Panera's Cinnamon Crunch Latte Is Officially Back
Fall is right around the corner, which means the return of cooler weather, cozy sweaters, and of course, fall drinks. The season seems to start earlier and earlier with each passing year. Halloween decor is already on the shelves, and the viral 12-foot Home Depot skeleton has been available — and hard to keep in stock — since July (via SFGate). In addition to holiday decorations, fall drink menus are also becoming available long before the start of the season. The Starbucks PSL will be back before summer ends, Tim Horton's pumpkin items are returning early this year, and Dunkin' recently unveiled a new fall-flavored creamer.
Though primarily known for its soups, sandwiches, and bakery, when compared to other fast-food joints, Panera Bread's menu most falls in line with autumnal staples. It only makes sense for the bakery to join in on the fall drink hype and create specialty beverage items of its own. A cinnamon-heavy addition from last fall, Panera is rereleasing a popular drink this week, much to the delight of fans.
From bagels to lattes
Panera Bread's Cinnamon Crunch Latte is returning to the menu in select locations starting on August 25. If your local Panera isn't one of the few locations serving up the fall drink early, don't worry! The Cinnamon Crunch Latte will be available nationwide on September 1 (via QSR). Originally launched last fall, the beverage takes flavor notes from Panera's Cinnamon Crunch Bagel. If you haven't sipped on the latte, the espresso-based drink has cinnamon syrup and foamed milk, and it's topped with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar topping (via Panera). The latte is available hot or iced.
According to Thrillist, the bagel that the Cinnamon Crunch Latte took inspiration from is so popular that Panera sells 5,000 of them an hour. The cinnamon crust sets it apart from other bagels and is what the cinnamon topping on the latte hopes to recreate.The spice-based latte might see an uprise in demand, especially when considering that there could be a PSL shortage at Starbucks this season.