London Dernis
Online Editor
Spooky season is over, and winter wonderland has begun, and what better way to celebrate than with everyone’s favorite coffee shop? Starbucks released its new winter menu on Nov. 7, bringing back past favorites and trying out new treats.
If you like Starbucks, you’ve probably had a refresher. Finding a festive alternative to your usual Strawberry Acai or Mango Dragonfruit is made easy with the newest trio of CranMerry Orange Refreshers. For the citrus-lovers out there, the Cran-Merry Orange Lemonade Refresher mixes lemonade in with the cranberries and oranges. Those who enjoy Starbucks iconic Pink Drink will love the Cran-Merry Drink that features coconut milk over ice. Fans of any classic refresher will appreciate the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher, an icy refresher without milk or lemonade. No matter which Merry drink you choose, enjoy the toppings of freeze-dried cranberries decorating each one.
The rest of the winter drink menu features past favorites: Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Iced Sugar Cookie Almond milk Latte, and the Iced Gingerbread Oat milk Chai. The sweet and delicious lattes can be enjoyed steamed or iced, but who doesn’t prefer a nice cold latte in the Florida winter heat. With a new policy change, holiday lattes can be enjoyed by all latte-lovers at no extra charge. That’s right, starting Nov. 7, Starbucks will no longer be charging extra for non-dairy milk.
Top off any holiday drink with two new winter cold foams: Gingerbread Cream and Salted Pecan Cream. These toppings are perfect for all the cold brew fans out there who are grieving the Irish Cream Cold Brew not returning this holiday season. And while it’s not a seasonal drink, Hot Chocolate is always available to warm up during the cold Florida nights that reach a shocking low of maybe 60 degrees.
Joining the list of seasonal beverages is four new and two returning holiday pastries. To go along with your Cran-Merry Orange Refresher, grab the returning Cranberry Bliss Bar. For a crumbly chocolate treat, try the Sweet Dark Toffee Bundt. If vanilla is more your style, try the Snowman Cake Pop, made of vanilla cake and buttercream with a delicious white chocolate coating. For a glimpse of snow in Florida, get the Penguin Cookie, a buttery shortbread with an adorable face.
While some typically look towards the winter food menu for a sweet treat, others will be surprised to see something savory on the menu. The new Turkey Sage Danish has the classic flaky danish base but with ground turkey sausage and béchamel sauce. Of course, if a sweet danish is your preferred pick, turn to the returning Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.
Whether it’s a delicious Sugar Cookie Almond milk Latte topped with red and green sprinkles or a sweet Snowman Cake Pop that’s gone after a bite, there really is no wrong choice when it comes to the 2024 Starbucks winter menu. So which new winter item will you be ordering next?
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