It is the most magical time of the year! Not only has Mariah Carey awoken from her frozen state, and radios have started playing my favorite genre of music, but the holiday drink menu has finally returned to Starbucks. In all honesty, the day the drinks returned, I waited an hour for my latte, and while that might sound crazy, it was well worth the long wait.
This year, the Starbucks Holiday drink menu consists of a Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai, Chestnut Praline Latte, and a Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte. I am more than happy to spend my money on all things holiday, especially coffee. I have ranked my favorite to least favorite from the drinks above. I personally tried all of the drinks hot, but all can be ordered hot or iced.
#1: Chestnut Praline Latte
I am impartial because this has been my overall favorite drink from Starbucks for about two years now. This is one of the only hot coffees that I can drink from start to finish and there is nothing better than the warm chestnut taste after taking your first sip. I personally like this drink with coconut milk but it is also great with almond milk and regular milk. This is a great drink to grab if you like a warm spiced taste with chestnut accents.
#2: Peppermint Mocha
You cannot go wrong with this drink. It is a perfect holiday classic, and every time I get it, it instantly reminds me of my childhood and grabbing Starbucks with my grandma before baking Christmas cookies. If you are looking for a nostalgic drink this holiday season, this chocolate peppermint flavor is sure to brighten your day.
#3: Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai
I recently tried chai for the first time this fall with the pumpkin cream chai latte, and it was so good! When this drink was released for the holidays, I was so excited because I immediately associated chai with gingerbread. I personally don’t love oat milk, so I will definitely be substituting in the future, but this is a perfect drink if you love all things spice.
#4: Caramel Brulée Latte
One of my favorite desserts is a nice créme brulée, so when this drink was introduced, I was really excited because I assumed it would taste just like the treat with some caramel flavoring. But the reality of the drink is that it tastes like every other caramel latte that Starbucks offers. While there is a small almost smokey flavoring that follows the caramel, it isn’t a drink I would get every day. If you’re a huge caramel latte fan, this one is definitely for you.
#5: Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte
This one is unfortunately a skip for me. While the idea behind a sugar cookie in a drink seems appealing, the drink is super sweet. When I get a latte, I am a huge fan of the coffee taste and even sometimes dial back the syrups to taste the espresso flavoring. This drink is incredibly sweet for my taste, so if you don’t like a drink with coffee taste this would be a great drink for you to try.
This is a sign to go get that Starbucks drink you’ve been craving or even try a new holiday drink. Happy Holidays everyone!