Starbucks Launches the First Dairy-Free Pecan Latte, But There’s a Catch

Starbucks has introduced its first-ever dairy-free pecan latte as part of its fall lineup. The Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte features Starbucks Blonde Espresso, oat milk, and a unique blend of nutty pecan flavors and rich brown buttery notes. 

Starbucks

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Topped with a pecan crunch, the latte evokes the warmth of a freshly baked pecan pie. However, for those looking to enjoy this new offering as a vegan beverage, there’s a catch.

A new dairy-free pecan latte for fall

The Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte, available in both hot and iced versions, was developed by lead beverage developer Patrick Penny, who was inspired by his childhood memories of his grandmother’s homemade pecan pie. 

“The flavors in this latte evoke memories of the smell of freshly baked pecan pie, but also the warmth and connection of moments at home with family and friends,” Penny said in a statement. 

The drink is designed to offer a fully non-dairy experience, featuring a creamy oat milk foam in the hot version and a non-dairy vanilla sweet cream cold foam in the iced version, each finished with a sprinkle of sweet and savory pecan crunch topping. 

During its testing phase, Starbucks discovered that the drink resonated more with autumn than the holiday season, leading to its launch in September, just as fall begins. It joins other seasonal favorites such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, rounding out the chain’s “pie-fecta” of fall flavors: pumpkin, apple, and now, pecan.

Starbucks

The catch? While the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte is dairy-free it cannot be ordered free from animal products as it contains traces of honey as a core ingredient, VegNews has confirmed with Starbucks. 

Dairy-free with a catch

The introduction of the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte follows a similar pattern to other Starbucks beverages that appear vegan but aren’t entirely plant-based. Earlier this year, Starbucks introduced the Iced Apple Crisp Non Dairy Cream Chai, a drink that combines chai spices, oat milk, and crisp apple flavors, topped with non-dairy apple crisp cold foam. 

While this drink is marketed as non-dairy, it too contains honey in its chai syrup, making it off-limits to customers seeking a vegan option.

Starbucks

Similarly, Starbucks launched two lavender-infused oat milk drinks earlier this spring: the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte. The latter is completely dairy-free, combining Blonde Espresso with oat milk and a hint of lavender. However, the former, despite its oat milk base, included a cold foam of lavender cream made with dairy-based vanilla sweet cream. 

A notable shift for Starbucks’ fall menu items, however, is the introduction of a new oat milk-based cold foam, which has solved some earlier concerns. This addition allows customers to enjoy a fully non-dairy cold foam option in various beverages. 

Starbucks leans into oat milk

Starbucks’ journey towards offering more plant-based options has been a gradual one, beginning with the introduction of soy milk in 2004. Coconut milk was added in 2015, followed by almond milk in 2016. Oat milk, which has quickly become a customer favorite due to its creamy texture and neutral taste, was added in 2020. 

Since then, the company has expanded its menu to include a variety of oat milk-based beverages, including the popular Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Oatmilk Espresso. Starbucks’ increasing focus on oat milk is part of its broader sustainability goals, which include reducing its environmental impact by cutting waste, water use, and carbon emissions by half by 2030. 

In line with these goals, the company has also expanded its use of plant-based milk in cold foam options, such as the newly introduced oat milk cold foam, which offers a creamy texture and versatility for cold beverages. 

Starbucks

Despite its growing dairy-free beverage menu, Starbucks has yet to introduce a vegan version of its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) in the United States. The PSL, which contains a dairy-based pumpkin spice sauce, has been a fall staple since its debut in 2003. While non-dairy milk options such as almond, soy, or oat milk can be substituted, the base sauce itself is not vegan-friendly. 

Interestingly, Starbucks offers a vegan version of the PSL in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, where the pumpkin spice sauce is made without dairy. It also does not impose a surcharge for plant-based milk substitutions in many regions outside of the US.

Together with the honey in the bases of the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte and the Iced Apple Crisp Non Dairy Cream Chai, this means that customers looking for fully plant-based options cannot enjoy the Starbucks “pie-fecta” this fall.

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.