Introduction
There’s nothing like a sweet Starbucks drink on a cold winter morning. This season, Starbucks brought back many of its past drinks, including the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte, Gingerbread Chai, the Chestnut Praline Latte and Eggnog latte, along with the Snowman Cookie, Cranberry Bliss Bar and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish. It’s no secret that Starbucks items are overpriced, but some of them are worth the money. Follow along as we review Starbucks’ Holiday Menu!
Beverages:
Gingerbread Chai ★★★☆☆
Ordered by Lila:
The Starbucks Gingerbread Chai does not disappoint! With its warm spices and sweet flavor, it embodies my expectations of the winter menu. Unlike the standard chai, the drink uses gingerbread syrup for sweetness and is sprinkled with pumpkin spice. Although it tastes similar to Starbucks’ Autumn chai because it uses similar spices, the spices themselves are crucial to what makes the drink a chai. Still, it is quite sweet, though that’s what I love about it. Overall, highly recommended!
Iced Sugar Cookie Latte ★★☆☆☆
Ordered by Mandy:
I’m not a coffee enthusiast, so I was slightly skeptical about the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte.
This drink did not change my view, and I remain convinced that coffee is disgusting. Starbucks markets its holiday drinks with aesthetically pleasing images and catchy names, but I wonder whether this sensationalism is accurate or merely clickbait. Although Starbucks depicts the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte with festive sprinkles on both their physical and online menus, my drink contained only the plain drink. I’m not sure if the milk overpowered the rest of the ingredients or if my barista missed an additional espresso shot, but something felt off. If you’re looking to try a new drink this holiday season, think twice before ordering the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte.
Lila’s comment: In the standard order, there is enough sweetener so that it does not taste like coffee. However, I will admit, it mainly just tasted like sugar and lacked a distinct flavor.
Eggnog Latte ★★☆☆☆
Ordered by Lila:
I must admit, I had higher expectations for this drink. People were talking about it, Starbucks was posting about it and I could not wait to try it. So right when it came out on Dec. 2, I stepped in line and ordered the drink. It came hot and in one of Starbucks’ classic red holiday cups, but when I took the sip, it was…average. While the latte does taste like eggnog, there was nothing about it that would make me order again. Granted, I am not the biggest fan of eggnog, so maybe other people would like it more. But overall, it was not as sweet as I would have liked and it left me feeling unsatisfied.
Chestnut Praline Latte ★★★★☆
Ordered by Mandy:
I tried the Chestnut Praline Latte mostly out of curiosity. For an iced coffee, it was surprisingly tasty — the caramel and chestnut syrup gave the drink a buttery warmth that reminded me of honey-nut Cheerios, toffee and graham crackers. The whipped cream and sprinkle of cinnamon on top add to the festive vibe, though unlike the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte, the espresso itself still tasted strong. This drink will definitely wake you up in the morning! If you’re looking for a sugary treat but don’t mind a heavy latte, the Chestnut Praline Latte is worth a shot.
Food Items:
Sugar Plum Cheese Danish ★★★☆☆
Ordered by Lila:
As a pastry lover, I love getting the Sugar Plum Cheese Danish. The danish is stuffed with a cream cheese filling and topped with a spiced sugar-plum spread. The crust is exceptionally buttery and Starbucks does not skimp on the size. It’s worth noting that the plum filling is really sweet, though, so if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, it might not be for you. I took off a star for that and the fact that I wish the crust were a little more crispy. However, I loved how buttery the pastry was and recommend it!
Cranberry Bliss Bar ★★★★★
Ordered by Mandy:
The Cranberry Bliss Bar lives up to its name. After one bite, this treat shot straight into my top five favorite Starbucks snacks (though it still ranks under the cake pops, of course). The sweetness of the chocolate-chip blondie perfectly complements the sourness of the cream cheese and cranberry drizzle, a burst of spices that your taste buds won’t forget anytime soon. My only concern is the size: four dollars for something less than the size of my hand? The Cranberry Bliss Bar is noticeably smaller this year than last. However, I still haven’t found a solid copycat recipe online, so perhaps for the time being, spending an extra dollar or two is a worthy trade-off for five minutes of bliss.
Snowman Cookie ★★★☆☆
Ordered by Mandy:
“Meh” is all I can say. I don’t know what I was expecting, considering basic shortbread cookies are notoriously tasteless. Sure, the Snowman Cookie’s carrot nose and matching earmuff icing designs are beautifully piped, but one bite into the treat reveals that its physical appearance far outweighs all other aspects of the cookie, which lack real flavor. My guess as to why Starbucks has yet to discontinue the Snowman Cookie is because of its appeal toward kids — sugar cookies were always my first choice in elementary school. When the weather becomes chilly and the holidays draw near, I also enjoy the familiar taste of nostalgia.
Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread ★★★★☆
Ordered by Lila:
I had medium expectations for the bread. Nothing about it gave me the indication it would be anything more than a standard microwave pastry, but I must admit, I loved it. As advertised, the bread easily pulls apart — and not just in a couple of pieces. It is structured in a way that allows you to keep ripping off small chunks, making it perfect to share with friends. It did not taste too sweet, but still gave the satisfaction that a dessert should. The cinnamon was nice and not overpowering, and overall, I highly recommend it!
