We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking.

We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking.

      Cue the Mariah Carey vocals because it’s tiiiiiiime! The release day of Starbucks holiday drinks has practically become a national holiday at this point. It’s always major news within The Everygirl team, and we eagerly discuss any new beverages they’ve introduced, the iconic cup designs, secret menu creations, and what everyone is ordering for their first of many Starbucks holiday drinks this year. Continuing the tradition that began with our ranking of the Starbucks fall drinks, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to present our detailed ranking of every holiday drink available on the menu this year. You all have loved our rankings in previous years, and we enjoy doing them, so we’re excited to keep this series going.

      Source: Jenna Piotrowicz

      Our process for tasting and ranking Starbucks holiday drinks

      For this ranking, we ordered every drink exactly as listed on the menu to experience them as intended. Fortunately, the winter weather in Chicago has cooperated so far, making our walk down the street with two full trays of festive beverages much easier than in previous years. This time, we had four official taste testers who rated each drink on a scale of 1-5 in the categories of “overall taste” and “likelihood to get again,” resulting in a total of 10 possible points per drink from each tester. We then averaged all the scores from our testers to determine each drink’s final score out of 10.

      Starbucks holiday drinks, ranked from worst to best

      Without further delay, here is—drumroll please—The Everygirl’s official ranking of all the Starbucks holiday drinks, from least to most favorable:

      7. Gingerbread Latte

      Score: 1/10

      To our surprise, the Gingerbread Latte landed at the bottom this year. In past years, it typically ranked in the middle tier, but this time it didn't come close. Did it have a gingerbread flavor? Yes. However, it tasted more like gingerbread that had been burnt to a crisp in the oven. The flavor was quite unappealing, and one taster even remarked that it tasted like a cigarette. So sadly, this one is a pass for us.

      6. Sugar Cookie Latte (Hot)

      Score: 2/10

      I must say: at The Everygirl, we’re quite critical regarding our coffee. This is another drink where the team reached a consensus (unfortunately for the negative). The sugar cookie flavor came off as very artificial, and it simply wasn’t enjoyable. The cookie and coffee flavors didn’t harmonize well, making it something we wouldn’t add to our typical order.

      5. Iced Sugar Cookie Latte

      Score: 4/10

      The Iced Sugar Cookie Latte performed rather poorly in last year’s test, and the outcome was similar this year. In theory, the flavor sounds great, and we preferred the iced version over the hot, but it just doesn’t satisfy us. It smells and tastes like a sugar cookie—but in a burnt, artificial manner. We might be willing to give it another chance someday… but don’t count on it.

      4. Iced Gingerbread Chai

      “Is there gingerbread present in this drink?”

      Score: 5.5/10

      Like many seasonal specialty chai drinks Starbucks offers, this one unfortunately doesn’t deliver on flavor. We got the typical chai essence, but as one taster expressed, “Is there gingerbread present in this drink?” There was a hint of gingerbread, yet not enough for the drink to showcase that flavor. While it’s definitely drinkable and not bad, it simply wasn’t anything remarkable.

      3. Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino

      “So delicious but at what cost?”

      Score: 6/10

      In short, a holiday Frappuccino never disappoints us. These beverages consistently score high for their delightful flavor, being a true sweet treat. However, that’s also why our “likelihood to get again” ratings tend to be lower—because we all agree that even though the peppermint flavor is delicious, it’s quite rich for an everyday drink. If you’re looking for something that tastes less like coffee and more like a mint chocolate milkshake, this one is perfect for you.

      2. Peppermint Mocha

      Score: 7/10

      Pure nostalgia is what places this drink so high on our list. There’s something special about sipping a Peppermint Mocha from a Starbucks holiday cup that makes you feel all warm and cozy inside. It's a true classic, and we unanimously agreed that we like to enjoy at least one per year. A Starbucks hack: one of our testers recommends ordering your favorite regular latte with peppermint syrup if you enjoy the peppermint taste without the mocha.

      1. Caramel Brulée Latte

      Score: 9.5/10

      And the top spot goes to… the Caramel Brulée Latte! A reliable holiday favorite, this latte is a must-have each season,

We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking. We Sampled All the Starbucks Holiday Beverages—Here’s Our Ranking.

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