Starbucks Holiday Drinks Review

With Christmas right around the corner, all of the stores are getting ready including coffee shops. Every year around the beginning of November, Starbucks releases their holiday drinks, some new and some old. We decided to try them to see which ones were worth your money.

Emma- Caramel Brulee Latte- 9/10

The caramel brulee latte has been my personal favorite for years, and what I look forward to when winter rolls around. With Starbucks’s signature espresso steamed milk, and just enough of their caramel brulee sauce you get the perfect flavor. Initially, I thought it may be too similar to a plain caramel latte, however, there is almost a burnt or toasty flavor to it. It reminds me of a nice toasty Sunday night watching Christmas rom-coms by the fireplace.

Hadley- Chestnut Praline Latte- 9.5/10

The chestnut praline latte is a great way to get into the holiday feel. This heartwarming drink with a prominent chestnut flavor was a quick crowd favorite. The drink had a nutty and simple flavor that some may find boring or undesirable, but this was one of the best parts. The consumer isn’t overwhelmed immediately by a sugary or syrupy flavor, instead, they are met with a simple and delicious flavor experience. I gave this a 9.5 out of 10.

Hadley- Gingerbread Latte- 7/10

The gingerbread latte was a slightly disappointing drink due to how similar it was to the classic caramel ribbon crunch frappe. Though it tasted good there was little to no differentiation between the two even though they are very different flavors. The main letdown was the lack of gingerbread flavor, which was almost non-existent, but if you are not a huge gingerbread fan this drink might be a good idea for you. Overall the drink was still good so I gave this a 7 out of 10.

Hadley- Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai- 8/10

The gingerbread oat milk chai was a pleasant surprise. As someone who is not a huge fan of oat milk, I was nervous that this would overpower the great taste of the chai, but I was mistaken. This drink truly tastes like Christmas, as chai has a flavor that reminds you of the holidays. The gingerbread is a good touch to the drink but can be strong at different points, leading me to give this an 8 out of 10.

Emma- Peppermint Mocha-5/10

The peppermint mocha has the sweet holiday flavor of hot chocolate with a white and red striped candy cane melting in it.  Although I have never been a fan of peppermint and chocolate together, for some reason, Starbucks makes it right. I would argue that it may be the most festive of the holiday flavors. It’s an all-time favorite during the holidays at Starbucks but I can’t seem to dig it. 

Emma- Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte- 6/10

The Sugar Cookie Almond Milk latte has seasonal sugar cookie syrup combined with the Starbucks blonde espresso flavor with red and green sprinkles on top, for garnish. It is what you asked for, there is an evident sugar cookie taste but there is something about it that I can’t handle. I think it may be the distinct candle flavor that I feel comes with any artificial sugar cookie flavor. If you’re looking for a flavorful and very seasonal drink, this may be for you. However, I would recommend taking the red and green sprinkles out of it because they get kind of icky when they start to dissolve. 

With these drinks, you will surely be put into the holiday spirit. Enjoy the endless amounts of peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes this season. After all, it is the most caffeinated time of the year!