I Tried Starbucks' Holiday Menu Including The New Cran-Merry Refresher
This one’s for the Pink Drink lovers.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for a coffee break. Starbucks’ holiday menu is back with fan-favorites like the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, and Chestnut Praline Latte — but those are just the tip of the iceberg.
In addition to nostalgic flavors like sugar cookies and gingerbread, the caffeine giant will also have its first-ever holiday refresher dubbed the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher, starting Thursday, Nov. 7, available through the festive season.
The Cran-Merry Orange Refresher Is A Game-Changer
The newest creation is a fruity and joyous blend of cranberry and orange, plus spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom that you can order three different ways:
- with just a splash of water,
- with lemonade, or
- with coconut milk.
The third is referred to simply as Starbucks’ Cran-Merry Drink, a creamy concoction that’s coming for the Pink Drink’s crown as Starbs’ most popular refresher.
The Rest Of The 2024 Holiday Menu Is Equally Delectable
Along with a lineup of seasonal beverages, the coffeehouse is adding a few new holiday pastries as well. Joining the beloved Sugar Plum Cheese Danish and Cranberry Bliss Bar will be a Turkey Sage Danish, Dark Toffee Bundt, Snowman Cake Pop, and Penguin Cookie.
You’ll also be able to customize your drinks this season with new holiday cold foam flavors like gingerbread and salted pecan in addition to peppermint chocolate. If you’re already thinking of the flavor combos you could create with gingerbread chai lattes and peppermint chocolate cold brews, you don’t have to wait too long to try them. Starbucks’ holiday menu drops on Nov. 7, along with its seasonal merch like the viral Berry Pink Glitter Stanley cup (psst, act fast because there are no plans for a restock).
Before its arrival, I was able to try the all-new Cran-Merry Orange Refresher in all of its iterations to see whether it’s worth ordering this season. Below is my honest review of a grande size of each of the three cranberry-inspired sips.
The Cran-Merry Orange Refresher ($5)
The classic Cran-Merry Orange Refresher was my least favorite of the three ways to enjoy this new holiday flavor, but it was still good. It just didn’t blow me away with any exciting flavors, and tasted like a watered down cranberry juice.
I would actually love to try this with sparkling water, because the bubbles would really bring out more of the fruity flavors. I’m waiting to see how TikTokers can make this refresher more exciting by customizing it with flavored syrups and cold foams.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
The Cran-Merry Orange Lemonade Refresher ($5)
Adding lemonade to the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher brings out so much of the fruit flavors in the classic drink, making this my second choice of the three. You might think a cranberry and orange lemonade would be more of a summertime sip, but the spices in the refresher kept it on the holiday theme.
The flavors were actually really nostalgic, and it reminded me of a seasonal punch served at a white elephant or office holiday party. It is a bit tart with the lemonade and citrus flavors, especially if you bite into one of the cranberries mixed into the drink as well. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Rating: 4 out of 5
The Cran-Merry Drink ($5)
Sorry to the Pink Drink lovers out there, but the Cran-Merry Drink is now Starbucks’ best refresher. The flavor combo of the tart Cran-Merry Orange Refresher with the creamy coconut milk is *so* delicious. It reminds me of Creme Savers, and has a nostalgic candy taste.
It is a bit sweet, but the fruit flavors really balance it out so it’s less sugary than the Pink Drink. That might be why I love it so much — it just works so well together like Santa and Rudolph or milk and cookies.
Rating: 5 out of 5
