Now that Halloween costumes are packed away and midterms ballots have (mostly) been counted, it’s almost time for the holiday season to really kick into gear. Starbucks got things started this Thursday with the release of its 2026 holiday menu – here’s what is on it.
Let’s go over the new holiday offerings first, starting with the Tiramisu Velvet Latte and Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew. These include milk, vanilla syrup, mocha drizzle, cocoa cookie dusting, velvet mascarpone cold foam and espresso.
If you’re looking for something lighter, you might be interested in the new Apple Pomegranate Refreshers: the Apple Pomegranate Lemonade Refresher with lemonade and the Snowy Apple Drink with coconut milk. Both have pomegranate pearls (similar to the tapioca pearls in Boba drinks).
There are also returning favorites. These include the classic Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte and Sugar Cookie Latte. Gingerbread Chai is also on the menu this year, along with the new Iced Sugar Cookie Cream Matcha and the Caramel Brulée Chai.
In the food department, Starbucks is serving braised short rib grilled cheese sandwiches as well as turkey and stuffing sandwiches. A new “Bearista” Cake Pop has been added to the sweet treats list, joining the Snowman Cookie, Cranberry Bliss Bar and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.
For almost 30 years, Starbucks has celebrated the holiday season with special seasonal cups. This year, creative designer London D. was in charge of the cup design, from first sketches to packaging and more. Every year, the Starbucks Creative Studio team always starts with trend research as they set out to bring holiday cup magic to customers.
“Any company can leverage a trend,” London explained. “But the question is, ‘How do we make this unmistakably Starbucks?’”
Wallpaper and motifs were a big inspiration for the team, as well as “classic holiday decor that feels accessible with moments of handmade details,” London added. Green ribbons decorate the cups, as well as trees, vintage-style string lights and garland rendered in colors like red, green, cream, gold and mint.
“We were thinking about the holiday and using color to help push the vibe,” London said. “We brought in this cream color that softens the palette while the gold adds a little bit of vibrant energy. And then the mint is a nice soft neutral to pair and balance.”
This year is also the first with an official pup cup design for Starbucks’ canine demographic.
Starbucks customers can also check out new ceramic mugs, tumblers and other holiday merchandise that rolled out on Thursday. Some of these feature the “Bearista” character. At home, coffee lovers can brew Starbucks’ Thanksgiving, Christmas and Holiday blend coffee offerings while listening to the new “Holiday Blend” album featuring Brandi Carlisle, Coco Jones and more.
