It’s the most wonderful time of year! Starbucks just released their holiday menu and tis the season for festive drinks. My esteemed colleagues, Julia Scotti and Sophia Kitz joined me, and we tried all the menu items so you don’t have to. Here’s your complete ranking of the Starbucks holiday menu!
Food
5. Sugar Plum Cheese Danish: I want to preface this by saying I don’t like danishes. I’ve just never been a fan and I predicted this would be the same way. The danish had a strange smell to it for starters. It was a little stinky. This combination of cheese and sugar plum jelly was honestly just gross and I do not recommend it.
4. Cranberry Bliss Bar: From first looks, the cranberry bliss bar looked alright. Nothing out of the ordinary. It looks more like a scone than a bar but let’s get into the taste. It sort of tastes like yogurt and cranberries. It had sort of a weird texture: sort of chunky. I wouldn’t order it again, definitely an acquired taste.
3. Snowman Cookie: This is a winter menu classic. It’s just a regular shortbread cookie with some icing on it. Nothing too special but definitely a great option for a winter treat for kids. It tastes good and is super cute!
2. Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop: This was the food item I was most excited about. Who doesn’t love a Starbucks cake pop? The presentation was beautiful. It has sugar sparkles and pieces of candy cane on top. My initial thoughts on the taste were too much chocolate and not enough peppermint. When advertising something as peppermint it should taste like peppermint. It just didn’t meet my expectations but it was still delicious.
1. Gingerbread Loaf: This was the best food item by a long shot. This tasted like the holidays. The gingerbread loaf was warm and basically melted in your mouth. It was spiced just enough and the frosting on top provided contrast. If you are going to get a treat from Starbucks, get this.
Drinks
5. Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte: when I first saw this on the menu, I thought it had potential. Honestly, it was just too sweet. It was like drinking watered-down sugary milk. It kind of tastes like nothing. It had cute sprinkles on top but I’d say that was the only thing positive about it in my eyes.
4. Chestnut Praline Latte: I didn’t think I was going to like this one at all. I was surprised when I tasted it and it wasn’t bad. However, it wasn’t my favorite. It tasted like spiced and nutty. I just wasn’t a big fan.
3. Creme Brulee Latte: This drink doesn’t give holidays. It was delicious and tasted like a hot caramel macchiato but it doesn’t deserve to be a special holiday item. It just tasted warm and gave winter vibes. It should have been a winter debut item instead of a holiday item. Rerelease it in January and i’m all in!
2. Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai: I am a chai fanatic. I love chai and this hit hard. After the pumpkin chai was a smashing success for Starbucks, I expected excellence. I wished that It had more gingerbread flavor in it cause there are times when it just tastes like regular chai. I enjoy it either way. Sophia Kitz said it best, “I’m a chai fan and this is amazing”
1. Peppermint Mocha: This is my personal holiday go-to. I believe it to be the best drink on the menu in general. It tastes warm and cozy. It’s Christmas in a cup. It tastes like hot chocolate with caffeine which had me hooked.
