This pandemic has really dampened a lot of spirits. I’m happy that Starbucks has not strayed from its tradition of introducing its Christmas collection. This is Part 1 of the Starbucks’ Christmas collection featuring their Christmas beverages, food, coffee blends, merchandise, and cards. An upcoming Part 2 will feature the Starbucks planners and organizers as well as the Starbucks 2020 Red Cup Card. All items are available beginning November 3, 2020 to January 4, 2021).
CHRISTMAS BEVERAGES
One new beverage is being introduced while welcoming two returning favorites. All three beverages are available in 3 variants: hot, iced, and blended.
The Jolly Baked Apple Latte is the new 2020 Christmas beverage. It’s a creamy blend of Starbucks signature espresso, steamed milk, and spiced
apples topped with a whipped cream dome, a drizzle of baked apple sauce, and candied apple sprinkles. I’m just reading the description and I can almost imagine the smell of spiced apples. Yum!
Returning favorites are Toffee Nut Crunch Latte and my Christmas favorite – Peppermint Mocha!
Toffee Nut Crunch Latte consists of layers of buttery toffee nut balanced by toasted nuts, Starbucks signature espresso, and velvety steamed milk. The beverage is topped with a whipped cream peak and a sprinkle of crunchy toffee nut topping.
Peppermint Mocha is made with Starbucks signature espresso and steamed milk, mocha sauce and peppermint and topped with whipped cream, mocha drizzle and candy cane pieces. Interesting trivia — this is the 18th year that this well-loved holiday beverage is returning for the holiday season.
All three beverages cost PhP 180 (Tall), PhP 195 (Grande), and PhP 210 (Venti). Note: You can also buy through GrabFood but prices may vary.
CHRISTMAS FOOD ITEMS
Take your pick from twelve Christmas food items that have been readied for the holiday season. Note: You can also buy through GrabFood but prices may vary.
New Items
Apple Berry Crumble Cheesecake is a smooth and creamy cheesecake loaded with apples, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and topped with butter crumbles.
Triple Chocolate Cake is made with Belgian chocolate. It’s got multiple layers of yummy goodness: gooey brownie, chocolate cake, light vanilla cake, dark and milk chocolate mousse, then finished with dark, milk, and white chocolate cream frosting.
Holiday Coffee Cake is made of layers of moist coffee cake, chewy meringue, smooth creamy coffee mousse, and finished with white chocolate cream icing.
Chocolate Chip Overload Doughnut is a soft and fluffy doughnut stuffed with whole chocolate chip cookie and topped with dark chocolate ganache and crushed chocolate chip cookie.
PBJ Doughnut (PBJ stands for peanut butter and jelly) is a soft and fluffy doughnut stuffed with creamy peanut butter and strawberry jam rolled in powdered sugar.
Prosciutto Cotto and Mozzarella Panzerotti is a soft and crispy fried dough stuffed with gooey mozzarella and prosciutto cotto.
Cheesy Spinach Tree is a triangular-looking, buttery and flaky pastry filled with cheesy, spinach, onions and herbs.
Mushroom Bun is a crispy and light bun stuffed with mushrooms and cheese.
Holiday Ham, Eggwhite, Cheese on Croissant Bun is a slow-roasted Christmas ham, egg white omelet and cheese dressing on a buttery, flaky croissant bun.
Returning Favorites
Three pastries are returning favorites.
Chocolate Crepe Cake has seventeen (17) layers of crêpe with smooth and creamy chocolate cream filling.
Chocolate Chip Overload Cookie is a big and chewy cookie loaded with dark and milk Belgian chocolate chunks and chips.
Chicken Fajita Roll is a tortilla filled with Mexican-flavored chicken breast fillet.
STARBUCKS HOLIDAY CARDS
Four regular Merry Cards are being issued for 2020: Maligayang Pasko, Snowman Card, Holiday Tree Card, Holiday Animals. Each one is available at an initial activation amount of PhP 300.
In addition, the special Red Cup 2020 card is also being issued for an initial activation amount of PhP 500.
CHRISTMAS MERCHANDISE
Starbucks merchandise is always a favorite when shopping for Christmas gifts. Here’s 2020’s holiday merchandise.
For friends and family who have furry babies, check out this adorable Home for the Holidays Collection of furry dog and cat friends in classic Christmas red and green colors with a highlight of camel brown and white. At home, we are dog lovers and I think some of my kids are already eyeing some of the tumblers and mugs in this collection… but the cat tumblers are also soooooo cute!
Check out the Starbucks Holiday Bling Cups. These are iridescent Cold Cups with a textured surface and debossed logo.
For those who prefer hot cups, here are the Starbucks Pearl Hot Cups, 16oz. Each cup has a glossy pearl effect to make drinking more festive & sparkling. Each cup has been pre-sanitized and ready to use.
STARBUCKS COFFEE
Available for a limited time beginning November 3, 2020 are the Starbucks Christmas coffee blends.
In the past, Christmas coffee blends came as whole bean coffee. This year, Starbucks is introducing a ground version, making it easy to purchase the coffee and immediately bring it to a dinner party, give as a gift, or bring home for brewing even if one has no grinder. The grind is best as a drip but can also be used as a press. I have actually been wanting this variant for a long, long time!!! Finally, it’s here!
The Starbucks Christmas Blend 2020 has been around for 30 years! It gives a spicy and sweet cup of coffee with hints of comfort and joy. Dark roasted beans from Guatemala, Colombia and Papua New Guinea come together to highlight the hero of this cup- rare aged Sumatra. Notes of herbs, baking spices and a velvety rich chocolate finish will fill your cup with festivity.
For those who prefer stronger coffee, they have the Starbucks Christmas Blend Espresso Roast – a deeper, darker version of the Christmas Blend that is customized for espresso. It combines Latin American, African and Indonesian beans with rare aged Sumatra for a complex flavor profile with plummy sweetness and earthy spiciness.
Available only in Starbucks Reserve Stores, the Starbucks Reserve Christmas 2020 blend is a combination of three rare and remarkable coffees:
1) Hacienda Alsacia, from Starbucks’ Costa Rica farm, with hints of citrus; 2) aged Sumatra, which is long treasured for its earthy, aromatic spice; and 3) full-bodied Sulawesi coffee from the Indonesian archipelago. These hand-selected beans, cultivated by smallholder farmers, bring a delicate butterscotch sweetness to the Christmas 2020 blend.
