This Cali Chain Is Putting Pumpkin Pie In Its Horchata

Pumpkin spice has spent the past few weeks doing what pumpkin spice does best: getting into everything. Coffee? Obviously. Protein shakes? Sure. Energy drinks? We crossed that bridge a while ago. I’m pretty sure the only thing standing between us and pumpkin spice tap water is time.

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Now, horchata is getting the fall treatment.

Southern California Mexican food chain Miguel’s Jr. is bringing back its Pumpkin Pie Horchata for fall. The seasonal drink takes the chain’s homemade horchata, adds real pumpkin purée, and finishes the whole thing with whipped cream.

Basically, someone looked at horchata and pumpkin pie and decided there was no reason we should have to choose between them. I respect that.

Pumpkin Pie Horchata Is Back For Fall

Miguel’s Jr. makes its regular horchata with rice, milk, and cinnamon, which already puts it surprisingly adjacent to fall-drink territory before any pumpkin gets involved.

For the seasonal version, the chain blends that horchata with real pumpkin purée for a thick, creamy drink that sounds a lot closer to pumpkin pie filling than your standard iced beverage. Then comes the whipped cream on top, because once you’ve put pumpkin pie into your horchata, restraint is no longer the goal.

And while pumpkin and horchata might sound like another case of pumpkin spice being shoved somewhere it doesn’t belong, the combination makes a suspicious amount of sense. Cinnamon is already one of the defining flavors in horchata. Pumpkin pie also relies heavily on cinnamon and other warm spices. They’re practically halfway introduced through their mutual friend before the pumpkin purée even enters the room.

The Pumpkin Pie Horchata returned September 16th and is available at all Miguel’s Jr. locations across Southern California. You can order it in-store, at the drive-thru, or online. It’s only around for a limited time, so your window for drinking pumpkin pie alongside a burrito is, tragically, not permanent.

There Are Some Fall Meal Deals, Too

Miguel’s Jr. is also extending its Trio bundles, in case a giant horchata doesn’t quite constitute lunch for you.

The $8 Miguel’s Trio comes with a Traditional or Soft Taco with your choice of shredded chicken or beef, a Bean, Rice & Cheese Burrito, and a Lemonade. For $10, the Taquitos Trio comes with shredded chicken or beef taquitos instead of the taco. You can also upgrade the burrito in either bundle to an Original Burrito with shredded chicken, shredded beef, or chile verde pork for an extra $3.

And Miguel’s Jr. isn’t finished with its seasonal menu yet. Tamales are coming back in November, made using family recipes from founder and Chief Recipe Officer Mary Vasquez.

So, we’re getting pumpkin pie horchata now and tamales in November. Pumpkin spice may have claimed another beverage, but at least this time I can see the vision.