What Is the Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Latte?

Starbucks fans plan their whole November around the holiday menu, and this year there’s finally something new to get excited about. For a lot of people across the US and Canada, the first red-cup drink of the season is a tradition. Tiramisu itself goes back much further, to Treviso in northern Italy, where espresso-soaked ladyfingers and sweet mascarpone cream became one of the world’s most-loved desserts.

The Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Latte hit stores nationwide on November 5, 2026, served hot or iced. It arrived alongside a new Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew, the Apple Pomegranate Refresher, and the usual returning favorites. The timing makes sense: flavor house IFF named tiramisu the No. 1 flavor trend in North America for 2026. Here’s everything worth knowing before you order one.

What’s in the Tiramisu Velvet Latte?

At its heart, this is a latte dressed up like dessert. The “velvet” part comes from the topping, which is where most of the tiramisu flavor lives.

The Espresso Base

• Espresso and milk: Like any Starbucks latte, it starts with espresso and milk.
• Hot or iced: You can get it steamed and warm, or poured over ice.

The Mascarpone Cold Foam

• What it is: A thick, creamy cold foam flavored with mascarpone, the soft Italian cheese used in real tiramisu.
• Why it matters: It stands in for the cream layer of the dessert, so every sip pulls coffee up through something rich and sweet.
• Hot or iced: The cold foam goes on both the hot and iced versions.

The Cocoa and Coffee Dusting

• The finish: A dusting of cocoa and coffee powder goes on top of the foam.
• The tiramisu nod: It mirrors the cocoa layer you’d find on a classic slice, with a bit of coffee bitterness to balance the sweetness.

What Does the Tiramisu Velvet Latte Taste Like?

Think of a creamy latte with a dessert-style topping. The mascarpone foam is the star. It’s smooth and slightly tangy, and it softens the espresso underneath.

The cocoa and coffee dusting adds a light bitter edge, so the first sip tastes a lot like the top layer of a slice of tiramisu.

That’s a big change from Starbucks’ older tiramisu drink. Back in 2015, a lot of people felt the flavor was too subtle and too sugary to really taste like tiramisu. The new cold foam topping fixes that by giving the drink an actual “cream layer,” much like the real dessert.

In the UK, where a similar iced version is sold, an Allrecipes editor called it the most indulgent latte she’d tried at any Starbucks.

Where Did the Tiramisu Latte Come From?

This drink didn’t come out of nowhere. Tiramisu has been showing up in Starbucks cups, here and overseas, for more than a decade.

The Italian Dessert Behind It

• Origin: Most food historians trace tiramisu to Treviso, in Italy’s Veneto region, around the late 1960s.
• The layers: Ladyfingers soaked in espresso, a sweet mascarpone cream, and a cocoa dusting on top.
• The name: “Tiramisù” roughly means “pick me up” in Italian, which suits a coffee drink pretty well.

Starbucks’ First Tiramisu Latte in 2015

• The original: Starbucks sold a Tiramisu Latte in the US in early 2015, made with espresso, mascarpone-flavored syrup, whipped cream, and a cocoa-espresso powder.
• The reaction: Fans were split. Many found it sweet without tasting much like tiramisu, and it didn’t become a regular.

How Europe and the Reserve Roasteries Got It First

• Europe: The Tiramisu Velvet Latte launched in several European markets in autumn 2025. The European version mixes a mascarpone-flavored sauce into the coffee and adds a mocha drizzle under the foam.
• The UK: British fans got an iced version called the Tiramisu Cream Iced Latte.
• Reserve Roasteries: In January 2026, Starbucks Reserve locations in Chicago and New York City added a Tiramisu Latte with tiramisu cold foam, plus a Tiramisu Espresso Martini.
• The US launch: The holiday 2026 menu is the first time the Tiramisu Velvet lineup has gone nationwide in the States.

Tiramisu Velvet Latte vs. Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew

Both drinks share the same mascarpone cold foam and cocoa-coffee dusting. The difference is what’s underneath.

How the Latte Is Made (Hot and Iced)

The latte uses espresso and plenty of milk. That makes it creamier and softer, with the coffee taking a back seat to the foam and cocoa. The hot version is the only warm option in the Tiramisu Velvet lineup.

How the Cold Brew Is Made

The cold brew swaps espresso and milk for Starbucks’ slow-steeped cold brew coffee. It’s smoother, less milky, and more coffee-forward. The foam ends up doing all the creamy work, which tastes a bit closer to biting into the dessert itself.

Which One Should You Order?

If you want something cozy and sweet, go with the hot latte. If you like your coffee to taste like coffee, the cold brew is the better pick.

	Hot Latte	Iced Latte	Cold Brew
Coffee base	Espresso	Espresso	Cold brew
Served	Hot	Over ice	Over ice
Topping	Mascarpone cold foam, cocoa and coffee dusting	Mascarpone cold foam, cocoa and coffee dusting	Mascarpone cold foam, cocoa and coffee dusting
Best for	Cold mornings, sweet tooth	Dessert-style iced coffee fans	Coffee-forward drinkers

How to Order the Tiramisu Velvet Latte

You can order it in store, at the drive-thru, or ahead in the Starbucks app. A few small tweaks can make it fit your taste better.

Easy Customizations

• Milk swaps: Oat, almond, soy and coconut milk all work, though the mascarpone foam itself contains dairy.
• Stronger coffee: Add an extra shot, or try it with blonde espresso for a smoother taste.
• Decaf: Order it with decaf espresso if you want the flavor without the buzz.

How Long Will It Be on the Menu?

The Tiramisu Velvet Latte is a limited-time holiday drink, available only while supplies last. If it sounds like your kind of coffee, it’s worth trying sooner rather than later.

What Else Is New on the Starbucks Holiday Menu 2026?

The tiramisu drinks aren’t the only new arrivals this season.

• Apple Pomegranate Refresher: A crisp apple drink with popping pomegranate pearls. Ask for the Snowy Apple version if you want it creamy with coconut milk.
• Returning favorites: Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte and Gingerbread Chai are all back.
• New food: The Bearista Cake Pop, a Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese, and a new recipe for the Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich.
• Returning treats: Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.
• Not coming back: The Chestnut Praline Latte and Cran-Merry Refresher are off the menu this year.

Why Tiramisu Is the Flavor of the Moment

Starbucks isn’t alone here. Tiramisu has quietly taken over coffee menus across North America over the past couple of years.

Dunkin’ launched four tiramisu-themed drinks in September 2026, including a tiramisu marshmallow matcha and a tiramisu protein latte. Bakeries are turning it into croissants, donuts and cheesecakes. Restaurants that already served tiramisu are now adding more versions of it.

The appeal is easy to see. Tiramisu already tastes like coffee, cream and chocolate, so it slides into a latte without feeling forced. It also feels like a small luxury, which is exactly what people want from a holiday drink.

How to Make a Tiramisu Velvet Latte at Home

You don’t need a café setup to recreate this one. The cold foam is the only part that takes a little effort, and it comes together in under a minute.

What You’ll Need

• 2 shots of espresso (about 2 oz), or ½ cup of strong coffee
• ¾ cup milk of your choice
• 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce
• 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup, or 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone, softened
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon milk (for the foam)
• Cocoa powder and a pinch of finely ground coffee or instant espresso, for dusting
• A handheld milk frother

No espresso machine? A moka pot or AeroPress makes strong, concentrated coffee that works just as well. No frother? Shake the foam ingredients hard in a sealed jar for about 30 seconds.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Drizzle the chocolate sauce around the inside of your mug or glass.
2. Brew your espresso or strong coffee and stir in the vanilla syrup.
3. Steam or heat the milk until hot but not boiling, then pour it over the coffee.
4. In a small cup, mix the mascarpone, heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of milk. Froth until thick and pourable, about 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Spoon the mascarpone foam over the latte.
6. Dust the top with cocoa powder and a pinch of ground coffee.

Make It Iced or With Cold Brew

For the iced version, skip heating the milk. Pour the coffee and cold milk over ice, then add the foam and dusting.

For a cold brew version, replace the espresso and milk with about a cup of cold brew over ice. It’s less sweet and lets the coffee flavor come through more.

Tips for Getting It Right

• Use a dark or espresso roast: Bold, chocolatey beans stand up to the mascarpone and keep the drink from tasting flat. Lovers Coffee has plenty of espresso roasts that fit the bill.
• Soften the mascarpone first: Cold mascarpone clumps. Let it sit out for 10 minutes before frothing.
• Don’t over-whip the foam: Stop once it’s thick. Too long and it turns grainy.
• Dust right before serving: Cocoa sinks into the foam quickly, so add it last.

Dessert Just Got a Lid and a Straw

The Tiramisu Velvet Latte takes one of Italy’s most famous desserts and turns it into something you can drink at a drive-thru, with mascarpone cold foam doing the work a spoon normally would. It’s sweet, creamy, and exactly the kind of treat the holiday menu is built for. Whether you go hot, iced, or reach for the stronger cold brew, it’s worth trying while it’s here. If you’d rather sip it at home, a good espresso roast and a few spoonfuls of mascarpone will get you most of the way there.

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.