Holiday seasons have many positive attributes: the decorations, the entertainment, and Starbucks’ seasonal drinks. Every year, people eagerly wait to try out the new flavors.
However, Starbucks is expensive and, while a five-dollar drink may not seem like a big issue when ordering one drink, the cost of regular orders add up quickly. Being able to afford these beverages isn’t easy on a regular day, let alone during the holidays when there are so many gifts to buy.
Thankfully, these tasty drinks are easy to make at home, so people can enjoy the wonders of winter without breaking the bank. Here are three seasonal drinks from Starbucks that students can recreate at home with ingredients found in their kitchen for a fraction of the cost of a real Starbucks drink.
One of the newest additions to the holiday menu at Starbucks is the Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai. This chai latte provides flavors of a traditional spiced chai tea made with delicious oat milk combined with a warm and cozy brown sugar-cinnamon gingerbread cookie.
In order to create this seasonal drink at home, begin by making a gingerbread syrup (mix of water, sugar, molasses ground cinnamon, ginger, and allspice in a pan over low heat.) Next, add 1 cup of chai tea concentrate to a glass filled with ice. Stir in about a tablespoon of the gingerbread syrup with ½ cup of oat milk and top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy this beverage for about $2.23 homemade as opposed to the equivalent grande size from Starbucks for $5.25.
For those looking to fuel their caffeine addiction, the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte is the perfect beverage. With notes of vanilla and almond, this latte is a perfect blend of sweet and bitter with a crunch from the Christmas-colored sprinkles. This drink is $5.25 for a grande.
To replicate this iconic drink at home, begin by creating a sugar cookie simple syrup out of water, brown and white sugar, and vanilla and almond extract. Next, combine 1 cup of almond milk, 2 tablespoons of simple syrup and an espresso shot to create the latte. Finally, top with whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles. The homemade version of this drink can be made for $3.25.
For individuals not as interested in the caffeine that Starbucks has to offer, there are plenty of non-caffeinated drinks that still give off the holiday vibe. One example is their hot chocolate. The original price for a grande at Starbucks is $4.30, but the homemade version costs only $3.20 to make!
The first step is to make the chocolate syrup to make the drink as similar to Starbucks’ as possible. Start by adding 1 cup of chocolate chips, ½ cup of sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract into a bowl. Then melt it until the ingredients are mixed into an easy-to-pour syrup. Another batch of this syrup could be made as a topping, however, this is optional. Combine the syrup with two cups of hot milk and stir until mixed; then, top with whipped cream! These ingredients are equivalent to a grande cup.
Making these drinks at home saves money, time and they taste just as good as their Starbucks counterparts!
