Starbucks Holiday Drink Dupes You Can Make at Home (2026 Menu)

Every November, a red cup becomes the unofficial start of the holidays across the US and Canada. Fans love the Starbucks holiday menu because it shows up like clockwork, tastes like the season and disappears just when you’re hooked. It all started in 1986 with the Eggnog Latte. Then the Peppermint Mocha arrived in 2002 and went on to become the most popular holiday drink in Starbucks history.

This year’s lineup lands in US and Canadian stores on November 5, 2026. The new Tiramisu Velvet drinks and an Apple Pomegranate Refresher join four returning classics. And with 82% of past-day coffee drinkers already making their coffee at home, it makes sense to bring the menu home too. These Starbucks holiday drink dupes cover every drink on the 2026 menu, plus two fan favorites that didn’t make the cut.

What’s on the Starbucks Holiday Menu in 2026

Here’s the full drink lineup you’ll see in stores this season.

Drink	New or Returning	How It’s Served
Tiramisu Velvet Latte	New	Hot or iced
Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew	New	Iced
Apple Pomegranate Refresher	New	Iced (Snowy version with coconut milk)
Peppermint Mocha	Returning	Hot or iced
Caramel Brulée Latte	Returning	Hot or iced
Sugar Cookie Latte	Returning	Usually iced
Gingerbread Chai	Returning	Usually iced

What You’ll Need for Homemade Holiday Drinks

You don’t need a café setup to pull these off. A few basics cover every recipe in this guide, and most of them you probably already have.

Espresso or Strong Coffee

• Espresso machine: The closest match to the real thing. Two shots (about 2 oz) per drink.
• No machine? A moka pot or AeroPress gets you a strong, concentrated shot that works just as well in a latte.
• Last resort: Brew coffee at double strength and use ½ cup in place of two shots.
• Cold brew: Needs 12 to 18 hours of steeping, so make a batch ahead or grab a bottle of plain cold brew.

Milk, Foam and a Frother

• Milk: 2% gives you the classic coffeehouse taste. Oat milk works great for the sugar cookie and gingerbread drinks.
• Handheld frother: Cheap, fast, and handles both hot milk and cold foam.
• No frother? Shake warm milk in a sealed jar for 30 seconds, or pump it in a French press.

Syrups and Sauces

• Homemade: Most holiday syrups are just sugar, water and an extract or spice. Each keeps in the fridge for about two weeks.
• Store-bought: Peppermint, vanilla and caramel syrups are easy to find in grocery stores if you want to skip the stove.
• Chocolate sauce: Any good-quality chocolate sauce works for the mocha.

Toppings That Make It Look the Part

• Whipped cream: Canned is fine; homemade is better.
• Dustings: Cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Extras: Red and green sprinkles, chocolate shavings and crushed toffee for that holiday-cup look.

Starbucks Holiday Drink Dupe Recipes

Each recipe makes one 16 oz drink, about the size of a grande.

Tiramisu Velvet Latte Dupe (New for 2026)

Starbucks’ new headliner is a latte topped with mascarpone cold foam and a dusting of cocoa and coffee. The foam is what makes it taste like dessert, so don’t skip it.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots espresso
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla syrup
• ¼ tsp rum extract (optional, for that tiramisu note)

For the mascarpone cold foam:

• 2 tbsp mascarpone, softened
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla syrup

For the topping:

• Cocoa powder and instant espresso powder

How to make it:

1. Add the mascarpone, heavy cream, milk and vanilla syrup to a small glass. Froth until thick and smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Brew the espresso and stir in the vanilla syrup and rum extract.
3. For hot, steam or heat the milk and pour it over the espresso. For iced, fill a glass with ice, add the milk, then the espresso.
4. Spoon the mascarpone foam on top.
5. Dust with a mix of cocoa powder and instant espresso powder.

Tip: Can’t find mascarpone? Softened cream cheese works, though it’s a little tangier.

Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew Dupe

Same mascarpone foam, but on smooth cold brew instead of a latte. It’s lighter and less milky.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup cold brew
• 1 tbsp vanilla syrup
• Ice
• Mascarpone cold foam (same as above)
• Cocoa and instant espresso powder

How to make it:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add the cold brew and vanilla syrup, then stir.
3. Top with the mascarpone cold foam.
4. Dust with cocoa and espresso powder.

Tip: A medium or dark roast cold brew holds up best against the rich foam.

Peppermint Mocha Dupe

The drink that started the red cup frenzy. Espresso, chocolate and peppermint, finished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots espresso
• 2 tbsp chocolate sauce
• 1–2 tbsp peppermint syrup
• 1 cup milk
• Whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings

Homemade peppermint syrup: Simmer 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool, then stir in ½ tsp peppermint extract.

How to make it:

1. Stir the chocolate sauce and peppermint syrup into the hot espresso until smooth.
2. Steam or heat the milk and pour it in.
3. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Variation: Swap the chocolate sauce for white chocolate sauce to make a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha.

Tip: Peppermint extract is strong. Start with less syrup and add more to taste.

Caramel Brulée Latte Dupe

This one is all about burnt-sugar caramel. A quick homemade sauce gets you that deep, toasty flavor store-bought caramel can’t match.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots espresso
• 2 tbsp caramel brulée sauce
• 1 cup milk
• Whipped cream
• Crushed toffee or hard caramel candy

Caramel brulée sauce:

1. Heat ½ cup sugar in a pan over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns deep amber.
2. Take it off the heat and carefully whisk in ¼ cup heavy cream. It will bubble up.
3. Stir in 1 tbsp butter and a pinch of salt. Let it cool.

How to make it:

1. Stir the sauce into the hot espresso.
2. Add steamed milk.
3. Top with whipped cream and crushed toffee.

Tip: Push the caramel a shade darker than you think. That slightly bitter edge is the “brulée.”

Sugar Cookie Latte Dupe

A light, sweet latte that tastes like holiday cookie dough. Blonde espresso and oat milk keep it smooth.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots blonde or light roast espresso
• 1–2 tbsp sugar cookie syrup
• 1 cup oat milk
• Ice
• Red and green sprinkles

Sugar cookie syrup: Simmer 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water until dissolved. Off the heat, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ tsp almond extract.

How to make it:

1. Fill a glass with ice and add the oat milk.
2. Stir the syrup into the espresso and pour it over the milk.
3. Top with sprinkles.

Variation: Want it hot? Steam the oat milk and skip the ice.

Tip: Almond extract is what makes it taste like a cookie. Don’t leave it out.

Gingerbread Chai Dupe

Spiced chai meets gingerbread syrup for a cozy drink that’s still served cold.

What you’ll need:

• ½ cup chai concentrate
• ½ cup oat milk
• 1 tbsp gingerbread syrup
• Ice
• Vanilla cold foam and a pinch of cinnamon

Gingerbread syrup: Simmer 1 cup water, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, 1 tbsp molasses, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon and a pinch each of cloves and nutmeg for 5 minutes. Strain and cool.

Vanilla cold foam: Froth 2 tbsp heavy cream, 2 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla syrup until thick.

How to make it:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add the chai concentrate, oat milk and gingerbread syrup, then stir.
3. Top with vanilla cold foam and a dusting of cinnamon.

Variation: Add a shot of espresso to make it a dirty chai.

Apple Pomegranate Refresher Dupe

The new caffeine-light pick on the menu: crisp apple, tart pomegranate and pearls that pop.

What you’ll need:

• ½ cup apple juice or cider
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp pomegranate (or strawberry) popping boba
• Ice and apple slices

How to make it:

1. Shake the apple juice, pomegranate juice and water with ice.
2. Add the popping boba to a glass and pour the drink over it.
3. Garnish with thin apple slices.

Variation: For a Snowy version, swap the water for ¼ cup coconut milk and shake well.

Tip: Popping boba is easy to find online or at most Asian grocery stores.

Missing From the Menu This Year? Make Them Anyway

Two favorites didn’t make the 2026 announcement. Here’s how to make them at home.

Chestnut Praline Latte Dupe

Nutty, caramelized and lightly spiced, with a crunchy praline topping.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots espresso
• 2 tbsp chestnut praline syrup
• 1 cup milk
• Whipped cream

Chestnut praline syrup: Simmer ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup water and ½ cup chopped roasted chestnuts for 10 minutes. Add a pinch of cinnamon, then strain. No chestnuts? Use ¼ tsp hazelnut extract instead.

Praline topping: Mix 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans with 1 tsp brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.

How to make it:

1. Stir the syrup into the espresso.
2. Add steamed milk.
3. Top with whipped cream and the praline crumbs.

Eggnog Latte Dupe

The original Starbucks holiday drink, and the easiest one to make.

What you’ll need:

• 2 shots espresso
• ½ cup eggnog
• ½ cup milk
• Ground nutmeg

How to make it:

1. Heat the eggnog and milk together gently. Don’t let it boil.
2. Pour it over the espresso.
3. Finish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Tip: Eggnog scorches fast, so keep the heat low and stir often.

Homemade vs. Starbucks: Sugar, Caffeine and Cost

Here’s how a grande Peppermint Mocha compares to the homemade version above.

	Starbucks Grande Peppermint Mocha	Homemade Dupe
Calories	440	About 300
Fat	16 g	About 9 g
Sugar	54 g	About 35 g
Caffeine	About 175 mg	About 125–150 mg
Cost	Varies by store, often $6+	About $1.50–$2.50

The biggest difference is sugar. At home, you control every pump.

Tips for Getting Coffeehouse Results at Home

A few small habits make the difference between “pretty good” and “wait, did you buy this?”

Start With the Right Beans

• Freshness: Freshly roasted beans make the biggest difference in any latte.
• Roast: Medium-dark roasts stand up to chocolate, caramel and spice. Light roasts suit the sugar cookie drink.
• Where to find them: The roasters on Lovers Coffee offer plenty of espresso-friendly beans to choose from.

Get the Syrup-to-Espresso Ratio Right

• Start low: Begin with 1 tbsp of syrup and adjust.
• Mix first: Stir syrups into hot espresso before adding milk so they blend evenly.

Nail the Cold Foam

• Keep it cold: Cold cream and milk foam faster and hold their shape longer.
• Don’t over-froth: Stop when it’s thick but still pourable.

Batch Your Syrups for the Season

• Make ahead: One afternoon of syrup-making covers weeks of drinks.
• Store smart: Keep them in labeled glass bottles in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Holiday Menu, Home Edition

The red cups are fun, but the best part of the Starbucks holiday menu is the flavors, and those are easy to recreate at home. A batch of syrup, a good bag of beans and a frother get you everything from the classic Peppermint Mocha to this year’s Tiramisu Velvet Latte. You can also make the Chestnut Praline Latte Starbucks left off the list. Make one this weekend, tweak it to your taste, and your kitchen becomes the coziest coffee shop in town all season long.

If you want more coffee information, recipes, and seasonal coffee trends, make sure to check our blog daily and explore the Lovers.coffee marketplace for everything you need to make your moments even sweeter.