Japanese Snack to Pair with Your Favorite Fall Drink

Autumn is finally here, and with it comes an array of delicious drinks and snacks. Many of us have been looking forward to enjoying our favorite seasonal beverages once again, and what better way to do so than with some perfectly paired Japanese snacks? Autumn is known for indulgence, so while you’re sipping on your drink, you might as well treat yourself to some festive fall food as well. We came up with these delicious pairings of some of our favorite fall drinks and Japanese snacks!

Apple Cider

Whether you prefer it hot or cold, apple cider is one of the most beloved drinks of the season. With the refreshing flavor of apple and warm spices, apple cider pairs beautifully with a lot of different popular Japanese snacks and sweets.

Mori no Madeleine: Apple

Mori no Madeleine: Apple is a Japanese version of traditional French madeleines, featuring a moist apple cake with an apple jam filling. This is a clear choice to pair with apple cider. Enjoy the delicious flavors of apple in both a drink and snack together!

Aomori Apple Caramel Yakkoi Sable Cookie

Yakkoi means chewy in Japanese, and this cookie is a chewy take on the classic French sable cookie. These cookies feature apple-caramel butter made from fresh apples from Aomori, which is sometimes referred to as the “Apple Prefecture” because it produces the most apples in Japan. This is another great pairing with apple cider, and the caramel adds another level of sweet autumnal flavor.

Koganeimo Golden Sweet Potato Cake

Koganeimo Golden Sweet Potato Cakes are delicious sweet potato cakes with notes of cinnamon and rum. Sweet potato is a beloved fall flavor in Japan, so these cakes are a very classic autumnal Japanese sweet. This rich cake pairs wonderfully with a crisp glass of apple cider!

Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnut

Doughnuts are a classic fall treat. They’re sweet, warm, and comforting, and Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts are no exception. Filled with red bean paste, these doughnuts are a Japanese twist on the snack you already know and love. Pair these sweet doughnuts with some tart apple cider, and the two will balance out perfectly.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin spice lattes are another seasonal beverage that people get very excited about. Pumpkin spice lattes are warm, rich, and a true fall treat. It feels only right to enjoy your PSL with a delicious Japanese snack!

Picola Chocolate

If you really want to indulge, here is another delicious snack pairing for you. Chocolate and pumpkin go so well together, so Picola Chocolates are a perfect match for a PSL. Even better, Picola Chocolate are wafers made from crepe batter and rolled up into a little tube filled with milk chocolate. If you’re a fan of cookies and milk, you’ll love this as the autumnal version of the classic combo. You might even want to try dipping these chocolates into your latte!

Maple Butter Cookie

Maple Butter Cookies are a Japanese take on the French langue de chat (cat’s tongue) cookie flavored with maple and filled with vanilla cream and white chocolate. One of the most popular add-ins for pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks is white chocolate, so this cookie is a great pairing with the drink. Maple adds an extra layer of flavor and makes these cookies perfect for the season!

Okinawa Yukisho Snow Salt Caramel Nut Sable Cookie

Another great snack pairing for PSLs are these crunchy caramel cookies with yukishio or snow salt, which is a specialty of Miyako Island in Okinawa, and is known for its powdery snow-like texture. These cookies are also topped with nuts, making them a great Japanese sweet for autumn. All of these flavors could be a bit much together, but the addition of the salt balances everything out perfectly when paired with a PSL.

Black Sesame Taiko: Kumamon Design

These Japanese sweets are nutty and delicious with roasted almonds, black sesame, and mizuame, a Japanese sweetener. The packaging is adorned by Kumamon, an adorable bear mascot, and the actual snack somewhat resembles his round head. The complex nutty flavors go wonderfully with the sweetness of a pumpkin spice latte.

Tsukisamu Anpan: Kabocha Pumpkin

These pumpkin anpans are sweet rolls filled with white bean paste mixed with kabocha, which is a Japanese pumpkin. Of course, these are delicious with a pumpkin spice latte and if you’re a huge pumpkin fan you’ll love this pairing. They can even be heated in a toaster to give them a warm inside and nice crispy outside! A hot latte with a warm snack is perfect for fall, and this pairing has all the pumpkin and spice flavors that the season is known for.