Nothing says the holiday season is here like the launch of Starbucks famous holiday drinks and festive cups. And even though we’re just barely past Halloween, your favourite Starbucks holiday drinks are returning to stores with the addition of a new drink we think you’ll be sipping on all season long. Read on to see when your favourite Starbucks holiday drink is returning, to learn all about the brand new Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai and see the 2023 holiday cups.
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Starbucks Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai
What is the new Starbucks holiday 2023 drink?
The Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai is the newest drink in the Starbucks holiday roster (you can also get this spice-filled drink hot). According to Starbucks, this drink “combines warm gingerbread notes, a cozy blend of chai spices and creamy oat beverage to create a cold holiday drink that is perfectly balanced by the comforting flavours of the season”.
What does the Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai taste like?
This drink screams holiday cheer! If you have been missing the Gingerbread Latte that left the Starbucks holiday menu in 2019, you’ll definitely enjoy this drink for that hint of gingerbread. The flavours of the gingerbread and chai work together beautifully and with a sprinkle of a spice topping, this makes for a delicious, spice-filled holiday drink. If you don’t like your drinks too sweet, we recommend getting this one half-sweet because the gingerbread plus the chai will definitely hit your sweet tooth. We tried the iced version but we can’t wait to try this one hot and add a shot or two of espresso for that extra kick.
It might seem strange to release a new iced beverage in the cold winter months; however, as we found out with the launch of the Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte in the fall, a majority of Starbucks’ drink sales are now iced drinks (75% of drinks Starbucks sells are iced in comparison to 20% of sales in 2001). So it makes perfect sense that Starbucks would bring back that gingerbread flavour that fans love, now with an icy twist!
Starbucks 2023 Holiday Cups
What do the Starbucks 2023 holiday cups look like?
Gingerbread isn’t the only thing making a comeback at Starbucks this holiday season. Festive cups are back and this year they centre around the theme of sharing joy. Each cup features the classic holiday colours red and green, but they also have a touch of pink (perhaps Starbucks was inspired by the Barbie movie!) which makes the red and green pop even more. From left to right the patterns include Peppermint Swirl (inspired by the classic Peppermint Mocha), Party Plaid (our personal favourite), Ribbon Spool and Bauble Wrap. Each cup is accented with sparkles for that extra touch of holiday magic.
Starbucks Holiday Cold Cup
Are Starbucks holiday cups only for hot drinks?
This year, the Starbucks holiday cups are not only for hot drinks! A holiday cold cup with the Bauble Wrap design and sparkles will be available this holiday season, perfect for sipping your Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai in.
Starbucks Holiday Drinks
What is the Starbucks holiday lineup?
Along with the new Iced Gingerbread Oat Chai, Starbucks is bringing back some fan-favourite holiday drinks available either hot or iced. Returning to the drinks menu are the Caramel Brule Latte, the Chestnut Praline Latte, the Sugar Cookie Oat Latte and the most loved holiday drink among Starbucks fans — the Peppermint Mocha. Did you know that Peter Dukes, who created the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte, also led the charge on the development of the Peppermint Mocha? We can’t believe there was ever a time when these classic drinks didn’t exist, but we sure are glad Peter came up with them!
Related: The Unlikely History of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Starbucks fans can also rejoice that their favourite holiday bakery items are returning full of holiday flavour. This includes the Gingerbread Loaf, the Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop, the Cranberry Bliss Bar and the Snowman Cookie.
When do the 2023 Starbucks holiday drinks come out?
The holiday season is about to kick into high gear with your favourite festive drinks returning to stores across Canada on Thursday, November 2. Prices vary across Canada but can be found in-store or through the Starbucks app. Happy sipping!