Starbucks' New Holiday Menu Item Isn't A Drink

By  Stefanie Waldek
person placing red-and-green starbucks cup on table Starbucks

Pumpkin spice, who? The holiday season is finally here with the release of the red Starbucks cups and winter menu. This year, the ubiquitous coffee shop is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its festive cups, first introduced for the holiday season in 1997. The 2022 edition features wavy red-and-green stripes bedecked with white starbursts.

stack of 25 starbucks holiday cups from the last 25 yearsConnor Surdi/Starbucks

To celebrate the anniversary, Starbucks has published a visual timeline of the holiday cups. Believe it or not, the first-ever holiday cup wasn't red, but purple. In fact, they remained purple for the second year, too, before switching over to the now-iconic red cup.

"What's happened now in popular culture is that the appearance of the red cup signals to people that it's time to celebrate the holidays," Sandy Nelson, who designed the first Starbucks holiday cup, said in a statement. "Who would have thought 25 years ago that would happen?"

chocolate pistachio swirlStarbucks

Starbucks is also launching its holiday menu, which includes the fan-favorite Peppermint Mocha (which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year), as well as the Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Irish Cream Cold Brew, and the non-dairy Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte.

However, the new menu item this year is not a drink but a baked good: the Chocolate Pistachio Swirl, a buttery brioche roll filled with notes of cinnamon and coffee, topped with chopped pistachios.

All of these holiday goodies and more are now available at your local Starbucks store, along with limited-edition holiday merch.

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