Tag: Starbucks

What is the Starbucks Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte?

The holidays are here at Starbucks, and so is the newest addition to its seasonal lineup. A new non-dairy option, the Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte, combines Blonde espresso with a sugar cookie syrup and almondmilk. But the fun is not over yet – it’s also topped with festive red and green sprinkles.

How is it?

Oh. My. Gosh. I had high hopes and this lived up to the expectations. Starbucks knocked it out of the park with the new sugar cookie syrup. I picked up notes of vanilla and sugar with a very subtle sweetness. The syrup pairs well with the almondmilk, making the latte smooth and creamy. It almost didn’t feel like a holiday beverage since I tend to associate those with a heavy dose of sweet. This is one that I could definitely drink all year long. (Starbucks, this is my plea for you to keep it on the menu. Please.)

Another positive to note: Between picking up my drink, a daycare drop off and settling in at the office, I (almond)milked this iced beverage for nearly three hours. And I’m happy to report that the flavor held up without it becoming too watery or diluted. Huge win!

Anything else you need to know?

I love the addition of the sprinkles, but they did sink to the bottom rather quickly. And because of that, there was a slight grittiness in the last few sips of my drink. Not a turnoff for me, just something for those who might not like texture!

I want to forewarn you, reader: As most seasonal beverages do, this came with a hefty price tag. A grande here in the Midwest cost me $5.25. Had I gotten a venti, it would have been $5.95. Worth it? Yes… but your budget might take a hit if you become addicted to this one like I have. (Sorry, husband!)

Conclusion:

Yes, yes, a million times yes. I loved this iced and am looking forward to the hot version as well. I’m so thrilled with this Starbucks release and urge anyone with even a slight desire to head to your nearest location and try this baby.

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Grande
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 150 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of protein and 170 milligrams of caffeine.

Click here to read our previous Starbucks reviews.

Update 9/2/22: We also tried the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato! Click here to read our review.

What is the Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato?

Move over, Pumpkin Spice Latter, there’s a new fall drink in town. Recently added to the menu is the Apple Crisp Macchiato, available either hot or iced. Espresso is added to milk, with a spiced apple drizzle on top. You’ll also find the flavor of an Apple Brown Sugar Syrup.

How is it?

Let me start with a story. I’ve always understood that you do not stir a macchiato. After the espresso is layered on the milk, you let it naturally settle as you sip. A year or so ago, I mobile ordered an Iced Caramel Macchiato and sent my husband in to get it while I stayed in the car with our infant son. I gave him the explicit instructions NOT to stir the drink. Five minutes later, he walks out, and what is he doing? You guessed it. Shaking the drink around like it’s his job. Lesson learned: I go in and get the drink myself. (And he doesn’t live it down!)

I share this story because it’s one of the reasons the Iced Apple Crisp Macchiato fell flat for me. When I got the drink, I could visibly see the Spiced Apple Drizzle and Apple Brown Sugar Syrup at the very bottom of the cup. And although that’s how macchiatos are constructed, unless I were to stir my iced beverage, there was no distribution of the flavor. I would have preferred the apple evenly distributed throughout the macchiato. I didn’t get a hint of apple until about 25% of the way through the drink. When I did get to taste the drizzle at the bottom, it was syrupy sweet. But overall, this really felt too similar in taste to the standard caramel version.

What I did like, though, was the hint of spice. It did make it feel like a fall drink that could be a nice alternative for folks who aren’t PSL fans. I’d like to try the Apple Brown Sugar Syrup in a regular iced caffe latte and see if that brings out more of the flavor.

Anything else you need to know?

Two other cons for me: The Iced Apple Crisp Macchiato has A LOT of sugar (hello, 36 grams in a tall) and was A LOT of money for a tall. Just be prepared that your waistline and wallet may not like you if you’re a fan of these.

Conclusion:

Just meh. Had higher hopes. I’m curious to see if the hot macchiato translates the same way… I’ll just have to add it to my list.

Purchased Price: $4.75
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 4 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 36 grams of total sugars, 7 grams of protein, and 75 milligrams of caffeine.

Starbucks not only dictates when fall starts (on PSL day, of course), but now also when summer starts with its drink drops. The latest seasonal lineup, cleverly dubbed “A.S.A.P.” (As Summer As Possible), comprises mainly of repeat/returning items, but there’s one new beverage: the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino!

This signature blended beverage touts funnel-cake flavor syrup blended with coffee, milk, and ice with layers of strawberry puree, whipped cream, and powered sugar funnel cake pieces.

Visually, the first descriptor that came to mind was “stunning,” which may sound exaggerated. So, I’ll settle down and simply say it was a pretty drink! It brought back summer nostalgia as it fondly reminded me of strawberry ice cream sundae cups – the ones with the little wooden spoon. As a kid, I used to eat those daily during summer school.

This Frap was definitely a glow up from those frozen dessert cups. Consistent with all Starbucks’ fruit inclusions/flavoring, the strawberry puree had the nuanced sweet and tartness of real fruit. In contrast, though, the funnel cake-flavored syrup tasted a little bit artificial. It had a distinct vanilla-esque note that even coffee couldn’t hide.

To be fair, though, the drink overall was not very coffee-forward. I was about halfway through when I did a double take and asked aloud, “Is there even coffee in this?!” The nutrition facts in the handy app confirmed the caffeine presence of about 85 milligrams, which is a fraction of my usual nitro cold brew. Regardless, I’m going to say it was by design because it would be easy to overwhelm the fruit flavor with bold, acidic coffee.

I chose not to mix it to maintain the layered drinking experience. My favorite sips started with the whipped cream and strawberry puree part for a strawberries & cream-like flavor. Then it was followed by a slurp of the blended coffee as there were the fun bits of the funnel cake pieces. Said pieces had a graham cracker-like texture instead of fluffy funnel cake. This deviation was fine by me because I hate the idea of soggy pieces. Rinse and repeat (or more like sip and sip some more in this case)!

Is it a color-changing, Insta-worthy mermaid unicorn beverage? No.

Is it a classic that I could see returning summer after summer? Heckin’ yes!

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Grande (16 oz)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (16 oz) 410 calories, 20 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 53 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 51 grams of sugar, 4 grams of added sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 85 milligrams of caffeine.