The holidays are back at Starbucks marking the start of a familiar tradition across stores nationwide. The menu includes holiday drinks with flavors like peppermint, caramel brûlée, and gingerbread, along with new cold foams and treats.
Starbucks holiday drinks: Which flavors are offered?
The 2025 holiday beverage lineup features the biggest fan favorites. Starbucks said each drink is meant to “capture the spirit of the holidays” and offer something for every preference, from hot espresso drinks to chilled, creamy options.
Peppermint mocha
The peppermint mocha remains Starbucks' signature holiday drink. It is made with Signature Espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce, and peppermint-flavored syrup, topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. The beverage is available hot, iced, or blended as a Frappuccino drink.
Caramel brulée latte
Another returning staple, the Caramel Brulée Latte, features Starbucks Signature Espresso blended with steamed milk and caramel brulée sauce, then finished with whipped cream and a caramel brulée topping. It’s also offered in hot, iced, or blended versions.
Iced sugar cookie latte
A lighter holiday drink choice, the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte uses Starbucks Blonde Espresso, 2% milk, ice, and sugar-cookie-flavored syrup, topped with red and green sprinkles. Like other drinks, customers can order it hot, iced, or blended.
Iced sugar cookie breve
The Iced Sugar Cookie Breve takes the same flavors and adds half-and-half for a richer, creamier texture. Starbucks noted the drink was already a popular customization among customers and is now part of the official menu for easier ordering.
Iced gingerbread chai
Also on the menu is the Iced Gingerbread Chai, made with warm chai spices, 2% milk, and ice, then topped with gingerbread-flavored cold foam and a spiced topping. It combines seasonal spice with the creamy texture of the chain’s iced beverages.
Starbucks said all of its holiday beverages can be made with non-dairy milk for no extra charge. Customers may also substitute protein-boosted 2% milk for an additional cost, adding 12 to 16 grams of protein to any grande-sized hot or iced drink.
Holiday Cold Foams
The 2025 menu also highlights several seasonal cold foams that can be added to any iced coffee, tea, or refresher drink. These creamy, frothy toppings add flavor and texture to any cold beverage.
The cold foam includes four delicious flavors:
- Gingerbread cream cold foam: Sweet and deliciously spicy gingerbread flavors blended with Starbucks' signature vanilla sweet cream.
- Peppermint chocolate cream cold foam: Peppermint syrup and mocha sauce blended with vanilla sweet cream.
- Sugar cookie cream cold foam: Sugar-cookie-flavored syrup combined with vanilla sweet cream.
- Caramel brulée cream cold foam: Caramel brulée sauce blended with vanilla sweet cream. (This version is not available as a non-dairy option.)
Each cold foam can be made with protein, adding roughly 15 grams per grande serving.
Treats from Starbucks’ holiday bakery case
No holiday menu is complete without baked treats, and Starbucks knows it. The bakery case returns this year with both classics and new items that capture the season’s familiar flavors: buttery, spiced, and sweet.
New cinnamon pull-apart
The newest item is the cinnamon pull-apart, made with warm croissant pieces coated in cinnamon sugar and topped with crunchy streusel. Starbucks said it’s baked to be pulled apart “one bite at a time.” Unlike most limited-time items, it will remain available year-round.
Snowman cookie
A longtime favorite, the snowman cookie returns for another year. The buttery shortbread cookie is covered in white chocolate icing and shaped like a snowman, a seasonal staple across Starbucks stores.
New polar bear cake pop
Also joining the menu is the polar bear cake pop, a soft vanilla cake mixed with buttercream, dipped in white chocolate icing, and decorated to look like a polar bear wearing a holiday hat.
Cranberry bliss bar
The cranberry bliss bar features a chewy blondie base with dried cranberries, topped with cream cheese icing flavored with orange zest and finished with another sprinkle of dried cranberries.
Sugar plum cheese danish
The sugar plum cheese danish features a golden pastry with a cream cheese filling and spiced sugar-plum topping. It’s warm, fruity, and perfect to enjoy with a hot cup of peppermint mocha.
Whole bean holiday coffee
Starbucks Christmas blend and Christmas blonde roast return as the featured brewed coffees for the season. Both varieties are also available as whole-bean coffee in participating stores.
The company said the blends will be served throughout most of the holiday season, and customers can purchase the beans to brew at home or enjoy them freshly prepared in stores.
Holiday cups mark the start of the season
Starbucks didn’t just launch its seasonal menu, but it’s also brought back the iconic cups to celebrate the season.
Since 1997, Starbucks’ signature white cups have been replaced each year with festive red and green designs that signal the official start of the holidays. The 2025 collection follows that same tradition with a fresh look inspired by the green and red aprons worn by Starbucks baristas.
Creative director Kristy Cameron, who leads the design team, said this year’s concept, called “Merry Apron Strings,” was inspired by the moment baristas swap their everyday green aprons for red ones, a sign that the holiday season has begun.
“There’s something unmistakably magical about that moment the cups arrive – it’s as if the season officially begins,” Cameron said. She added that the goal was to make stores feel cozy and festive, like “a place where you want to come and sit with us a little while and enjoy the holidays together.”
Associate creative director Bridget Searcy said the annual store transformation brings an instant sense of excitement. “When I see the cups have turned red, and our coffeehouses have turned red, there’s a burst of energy and excitement for the season and gearing up for the festivities you have ahead,” she said.
The 2025 lineup features several new and updated styles for both hot and cold drinks:
- Merry Apron Strings – Green: Features flowing apron strings tied into bows around the Starbucks Siren.
- Merry Apron Strings – Red: The cup features red apron bows with a green bottom.
- Coffeehouse Plaid – Red and Green: Uses traditional plaid patterns that resemble wrapped gifts and cozy winter fabrics.
- Cold Cups: Transparent cups decorated with red and green ribbons, designed to match iced favorites like the Sugar Cookie Latte or a Cold Brew with holiday cold foam.
Each cup includes a small space for personal notes, allowing customers to write messages or names. The designs are accompanied by store decorations featuring evergreen garlands, velvet ribbons, and the brand’s signature coffee cherry red.
The celebration isn’t over yet: More festive flavors on the way
The company said the holiday menu is only the beginning of its seasonal lineup. In the coming weeks, long-time favorites such as the Eggnog Latte and Chestnut Praline Latte are expected to return on the holiday menu. Starbucks also confirmed that ‘Red Cup Day’ will take place on Nov. 13, when customers who buy any handcrafted holiday beverage will receive a free reusable red cup.
Whether it’s the sound of milk steaming for a Caramel Brulée Latte or the first sip of a Sugar Cookie Latte on a cold morning, Starbucks said its holiday collection continues to celebrate the moments customers look forward to each year.
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