAmarylis@reddit

Pumpkin Soup is very popular in Germany in the Fall. It’s like eating cookie dough, full of flour and sugar.

Imo, Brits don’t like many herbs or spices. For example, they don’t like cinnamon or mint. And they don’t add herbs to their fish batter and they dislike herbal tea.

Germany has lots of cinnamon in their food.

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MuttonDressedAsGoose@reddit

I think the German love of cinnamon has very much influenced American cuisine.

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

Utter rubbish to say Brits don't like herbs or spices. We bung cinnamon in tons of things and mint us utterly standard with lamb.

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Indigo-Waterfall@reddit

Only recently due to American influence. We have all those spices we just wouldn’t necessarily call it “pumpkin spice”.

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National_Tax_4888@reddit

Its rank. 🤢

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KonkeyDongPrime@reddit

It has been more prevalent in previous years, but pumpkin spice is kinda nasty, compared to more traditional winter spices, so seems to be largely ignored by marketers this year.

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Lyrael9@reddit

It's not because it's "nasty". It wouldn't be so popular in NA if it was so nasty. The idea of eating pumpkin is just foreign and not very popular. "Pumpkin spice" is very similar to traditional winter spices. But pumpkin isn't commonly eaten here so we have it without the added pumpkin.

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KonkeyDongPrime@reddit

The ‘pumpkin’ spice flavour things I’ve had in the UK have all been overhyped and fucking NASTY. This is the opinion of everyone I know. Would also appear to be the opinion of the nation, given how much less hyped it is this year. Thanks for the lecture unfortunately you are projecting ignorance where it doesn’t exist.

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Real23Phil@reddit

I've had it offered, never had it though.

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Pandora_Puddleduck@reddit

Me neither. Once got given a can of pumpkin pie mush and just binned it after opening as it smelt revolting

Had a pumpkin spiced latte twice, can't say I'm right bothered for it

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Real23Phil@reddit

I don't drink hot drinks, it seems the place for spice, so I'll never try it, just smell, and I agree with you, revolting.

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Pandora_Puddleduck@reddit

My son in law doesn't drink hot drinks either which I admit I find odd

I personally bloody love mulled wine though nom nom

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Real23Phil@reddit

Hot drinks make my tongue go 'furry'. That's a term I've heard that feels right. Also I'm always too warm, never too cold, I don't want hot liquid on top of my hot internal temp.

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Dadaballadely@reddit

We have the same spice blend attached to winter and Christmas but it's more likely to be associated with mulled wine, mince pies or Christmas cake/pudding.

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atomicshrimp@reddit

This. We know what pumpkin spice is because of cultural interchange but traditionally were talking about 'mixed spice'.

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Dadaballadely@reddit

Hey! Love your channel!

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Pure_Cantaloupe_3195@reddit

Pumpkin spice and mixed spice aren't interchangeable. PS has much more cinnamon and is sweeter than MS.

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Glittering-Round7082@reddit

It's an abomination.

We didn't ever grow pumpkins here until a few years ago when the Instagram generation wasted their kid photographed in a pumpkin patch to emulate the American influencers.

It's not even a thing.

Why not just call it a spiced Latte?

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Meanz_Beanz_Heinz@reddit

I had a pumpkin spiced latte in Greggs recently, minging.

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shaunoffshotgun@reddit

Seema a very reasonable question so not sure why some take it as an insult.

It's mostly to a coffee shop chain thing in the UK. But it's clearly boosted sales in the states so understandable that companies would try the same thing in the UK.

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AreaMiserable9187@reddit

I feel like I'm in the minority here but I have friends who count down until they can get pumpkin spice lattes, buy candles, etc, so in my circle, yes it's a big thing.

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StillJustJones@reddit

Are we susceptible to thoroughly made up and invented marketing wank like the Americans?

To an extent yes…. But we tend to be mildly susceptible rather than gorging on the marketing people’s nonsense.

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AverageCheap4990@reddit

In places like Starbucks. The spice combination is normally just called mixed spice over here.

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Good_Lettuce_2690@reddit

It's been at sb for years but have yet to hear anyone actually order one

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Paulstan67@reddit

It's in coffee shops and cafes in the coffee and snacks. However it's not a big thing.

Bare in mind, that pumpkins are not on our edible radar, we rarely eat it and having it in a pie is a definite no.

Butternut squash is more readily available but again never eaten in pies.

The actual spices are available everywhere. But not normally as ready mixed kit.

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Infinite_Crow_3706@reddit

Not really. It exists but that’s all.

I lived in the US and never liked nor saw the appeal of flavored coffees.

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jeanclaudebrowncloud@reddit

Yes because when America farts, we shit

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trainpk85@reddit

Febreeze do a nice pumpkin spiced latte spray. Personally I wouldn’t drink an actual pumpkin spice latte but I don’t mind the smell.

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No-Photograph3463@reddit

Yes, but it really only infiltrates drinks over here rather than other food stuffs too.

One weird one I saw is Aldi do a Pumkin Spiced flavoured Baileys which just sounds wrong.

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AlternativeSmh@reddit

I've just been in a UK spr/mkt and no one stopped at all the Halloween Pumpkin products. Just went straight up the aisle to the next one. !!!

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AubergineParm@reddit

It is in some major chains, but it’s not popular and seen as a kind of over-sugared American fad that’s generally only ordered by tweens trying to act “bougie”.

As we move into cooler months, hot apple juice with cinnamon, and mulled wine, remain more popular choices.

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Mubadger@reddit

Not really. It's not unheard of, but it's not very common either. Whenever I see some it just feels like another attempt to import nasty American shit that no-one here wants.

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Zealousideal-Ad-8050@reddit

It can get in the sea

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-Londoneer-@reddit

Seems quite American, corporate chains start telling us a thing.

Don’t know if you noticed recently but ‘being quite American’ isn’t necessarily a selling point.

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Mikon_Youji@reddit

Coffee shops definitely sell pumpkin spice things over here during October (and possibly November, I dunno) but people don't obsess over it like they do in America.

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Melonpan78@reddit

An American import. Most coffee chains now have PSL-type drinks. You can also find pumpkin home and body fragrance products around. Sickly sweet, overbearing, only tolerable for a very short time.

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CreativeAdeptness477@reddit

It's around, but it's not enough of a thing to warrant capitals.

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padmasundari@reddit

It is now but pumpkin pie is disappointingly still not a thing. I am still sad and mad about it.

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NortonBurns@reddit

You can get pumpkin spiced things these days. I've never had one, it's not a flavour combination I find attractive, but they're in the supermarkets.
The spice blend itself is very similar to what we'd have made mulled wine with in the past, something more christmassy I guess, but really just 'wintery'.
It seems to be yet another of the recent imported ideas from America to go along with most of the rest of what halloween has become in the UK over the past 30 or 40 years. It was a complete non-event when I was growing up in the 60s & 70s.

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Open-Difference5534@reddit

More popular in the UK is the stuff that makes everything taste like bacon.

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AceHarleyQ@reddit

No it's not really a thing here outside of chain coffee shops.

It's the same as festive spices though that typically remind you of Christmas

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qualityvote2@reddit

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