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Starbucks Holiday Menu Just Dropped: Here’s What Made My Naughty and Nice List

Updated Published
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.

Christmas is coming, and what better way to celebrate the holiday season than with a festive treat? If you are like me and look forward to the flavors of the holidays, I’m sure you know that many companies have recently dropped their seasonal menus. While I enjoy Starbucks all year round I especially look forward to their holiday drinks and treats, check out my favorites and not-so-favorites on this year’s menu!

Candy Canes Ornaments Christmas
Jocelyn Hsu / Spoon

Nice

The holiday menu is extensive, so I tried to keep it short and sweet. Here are some of my classic favorites, and some new items that I enjoyed.

Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte — This drink has been my favorite since it came out. I prefer it hot over iced, which is not something I would usually say for many things, but I think getting it hot allows you to get a better taste for the flavor. 

Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai — I was excited to try this since it is a new drink this year, and it did not disappoint. I am very particular about how I like my chai but since gingerbread is in the same flavor profile, I found that it worked well. I will be getting this drink again, and I recommend it to anyone, even if you aren’t the biggest chai fan. 

Caramel Brulée Latte — A fan favorite for good reason. The caramel brulée latte can be ordered hot or iced, and even as a frappuccino is just so good. It tastes very caramel-ly but with an almost buttery creamy richness. I recommend it. 

Sugar Plum Cheese Danish — This was another new treat that they put on the menu this year, and I enjoyed it. I wasn’t super familiar, nor had I had anything sugarplum-related before, but it was quite tasty. If you have had the cheese Danish from Starbucks before, it tastes pretty similar, but with that extra component of berry-like sweetness.

Naughty

There aren’t many things that I don’t like, hence why this list is so short, but here are some holiday treats that I probably wouldn’t reach for.

Peppermint Mocha — This one is extremely controversial, and I get a lot of hate for it, but I am not the biggest fan of the peppermint mocha. It could be the fact that I am not the biggest mocha fan in the first place, but every time I have had this drink it has been too bitter, too minty, or just too sweet. I’m always down to give things another chance but unfortunately, this drink is on my skip list, and if you aren’t particularly keen on mocha or peppermint, I would say this isn’t the drink for you. 

Cranberry Bliss Bar — My bias might just be kicking in again, but I’m not a huge blondie person, and this cranberry bar didn’t make me want to be. It was by no means bad, It just wasn’t the type of treat that I would get again. Personally, this one is a skip for me, but if blondies and cranberries are your jam I feel like it could be a hit.

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Starbucks


Whether you’re feeling naughty or nice, there is definitely something on the menu that will suit everyone’s taste. Check out some of these treats to help fuel up for the holidays and get in the holiday spirit!


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Kelly Moussa

U Mass Amherst '26

Kelly Moussa is a junior at UMass Amherst majoring in Communication, with minors in Film Studies and Business. She is super excited to be writing for Her Campus, and in her free time she enjoys painting, working out, traveling, and discovering new places to eat.