A grande Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has 150mg of caffeine, hot or iced, according to Caffeine Informer's Starbucks guide, which tracks the numbers Starbucks publishes. A tall has 75mg, a hot venti also has 150mg, and the iced venti jumps to 225mg. The pumpkin sauce, the spices, and the whipped cream contribute nothing. Every milligram comes from the espresso underneath, so the PSL is caffeinated exactly like the plain latte it is built on.
The venti trap, in both directions
Two things about the PSL surprise customers every fall, and both come down to shot counts. First, a hot venti PSL has the same 150mg as a grande. Starbucks builds hot grande and venti lattes with two shots each, so the extra four ounces of cup buys you more milk and more pumpkin sauce, not more caffeine. Second, the iced venti flips the other way. Iced venti lattes get three shots, so an iced venti PSL lands at 225mg, per The Daily Meal. Same drink name, 75mg swing depending on whether there is ice in the cup.
The other quiet variable is the espresso itself. The default signature shot runs about 75mg. Ask for blonde espresso and each shot runs about 85mg per Caffeine Informer, so a blonde grande PSL edges up to roughly 170mg. Baristas make this swap constantly and almost nobody ordering it realizes it changes the caffeine math.
PSL caffeine by size
| Size | Hot PSL | Iced PSL | Espresso shots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short (8 oz, hot only) | 75mg | n/a | 1 |
| Tall (12 oz) | 75mg | 75mg | 1 |
| Grande (16 oz) | 150mg | 150mg | 2 |
| Venti (20 oz hot / 24 oz iced) | 150mg | 225mg | 2 hot, 3 iced |
Hot and iced tall and grande figures are from Caffeine Informer, which mirrors Starbucks' published data; the three-shot iced venti figure is confirmed by The Daily Meal. Caffeine follows the shot count no matter what milk or syrup goes on top, so these numbers hold whether you order it with oat milk, no whip, or extra pumpkin.
Caffeine is only half the nutrition story. A grande PSL with 2% milk and whipped cream runs about 390 calories, per Tasting Table. It is closer to a dessert than a coffee, which is part of why it works.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. How caffeine affects you depends on your own tolerance and health, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
When you can actually order one
The PSL is seasonal, and the launch date has crept earlier over the years. In 2025 it returned on August 26, per CBS News, alongside the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and the rest of the fall menu. Late August is now the reliable window to watch. It typically sticks around until stores switch over to the holiday menu in early November, though pumpkin sauce sometimes runs out at individual stores before then. The drink itself dates to 2003, and Starbucks has sold hundreds of millions of them since, which makes it the most successful seasonal menu item in coffee.
If you want the flavor outside the season, the grocery-shelf bottled versions and pumpkin-flavored ground coffees carry different caffeine amounts than the cafe drink, so do not assume the numbers above transfer.
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How the PSL compares
Since the PSL is a flavored latte, the baseline numbers are identical to a regular Starbucks latte: 75mg tall, 150mg grande. Our full latte caffeine breakdown covers how those shot counts play out across chains and home setups. If you want more caffeine in an iced fall drink without going venti, the iced shaken espresso starts at a higher shot count for the same sizes. And for every other drink on the menu, from cold brew to refreshers, our Starbucks caffeine guide has the complete rundown.
Looking for a different drink? The full caffeine database has every chain and can we have verified.
FAQ
Does a Pumpkin Spice Latte have more caffeine than a regular latte? No. The PSL uses the same espresso build as a plain Starbucks latte, so the caffeine is identical: 75mg in a tall and 150mg in a grande. The pumpkin spice sauce adds sugar and flavor, not caffeine.
How much caffeine is in an iced venti Pumpkin Spice Latte? About 225mg. Iced venti lattes at Starbucks are built with three espresso shots instead of the two in a hot venti, so the iced version carries 75mg more than the hot one.
When does the Pumpkin Spice Latte come back? Late August. In 2025 it returned on August 26, and Starbucks has moved the launch earlier over the years. It usually stays on the menu until the holiday drinks arrive in early November.