We Tried the Starbucks PSL Alternative This Secret Facebook Group Is Obsessed With

There’s a place on the internet that is entirely wholesome and happy. In this magical secret spot, people post their fall decorations and cute babies dressed up as pumpkins. Everyone supports one another and is kind and thoughtful. It’s basically the opposite of Twitter.

Welcome to Starbucks’ Leaf Rakers Society. This not-so-secret Facebook group is a gathering of people who love fall and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. And while many people do talk at length about the PSL, there are also plenty of variations on the cult-classic drink that get passed around. One recently caught our eye that subbed some of the pumpkin with white mocha. It has been dubbed the “Cinderella” latte, and obviously we had to try it.

According to the Leaf Rakers Society, a Cinderella Latte is super easy to order at Starbucks. Instagram user @happiestteesonearth is credited with its creation. You get a Pumpkin Spice Latte and you substitute half of the pumps of pumpkin with white mocha.

A couple of people mentioned in the Facebook group that they could actually taste the pumpkin more than they usually could with the PSL.

A few people on our team from all over the country went and tried this mysterious drink. Here’s what they had to say.

Delicious, but get the right milk: “OK, I admit I’m a fan. The velvety sweetness of the white mocha is a welcome balance to that blast of pumpkin spice. One tip: I skipped the dairy milk for almond and I think that it would have been better with my beloved whole milk, which would have supported the smoothness of that sweet white mocha.” – Faith Durand, Editor-in-Chief for Kitchn

Balanced, but definitely sweet: “I’m not a huge Pumpkin Spice Latte fan, so I was excited to try something that wasn’t so heavy on the pumpkin flavor. This turned out to be the ideal fall drink for me — the white chocolate balances out the pumpkin in a way that is much more appealing and subtle than the traditional PSL. It is very sweet, though, so I would definitely get it as an afternoon treat rather than my morning coffee.” — Emma Glubiak, Audience Development Associate

Our brave Senior Social Media Manager, Kaitlin Garske, tried the Pumpkin Spice and the Cinderella latte to see how they compared. Here’s what she had to say.

“I generally order light flavor in my lattes, which means two shots instead of four for a Grande hot beverage. I like the flavor, but I just can’t handle all the sugar! For the sake of this post, I tried a Tall PSL versus a Tall Cinderella with two total shots each and 2% milk.

I prefer the Cinderella latte because it’s smoother. It’s like it gives the pumpkin spice a canvas to paint it’s pumpkin spicy-ness on. I also find that it’s less in-your-face sweet than a straight PSL, which I prefer.”

Our team thinks this variation on the Pumpkin Spice Latte is even better than the real thing. It’s more balanced than the PSL, and the pumpkin taste comes across better (but it’s not overwhelming). The drink is a little on the sweet side, however, and isn’t something you’d necessarily want when you *need* caffeine.

Have you tried the Cinderella latte?