Have you ever wondered what the best Starbucks Christmas drinks are? The holiday season has officially begun, and Starbucks has come out with several new Christmas drinks. With so many options to choose from, I understand it can feel overwhelming. I’m Sophia Nakakura ‘25, and today I will be ranking 7 Starbucks holiday drinks. Before we dive into the results, I will explain how we judge the taste test. For the tasting, I am accompanied by Julia Frazier ‘25 and Luca Calgaro ‘25. We have chosen a variety of beverages to rate. Each drink will be ranked on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the worst- 10 being the best) for flavor, sweetness level, and how they made us feel afterward (i.e. if the drinks made us feel sick). I hope we can help make your decision at Starbucks easier and give some good recommendations to try!

1. Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino

Julia Frazier: “I think this is really good. The flavor definitely lives up to its name. The drink is not too sweet but very flavorful; I would get it again.”

Rating: 10

Sophia Nakakura: “If you’re looking for a drink that is apple flavored, with accents of cinnamon and creamy cold vanilla, this drink is for you. It tastes like apple pie, which sounds odd but interestingly delicious. In terms of sweetness, the drink is perfect, not too sweet, just right.”

Rating: 9.5

Luca Calgaro: “At first, I was skeptical of the drink because of its name. It was fall themed, which was strange because the idea of going to Starbucks during winter is to get a winter drink. However, the drink had so much to offer. It had a story, a life, and a Christmas feeling that also felt like Thanksgiving. One sip was like having an explosion in your mouth; notes of apple and creamy vanilla filled my senses.”

Rating: 9

2. Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino

Julia Frazier: “This drink tastes like hot peppermint cocoa. In terms of sweetness, this drink is not very sweet. It is still sweet, just not overly so.”

Rating: 9.7

Sophia Nakakura: “This frappuccino is very good. Highly recommend it. The sweetness is perfect, and its subtle coffee taste is almost non-existent. Pepperminty and nice. My favorite Starbucks holiday drink. You must try it.”

Rating: 10

3. Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

Julia Frazier: “Very yummy. I really like it. It tastes like peppermint and white chocolate. I would recommend it.”

Rating: 7

Sophia Nakakura: “This drink is super good. It gets me into the holiday spirit! It is slightly sweeter than the Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino because it has white chocolate. I also like how it resembles a milkshake. Minty and chocolatey. I highly recommend this drink.”

Rating: 9

Luca Calgaro: “When I first took a sip, my tastebuds were shocked by the flavor because this drink is pretty sweet. I did not enjoy this drink. I got peppermint with each sip, but the white chocolate is overwhelming.”

Rating: 7

4. Caramel Brulee Latte

Julia Frazier: “It tasted like caramel coffee. It is on the sweeter side. I recommend it to sweet-lovers.

Rating: 7

Luca Calgaro: “Sipping this drink for the first time makes me realize how thankful I am to have my family around me. To be able to celebrate these holidays through November and December. I tried the hot caramel brulée latte from Starbucks today, and my mind was blown. I was in a seizure of emotions and found that these flavors resembled putting ornaments on a Christmas tree. It is sweet, and it may be too sweet for some people, so I recommend you get one less pump of syrup. It felt like a sweet cookie made by Grandma during the holidays. I would recommend it.”

Rating: 8

5. Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte

Julia Frazier: “This tastes like cookies with coffee flavor. I think it is good, but I would not get it again because there is nothing special about it. It was kind of bland, and it just was not the greatest. I would recommend it if you like sweet things.”

Rating: 7

Sophia Nakakura: “I personally did not enjoy this drink. I thought it was okay. You can definitely taste the sugar cookie, but it was a little too sweet for me.”

Rating: 6

Luca Calgaro: “The sugar cookie drink was strange from the start. I always knew there was something wrong with it because of its sweet flavors. It seemed like it was meant to be buried deep but was dug up so I could drink it. My taste buds were being attacked by diabetic cells. I felt like someone trying to reach the surface with little oxygen, desperate to escape. The drink was far too sweet. I would never recommend it to anyone, and I hope someone out there listens.”

Rating: 2

6. Iced Chestnut Praline Latte

Julia Frazier: “I initially supported Luca’s decision to buy the chestnut praline latte, but boy, was I wrong!! When I first took a sip, I was hit with the overwhelming flavor of caffeine and coffee. I was wondering where the chestnut praline flavor was. I even wonder if maybe they forgot to put it in the drink. It was not very good. It was bland and the flavor was unclear. I was not impressed. Flavor-wise, it tasted like a regular cup of coffee if you put a hefty amount of sweeteners in it, along with one touch of caramel. I would not buy the drink if I were you.”

Rating: 4

Sophia Nakakura: “This drink was boring. I could not taste the chestnut flavor. I thought this drink tasted like plain coffee.”

Rating: 3

Luca Calgaro: “I tried this drink for the first time. I had mixed feelings about it. At first, I loved it, and I loved everything about it. But now, as I look at it, it’s kind of bland, like every Starbucks drink that was ever made. I find it, how should I say, not different. It was the same as everything else. Like every drink at Starbucks, it makes me go to the bathroom. Maybe don’t get real milk, I’m sorry.”

Rating: 1

7. Caramel Brulee Latte Frappuccino

Julia Frazier: “This drink tasted like a caramel frappe. The flavor has lots of caramel and a hint of coffee, but it is pretty masked. I liked the caramel chunks inside. However, it made me feel a little sick. The milkiness gave me a stomachache.”

Rating: 8

Sophia Nakakura: “The frappuccino has a strong caramel taste and is on the sweeter side. I don’t really like it. I wouldn’t get it again.”

Rating: 7

Wow, we tasted so many drinks! After rating every drink and giving our honest opinion, the top 3 Starbucks holiday drinks this year are the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino, the Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, and the Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino. If you ever get the chance, try these drinks! Have a happy holiday season, and enjoy some festive Starbucks beverages!