When does the Starbucks winter menu start?
I explain when Starbucks swaps the Christmas menu for the winter menu, and which pistachio and oat milk drinks anchor the January launch.
Quick Answer
The Starbucks winter menu starts the first full week of January, right after the Christmas holiday menu ends.
Recent launches: January 3, 2023; January 2, 2024; January 7, 2025.
The post-holiday transition
Starbucks runs a strict two-phase cold-weather calendar. November through late December is the Christmas holiday menu, dominated by peppermint, chestnut, and sugar cookie flavors in bright red cups. Then, in the first week of January, the boards flip to the winter menu.
The winter menu is a deliberate palate cleanser. Corporate wants to reset the visual and flavor tone after 8 weeks of holiday indulgence. Gone are the red cups and the peppermint whipped cream. In their place: cooler blue and cream tones, plant milk defaults, and earthy pistachio and pecan flavor profiles.
Why January instead of December
Two reasons. First, the Christmas menu is a proven revenue engine and corporate leaves it running as long as possible to capture the December gifting season. Second, January is when consumer spending drops off sharply. A lighter, wellness-oriented winter menu with plant milks and lower calorie counts tracks with New Year resolutions and the "Veganuary" trend without asking customers to abandon coffee altogether.
The core January menu roster
The winter menu changes year to year, but a few anchors have become reliable:
- Pistachio Latte , the flagship. Real pistachio flavor with a brown butter cookie topping. Launched 2021, now a permanent January staple.
- Pistachio Cream Cold Brew , cold brew topped with pistachio cream cold foam. Launched 2023.
- Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso , introduced in 2024, expected to return.
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso , permanent menu item, but heavily featured in January marketing.
- Honey Almondmilk Flat White , permanent menu item, promoted heavily in January.
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino , nondairy Frappuccino option promoted for Veganuary.
Bakery case in January
- Vanilla Bean Custard Danish
- Cinnamon Coffee Cake (year-round, promoted in January)
- Impossible Breakfast Sandwich (promoted heavily in January)
- Egg White and Roasted Red Pepper Bites
What goes away
The Christmas holiday drinks come off the boards immediately when the winter menu launches. Peppermint Mocha, Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte, Caramel Brulée Latte, and Chestnut Praline Latte all end at the same time. The Cranberry Bliss Bar disappears from the pastry case.
Individual stores with leftover peppermint or chestnut syrup will sometimes still make holiday drinks off-menu into mid-January. Ask at the counter or use the app search bar to check whether your specific store still has inventory.
The pistachio phenomenon
Pistachio has become the January analog to Pumpkin Spice in August. Since its 2021 launch, the Pistachio Latte has grown from a niche seasonal item into one of the top-selling January drinks in the entire Starbucks system. The 2023 addition of the Pistachio Cream Cold Brew extended the pistachio franchise into the cold beverage category.
The reason is texture. Pistachio flavor blends unusually well with both dairy and oat milk, and the brown butter cookie topping on the hot latte gives the drink a savory-sweet contrast that no other Starbucks flavor delivers. Expect pistachio to remain the January anchor for years.
Ordering the winter menu on launch day
The January launch is a much quieter day than the November holiday launch. Traffic is well below the pre-Christmas peak because customers are hungover from December spending and back at work. That makes launch morning a great day to try the new drinks without any drive-thru chaos.
How the winter launch has evolved
Starbucks did not always run a distinct January winter menu. Through the mid-2010s, the calendar went straight from holiday to spring, leaving a flat January and February. In 2021, corporate introduced the Pistachio Latte as the anchor for a new January launch, and the winter menu has been a fixed part of the calendar since.
The launch has landed consistently in the first full week of January. It always launches on a Tuesday morning, never a Thursday like the November holiday drop. The Tuesday timing gives corporate a clean midweek news cycle without competing against Monday news heaviness.
Why plant milks anchor January
Corporate research shows that "Veganuary" participation has grown steadily every year since 2018. By 2025, roughly 25 percent of surveyed Starbucks customers reported reducing dairy intake in January. Anchoring the winter menu around oat milk and almond milk drinks captures that customer behavior without alienating dairy drinkers.
The Pistachio Latte's default recipe uses 2 percent milk, but the marketing photography consistently features an oat milk build. The Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is featured heavily in every January campaign despite being a permanent year-round drink.
Winter bakery strategy
The January pastry case pivots away from indulgent holiday sweets (Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie) toward lighter, more breakfast-oriented items. The Vanilla Bean Custard Danish returns as the featured pastry. Egg bites and the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich move to the top of the menu board. Even the packaged snacks pivot to lower-calorie options like Sargento cheese cracker packs and dried fruit trays.
How long the winter menu runs
The winter menu runs from early January through the spring menu launch in early March, roughly a 9-week window. When the spring menu drops, the Pistachio Latte and Pistachio Cream Cold Brew come off the boards and are replaced by lavender oat milk drinks, pineapple green tea infusions, and similar spring flavors.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Pistachio Latte permanent?
No. It is a seasonal January and February drink. It comes off the boards when the spring menu launches in early March.
Can I get a Peppermint Mocha in January?
Only if your local store still has peppermint syrup left from December. Ask a barista.
What is the difference between the winter menu and the spring menu?
Winter is nut-forward (pistachio, hazelnut, brown butter). Spring pivots to floral and fruit flavors (lavender, pineapple, cherry blossom).
Are all winter drinks nondairy?
No, but many default to oat or almond milk. You can always swap milks at no upcharge to soy or dairy.
Bottom line
The Starbucks winter menu starts the first full week of January and runs through the spring menu launch in early March. The Pistachio Latte and Pistachio Cream Cold Brew anchor the launch every year, joined by oat milk shaken espressos and a wellness-oriented pastry case. It is the calendar's quietest launch, which makes it a good time to actually taste the new drinks.