Category: Drinks

Starbucks has the market cornered on fall and winter seasonal drinks. People anxiously count the days until the PSL (or Pumpkin Spice Latte, for the uninitiated) hits cafes; ditto for the red cups brimming with Peppermint Mochas, even though you can technically order a Peppermint Mocha any time of year. But summer? Not so much.

It’s had its flash-in-the-pan moments, almost like the songs of summer: the Coconut Mocha (a personal fave), the S’mores Frappuccino, the murky Unicorn and Mermaid Frappuccino season, the secret-menu-turned-actually-on-the-menu Pink Drink. On May 7, Starbucks announced its 2024 summer drinks menu, and one drink is making a comeback, proving it’s got some longevity: the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew.

What’s in the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew?

Picture Starbucks cold brew, sweetened with macadamia syrup and topped with a white chocolate macadamia cream cold foam—aka nonfat milk that’s been whipped to a thick, creamy consistency, without the fat of full cream—then garnished with toasted cookie crumbles.

What White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew Tastes Like:

The foam and macadamia syrup lightly sweeten the drink, adding a nutty, creamy, toasted vanilla-y quality to the cold brew. The flavor isn’t nearly as sweet as white chocolate mocha sauce or as nutty as the hazelnut syrup, creating a more balanced drink overall. It’s closer to the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. (If you typically drink black coffee or an unsweetened latte, this will be a treat for you—but you won’t want to ditch it halfway through.)

The cookie crumbles are arguably the best part. They provide a caramelized sweetness and crunch that adds dimension to the drink.

How It Compares to Other Cold Foam-Topped Drinks:

It’s not quite as sweet—as much as I love the salted caramel cold foam, it can be a bit much—but it lends the same creamy quality. Some of the foam-topped cold brews’ syrups can taste a bit chemically; you don’t get that at all here.

How Much Does the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew Cost?

A tall costs $4.75, or $5.16 with tax in New York.

Will It Always Be on the Menu?

No—the drink, along with the blue-hued Summer Skies drink and Summer-Berry Refreshers—is available from May 7 until “supplies last,” per a press release.

Is it Worth It?

Yes. Absolutely yes. The layered drink is a refreshing treat on a scorching day, providing sweetness without bogging you down.

We may be a few weeks away from Starbucks’s fall menu, but the brand isn’t slowing down on new releases. Or, rather, reimagined ones. This Monday, the Starbucks Summer Remix Menu hit stores everywhere, offering three fresh takes on classic cold drinks. They’re only around for a limited time—and just how limited is anyone’s guess, though I imagine they’ll disappear come Labor Day, or whenever the PSL is dropped, whichever comes first. But are they worth trying? Here’s our take.

What’s on the Starbucks Summer Remix Menu?

• Chocolate Cream Cold Brew with Caramel Syrup in a Caramel-Lined Cup — Classic cold brew is sweetened with vanilla and caramel syrups, served in a cup lined with caramel sauce and topped with about an inch of cream foam
• Iced Chai Tea Latte with Matcha Cream Cold Foam — an iced chai tea latte topped with pale green matcha cream cold foam, creating an ombre sage-to-tan drink that seems destined to be shared on social
• Blended Iced Tea Black Lemonade — an Arnold Palmer, only make it fancy (and slushy)

How Much Are the Drinks?

Expect to spend about $5-$7 per drink. A grande Chocolate Cream Cold Brew with Caramel, for example, costs $5.85 for a grande ($5.25 for the grande drink, plus 60 cents for the caramel lining in the cup). Meanwhile, a grande Iced Chai with Matcha Cream Cold Foam will set you back $6.65 ($5.45 for the grande latte with an additional $1.25 for the cold foam topping). The Iced Black Tea Lemonade is the cheapest of the bunch, with a grande costing $4.45 ($3.95 for the drink, plus 50 cents to have it blended).

How Do I Order Them?

During the Summer Remix Menu promotion, you can scroll down the main page of the app and select the drink you want, ordering it directly. You can also ask a barista for it, and they’ll know what you’re talking about.

Once the promotion ends, you can still enjoy any of these drinks—you’ll just have to order the drink itself, then click on “customizations” and add in the “remixed” part, like blending the iced tea lemonade or adding caramel to the Chocolate Cream Cold Brew.

What Do They Taste Like?

Admittedly, we didn’t try the iced tea lemonade, so you’re on your own for that one. However, the other two taste like…

• Chocolate Cream Cold Brew with Caramel Syrup — It’s a bit like eating a truffle while sipping cold brew. It’s definitely not as sweet or heavy as a Frappuccino, and the cold foam adds a nice, velvety texture. The caramel doesn’t really stand out in this drink though, and in our opinion, it’s not worth the extra 60 cents to have the cup lined. It just feels like empty calories.
• Iced Chai with Matcha Cream Cold Foam — It’s more than just a pretty drink. This has the almost gingerbread-y spice you’d expect from chai, rounded out with the clean, slightly floral, taste of the matcha cold foam. Again, cold foam adds a smoothness to this drink, making it very sippable.

Are They Worth It?

As much as we love chocolate, the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cold Foam Cold Brew has much more flavor than the Chocolate-and-Caramel combo. After trying both, we’d say skip that and order that—or an iced mocha latte, if you’re craving cocoa—instead.

If you’re an iced chai fan, the Iced Chai with Matcha Cream Cold Foam is definitely worth ordering. The flavors play well off of each other, resulting in a drink that’s equal parts exciting and refreshing to sip.