As the holiday season kicks off, Starbucks has brought back its beloved holiday menu. Some favorites have returned, and new items are making their debut. These drinks don’t come cheap, so I reviewed them to let you know if they are worth your money.

Holiday Drinks: 

The Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte: This is one of my favorite Starbucks drinks. I eagerly await the return of this drink during the holiday season. It tastes like a perfect Christmas cookie with flavors of vanilla and almond. While sweet, the flavors are balanced and not overwhelming, allowing the drink to remain light. Also, it is a great non-dairy option for those who prefer it.

Chestnut Praline: This drink has more nutty undertones. The flavors are warm and flavorful, rather than overpowering.

Caramel Brulée: This tastes similar to the Chestnut Praline, but it is sweeter, with flavors of caramel and vanilla that feel a bit heavier. For this reason, I prefer the Chestnut Praline. 

Peppermint Mocha: This holiday classic has made a return. As suggested by the name, it has strong peppermint and chocolate flavors. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am not the biggest fan of this drink. The peppermint flavor is too overbearing, and I feel sick if I drink too much. Still, it’s a holiday staple, and fans of peppermint should give it a try.

Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai: This new item, introduced this year, has gingerbread flavors combined with cozy chai spices and creamy oat milk. If you are a chai fan, you will love this drink. Starbucks always has amazing chai and this is no exception! 

Food Items: 

Cranberry Bliss Bar:  This is a sweet but tart dessert, with undertones of cranberries and orange zest. I enjoyed this item but I don’t think I would get it often. While a bit too sweet for me and not a great match with the rest of the menu, I enjoyed how the cranberry went with the orange flavor.

Snowman Cake Pop: This tastes like any Starbucks cake pop, so, if you are a fan of those, you’ll love these. The design is super cute and I love the touch of the blue earmuffs and the candy-striped stick.

Overall, Starbucks did a great job with its holiday menu! All of the drinks and food items are a perfect winter treat, and I urge everyone to try the Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte. In comparison to the standard menu, this collection offers more unique, festive flavors. In my opinion, these drinks are better suited for occasional enjoyment rather than a daily coffee, unlike the simpler options on the standard menu. My go-to is the Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte.  If you do choose to get any of the holiday drinks I recommend using the customization options to adjust the number of flavor pumps in the drinks to suit your taste, especially for the Caramel Brulée.