Last fall, I thought I would never again see so many limited-time-only, pumpkin-flavored products.  Then, I went to the grocery store this week and saw most of last year’s products had returned, plus there’s a whole new batch of stuff.  Autumn has arrived my friends.

Some of my favorite non-breakfast, pumpkin-spiced new products are Pumpkin Spice Peeps, LINDOR Pumpkin Spice Truffles, Pumpkin Spice Toll House Cookies and Pumpkin Spice Almonds from both Planters and Blue Diamond.

But this is a breakfast site, so to the business at hand… What is the best pumpkin spiced breakfast cereal introduced in 2016? There were 3 introduced by major cereal companies this year.  The following are listed from my least favorite to my most favorite:

Pumpkin Spice Cheerios (General Mills)

This was my least favorite, but it’s still pretty darn good.  The pumpkin spice flavor is super noticeable, especially in the first few spoonfuls.  Of all the cereals, the seasonal flavor here feels most like it was dusted on as opposed to being part of the recipe.  The biggest problem for this cereal is that Honey Nut Cheerios and original Cheerios are so very good.  Midway through my first bowl of this cereal, my mind was drifting to those other kinds of Cheerios – which are better than this new variety.

Pumpkin Spice Life (Quaker)

When eaten dry, the pumpkin spice in this cereal sort of sneaks up you and tastes a little overpowering.  But when you have it with milk, the flavors integrate and taste terrific.  I’m a big fan of Cinnamon Life cereal and this new variety feels kind of like that cereal’s nice uncle.  He’s interesting, fun, clearly-related, but somehow you’re strangely content to only see him during holidays.  While this was my second favorite, it was the hands-down top favorite of our 2 and 1/2 year old toddler.

Pumpkin Spice Crunch Special K (Kellogg’s)

The highest praise you can give to a pumpkin spice product is to say it tastes like pumpkin pie. The previous two cereals don’t taste like pumpkin pie.  They taste like cereals that have been infused with spices associated with pumpkin pie.  This new Special K cereal actually does taste a little like pumpkin pie.  I was surprised that there’s no pumpkin puree in the ingredients.  It might have to do with the sweet clusters you get in every other spoonful.  Alone, they taste like little clumps of plain sugar. But in the context of the whole cereal, they trigger thoughts of ice cream or whipped cream – to some, the best part of eating a piece of pie.  Of the three cereals, I also found that this one kept me feeling full for the longest time.  If you only try one pumpkin spice cereal this season, this is the one to buy.

Non-Cereal Shout-Out:  BelVita Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Biscuits (Nabisco)

With a house full of pumpkin spice breakfast products, I was bound to eventually get temporarily tired of pumpkin pie spice.  It happened quickly with the Cheerios cereal and it’s happening now with the Life cereal.  But… these biscuits that I’ve been snacking on every other day for a couple weeks are still tasting new and interesting.  There’s nothing amazing about them.  They’re basically just thin holiday cookies.  It could be that I’m usually extremely snacky when I have them.  Whatever the reason, I like them and I think you might too.

Be sure to check out the last year’s Battle Of The Fall 2015 Limited Edition Cereals.

This is the year that everything became pumpkin spiced.  Here’s a partial list of grocery items that came in pumpkin spice varieties this fall: bread, ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese, coffee, coffee creamer, beer, vodka, almonds, potato chips and corn chips.

Many breakfast items also received the autumn treatment.  You could get Thomas Pumpkin Spice Bagels and English Muffins, Quaker Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, Eggo Pumpkin Spice Waffles and Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts.

As for breakfast cereals, there were 3 major brand cereals introduced this year capitalizing on the flavors of fall.   Here they are listed from worst to best:

Pumpkin Puffins (Barbara’s)

Have you tasted pure pumpkin to see what it’s like before it’s sweetened and spiced for a pie?  I have and it tastes dull.  It’s a miracle that something so bland can become so marvelous.  Well, the good folks at Barbara’s have captured what pumpkin tastes like before it tastes good.  This cereal gets props for being relatively low in sugar, but that’s where the compliments end.  It’s annoyingly crunchy as milk doesn’t penetrate the pieces.  As a dry snack, it’s acceptable.  As a cereal, it’s (to quote Donald Trump) a real loser.

Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini-Wheats (Kellogg’s)

This cereal is good because Frosted-Mini Wheats are good.  The flavor is exactly what you would expect: traditional Mini-Wheats with a healthy pinch of holiday flavor.  The new flavor is impressive in the first few spoonfuls, but midway through a bowl, the pumpkin spice aspect becomes less apparent… leaving you with the taste and texture of a cereal you already know.  This one is very sweet with the highest amount of sugar of the cereals featured here.

Apple Cinnamon Crunch Special K (Kellogg’s)

The best fall-themed breakfast cereal isn’t pumpkin flavored.  Instead of pumpkin pies and pumpkin patches, this cereal brings to mind apple pies and apple orchards on crisp autumn afternoons.  The flakes are crispy and light. Small apple cinnamon clusters make each spoonful sparkle with a flavor that’s familiar in pies and oatmeal but new and exciting in a breakfast cereal.  The milk at the bottom of the bowl takes on some of that flavor for a final slurp of cinnamon apple goodness.   Of the 3 cereals, this one has the best chance of jumping from a limited edition product to a full time offering. The next time you’re in the grocery store being pummeled by pumpkin products, look for this cereal.  It’s a winner.

Additional Reading:

Breakfast Product Reviews at MrBreakfast.com

The Cereal Project at MrBreakfast.com (Encyclopedia of over 1,500 Cereals)

Last month, I had the great pleasure to conduct a cooking demo at a resort called Villa La Estancia just north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in Nuevo Vallarta. On the breakfast menu that morning: Pumpkin Waffle Maker French Toast, Spicy Pecan-Encrusted Bacon and a healthy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  In this post, I’ll show you the seasonal dishes I made and share a little about my trip to one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.

I started the demo with my Pumpkin French Toast.  You can get the recipe here.  Since we were just coming off of Halloween and it was the official start of the holiday cooking season, it felt appropriate to share this fantastic dish.

I was excited to show the guests, staff and a handful of reporters that you can take almost any French toast recipe and cook it in a waffle iron.  This is one of my favorite breakfast tricks.

We needed something to go on the side of the French toast so I opted to demonstrate Sweet & Spicy Pecan Bacon.  You can get the recipe here.  It’s very easy to do.  The amazing chef at Villa La Estancia, Sergio, liked it so much he’s considering adding it to their permanent breakfast menu.

Last but not least, we needed a drink to go with our breakfast.  Since the staff had already made fresh pumpkin for the French toast, I decided to use that to make a delicious smoothie that tastes almost exactly like pumpkin pie.  You can get the recipe here.

The demo was a wonderful success.  The ultra-accommodating staff prepared full-sized servings of the breakfast for everyone who showed up.  I saw many smiles.  My job was done.  Next, I would demonstrate how to take a relaxing nap by the pool.

If you ever get the chance to visit Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, do it.  It’s more serene and secluded than nearby Puerto Vallarta. It’s an escape from the local tourist traps and a chance to truly relax and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.

Above, you can see the view from my suite.  They treated us like royalty from the moment they picked us up from the airport.  I want to say they did that because I’m a big-time breakfast expert. But after a few days at the resort, it was clear that they treat all their guests like royalty.

I want to say a big thanks to everyone at Villa La Estancia.  I hope to see you again soon.

Hasta la vista and Feliz Navidad.

It’s officially pumpkin season – a great time of year!  The leaves on the trees are changing to brown and orange.  It’s as if the trees are trying to remind us of pumpkins.  (So much better than Spring when they remind us to eat lettuce.)

The holidays are gently breathing down our necks carrying a soothing waft of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Families will soon gather to share memories, merriment and meals. Some will sing the Pumpkin Season Song*.  Others will respectfully bow their heads and offer silent prayers of pumpkin to friends far away.  However you celebrate the pumpkin season, one great truth shines…

Pumpkin for breakfast is the best!  It works in pancakes and waffles… breads and muffins… oatmeal and smoothies.  When combined with the right spices, it adds a flavor of the holidays to just about everything.

These are the top 10 pumpkin breakfast recipes as ranked by visitors to MrBreakfast.com.  Click a pic to see that recipe.

#10 – Pumpkin Puff Pancakes

A classic recipe from 1971 for appetizer-sized pumpkin pancakes.

#9 – Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal

The flavor of pumpkin pie in a bowl of oatmeal topped with crunchy pecans.

#8 – Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Moist and delicious muffins packed with pumpkin and juicy raisins.

#7 – Pumpkin French Toast

Succulent French toast gets the pumpkin treatment.

#6 – Pumpkin Bread

It’s the banana bread of Autumn! For a nice twist, add chocolate chips.

#5 – Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin intermingles with the distinctive flavor of buttermilk for a breakfast your family will love.

#4 – Pumpkin Waffles

Waffles made from scratch with pumpkin, apples and walnuts.

#3 – Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Make it, bake it and love it – this oatmeal can be made in individual ramekins or as a casserole.

#2 – Pumpkin Milkshake

How about a delicious milkshake for breakfast?  If you stick to the recipe and use low fat milk, it’s healthy too.

#1 – Pumpkin Pancakes

An American classic tops our list.  Pumpkin pancakes are great for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and 361 other days of the year.

Honorable Mention

The following recipes just missed the list:

Low Carb Pumpkin Pancakes

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

For even more pumpkin recipes, click here.

For more Halloween recipes, click here.

*The Pumpkin Season Song

“It’s Pumpkin Season… what a reason…
to enjoy all the joys of a holiday threesome

“Santa, turkeys and Halloween heathens
join hands and sing that It’s Pumpkin Season!”

October 26th is National Pumpkin Day!

It’s different from Halloween, so make sure you celebrate twice!