10 Discontinued Starbucks Drinks We Miss Most In Fall

If there's one thing Starbucks knows how to do, it's spark seasonal nostalgia. Every September, the Pumpkin Spice Latte struts back onto the stage like the Mariah Carey of fall beverages, and we all line up with scarves flying. But this year, the annual cozy caffeine rush feels a little different. Starbucks recently announced it would be shuttering stores and "simplifying" menus — a corporate phrase that often translates to "say goodbye to your favorite thing." And, for longtime fans, it's not the first fall goodbye.

Old-school Starbucks had a way of making fall feel indulgent, a little quirky, and sometimes downright surprising. Remember the fleeting Caramel Apple Spice? Canada's elusive Maple Cinnamon Macchiato? Or, if you're really lucky, the very limited Thanksgiving Blend that paired with your mom's pumpkin pie like it was born for the job? These were more than just drinks; they were rituals, little sips of comfort that made standing in line under fluorescent lights feel like part of the autumn magic.

Now, as we sip PSLs in a pared-down Starbucks universe, it's hard not to pine for the drinks that made fall special in their own offbeat ways. With the brand tightening up its offerings, we can't help but wonder: which cozy concoction could be next to vanish? So, grab your chunky sweater, because we're about to revisit the discontinued Starbucks fall drinks we miss the most, while still holding out hope they'll come back for one last swirl.

The Chai Crème Frappuccino was an under-the-radar gem of Starbucks' blended lineup; a creamy, coffee-free spiced escape that somehow managed to taste like fall even in the middle of July. Recently discontinued as part of the brand's "menu simplification" initiative (corporate speak for "we're breaking hearts one Frappuccino at a time"), the Chai Crème Frappuccino was a long-running, year-round menu item that capitalized on chai's coffee culture moment. And it quickly earned its place among those who preferred spice over sweetness in their cold drinks.

Flavor-wise, it was everything you'd want from a chilled chai sweet treat: smooth, frothy, and tingling with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and black pepper, all softened by a generous swirl of vanilla and milk. Somehow, it managed to feel indulgent without being cloying — a rarity in the world of blended beverages.

Fans are still reeling from its sudden disappearance in early 2025, especially those who considered it their year-round go-to for fall flavor. Sure, you can try to recreate it by hacking the menu, but it never quite lands the same. The original Chai Crème Frappuccino had a nostalgic, just-right spice that turned an ordinary coffee run into a tiny seasonal celebration and proved that not every fall favorite needs pumpkin to feel like home.

The Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato was Starbucks' attempt to bottle up the cozy essence of apple pie and make it sip-able — think a love letter to fall without the squash. Introduced in 2021, it was initially crafted with dairy milk, then reintroduced with oat milk the following year, making it the brand's first official dairy-free fall drink.

Flavor-wise, it was warm and nostalgic in a different way from its pumpkin-spiced counterparts. The espresso mingled with notes of baked apple, brown sugar, and spiced oat crumble creating a taste reminiscent of the gooey filling in an old-school apple crisp. The drizzle on top (sweet and buttery, with just the right hit of cinnamon) sealed the deal. It was sweet, yes, but layered, with that toasty oat flavor grounding it all in a subtle sophistication.

Fans embraced the drink as a lighter, more balanced fall option, but as Starbucks began trimming its menu this year, the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato didn't make the cut. In fact, it seemed that apple flavors (with the exception of the Baked Apple Croissant) wouldn't make a comeback at all this year, and fans were upset. So much so, that Starbucks recently announced a limited-time apple menu launching October 14, though the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato won't be among the returning favorites.

One of those Starbucks creations that felt like a warm hug wrapped in nostalgia, the Toasted Graham Latte was a special sip that smelled like Saturday morning cereal and tasted like fall in a cup. Debuting in 2015, it was Starbucks' first brand-new fall beverage in over a decade, joining the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Salted Caramel Mocha lineup with its own distinctly cozy personality. Inspired by the comforting flavors of cereal milk and honey-kissed graham crackers, it featured espresso, steamed milk, and a lightly sweet graham syrup, all topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon-graham crumble.

Flavor-wise, it hit that perfect midpoint between dessert and daily caffeine fix. It wasn't as sugary as the PSL, nor as intense as the mocha. It was mellow, toasty, and just nostalgic enough to make you feel like you were drinking childhood memories from an adult-approved cup. The cereal milk-inspired flavor was subtle, buttery, and beautifully balanced by warm spice, which made it a sleeper hit among those who prefer their fall drinks on the less cloying side.

Despite its cult following, the Toasted Graham Latte quietly vanished from menus after just a couple of seasons. Starbucks never gave an official reason, but like many niche favorites, it likely fell victim to the brand's ever-rotating seasonal lineup. Fans still remember it fondly, especially during PSL season, when a little part of them misses that soft, toasty sweetness that made autumn mornings feel extra special.

Think less cozy autumn treat, more haunted sugar rush and you'll land somewhere in the creepy (and undead) realm of Starbucks' Zombie Frappuccino. Released just in time for Halloween 2017, it was available for only a few ghoulish days, from October 26 to 31, and instantly became a hit with anyone who loved a gimmick with their caffeine. Unlike the brand's usual "crunchy leaves and sweater weather" fall drinks, this one leaned fully into spooky season.

Its look alone could stop traffic: a swampy green crème base streaked with "blood-red" mocha drizzle and topped with a swirl of pink whipped cream meant to resemble brains. Flavor-wise, it was a weirdly wonderful mash-up of tart green apple blended with caramel and vanilla, striking a balance somewhere between sour candy and caramel apple. It wasn't subtle, but that was kind of the charm. Fans treated it less like a coffee order and more like a Halloween collectible. Some loved the novelty, while others were horrified in the best way. It was divisive, sure, but it got people talking, and snapping photos before their whipped "brains" melted.

The Zombie Frappuccino was always meant to be short-lived, part of Starbucks' tradition of limited-run Halloween drinks like the Franken and Frappula Frappuccinos. But in the years since, it's become a fondly remembered oddity — a reminder of when Starbucks let itself get a little wild and weird. In a sea of pumpkin spice, the Zombie stood out for daring to play dress-up.

The Teavana Oprah Cinnamon Chai Tea Latte was Starbucks' attempt to bring a little extra spice, purpose, and celebrity flair to the chai lineup. It was first launched in 2014 as part of Starbucks' post-Teavana acquisition offerings, built around a signature Oprah Chai blend — part black tea, part rooibos, and infused with bold cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves — and designed in collaboration with Teavana and Oprah Winfrey, with a portion of proceeds intended for her educational foundation. But by early 2017, Starbucks stores stopped carrying the Oprah Chai latte in their cafes, though the chai blend continued to appear in retail Teavana offerings for a bit longer.

As for flavor, this chai was pronounced, cinnamon-forward, with warmth from the ginger and depth from the cloves and cardamom tying into the black tea base. Some fans on Reddit appreciated that it was spicier and more assertive than Starbucks' standard chai, seeing it as a chai with backbone, not just sweetness. Others felt the cinnamon intensity veered close to overpowering, or that it lacked balance when prepared loosely by baristas.

In the context of discontinued fall drinks, the Oprah Chai offered a different seasonal pitch: not pumpkin, not apple, but spice and warmth with a hint of star power. Its departure underscores how Starbucks has gradually pared back its more experimental seasonal teas, leaving us nostalgically paging through old menus, wishing for that chai that dared to channel Oprah more than any PSL ever could.

The Maple Pecan Latte was pumpkin-free fall in a cup with sweet, nutty notes that added just the right amount of festive flavor to your morning routine. First spotted in Starbucks stores in 2017, it arrived like the cool cousin of the Pumpkin Spice Latte: still seasonal, still cozy, but with its own swagger.

This latte was all about balance. The quality maple syrup gave it a warm, caramelized sweetness, while the pecan flavor added that nutty, almost bakery-fresh depth. A robust shot of classic coffee shop espresso cut through the sweetness, making it feel indulgent but not over-the-top. And those little yellow and orange sugar crystals sprinkled on top were pure autumn sparkle — perfect for Instagram, but even better for sipping on a crisp morning.

Alas, the Maple Pecan Latte was fleeting, vanishing after its debut season. Starbucks never spelled out exactly why it disappeared, but rumor has it sales didn't quite rival the PSL. For those still craving it, there's a non-dairy Maple Pecan Latte-inspired creamer you can hack at home, but it's not quite the same as sipping the real-deal in all its fall glory.

Ah, the Frappula Frappuccino. Another relic of Starbucks' quirky foray into limited-run Halloween horror-based concoctions. Introduced in October 2015, this frightful frap was part of the brand's spooky-season line-up, following in the ghastly footsteps of the Franken Frappucino. This one leaned into the gore with raspberry syrup dripped through a white chocolate crème base, with an extra layer of grave dirt-colored mocha sauce for good measure. Its appearance was dramatic and theatrical, but the white chocolate-raspberry combo was nothing short of classic — the recipe for a Halloween horror icon if there ever was one.

Taste-wise, this vampire's delight was as sweet as a sack of candy. The creamy white chocolate base was saccharine, made even more indulgent with that puddle of rich mocha sauce, though the tartness of the raspberry syrup helped to cut through some of that sweetness. While some found it a delightful treat, others felt it was toothachingly sweet.

Despite its initial popularity (the drink was reincarnated for the 2016 Halloween lineup), the Frappula Frappuccino was discontinued after just two years. And since Starbucks has streamlined its menu to remove all of the crème-based Frappuccino options, you can't even Frankenstein this one back to life. In the grand tapestry of discontinued fall Starbucks creations, the Frappula stands out as a bold, albeit brief, experiment in seasonal flavor and theatrical presentation.

A blend of smoky sophistication and sweet nostalgia, the Smoked Butterscotch Latte was a hard left turn from the uber colorful, Insta-famous Frappuccinos Starbucks was famous for in the mid-2010s. Debuting in 2016, this underappreciated gem took espresso and steamed milk and gave them a butterscotch twist kissed with a hint of smokiness. The result was a grown-up drink that felt like sipping dessert by a fireplace in some impossibly chic cabin: sweet, salty, and just mysterious enough to make you raise an eyebrow.

The latte hit at the height of Starbucks' experimental era, when the brand was toying with ways to go beyond the pumpkin-spice-everything playbook. Fans who discovered it loved the velvety texture and caramelized richness, but it never quite hit the mainstream hype machine like its PSL sibling. Some found it too subtle; others called it downright addictive. Either way, it quietly disappeared after a few seasonal runs, one of those "blink and you'll miss it" fall moments we still talk about like an old flame. Though Starbucks hasn't brought it back, you can still find hints of that flavor in its seasonal coffee blends — proof that smoky-sweet magic isn't entirely gone, just lingering in the haunted graveyard of discontinued fall drinks.

Like its vampire and zombie-inspired cousins, the Witch's Brew Frappuccino was designed to shock rather than satisfy a caffeine craving. It rests among Starbucks' more adventurous (and Instagram-ready) forays into seasonal whimsy — a drink that leaned full-on Halloween rather than Taylor Swift-coded autumn coziness. It surfaced briefly in 2018 as a limited-time specialty, making more of a splash for its aesthetics than its longevity.

Visually, the Witch's Brew Frappuccino was a wicked winner. Looking like something that might bubble up from a cauldron, the lavender-hued orange crème base was garnished with a green chia seed pudding and sprinkled with green "lizard scale" accents that gave it a slightly slimy texture. The flavor was the most unexpected aspect, rooted more in citrus and cream than in color theatrics. It leaned towards an orange crème taste with a lighter, brighter palette than the witch's potion of bedtime lore.

As with many of Starbucks' Halloween experiments, the Witch's Brew was never meant to stick around. It disappeared after a short window, never to be seen again. Fan reaction to it was mixed but intrigued: some praised its creativity and bold presentation, while others questioned whether the flavor lived up to its visual chops and if the chia seed texture really belonged in a Frappuccino. The general consensus was that it was more of a Halloween trick than a year-round treat. 

Día de los Muertos received due but fleeting representation in the Starbucks repertoire with the Chile Mocha. First released in the fall of 2016, this daring seasonal selection aimed to push Starbucks' flavor boundaries, pairing the sweetness of chocolate and espresso with a dash of chile spice.

The drink's creators took inspiration from traditional Mexican chocolate recipes — mole sauces, horchata, and warm spiced beverages — to guide the experiment. Ancho chile (for its fruity, less punishing heat) and a bit of cayenne kick things up just enough for milder palettes. When brewed, the drink combines espresso and steamed milk, fused with rich cocoa, accentuated by cinnamon, sea salt, and that subtle chile punch. A whipped cream topping was dusted with a spice blend of paprika, cinnamon, sugar, and chile powders.

Unfortunately, Starbucks quietly shelved the Chile Mocha after its first season; it did not return in fall 2017 and has since lingered among the drink ghosts fans still remember fondly. Within the constellation of discontinued fall Starbucks drinks, Chile Mocha stands as a bold experiment, willing to flirt with warming autumnal heat, even if its run was fleeting.