Pumpkin Spice Taste Test Game Printable: Blind-Tasting Scorecards for Fall
Settle the Pumpkin Spice Debate for Good
Some people count down to pumpkin spice season. Others insist it all tastes the same. A pumpkin spice taste test game settles the argument the only honest way: blindfolded, with a scorecard, and with everyone tasting the same lineup. No labels, no brand loyalty, no “I only drink the one from that place.” Just taste.
This is one of the easiest party games to run because the prep is mostly shopping. Pick up a handful of pumpkin spice treats, pour and plate them behind the scenes, number the samples, and let your guests guess what they’re tasting while they score each one. The reveal at the end — when the crowd favorite turns out to be the grocery-store cookie nobody expected — is always the best part.
What You Need
You’ll need 5 to 7 pumpkin spice items for tasting. A good lineup mixes formats so the scores mean something: a pumpkin spice latte or coffee, pumpkin spice cookies, a pumpkin donut or muffin, pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice popcorn or pretzels, and one wild card like pumpkin spice yogurt or ice cream. Keep portions small — two or three bites per sample is plenty, since everyone tastes everything.
You’ll also need small cups or plates, a marker to number each sample, one scorecard per guest, pens, and water plus plain crackers for cleansing palates between samples. That’s it. If anyone in your group has allergies or dietary restrictions, label the back of your own host sheet (not the samples) so you can quietly steer them past anything unsafe — and include at least one dairy-free or gluten-free option if you can.
The Blind Tasting Lineup
Set up your samples out of sight, number them 1 through 7, and bring them out in order. Guests taste each sample, score it, and write down what they think it is. No talking about the samples until everyone has scored — the first person to blurt out “this is definitely the latte” ruins the blind part for the whole table.
SUGGESTED LINEUP (swap in whatever you find locally):
Sample 1: Pumpkin spice latte or coffee
Sample 2: Pumpkin spice cookies
Sample 3: Pumpkin donut or muffin
Sample 4: Pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread
Sample 5: Pumpkin spice popcorn or pretzels
Sample 6: Pumpkin spice ice cream or yogurt
Sample 7: Host’s wild card — any pumpkin spice treat you like
The Scorecard
Print one scorecard per guest. Score each sample from 1 (not for me) to 5 (give me more) on flavor, and write a guess for what it is. The guest with the most correct guesses wins the guessing prize; the sample with the highest total flavor score wins the taste crown.
PUMPKIN SPICE TASTE TEST SCORECARD
Guest name: ______________
Sample 1 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 2 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 3 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 4 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 5 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 6 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
Sample 7 — Flavor (1-5): ___ My guess: ______________
My favorite of the night: Sample ___
The one I’d never buy again: Sample ___
Running the Tasting
Give everyone water and a cracker before you start. Bring out one sample at a time, give the group a minute to taste and score, then move on. Don’t rush it — half the fun is watching someone’s face when a sample they were sure they’d hate turns out to be their favorite. If you’re playing with kids, swap the coffee sample for pumpkin milk or a pumpkin spice hot chocolate so everyone can play the same game.
When every sample is scored, collect the cards and tally the flavor totals out loud, lowest to highest, like a countdown. Then do the reveal: uncover each sample’s real identity one at a time, starting with the lowest scorer. Save the winner for last. Hand the guessing prize to whoever named the most samples correctly, and give the winning treat a little ceremony — a paper crown on the box is traditional in our house, and entirely optional in yours.
Ways to Change It Up
For a smaller group, cut the lineup to four samples and play two rounds with different treats. For a big party, run the tasting as a station: guests drift over, taste at their own pace, and drop their scorecards in a box, with results announced later in the night. For a classroom or family night, replace the guessing with a simpler game — each person picks their favorite and least favorite, and the group votes on a champion by show of hands.
You can also theme the lineup: all drinks (latte, cold brew, hot chocolate, milkshake), all baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, pie), or all store-bought versus homemade, with one of each head to head. The scorecard stays the same; only the shopping list changes.
Free Printable + Premium Bundles
The lineup, scorecard, and rules above are free to print and use at your party. If you want a polished, party-ready tasting kit with matching scorecards, sample number tents, and a reveal sheet in fall colors, grab the full premium printable bundles at Fukroo on Etsy. Print, pour, taste, and let the best pumpkin spice win.
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