As we are officially into cosy season, it’s that time of year when every coffee shop, whether local or a chain, stocks up on pumpkin spice syrup to create seasonal favourites. Let’s face it, nothing says autumn better than sipping on a pumpkin spice drink. I thought it would be fun to pair these delicious drinks with a few board games, so next time you get your order you know which game to reach for.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
The pumpkin spice latte is the original drink of the season. With its blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, it’s basically Autumn in a cup. Cluedo pairs beautifully with this classic drink. There’s something very autumnal about a whodunnit, especially as the nights draw in and the weather turns cold. You just want to sit down, solve a mystery, and enjoy a warm pumpkin spice latte. Players move around the board, gather clues, and make deductions about who did it, where, and with what. While plotting your next move, you can enjoy a sip and the small joy of feeling like Poirot with a milk moustache, wiped away in a hurry once you see your deduction was off.
Everdell is another excellent companion. You build your own woodland town across the seasons, recruiting critters, placing buildings, and completing objectives. Each turn has you placing your workers, cute animeeples, onto areas of the board to gain resources, cards, or victory points. You can also play cards from your hand, adding critters and buildings to your 5 by 3 grid if you have the right ones. With limited turns and only so many resource spaces, there’s plenty to think about between moves, giving you time to get the milk steaming for another cup. Pair that with the game’s naturally autumnal palette and satisfying rhythm, and you’re in for a winner.
Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
On those rare warm days in Autumn, nothing beats a cold version of your favourite drink. With cream on top, it becomes a decadent experience. Parks Roll and Hike is perfect here. It’s portable, easy to set up, and quick to teach. Players roll dice, move along hiking trails, and log their adventures. There are several parks to choose from, which adds variety each play, and it has a great solo mode for when you want to relax on your own. As you move along the trail, selecting your dice and marking progress in the book, you can watch your route take shape. I’m no artist, but I love looking back on what I drew that game and in past ones. My flower sketches could definitely use some work. The gameplay is calm and reflective yet quick, much like your iced latte, enjoyable in every moment, even if it disappears faster than you expect.
Fox in the Forest is another great choice. Its storybook woodland illustrations and warm autumnal tones evoke crunchy leaves, crisp air, and cosy forest walks. Mechanically, it’s a trick-taking game with charming special card effects that add a twist when played. You manage your hand, anticipate your opponent, and decide the best moment to play each card. While the goal is to win tricks, taking too many or too few can work against you, so every decision is about finding the right balance. This push and pull keeps the game engaging and reflective, much like enjoying an iced pumpkin spice latte, where you can savour each crisp, cinnamon-infused note and take your time appreciating the flavours. With multiple rounds, there is also time to enjoy another drink, extra cream for me please.
Pumpkin Spice Mocha
Pumpkin spice mochas are rare but pack a punch. With caffeine from both chocolate and coffee, they are energising and warming on a cold evening. Betrayal at House on the Hill is a thrilling choice. Players explore and build a haunted house, collecting items and uncovering rooms as they go. Halfway through, the haunt begins, and former allies may suddenly turn into enemies. Even when you have a gun, a dog, and a creepy doll, sometimes you just cannot be saved when jumped by feral cats. With dozens of scenarios and a modular board that changes every game, there’s a real richness and variety to it; much like the layered flavours of a mocha. And I must say, when you get picked as the traitor, the adrenaline starts pumping double time, especially if you’ve been sipping coffee and chocolate. It’s a little darker than the usual cosy autumn vibe, perfect when you fancy something with a spooky edge.
Fungi complements this drink in a very different way. It’s a two-player set collection game about foraging mushrooms. The aim is to collect wild mushrooms and cook them in your pan by the fire. If you gather butter and cider, you can boost their flavour, earning more points. Strategy runs deep beneath its simple surface. The strict hand limit means you cannot take everything you want, and sometimes you’ll need to block your opponent even if it costs you. You can only draw two cards from the clearing unless you’ve gathered enough sticks to reach further along the path, so every choice becomes a balancing act of what to save, spend, and eventually cook. Once your pans are used, they’re gone for good, so grabbing them early is key, and baskets extend your hand limit just enough to keep things interesting. All the while, deadly mushrooms lurk to spoil your plans.
There’s a lot to think about as your foraging walk ambles along at a calm, steady pace. The cosy woodland artwork and autumnal palette pair beautifully with the warmth of a mocha, but beneath that comfort there is a rich layer of strategy that keeps you alert and focused. Even though a mocha pairs perfectly with this game, I wouldn’t recommend cooking mushrooms in it. Save that for cider.
Pumpkin Spice Chai
If coffee isn’t your thing, there’s always the chai version. With ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, it shares a similar flavour profile with pumpkin spice and is creamy and comforting. Three Sisters is ideal. You grow pumpkins, tend your garden, and use your investments to help other crops thrive or compost to get out of a tricky spot. Despite the randomness of dice rolls, there are strategies to adopt to mitigate chance, making each turn satisfying. Watching your garden take shape and seeing choices ripple through it has a reflective rhythm that pairs with the warming flavours of chai. As the game progresses, there is more to think about, which can mean a bit of waiting before your next turn, a perfect break to contemplate your garden with a comforting sip of chai. Plus, did I mention it has a pumpkin meeple and pumpkins on the dice?
Harvest offers a slightly different experience. You plan carefully, allocate workers, and use asymmetric character abilities, with each round granting different bonuses that encourage particular playstyles. Limited turns create tension, and your opponents can block access to the actions you need most. Turn order also matters; going last gives you more resources, but you risk missing key actions later. Sometimes the game is literally won or lost by how many pumpkins you sell, making it an ode to the pumpkin, what better pairing could you have?
Do not be deceived by its cutesy charm, there is a dynamic blend of flavours within its mechanical make up. It also plays wonderfully solo, where you can run through the seasons with different characters and explore at your own pace. So froth the milk and get the chai powder ready, you’ll need a few brews before you succeed.
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
For spice without caffeine, hot chocolate is a sweet and warming choice. Tinderblox is a fun dexterity game. Each turn players turn over cards which tell them which blocks to add to the campfire. It sounds simple, but the catch is that these blocks are tiny and you’ll need to use small tweezers to place them accurately. Some cards even require you to use your non-dominant hand. It’s a fantastic dexterity game that takes patience, a bit of luck, and perhaps holding your breath as you hope the marshmallows do not topple the whole structure. There’s nothing too complex about this game, and it works well with young children. It’s sweet, fun for everyone, and very autumnal, much like a pumpkin spice hot chocolate. What makes it an even better match is, it gives you the same feeling when carrying a full cup of hot chocolate to your lips. You take your time to make sure the cream, marshmallows, and sprinkles do not spill, and that is exactly the same skill set you use in this lovely little game.
For a less stressful experience, there’s Timber Town. This is a chill two-player tile-laying game that’s so relaxing you’ll enjoy it even if you lose. Players collect tiles from the shared river board and add them to their town, but if you don’t grab them in time, they drift away for good. Each building tile has a different scoring condition which you must navigate to maximise points. It becomes a fun puzzle as you try to fill your board with the right pathways and buildings. Some scoring conditions give extra points if beavers can travel from one side of the board to the other, adding another layer of strategy. Head-to-head play is gentle, not mean, but offers a rich experience where everyone feels proud of the little town they’ve built. Mechanics such as the raft, crane, and dam add depth without taking away the cosy charm. My favourite is the dam, which allows you to build twice in one turn. With cute wooden pieces and thoughtful planning, Timber Town is as cosy as a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
No matter which pumpkin spice drink lures you to your local coffee shop, there is a perfect game waiting to join you at the table this Autumn.
About the author:
Sophie is a gamer, blogger, podcaster, and book lover with a passion for solo narrative video games. When she’s not immersed in games or writing, she’s probably out hiking. Her favourite board games feature worker placement, nature themes, and smart tableau-building mechanics.
