This Christmas, as the winter months grow hard and long, I'm sure you and I will at some point head into a Starbucks to take shelter from the howling winds and the biting cold. Yeah, we're well acquainted with Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, but that's more of an autumn thing, isn't it? What do Starbucks lovers have to enjoy in the winter?
Well, I think Starbucks heard me, because they've come up with a holiday drinks menu for the next six weeks or so, and it's expanding at a rather interesting pace. First, we had the Christmas Strawberry Cake Frappuccino, but that did little to satisfy the chocolate lovers out there, myself included.
But we needn't have worried about an injection of cocoa, because this next drink is sure to tickle those tastebuds. Behold, ladies and gentlemen - the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino is here to nudge you gently toward a diabetic coma and if you're not in the mood for salted caramel, there's a hot chocolate version too!
So, what do we have here, in this most amazing-sounding drink?
Well, we've got a classic milk and mocha base, blended with ice, and then we've got a rich salted caramel sauce. That sounds... pretty much a salted caramel frappuccino, but don't worry - we're not done yet, folks. Things get decidedly... browner. Here's more details about the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino, directly from Starbucks themselves.
"Steamed milk and mocha is combined with a rich salted caramel sauce, topped with a salted caramel brownie flavoured whipped cream and finished with a blend of brownie crumbles and salted caramel brittle. The perfect balance between sweet and salty."
Crunchy, decadent and chocolatey, the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino is a frappe to make any holiday season. But... there's a catch. If you're reading this from the United States, then at the moment, these holiday drinks are little more than a pipe dream, unless you're taking a trip to Europe any time soon.
Europe is having the best time of it with Starbucks at the moment, annoyingly.
Alongside the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino and Christmas Strawberry Cake Frappuccino, the likes of Belgium, France and the United Kingdom also get to take tentative sips of the Christmas Brulée Latte, Gingerbread Latte, Egg Nog Latte and the Toffee Nut Latte Coffee Frappuccino as well!
But while there were some people on social media who were undoubtedly excited for the new line of holiday drinks (including the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino), in the frenzy of these Starbucks offerings, we almost forgot about an old favourite: the Fudge Hot Chocolate didn't make its return this year, you guys.
It's sad, yes, but although I'll miss the Fudge Hot Chocolate, let's look on the bright side, folks. We've got the Salted Caramel Brownie Frappuccino to look forward to (well, if you're in Europe), and with plenty of days to go till Christmas, who knows what other gifts Starbucks will have for us?