Everyone knows the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) is Starbucks’ (SBUX) most popular seasonal drink; you can now order it from August into January, which, come to think of it, is more than one season — it’s half the year.
And while that first, warm, cinnamon-scented sip brings to mind falling leaves and cozy sweaters, odds are, by New Year’s, your taste buds are thirsty for something different.
Why is Starbucks’ winter menu important?
Starbucks rolls out new menus with each changing season, although its fall and holiday menus get the most press, as well as orders. December 23 historically marks the peak in terms of sales volume for the company, due in part to Starbucks gift cards. In 2022, the global coffee purveyor boasted that 1 out of every 6 Americans received one as a present, for a combined $3 billion.
Related: Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes: Everything you need to know about the iconic fall beverage
And while a Peppermint Mocha or Caramel Brulée Latte can sustain you through the holiday rush of shopping, parties, and travel, Starbucks has plenty of other seasonal sips, like fruity drinks in the spring and fizzy concoctions for the summer — it even crafts custom beverages to celebrate specific holidays like Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day (which are pink and green, naturally).
But winter seems to be the time when Starbucks serves up its brightest and boldest new ideas, like when it launched its Blonde Espresso, the first-ever alternative to its signature roast, in January 2017. This lighter blend had a sweeter taste and became an instant hit, earning it a permanent spot on Starbucks’ year-round menu.
Other popular drinks that Starbucks rolled out in the winter include these three fan favorites:
The Chai Latte, a blend of black tea, steamed milk, and warming spices, was first introduced in January, 1998.The Flat White, a caffeinated cup of two short, or ristretto, shots of espresso, steamed milk, and a dollop of froth, made its debut in January 2015.Cold foam is milk that’s frothed cold instead of hot, blended until smooth, and then sweetened with flavors like vanilla, caramel, and maple. It first appeared at Starbucks’ Seattle Reserve Roastery in December 2014.
When will the Starbucks menu for winter 2025 launch?
Thankfully, Starbucks launches its seasonal menus with as much regularity as your daily coffee timer, and so turning the calendar page to January will mark the end of its holiday menu and the beginning of its winter one.
According to food blogger Markie Devo, who has earned a reputation for his spot-on predictions, colorful infographics, and intel gathered straight from employees, Starbucks’ winter menu will launch on January 2, 2025.
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Starbucks 2025 Winter Menu drinks
The new menu will include two brand-new drinks, the reboot of another, and the return of a customer favorite that only makes an appearance during Jack Frost season.
Cortado
Made with equal parts of espresso and steamed milk and served in a cute little cup, this balanced brew features three shots of ristretto Blonde Roast espresso.
Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado
This sweetened, non-dairy delight also has three shots of ristretto Blonde Roast, along with simple syrup and cinnamon.
Matcha
When Starbucks Green Tea Latte first came out in 2006, purists scoffed: Sugar was its main ingredient, followed by ground Japanese tea leaves.
This formulation is getting a makeover in 2025 and will now be completely unsweetened. In addition, baristas have been retrained on Matcha assembly, receiving instructions to use a blender instead of a shaker, for a better-mixed taste.
Pistachio Latte
Customers literally go nuts over this mix of sweet pistachio, espresso, and milk that’s crowned with a salted brown butter topping.
Since pistachio is a flavor that often appears at holiday tables, the great minds at Starbucks think it can even help carry customers through the cold months until the soft warm glow of spring arrives.
Diehards have been begging for the Pistachio Latte’s return; along with the rise in popularity of all things pistachio (the dairy-alternative nut milk alone is a $3 billion market as of November 2024), we’re thinking it might even become a mainstay on Starbucks menu year-round in the future.
Pistachio Cream Cold Brew
This variation is made with chilled coffee and features silky pistachio cream cold foam and buttery sprinkles on top.
Starbucks’ 2025 Winter Menu food items
The transition from Starbucks’ holiday menu to its winter offerings also comes with some tasty new treats to eat.
Spicy Falafel Pocket
Starbucks’ new spicy falafel pocket is a meatless sandwich that features smashed, deep-fried chickpeas, creamy hummus, roasted peppers and a spicy, herby sauce all wrapped together inside a toasty flatbread.
“Bitchin’ Sauce” Chipotle Almond Dip
Perhaps a nod to Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Niccol’s former gig at the helm of Tex-Mex giant Chipotle, this dipping sauce is a blend of almonds, lemon juice, soy sauce, chipotle peppers, vinegar, and tomatoes. It’s unclear whether the sauce is served alongside the Spicy Falafel Pocket or must be purchased separately.
Starbucks new CEO, Brian Niccol, has already made sweeping changes in the hopes of winning back customers.
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Related: New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s net worth & compensation package
What other changes are in store at Starbucks?
Niccol joined Starbucks in September 2024, but in just a few months, he’s already rolled out a number of big changes in response to the company’s hard-to-stomach earnings reports, the latest of which saw U.S. comparable store sales fall by 6% year-over-year.
Niccol has promised sweeping changes to freshen up the 50-year-old brand and win back customers, from as little as bringing back Sharpies and writing customer names on cups to as major as pausing price increases, a welcome relief to wallets that have already been stretched thin by inflation.
He also pledged to “embrace all the ways our customers enjoy their Starbucks” by eliminating extra charges for non-dairy milks and limiting its menu to “fewer, better” offerings.
If the winter menu is any reflection, his steps seem to be taking the company in the right direction.
More on Starbucks:
Starbucks’ leaked winter menu brings back a popular itemStarbucks makes a major move many coffee drinkers will loveStarbucks slams the brakes on a menu change customers despise
How long will Starbucks’ winter menu last?
Like all of Starbucks’ seasonal drops, its winter menu items won’t be around long. Stores typically switch over to spring menu items during the first week of March; last year, Starbucks even introduced beverages infused with lavender.
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