The return of Starbucks holiday drinks is always a much-anticipated event. The Everygirl team eagerly awaits this moment every year, discussing new additions, classic cup designs, secret menu items, and everyone’s go-to holiday drinks. Continuing the tradition from our fall drinks ranking, we are excited to share our comprehensive ranking of every holiday drink. Our readers have enjoyed these rankings in the past, and we are thrilled to present this year’s official series.
Throughout this series, we have learned valuable lessons and refined our ranking process. This year, we opted for delivery over trekking through the cold Chicago streets with multiple drinks in hand. We ordered each drink as listed on the menu to experience them as intended, with a few exceptions for “secret menu” items, as indicated below.
In this round, six official taste testers rated each drink on taste and likelihood of reorder, contributing to a total possible score of 60 for each beverage. Here is The Everygirl’s official ranking of Starbucks holiday drinks, from worst to best:
11-12. Oleato Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte (tied)
Official score: 21/60
Starbucks introduces the new Oleato menu for the holidays with the Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte. Unfortunately, our taste testers were not impressed, citing a lack of gingerbread flavor and an overly sweet milk taste. This drink fell short of expectations and was not well received.
11-12. Secret Menu Drink: Iced Chai Tea Latte with Peppermint (tied)
Official score: 21/60
The combination of chai and peppermint in this secret menu item did not resonate well with our testers. Described as reminiscent of a dental visit or liquid cinnamon gum, this drink failed to impress. Stick to official menu chai options for a better experience.
10. Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
Official score: 22/60
The Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte offers a pleasant but overly sweet experience, requiring customization to reduce sweetness levels. Additionally, it leaves a slightly odd aftertaste, impacting overall enjoyment.
