Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond milk Latte (Taste, Ingredients, Caffeine, Calories, Copycat Recipe & More information)

The year is coming to an end, and with Christmas coming around, I’m here to tell you about the Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond milk latte drink that’s perfect to usher in the festive season.

Starbucks recently unveiled their new and updated holiday menu for this year, and I am pleased. In addition to the beloved peppermint mocha, and fan-favorite caramel brulée latte, there’s a new drink in town. Introducing, the Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond milk Latte! Once I saw this on the menu, I knew I had to try it. From the first sip, I was pretty sure that I would be ordering this all through the holiday season, and beyond. I fell so deep in love with this drink, that I knew I’d crave it even when the holidays end. So, I did my research and found a recipe that I use and you could follow to make this drink at home. The best part is, I’m telling you all about it.

Before we get there though, here is a brief history of the drink, plus some fascinating and important facts.

Brief History of the Drink

The Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond milk Latte is a new drink that’s part of the 2021 Starbucks holiday menu.

It is the first-ever non-dairy holiday coffee drink and is all about celebrating a Christmas Holiday staple, Sugar Cookies.

The most fascinating fact about this drink is that its original recipe includes Almond Milk, which is uncommon for holiday drinks. Erin Marinan from Starbucks R&D can be quoted stating that almond milk was chosen, since it is used a lot in baking, and pairs naturally with the nutty notes of the Starbucks blonde espresso. It enhances the buttery and vanilla notes of the sugar cookies.

Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte Overview

What’s in a Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte – (ingredients)

Now that you know a little more about this amazing drink, this section will elaborate on what it is made of. I am sure by now, you may be wondering what the Starbucks blonde espresso is, and the aspects of this drink that enhances the butter and vanilla in sugar cookies.

As stated earlier, this drink comprises the Starbucks roasted blonde espresso, sugar cookie syrup, and steamed almond milk (or ice and milk) topped with red and green sprinkles.

The blonde espresso is a departure from the typical dark espresso Starbucks uses for most of its drinks. It brings a little nuttiness to the drink and contains a little more caffeine.

The sugar cookie syrup is a sugar-based and dairy-free syrup which is one of the syrups available for the 2021 holiday menu. It is made of sugar, water, and natural flavors.

The red and green sprinkles are a simple topping, made of sugar, cornstarch, natural flavor, and vegetable juice for color.

Starbucks states that there are no known allergens available for this drink. However, they state that they cannot guarantee the absence of allergens as they use shared equipment in the production process. They encourage customers to read the labels of their packaged products or look them up online.

Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte: Sizes, nutrition, Caffeine & Calories

What sizes are available?

Just like any Starbucks drink. There are four cup sizes available. Short, which is 8 fluid ounces, tall, that’s 12 fluid ounces, grande and venti which are 16 fluid ounces and 20 fluid ounces respectively.

Since this drink can be very sweet, I recommend starting with the short cup size, then maybe later choosing a larger cup size. With each order, you have the freedom to adjust the number of pumps of syrup. The larger the cup, the more pumps of syrup you can have.

Nutritional Facts

In general, most Starbucks drinks are not that healthy, which is contributed to a large amount of sugar and fat most of them have. The sugar cookie almond milk latte is no exception. There’s hardly a way that a sugar cookie anything could be considered healthy.

However, it is noted that this drink had 25 grams of sugar, which is lower than most Starbucks drinks, but still high to not be a healthy drink. It also has no nutritive value, therefore would be considered to be more of a treat than a healthy drink.

You may also think that since almond milk is used, which is non-dairy and vegan, would make this drink healthier, but it is low in protein and fat, therefore your body will burn through it quickly, causing a sugar spike, then a crash.

With all this in mind, the table below illustrates the nutrition information of a Grande size cup (16 fl. oz.) of this drink based on a 2000 calories a day diet.

Calorie count (out of 2,000 calories daily intake)	180
Nutrient Content (per Grande serving)	% of Daily Value
Total Fat (6g) Trans Fat (0g) Saturated Fat (0g)	8%
Total carbohydrates (32g) Sugar (27g) Dietary Fiber (1g)	12% 4%
Proteins (3g)	–
Cholesterol (0mg)
Sodium (160mg)	7%

Caffeine Information

This drink contains 170mg of caffeine. This amount is fair enough to get you going about your day with high energy. The sugar in the drink can also be a contributing factor to supplying the energy you need.

I’d recommend taking this in the middle of the day as a pick-me-up, instead of it being the first thing in the morning.

So, what does Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte taste like?

It is a light and refreshing drink. You can order it either hot or cold. The hot version brings out the nutty flavor of the almond milk. In this version, the sprinkles melt into the coffee giving extra sweetness.

The cold/iced version is sweet and light. It does not taste like almonds but has a hint of vanilla with the buttery flavor of a sugar cookie.

Ways to Customize a Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte at Starbucks

One thing known about Starbucks is that there is a wide array of options to choose from when customizing your drink.

You could order the decaf version, which translates to no caffeine. This can be done by switching out the roasted blonde espresso with decaf.

You could also add whipped cream as a topping if you are okay with having dairy. The combination of whipped cream and the red and green sprinkles, make the drink extra festive.

You could also choose to have it hot or cold. Instead of steamed almond milk, you could have whole milk or any other milk option. You could also adjust the sweetness by customizing the number of syrup pumps you’d like in your drink.

FAQs

Is Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte healthy?

No. it would be considered a treat. Even though it contains less amount of sugar than regular Starbucks drinks, it’s still too high to be considered healthy.

What are some alternatives for the Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte?

You could choose among the drinks available on the holiday menu, such as the peppermint mocha or the caramel brulée latte. These can be great alternatives. Plus, there is a large variety of drinks to choose from on the menu which is available all year round.

Is the Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte still available?

It is part of the holiday menu; therefore, it is only available during Christmas.

How much is the Starbucks Sugar Cookie Almond milk latte?

It depends on the cup size you choose, but on average, it costs $4.