Fall usually means a pumpkin spice takeover of every coffee shop and bakery menu. As someone who loves the season but has never been a pumpkin fan, I’ve always looked for a different seasonal flavor to become my go-to.
This year, I have made it my mission to make cookie butter my fall favorite. So, I spent a week trying five cookie butter treats around Gainesville to answer one question: Is cookie butter the best fall flavor?
From Coterie Market’s seasonal cookie butter latte to Jeremiah’s Italian Ice’s year-round cookie butter flavor, I tried everything from lattes to desserts to see which offerings actually capture the rich taste — and which fell short.
On a scale from 0 to 10, my ratings were based on three things: the authenticity of the cookie butter flavor, the balance of the sweetness and the mix of it with add-ons.
Coterie Market’s cookie butter latte: 9.7
Coterie Market's cookie butter latte was the closest thing I found to drinking a jar of Trader Joe's cookie butter. Its housemade syrup delivered a strong flavor without completely masking the coffee’s taste, and the cold foam added a layer of sweetness without leaving the drink overloaded with ice.
The balance of the cookie butter’s sweetness and the espresso’s bitterness was perfect. I made sure to order it with oat milk, and it was the perfect touch to make sure the latte wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet. I rate the drink a 9.7.
7 Brew Coffee’s cookie butter latte: 4.2
Although I love 7 Brew, the cookie butter latte it offers year-round fell short on my rankings. I made sure to try this latte twice, once with breve (half and half) and a second time with whole milk, but I thought the milk overpowered the flavor’s richness in both instances.
What differentiates 7 Brew’s cookie butter latte from others is that it’s prepared with toasted marshmallow, hazelnut and white chocolate rather than traditional Biscoff spread. The choice gives the drink more of a sugar cookie taste if that’s what you’re looking for. But when rating for cookie butter, I gave it a 4.2.
Dutch Bros’ cookie butter specialty latte: 7.9
For someone looking for a sweeter coffee, I would recommend Dutch Bros’ cookie butter specialty latte. I ordered it as my sweet treat for the day, half-caffeinated with whole milk. The latte came constructed with cookie butter drizzle and cold foam, earning it a 7.9.
Dutch Bros doesn't make you hunt for the cookie butter flavor. In fact, it might make you wish there was slightly less of it. The syrup settles at the bottom, so make sure to mix it well for the full experience — my first sip was straight cookie butter, and that might not be for everyone.
I particularly loved the latte’s very overpowering sweetness, which I appreciated because I strongly dislike when milk dilutes my coffee. However, it felt like more of an occasional sweet treat than a fall go-to.
Jeremiah’s cookie butter Italian ice: 9.7
While Dutch Bros definitely felt like a sweet treat, I wanted to see how the cookie butter flavor held up outside of a coffee shop.Jeremiah’s Cookie Butter Italian Ice is offered year-round and pairs perfectly with the store’s vanilla soft serve ice cream. It had a very sweet and rich flavor, reminding me of a traditional Biscoff cookie.
The Italian ice earned a 9.7 on my rankings. The sweetness wasn’t overpowering, though I felt like the flavor couldn’t be combined with others at Jeremiah’s. Nonetheless, I definitely could’ve eaten an entire cup of cookie butter Italian ice on its own and gone back for seconds.
Nothing Bundt Cakes’ Biscoff cookie butter cake: 8.5
On the warmer side, Nothing Bundt Cakes’ Biscoff cookie butter cake is baked with cookie butter with Biscoff cookies on top. The bundlet landed at an 8.5 on my rankings.
Its frosting coat replicated Biscoff cookie butter perfectly and was balanced well with its cream cheese frosting. I recommend scooping up some frosting with the Biscoff cookie on top for the ultimate cookie butter bite.
The cake itself had a strong cinnamon flavor, which, while delicious, reminded me more of a cozy fall cinnamon roll than traditional cookie butter.
After exploring some of Gainesville’s offerings, I can confidently say cookie butter has earned a spot in my fall favorites. While some had stronger flavoring than others, Coterie Market and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice stood out for their authenticity.
Contact Katharine Litman at klitman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @katealligator.
