By Kathryn Taleporos | November 14, 2022
The holiday season has officially begun, which means new specialty drinks are back! The classics such as peppermint mochas make a return, as well as some new flavors. Here are some recommendations for those of us who like to get into the holiday spirit via our coffee orders.
Dunkin Peppermint Mocha
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
The dark color of the peppermint mocha may be a little off putting at first, but if you give it a chance, it tastes like Christmas. There is a perfect balance between the chocolate flavors of the mocha, and the peppermint is not so overwhelming that the drink tastes like toothpaste.
Dunkin Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
The toasted white chocolate mocha, while sweeter than the peppermint mocha, does not have the same holiday magic to it. White chocolate is one of Starbucks’ best selling flavors year round, but is only sold during the holiday season at Dunkin. The drink is good, especially iced, but lacks a sense of holiday spirit and originality that drinks like the peppermint mocha have.
Dunkin Cookie Butter Cold Brew
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
I wanted the Cookie Butter Cold Brew from Dunkin to be so much better than it was. As an avid cold brew lover, I expected this drink to be similar to the salted caramel cold brew. However, the only cookie butter flavor in this drink was in the cold foam, which melted in about 5 minutes. The drink is supposed to have a brown sugar cookie syrup in it, but it tasted like plain black cold brew.
Starbucks Creme Brulee Latte
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
While the creme brulee is not a traditional holiday drink like the peppermint mocha, this Starbucks drink has secured its place as an end-of-year staple. The caramel flavors combined with the espresso in the latte make a perfect match. This is one of the most underrated Starbucks holiday drinks.
Starbucks White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha with Chocolate Peppermint Cold Foam
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
New this year at Starbucks is Chocolate Peppermint Cold Foam. Cold foam can transform any iced drink, and has grown in popularity at coffee chains in recent years. The chocolate peppermint cold foam added an incredible upgrade to the Starbucks classic white chocolate peppermint mocha. However, with a $1.25 upcharge for cold foam, you might want to stick to just the classics.
Uncommon Grounds Peppermint Mocha
Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos
Although this drink is technically around all year, it somehow tastes better during the holiday season. Uncommon Grounds coffee is richer and a better quality than Starbucks or Dunkin, and the peppermint syrup in this mocha makes this drink perfect.