Starbucks has rolled into the holidays with a lineup built to spark cravings from the first cold morning. This year, Christmas drinks return with new toppings, brighter syrups and room for customization to make every cup feel a little personal. A second round of late-season releases is already on the horizon, adding just enough to stir anticipation and excitement.
Starbucks Christmas drinks are back, and holiday enthusiasts are plotting which flavor to try first. Photo credit: krisrobin, Depositphotos.
The brewed coffee lineup also gets its share of attention. Classic blends stay unchanged for purists, while newer roasts bring seasonal twists that keep the daily cup feeling fresh. It’s a familiar holiday return, just with a few surprises tucked into the menu.
Holiday launch details
Starbucks rolled out its Christmas lineup on Nov. 6, 2025, in participating stores, bringing back seasonal drinks in every format customers expect. Each beverage can be ordered hot, iced or blended. The return of festive cups enhances the experience, with designs inspired by barista aprons that incorporate green and red patterns, ribbon-like accents, textured elements and space for handwritten notes.
Customization remains a focus. Non-dairy options are available at no extra cost for holiday drinks, allowing customers to switch milks without a surcharge. Those who want added protein can choose a boosted 2% milk for an additional fee, which raises the protein content in a grande by roughly 12 to 16 grams.
Signature holiday drinks
Starbucks’ drinks keep their core festive flavors on the menu with familiar favorites and a few richer twists. The Peppermint Mocha remains the brand’s most widely known holiday drink, made with espresso, milk, chocolate and mint, then finished with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. Caramel Brulée Latte adds a sweeter profile by pairing espresso with caramel sauce and topping it with a matching crumble.
Fans of lighter roasts get a seasonal option with the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte, which uses the Starbucks Blonde Espresso with syrup and red and green sprinkles. A new variation joins the menu this year: the Iced Sugar Cookie Breve, made with half-and-half for a creamier version of the same flavor. The lineup also includes Iced Gingerbread Chai with cold foam and a spiced topping.
Two late-season releases return as well. Chestnut Praline Latte and Eggnog Latte remain part of the offerings and arrive later in the holidays, as many customers anticipate.
Festive cold foam options
Holiday cold foam appears on the menu, with Starbucks offering flavored toppers for iced coffee, teas and Refreshers. Gingerbread Cream Cold Foam mixes vanilla sweet cream with a gingerbread blend that tastes like a bakery-style spice topping. Peppermint Chocolate Cream Cold Foam combines vanilla cream with peppermint and mocha for a mint-and-chocolate finish.
The selection also includes Sugar Cookie Cream Cold Foam, which blends vanilla sweet cream with sugar cookie-flavored syrup to match the brand’s holiday latte flavor. Caramel Brulée Cream Cold Foam uses the same base and stirs in caramel brulee sauce for a richer option, though this version does not come in a dairy-free format.
Seasonal coffee blends
The long-running Christmas Blend dates back to the mid-1980s and still uses a mix of Latin American beans with smoother Indonesian coffee for a rich, rounded profile. A lighter option appears as Christmas Blonde Roast, which brings brighter fruit notes and gentle spice from its East African and Indonesian beans.
Another choice, Holiday Blend, connects both styles by pairing lively Latin American beans with deeper Sumatran coffee to balance sweetness and herbal tones. Brewed offerings in stores feature Christmas Blend and Christmas Blonde Roast for most of the season.
Holiday offerings keep loyalty
Starbucks uses its holiday menu to bring customers back each year, leaning on seasonal drinks to keep people engaged. Each release adds fresh variations that pair new ingredients with long-time favorites. This cycle keeps the tradition alive while giving fans something to look forward to as the season approaches.
Jennifer Allen is a retired professional chef and long-time writer. Her work appears in dozens of publications, including MSN, Yahoo, The Washington Post and The Seattle Times. These days, she’s busy in the kitchen developing recipes and traveling the world, and you can find all her best creations at Cook What You Love.
The post Starbucks Christmas drinks return hot, iced and full of holiday cheer appeared first on Food Drink Life.
