As a Starbucks Barista, the holidays are simultaneously the best and worst part of the year. Between working holidays, increased business, and endless gift cards, the holidays can feel exhausting for baristas. Kind customers, red aprons, holiday cups, and seasonal drinks make it all worth it. Here is a review of all of Starbuck’s holiday drinks for both fall and winter from a barista from the worst to the best!
Pumpkin Spice Latte
While this is definitely a crowd favorite, I’m going to stand by my unpopular opinion. I hate Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I love pumpkin flavored things but this just doesn’t hit the mark for me. I just hate the artificial pumpkin flavor and the way the flavor mixes with the coffee. Sorry PSL fans, but this barista is not a fan!
Rating: 1 out of 5
Eggnog Latte
Eggnog sounds appealing. At first, I thought it sounded like a nice warm drink to curl up next to the fireplace drinking. I was proved wrong after my first sip. I’ve heard eggnog described as “Christmas mayonnaise” and I would agree with that statement due to its horrible flavor. I also have had bad experience with Eggnog after a fellow barista dropped a carton on the ground and it exploded, which resulted in me becoming coated in eggnog. This is part of the reason I will never drink eggnog again.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Chestnut Praline Latte
Not all of these reviews are going to be negative, as the rest of these drinks are so good! This drink has a caramelized nutty taste to it. It’s topped with praline topping which is super cute, but ultimately don’t add any more flavor to the drink. This latte is not a go-to for me, but I definitely understand why people drink it in the holiday season as it is warm and cozy.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Hot Chocolate
Starbucks’ hot chocolate is not good. It’s not necessarily a holiday drink but tends to get more popular around the holidays. It feels like it’s missing a key ingredient that makes hot chocolate which could be the fact that it has vanilla in it. The only reason that this drink is not at the bottom is because of the Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate. I believe it was taken off the menu, but Starbuck’s other flavored hot chocolates save this drink from being terrible.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Caramel Brulee Late
Creme Brulee is one of my favorite desserts so naturally, I love this latte. The thing I love about this drink is that it gives a cooked caramel flavor without tasting burnt. I find that this mixes very well with the roasty espresso flavor to create a toasty caramel flavor. It has a caramel brulee topping that actually adds to the flavor which is pretty good. While this latte is good, it’s super sugary tasting so it’s a little too much to be my go-to drink.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Caramel Apple Spice
I found that this is the fall drink that people tend to forget about. It isn’t advertised as often, but it is still super good. I am obsessed with apple cider so adding caramel just makes it better. This drink is perfect for a nice fall day. The only thing stopping this drink from being the best is that there are 71 g of sugar in a grande size. This makes it the perfect treat-yo-self drink but not an everyday drink.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Toasted White Mocha
I actually hated this drink when it first came out. I thought it just tasted like a regular latte. Then, I learned to mix the drink around a little bit. The syrup is super thick in this drink so if it isn’t mixed well, it tastes like a regular latte until you get to the bottom. When this drink actually melts, it’s just a more fun version of a regular white mocha. It has more of a caramelized flavor and comes with cranberry sprinkles. Being a white mocha fan, I love that this is really just a Christmas version.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Salted Caramel Mocha
Salted Caramel Mochas are my favorite fall drink. It’s not too different from a regular mocha with toffee nut except for the topping. The toppings make this drink great. The combination of whipped cream, caramel sauce, and salt sprinkles are heavenly. My coworkers always laugh at me when I add extra salt to this drink. It reminds me of the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel squares which are the best. I look forward to this drink coming back every year.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
This drink was a new addition to the menu this year, and I was skeptical. Since I hate Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I thought this would be the same. I was shocked. This is the best cold brew that Starbucks has come out with so far. It’s sweet but the cold brew tones it down. It has a subtle pumpkin flavor along with a touch of sweet cream to make a frothy cold foam on top. This drink perfectly mixes bitter cold brew with sweet cold foam to make a perfect drink. I actually drank these every day for two weeks when they first came out.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Peppermint Mocha
This is the best Starbucks holiday drink by far. I love this drink in all forms: hot, iced, and blended. The combination of peppermint and mocha just gives me the Christmas feeling. This is the perfect drink for Black Friday shopping, looking at Christmas lights and going to see family. The dark chocolate curls on the top of the drink are so good. This drink is Christmas in a cup.
Rating: 5 out of 5
While Starbucks ‘ holiday drinks are amazing, there’s also some great holiday food. My favorites are the Cranberry Bliss Bar in the winter and the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin in the fall. There’s no better way to get into the Holiday spirit than with Starbucks. Remember to be kind to your baristas in this holiday season!