How to Make 12 Starbucks Holiday Drinks at Home

Don’t feel like leaving the house? No problem.

<p>Etorres69/Getty Images</p>

Etorres69/Getty Images

If you wait all year for red cup season, then you’re likely a fan of many Starbucks holiday drinks. The December menu is a fan favorite, perhaps for its limited-time-only appeal, while the holiday joy and nostalgia the drinks are designed to evoke, and the general sweetness and pleasant flavors of the dessert-themed coffee beverages don’t disappoint. 

But even for gold card holders, buying festive-flavored lattes every day adds up. Luckily, holiday-themed drinks can be made at home exactly to your liking—no fake name or alt-milk upcharge required. Special equipment isn’t even necessary. Here’s how to make your favorite Starbucks-inspired holiday drinks at home. Red cup optional.

Related: Newsflash: A Venti Starbucks Drink Doesn't Always Contain More Espresso Than a Grande

Brew Your Coffee With Arabica Beans

First, start by brewing Arabica beans, which are sweeter and have a higher sugar content than Robusta beans, suggest Mitalee Bharadwaj and Lisa Yala, founders of Transcendence Coffee. And you don’t need an espresso maker to create lattes at home. Use a pour over, French press, or stovetop moka pot to make a rich pot of coffee and top it off with the flavored syrup of your choice, typically in 1 teaspoon increments to determine your desired sweetness. Finish with frothed milk. “If you don’t have a frother, simply warm some milk and whisk it in a bowl until frothy and the milk doubles in size,” Bharadwaj and Yala say. Once your coffee is ready, choose from one of the recipes below to create the perfect holiday drink at home.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The key to flavored lattes is the syrup, which can be purchased online in various sizes. Though Starbucks doesn’t sell its pumpkin spice syrup commercially, a similar syrup can be purchased from Torani, which is used by coffee shops across America. If you want to make your own, Starbucks at Home provides the following recipe: 1 cup water,  ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 6 Tbsp pumpkin purée, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice should be simmered for about 4 minutes until everything is well combined. Strain and keep covered in the fridge for up to two weeks. Add by the teaspoon to a latte or iced latte at home. Top with whipped cream and additional pumpkin pie spice.

Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte

This recipe calls for ice, brewed espresso, almond milk, sugar cookie flavored syrup, and holiday sprinkles, if you want to add extra color on top. To start, fill a cup with ice and add your shot of espresso (or two if you want an extra jolt). Froth a serving of almond milk with a milk frother to make it creamy, and then add two tablespoons of sugar cookie syrup. Mix it all together, then top with whipped cream and sprinkles if you want.

Gingerbread Latte

Although Starbucks brought back its gingerbread latte this season, it can still be recreated at home. Monin sells a popular gingerbread syrup to stir into lattes, which can be garnished with whipped cream and nutmeg.

Iced Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai

All you need for this drink is gingerbread syrup, oat milk, chai tea concentrate, and some ice. Fill a cup with ice, then pour a serving of chai tea concentrate in the cup. Froth a serving of oatmilk in a separate cup to make it extra creamy, then pour that in with the tea. Finally, add two tablespoons of gingerbread syrup to your cup, and mix. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice or all of the above on top for extra flavor. Don't like oat milk? You can replace with any milk of your choice and still get a flavorful, festive drink.

Peppermint Mocha

A mocha is just your standard latte, but with chocolate syrup (called mocha, to be fancy). Add peppermint syrup for a festive flair. To make your own peppermint syrup, make a simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water. Then, add a few dashes of peppermint extract.

Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

Of course, white chocolate syrup would work for this drink, but that can be hard to find. Instead, Starbucks recommends melting 4 ounces of white chocolate chips or broken white chocolate directly into your coffee. Stir with a shot of espresso or 1 ounce of brewed coffee, and then top with steamed 2% milk. It’s a drinkable dessert!

Related: Half and Half vs. Heavy Cream: Differences and Substitutions

Caramel Brulée Latte

Starbucks’ signature caramel sauce is made by melting 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/4 cup half-and-half, plus a pinch of salt, for about 10 minutes on low heat. Then, use it in a latte as desired. For that special holiday touch, infuse some homemade whipped cream with the caramel sauce and use it to top the latte.

Eggnog Latte

Eggnog has been axed from Starbucks’ current holiday menu, but there are a few ways to re-create the drink. The most obvious is to heat eggnog, and froth with some milk before pouring over espresso or strong coffee. You can also make an eggnog latte with coffee, frothed milk, and eggnog syrup, such as Amoretti’s version.

Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

Though Starbucks doesn’t release its official Frappuccino recipe to consumers, it’s essentially a coffee smoothie. The Starbucks At Home recipe for a Frozen Blended Coffee starts with one packet of instant coffee or 1 ounce (one shot) of espresso. Blend with 3/4 cup whole milk, 1 1/2 cups ice, as well as 1 Tbsp peppermint syrup and 1 Tbsp White Chocolate syrup (or white chocolate chips). Add or deduct syrups to adjust sweetness, and throw in 1/8 tsp salt for balance. Once blended, top with whipped cream, if desired.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Any hot chocolate can be peppermint hot chocolate! Pick your favorite mix, heat as directed with milk, alternative milks, or hot water with a splash of cream, and add a pump of peppermint syrup. Top with whipped cream and crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.

Related: 15 Delicious Hot Chocolate Recipes That Are Over-the-Top Decadent

Irish Cream Cold Brew

The heart of this drink is the cold brew, which needs to be prepared at least 12 hours in advance. Easily make cold brew at home by soaking 12 ounces of coarsely ground coffee beans in six cups of water for up to 24 hours, and then strain. Cold brew and cold brew concentrate can also be purchased pre-made at most grocery stores, and would work for this drink. Combine cold brew with equal parts water in a glass over ice, and make your foam.

Starbucks’ Irish Cream is vanilla-flavored and can be made by frothing 1/4 cup 2% milk, ​1 Tbsp powdered sugar​, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Spoon over cold brew and enjoy.

Related: 5 Hacks to Save Money on Your Favorite Starbucks Drinks

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