October is over, and that means that the only thing standing between now and Christmas is Thanksgiving, which most people tend to ignore… so, basically, it’s Christmas.
Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, it’s reinforced by the food industry: specifically in the drink area. The coffee shop giants of Altoona, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, have already released their holiday drink menus for 2024, thereby setting the seasonal fever further in motion.
Dunkin’s menu was released on Nov. 1, while Starbucks kept their fans waiting until Nov. 7. This year, Dunkin’ has brought back customer favorites and has instated new options. Their returning drinks are the Cookie Butter Cold Brew, Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte and the Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte. New to their holiday menu are the Holiday Cookie Signature Latte and the White Hazelnut Bark Coffee.
Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte
5/10
I honestly have no notes on this one. It tastes like just about every other peppermint mocha that crops up for the holiday season, and, while that’s obviously not a bad thing, it’s also not original. That being said, if you’re after some simple festivity for the holiday season, the Peppermint Mocha is the safest bet. I’d recommend getting it hot, so it’s even closer to its peppermint hot chocolate counterpart.
Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte
6/10
If you’re not a fan of peppermint, but still want to get into the holiday spirit, don’t worry. Dunkin’s got you covered with this seasonal favorite. This drink has a strong, sweet white chocolate flavor to it, though I wasn’t entirely sure where the “toasted” came from. While its taste was mostly true to its name, the white chocolate was too much at times, probably because it didn’t have another flavor to compliment it (surprise: “toasted” doesn’t count). In all, this is the drink I’d be least likely to recommend, unless you’re a white chocolate fiend.
Cookie Butter Cold Brew
9/10
This Dunkin’ cold brew is returning for its third year as a part of the holiday line up, and I can see why. The cold brew is flavored with brown sugar and hints of sugar cookie, and the cold foam on top of it is flavored to match. The foam is also dusted with cookie butter crumbs, though more for the aesthetic than anything else. While only making up a fraction of the drink, the cold foam is the star. Its flavors are warm and lively, dressing up Dunkin’s regular cold brew in seasonal spices. The only con to the drink is that the strength of the cold brew is sometimes too much for the cold foam, making it taste considerably less like Christmas, and more like everyday coffee. If you know the cold brew by itself might be a little too much, you can also get the coldfoam on a regular latte or add cream or sugar to the cold brew to make your sip a little sweeter.
Holiday Cookie Signature Latte
6/10
Sweet spices and nutty flavors combine with Dunkin’s unique espresso to make the Holiday Cookie Signature Latte. There’s no doubt that this drink is good; it is cheerful, light and full of flavor. However, nothing about it particularly said “Holiday Cookie” to me. It had almond, brown sugar and cinnamon–all great flavors, but when they were put together they just didn’t taste like what is usually considered a basic holiday cookie. I expected something closer to the popular Starbucks’ Sugar Cookie Latte, maybe with hints of vanilla, instead of just nuts and spices. Overall, the latte was incredibly flavorful, but if you’re looking for “holiday cookie” you might want to look elsewhere. However, if you’re in the mood for the aforementioned nuts and spices, this is the perfect drink for you.
White Hazelnut Bark Coffee
7/10
This drink is the other newest addition to Dunkin’s holiday team. Its white chocolate flavoring is a lot less intense than the signature latte, which I think works in the coffee’s favor. The hazelnut adds that needed warmth that the white chocolate can’t, and really makes the drink “holiday.” The coffee is also already blended with cream, but if you like your coffee lighter, you can always add more. I got it iced, but I think it would be just as good (if not better) hot. It may not be my new favorite Dunkin’ drink, but it’s a perfect fit for the season.
