Starbucks Secret Menu: Gingerbread Chai (ingredients, taste, variations, sizes, copycat recipe, caffeine, calories, and more information)

If you were a fan of the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte, you’ll enjoy the Starbucks Gingerbread Chai. Read on to learn more about it.

The Starbucks Gingerbread Chai is a secret menu latte prepared from the regular Starbucks Chai Tea Latte. This latte requires only three ingredients, including toppings. Like everyone else, I adored the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte, but since this is the fourth year we will be missing this holiday classic, I decided to find similar drinks. I discovered the Gingerbread Chai.

If you want to learn how you can order this latte, stick around. Also, this post will teach you how you make it at home.

A brief history of the drink

The Starbucks Gingerbread Chai has existed since 2000 when gingerbread syrup was introduced, but not many knew about it. Thanks to Cassie P, who made this invention in 2018, this recipe is no longer a secret. However, since 2019, the gingerbread syrup, a major ingredient in this drink, has been missing, and as of this writing, the company still doesn’t have it in-stock.

Is Gingerbread Chai still available at Starbucks?

Unfortunately, since Starbucks doesn’t have gingerbread syrup this year, you can’t order a Gingerbread Chai. But before you get too bummed, Starbucks has released Gingerbread ground coffee and K-cups, so there’s still hope. Keep reading to know how you can still order this drink.

Also, know that gingerbread syrup is a seasonal syrup that used to be available only during the holidays.

Starbucks Gingerbread Chai (Ingredients, taste, variation, sizes, caffeine, and calories)

What’s in a Gingerbread Chai – (ingredients)

When gingerbread syrup is in-stock, the Starbucks Gingerbread Chai is prepared with the following:

• Chai Tea Latte: This is the base drink of the Gingerbread Chai, with milk, chai concentrate, and water.
• Gingerbread Syrup: This syrup is used to add gingerbread flavors, and it’s made with water, natural and artificial flavors, sugar, citric acid, sodium benzoate, and preservatives.
• Whipped cream and molasses drizzle topping: These are used to garnish the latte and add flavors and sweetness.

Since this year we won’t have access to the Starbucks gingerbread syrup, we have a way you can still get this latte, but it’s not guaranteed it’ll work in all Starbucks stores. It depends on how nicely you ask your barista.

So, to order a Gingerbread Chai, ask the barista to prepare a shot of espresso with the Starbucks Gingerbread-flavored K-cup or ground coffee and add it to the regular Chai Tea Latte and top the drink with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Starbucks Gingerbread Chai: Size, nutrition, caffeine, and calories

What sizes are available?

The Gingerbread Chai can be served in four sizes; short (8fl oz.), tall (12fl oz.), Grande (16fl oz.), and venti (20fl oz.). The short and tall sizes are great for kids and those who want to try out the drink first, while the Grande and venti sizes are great for anyone who’s already used to the flavors. Most customers go for the Grande and venti sizes.

Nutritional facts

The calories of this drink are within a healthy range, as well as the sugar, cholesterol, fat, and carbohydrate levels. So, overall, this drink is healthy. However, when consumed excessively, when you take more than two cups, this chai becomes unhealthy for you since you’ll be consuming more sugar, cholesterol, calories, etc.

In the table below, we have summarized the nutritional values of the Grande size to help you estimate the amount of nutrients you’re consuming.

Calories	240
Nutritional Values (per Grande serving)	% Daily Value
Sugars (42g)	–
Cholesterol (20mg)	7%
Total fat (4.5g)   Saturated fat (2g) Trans fat (0mg)	6%   10% –
Protein (8g)	–
Total carbs (45g)	16%
Sodium (115mg)	5%

Caffeine Information

The caffeine amount in the short size is 50mg, 70mg in the tall, 95mg in the Grande, and 120mg in the venti size. Although this drink is coffee-free, the caffeine is from the chai concentrate used in the base beverage. The more chai concentrate one asks for, the more caffeine one consumes.

You’ll be consuming

more caffeine if you use our “Gingerbread-flavored K-cup or espresso shots” trick. A shot (1fl oz.) of the coffee has 80mg of caffeine, so the caffeine amount in your chai will depend on the number of shots you ask for.

So, what does Starbucks Gingerbread Chai taste like?

The Starbucks Gingerbread Chai is tasty, smooth, and slightly spicy with light gingerbread flavors. The smoothness of this drink is from the milk used in the base chai, and the slightly spicy gingerbread flavors are thanks to the gingerbread syrup added. This drink is sweet because of the sugar in the syrup and the base chai and also due to the molasses drizzled on top.

Ways to customize Gingerbread Chai at Starbucks – Starbucks Gingerbread Chai variations

The milk used to prepare the base beverage and the number of chai pumps is up to you.

If your Starbucks store has gingerbread syrup in stock, ask the barista for your preferred number of gingerbread syrup pumps.

If you like, you can ask the barista to add a sweetener to your Gingerbread Chai.

How to make Starbucks Gingerbread Chai at home – Starbucks Gingerbread Chai copycat recipe

INFORMATIVE SECTION

How do you order Gingerbread Chai from the Starbucks app?

Order a regular Chai Tea Latte, and in the instructions box, request the barista to “Add two gingerbread syrup pumps, and if it’s not in stock, add a shot of espresso prepared with Gingerbread-flavored ground coffee of K-cup.”

Does Starbucks have Gingerbread Chai all year round?

No. This drink is only available during the holidays.

Is the Starbucks Gingerbread Chai healthy?

Yes, the Starbucks Gingerbread Chai is relatively healthy.

How much is the Starbucks Gingerbread Chai?

The Grande size is approximately $4.15.