Chai devotee , this is our twelvemonth .
Hello, fellow BuzzFeeders, Starbucks lovers, and curious cats alike! I’m Dannica, and I was a master barista and trainer at Starbucks for four years. After conquering the fall season by trying and ranking a plethora (by plethora, I mean five) ofpumpkin spice lattes, as well as reviewingStarbucks' 2023 fall menu, I’m back again to taste test the new Starbucks 2023 winter drink menu applause!
Now, some people wait the whole year to get a PSL, but me? I’m a winter drink girly through and through. And if you’re like me andloveto get into the holiday spirit with a festive cup of coffee, I have some great news: Starbucks added NEW(ish) drink menu items nationwide. So if you’re ready to dive into Red Cup Season: light your candles, play that holiday playlist, and throw on a scarf, ‘cause it might get a little jolly up in here.
The two new drinks are the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte and the Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte. And though I didn’t taste test the food, the “new” bakery items are the Gingerbread Loaf (which Starbucks had in2019) and the Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop (which Starbucks last had in2018).
Similar to Starbucks’ 2023 fall menu, I’m just a smidge disappointed that none of the new winter items are actually, 100%new. I personally love it the most when Starbucks drops a new flavor (the macadamia nut syrup was a banger), but instead, they decided to sift through the Starbucks graveyard and resurrect a couple of things — which is also fine. Nonetheless, I decided to try out all the new menu items to see which drinks were worth checking out. As a former barista, I’ll also include somefun facts, tips, and even some recommendations (like how to order a Salted Caramel Mocha). That said, without further ado, let’s start!
DRINK #1: The Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte. Alright, so the main event of this holiday season is undoubtedly the return of the gingerbread syrup. Starbucks used to carry aGingerbread Latteup until 2019 when it was replaced by theIrish Cream Cold Brew.I’m unsure whether or not this year’s gingerbread syrup uses the same recipe as in the past, but this year’s Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte comes hot or iced and is made with gingerbread syrup, oat milk (it used to be made with just 2% milk as the default), blonde espresso, and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping. At stores that offer Oleato, they offer an Oleato Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte, which is infused with extra virgin olive oil.
First sip of the hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte:
First sip of the iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte:
Try the Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte if you:
• Love the gustatory sensation of bake spicery like Ceylon cinnamon , cloves , and Myristica fragrans
• Do n’t want a drink that ’s excessively - sweet
• Are look for a non - dairy vacation deglutition
• Like Starbucks Blonde Espresso
Hot confidential information :
•I recommend adding in a different syrup to elevate the gustatory modality of the Gingerbread Latte . Try tally vanilla extract or browned scratch sirup pumps if you need your drink a trivial more on the sugared side !
DRINK #2: The Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte. Riding on the coattails of fall’s Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte (my fall favorite), the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte has a different build depending on if you get it iced or hot. Both variations feature gingerbread and chai syrups, and oat milk, but the iced version comes with a gingerbread oat milk cold foam!
First sip of the hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte:
Hot tips for the hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte:
• The chai and the gingerbread sirup get the same number of pumps , so do n’t be afraid to modify your drinkable to your liking ! For example , a marvellous hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte receives three ticker of chai and three pump of gingerbread ( six pump entirely ) . It ’s all okay to ask for fewer or more pumps .
• Chai caffe latte do n’t typically amount with espresso , but if you want a short caffein rise , inquire for this drink to be made dirty ! This will tell the barista that you want to add a shot or two .
• None of the gingerbread drinks come up with lather cream by default , but I definitely recommend contribute it for just a touch of sweet since the whipped cream is made with vanilla extract syrup .
First sip of the iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte:
Try the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte if you:
• Love chai and all the spices that come with it
• Do n’t like the taste of coffee berry but are still looking for something festive and caffeinated
• need to try an oat Milk River cold foam
Hot tips for the Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte :
• I remember this drink would be proficient if you subbed the oat milk cold foam with the vanilla sweet cream cold foam . The gingerbread sirup paired with the vanilla extract would make a great conjugation with the chai , and I think it ’d give the drink more organic structure .
• There are only two pumps of gingerbread syrup in this drinkable , and that goes into the foam . If you like the gingerbread sirup and desire more , involve for more pump inside the drink itself , not just the foam !
• Like the hot rendering of this drink ( and any chai latte , really ) if you want to add espresso , ask for it dirty .
FINAL THOUGHTS: Sigh Unfortunately, this year’s winter lineup didn’t really do it for me. I feel it’s important for me to reiterate that the problem I had with the drinks wasn’t about the taste, but more that all of the drinks stayed within the same dome of flavor. Like, miss gingerbread syrup?! I was rooting for you! (Chai, sweetie, you did nothing wrong.) I swear, if the gingerbread syrup just had notes of dark caramel or a touch of brown sugar, it would have been so much better. Also, this new lineup doesn’t really consider the people who don’t like chai and spicy flavors, like, at all. Sure, there are other iconic holiday drinks to fall back on like the Peppermint Mocha (which you can get year-round, BTW), but I think everyone deserves to try something new here and there. If only there were some other new drinks non-chai fans could try…unless…
Okay y’all, let me put my apron back on so that I can recommend some current non-menu drinks that aren’t spicy but still embody the holiday season. These recipes aren’t 100% from my brain, but whenever customers asked me to make something for them, it was always one of the following drinks: Salted Caramel White Mocha, Caramel Apple Spice, and the Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate. You can get these drinks year-round so long as you know how to order them. Even so, I love drinking these on chilly days because they’re cinnamon-y, sweet, and make me feel like I’m walking through a Christmas market in Germany. Feel free to modify the drinks to fit your personal preference!
Here’s how to order the Salted Caramel White Mocha:
This deglutition was featured as a fall computer menu item back in 2020 , but it was extremely popular throughout the wintertime season as well . Starbucks stop promoting it as a seasonal crapulence , so many masses thought the drinking was gone forever . The only thing Starbucks does n’t have any more for this drink is the salt topping , but ask for a salinity packet on top makes it sample just the same .
• rate a lily-white mocha with toffee nut syrup , whipped cream , caramel drizzle , and a ocean salt parcel on top .
• This drink comes with espresso , but you’re able to also order it as a Salted Caramel White Hot Chocolate / Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate if you do n’t desire coffee .
Here’s how to order the Caramel Apple Spice:
This drink has been around since before I ’d figure out at Starbucks , but I do n’t call back it ever getting the spotlight it deserves . This drink is non - caffeinated and tastes like apple Proto-Indo European , so if you ’re looking to fulfill a fresh tooth , this might be your next favorite .
•Most baristas should recognise how to make a Caramel Apple Spice , but if not , put a peeved apple juice with cinnamon dolce sirup , whipped pick , raw sienna drizzle , and cinnamon dolce sprinkles .
Here’s how to order the Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate:
This is one of my preferent drinks EVER . As the name suggests , it savor like a Snickerdoodle , and it ’s sooo Christmas - coded . Since it ’s a hot chocolate , it does n’t come with espresso , but if you desire to make it a latte and add espresso , you definitely can .
• range a white hot cocoa with cinnamon dolce sirup , whipped cream , and cinnamon dolce sprinkles ( I normally modify the pumps so that it ’s not passing perfumed ) .
• For a latte — Order a white mocha coffee with pumps of cinnamon dolce , lather cream , and cinnamon dolce jimmies .
And that’s a (gift) wrap! All of the winter menu items will be available in Starbucks stores nationwide onNovember 2, and no matter what you choose to drink this holiday season, remember that there are so many options out there and so many different flavors to try. And if you need any help or other recommendations, kindly ask your barista and I’m sure they’ll whip up something delicious for ya!
