Another month, another new Starbucks drink. This time, it’s a Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte, and I ran to the store to review it when it first launched on November 2. To some, it may still be too early to embrace the holiday menu. But the early bird catches the worm, and who couldn’t use a few worms?
After a massive success with the launch of their Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte as part of the 2023 Fall menu, I was excited when I saw the new addition. Here’s my candid review of the Starbucks Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte, after sampling both the hot and iced versions of the drink.
What is the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte?
A festive spin on the regular Iced Chai Tea Latte from the coffee giant, the new Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai comes with oat milk instead of regular milk (shocking, we know).
It’s also infused with “gingerbread notes,” according to the brand. Flavor notes, not the kind you pass to your crush in class. In case that wasn’t clear.
Finally, it’s topped with pumpkin spice topping for that last festive touch. And because it’s hard to let things go, especially when the thing is as delicious as a PSL.
How much caffeine and sugar are in the Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte?
In a Grande size of the iced version, there are 360 calories, with 45 grams of sugar and 10 grams of fat.
The drink also has 100 mg of caffeine, which is about 65 mg less than a regular Iced Coffee from the brand. It’ll wake you up, but it won’t keep you up. The fact that you said “you too” to the barista when she told you to enjoy your drink might, though.
My Review of the Starbucks Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte
First of all, oat milk was a stellar move on Starbucks’ part. I usually swap out the regular milk for the oatty variety anyway, and this saves me a step. Plus, I’m a firm believer that oat milk tastes better with Chai. The creaminess adds a flavor dimension to the drink.
Now, to the drink itself. It’s delicious. But here’s the thing: at Starbucks, Chai is basically the same flavor as gingerbread. It’s not, but it is. It’s like the difference between ketchup and tomato sauce.
So, naturally, these two work very well together. The cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom flavors of Chai complement the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg flavors of gingerbread. Notice how only one descriptor changed there? The two flavors are almost cousins.
The result is a creamy, delectable drink that essentially tastes like a Chai Tea Latte with a little more oomph. The gingerbread comes through, but it doesn’t wholly alter the original flavor of the drink, so it doesn’t smack you in the face. It’s more of a gentle caress. Mostly, it just tastes sweeter and more saturated than a regular Chai Latte.
In the iced version, I can taste the gingerbread better, and there is a noticeable distinction from a regular Iced Chai Tea Latte.
The flavor difference is less pronounced in the hot version. It just tastes sweeter, but the distinct notes of gingerbread don’t come through as strongly.
Would I Order It Again?
Overall, the Gingerbread Chai Latte is a tasty edition to Starbucks’ tea lineup. I would definitely order it again throughout the winter, especially since it already comes with oat milk instead of regular milk. It definitely deserves a spot in the festive seasonal lineup, but maybe isn’t a Hall of Famer. Hey, we can’t all be a PSL.
When she's not typing away on her laptop, you can find Laura working on her MBA at Boston College, listening to Taylor Swift, or sweating it out at an OrangeTheory class. Follow her on Instagram @LauraKristine21 and LinkedIn.
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