Lauren Graham Chooses Chocolate Mint Coffee Over Pumpkin Spice

Autumn has landed, and those fall coffee drinks have returned for another season. Lauren Graham, the actress famous for playing Lorelai Gilmore in "Gilmore Girls," shared her top pick with Parade back in September. Countless episodes of that series take place during autumn in New England, making the show a perfect fit for the weather. The crisp air and coziness fans love have led The New York Times to call it a "fall tradition."

Graham prefers a seasonal brew, specifically one on the sweeter side. "I do get more sweet-tooth coffee-ish in the fall," she told Parade. Yet, this actress and author usually avoids drinks loaded with pumpkin or warm spices. "I won't really get a pumpkin spice latte, but I'll go chocolate mint, like a peppermint mocha," she said.

Starbucks finally rolled out its peppermint mocha on Nov. 6 as a holiday menu item in 2025. This timing might look early for winter, but Fox News Digital reported in August that shoppers are embracing "season creep." People are now buying seasonal goods earlier than they did years ago. This year, both Starbucks and Dunkin' launched their pumpkin spice lattes right in August. Since the PSL debuted in 2003, NBC News noted that Starbucks has sold hundreds of millions of them.

For fans like Lauren Graham who favor minty chocolate over pumpkin spice, many locations keep peppermint syrup and mocha sauce stocked all year long. Reddit users confirm you can grab the same drink regardless of the season. One user pointed out, "the only difference is during the holiday season [they] have the chocolate curls …sadly those aren't year round."

Beyond Lorelai Gilmore, Graham's IMDb page lists roles such as Sarah Braverman in the "Parenthood" series and Grace Landry in "Reminders of Him," a film that premiered in March this year. She is also an author with three New York Times bestsellers: In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It; Talking as Fast as I Can; and Someday, Someday, Maybe, according to Penguin Random House. Why not try her chocolate mint mocha next time you walk into a coffee shop?