Make these Starbucks Holiday drinks: eggnog latte, peppermint mocha, caramel brulee latte, gingerbread latte and Irish cream cold brew.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Milk – use any dairy or non dairy milk substitution of your choice.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened chocolate or hot chocolate mix can be used in a pinch.
- Mint syrup – use store-bought syrup or make your own with 2 tbsp boiling water, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp peppermint extract.
- Espresso shots – use a dark/strong coffee if you don't have espresso shots on hand.
- Light whipped cream – leave out the whip cream altogether or opt in a for a coconut whipped cream if you'd like a dairy free alternative.
- Crushed candy canes – leave this off or sprinkle your coffee with some cinnamon instead.
- Syrup or seasonings – nutmeg, cinnamon, simple syrup, caramel syrup, dried ginger, vanilla extract, Irish cream syrup and more.
How to make holiday coffee
Step 1: Stir together the milk and any syrups or seasonings.
Step 2: Froth the milk.
Froth the milk in a milk frother or in the microwave.
Step 3: Make the coffee.
Brew the espresso shots or make your cold brew coffee the night before.
Step 4: Assemble your drinks and serve!
Pour the espresso shots into the frothed milk mixture, add any toppings and serve!
Customizing your drink
Just like at Starbucks, you can customize your holiday coffee drinks at home to your liking! You can even turn your holiday drink into a holiday cocktail – which you definitely can't do at Starbucks!
- Milk: Use any dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice like skim milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk and more.
- Decaf: Use decaf espresso if you're trying to cut down on your caffeine intake.
- Sugar-Free/Skinny: Use a sugar-free syrup for a low-cal version of your favourite drink.
- Alcohol: To make a boozy Christmas coffee drink, add a liquor of your choice like Bailey's, peppermint schnapps, rum, bourbon or brandy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The authentic Starbucks drinks are typically made using espresso (or cold brew coffee in the case of cold brew). If you're really not a fan of espresso, you can use regular drip coffee, but I'd recommend a darker roast for a similar flavour.
Yes! To make your Christmas coffee drinks dairy-free, use your favourite dairy-free milk and leave off the whipped cream or swap it out for a dairy-free whipped cream.
If you're looking to purchase flavoured syrups for coffee to make your mornings easier, I've got you covered! I use Torani syrups in my coffee because they're really similar to the ones Starbucks (and other coffee shops use) and they're easy to find. Purchase your favourite flavoured syrups online on Amazon, Walmart, Torani's website, BuyCoffeeCanada, or in store at some grocery stores and limited coffee shops.
Unfortunately, these holiday drinks are best made fresh – however, you can prep certain components ahead of time like any homemade syrups or cold brew coffee.
Starbucks Holiday Drinks Recipe Round-Up
Skip the long lines at the counter and ditch the high price tag by making your favourite Starbucks holiday coffee drinks at home! They're way easier to make then you think, and are super customizable.
Eggnog latte
Caramel brulee latte
Irish cream cold brew
Gingerbread latte
Peppermint mocha
Prepping components ahead of time
While you can't make the full drinks ahead of time, you can make your mornings easier my prepping certain components of your drinks:
- Syrups: Make up to 2 weeks in advance and store in a mason jar in the fridge.
- Cold Brew: Make your cold brew coffee and store it in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- Irish Cream: Store without foaming or whipping the cold foam in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Make sure to whip before adding to your cold brew.
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More Starbucks drink recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Get some cheesecloth to strain the coffee.
- Pick up some coffee beans or pre-ground coffee such as Lavazza.
- You may need a coffee grinder if you're using fresh whole beans.
- Order some similar clear glass mugs.
- Order some Starbucks caramel syrup online.
- Want to upgrade your espresso machine? Try the Philips 3100.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Starbucks Holiday Drinks
Ingredients
Peppermint Mocha
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp mint syrup (2 tbsp boiling water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp peppermint extract)
- 2 espresso shots
- Light whipped cream (optional topping)
- Crushed candy canes (optional topping)
Eggnog Latte
- 2 espresso shots
- 1/2 cup eggnog
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- Light whipped cream (optional topping)
Gingerbread Latte
- 2 espresso shots
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp simple syrup (1 tbsp boiling water & 2 tsp sugar)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp dried ginger
- Light whipped cream (optional topping)
Caramel Brulee Latte
- 2 espresso shots
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp storebought caramel syrup (I find the Torani brand gets the flavour close)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Light whipped cream (optional topping)
- Caramel sundae sauce (optional topping)
- Crushed toffee bits (optional topping) I buy the Skor brand
Irish Cream Cold Brew
- 8 cups filtered water
- 2 cups ground coffee
- 1 tbsp storebought Irish cream syrup (I find the Torani brand gets the flavour close)
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp simple syrup (1 tbsp boiling water and 2 tsp sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
Peppermint Mocha
- Stir milk, cocoa powder and mint syrup together in either a large cup or a milk frother. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot, or froth until hot. Meanwhile, brew espresso shots. Pour them into milk mixture when milk is ready, and stir to combine. Add whipped cream overtop if desired and sprinkle with candy canes. Serve and enjoy!
Eggnog Latte
- Stir milk, eggnog and nutmeg together in either a large cup or a milk frother. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot, or froth until hot. Meanwhile, brew espresso shots. Pour them into milk mixture when milk is ready, and stir to combine. Add whipped cream overtop if desired and sprinkle with extra nutmeg. Serve and enjoy!
Gingerbread Latte
- Stir milk, simple syrup, cinnamon and ginger together in either a large cup or a milk frother. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot, or froth until hot. Meanwhile, brew espresso shots. Pour them into milk mixture when milk is ready, and stir to combine. Add whipped cream overtop if desired and sprinkle with extra ginger. Serve and enjoy!
Caramel Brulee Latte
- Stir milk, caramel syrup and vanilla together in either a large cup or a milk frother. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot, or froth until hot. Meanwhile, brew espresso shots. Pour them into milk mixture when milk is ready, and stir to combine. Add whipped cream overtop if desired, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toffee bits. Serve and enjoy!
Irish Cream Cold Brew
- Make the cold brew coffee by mixing water and coffee grinds together in a large pitcher. Let sit overnight in the fridge for at least 12 hours (or up to 48 hours if desired). When ready to serve, slowly pour coffee through cheesecloth that is sitting in a fine mesh sieve into another large pitcher. Make sure you pour slowly and with precision to ensure there are no coffee grounds in the cold brew.
- Mix together whipping cream, milk, simple syrup and vanilla extract, frothing with an immersion blender until thickened slightly to make your sweet cream.
- Add 1 cup of cold brew to a large glass, then mix in Irish cream syrup. Top with sweet cream, then sprinkle with cocoa powder if desired. Serve and enjoy!
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