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11 Best Starbucks Hot Chocolate Drinks in 2024: Ranked & Reviewed

Starbucks caffe mocha hot drink with whipped cream and chocolate syrup

Colder weather is almost upon us, which means it’s hot chocolate season! And if you’re a fan of Starbucks, you might want to check out their hot chocolate drinks. There are only five currently on the menu, but there are some excellent secret menu hot chocolate drinks you can try as well.

Here are the 11 best ones—on the menu and off. Whether you want to go with a traditional hot chocolate or something a bit more adventurous, Starbucks has you covered when it comes to hot chocolate drinks!

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Top 5 Regular Menu Starbucks Hot Chocolate Drinks

If you want to order something straight off the menu, these are the hot chocolate drinks for you! (Nutritional information is for the grande size.)

1. Hot Chocolate

starbucks hot chocolate with whipped cream and cocoa powder in glass

Calories: 370
Sugar: 37 g
Caffeine: 25 mg

Classic hot chocolate is a classic for a reason (mainly that it’s delicious!). This take on the classic hot chocolate is even yummier since it features not only chocolate syrup but vanilla as well. These two syrups are mixed with steamed milk, then topped with sweet whipped cream and just a bit of a chocolate drizzle to make one tasty winter drink!


2. White Hot Chocolate

Starbucks hot drink in paper cup in front of cafe

Calories: 440
Sugar: 55 g
Caffeine: 0 mg

If you prefer white chocolate to regular milk chocolate, this is the hot chocolate drink for you. This drink is more traditionally made, as it only contains white chocolate syrup, steamed milk, and whipped cream (omitting the vanilla syrup that is in the regular hot chocolate). That makes it a bit surprising that the calories and sugar content are so much higher for this one than the previous hot chocolate drink. However, this is a good caffeine-free option if that’s what you’re looking for.


3. Peppermint Hot Chocolate

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Calories: 440
Sugar: 56 g
Caffeine: 25 mg

Get in the holiday spirit with this twist on the classic hot chocolate! Created with peppermint syrup, chocolate mocha sauce, and steamed milk, then topped with sweet whipped cream and curls of dark chocolate, this fun minty hot chocolate drink will lift your spirits in no time. Unfortunately, it, too, has quite a bit more calories and sugar than the regular hot chocolate, so take that into consideration!


4. Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

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Calories: 520
Sugar: 74 g
Caffeine: 0 mg

This is one hot chocolate drink that should probably be considered an every once in a while treat, considering the whopping amount of sugar and calories it contains. But if you want a refreshing take on the regular white hot chocolate drink, this could be your new fave. With peppermint syrup, white chocolate mocha sauce, and steamed milk that’s then topped with sweet whipped cream and curls of tasty dark chocolate, this minty hot chocolate drink packs loads of chocolate taste.


5. Toasted White Hot Chocolate

hot starbucks holiday drink

Calories: 430
Sugar: 57 g
Caffeine: 0 mg

If peppermint isn’t your thing, but a regular white hot chocolate won’t do the trick either, you may want to give the toasted white hot chocolate a go (although this one is a seasonal drink that’s only available during the winter). The white chocolate for this drink has been caramelized to give it a nice toasted flavor; mix it with steamed milk and top it off with sweet whipped cream, holiday sugar sparkles, and white pearls, and you have one amazingly delicious drink!


Top 6 Secret Menu Starbucks Hot Chocolate Drinks

And now, on to the hot chocolate drinks you can order off the secret menu! If you’re unfamiliar with the secret menu, it features drinks customized by customers that became popular on social media. That means you’ll have to order them by customization rather than by name. Unfortunately, because these aren’t official drinks, we do not have nutritional info for them.

6. Black & White Hot Chocolate

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If you’re craving both a regular hot chocolate and a white hot chocolate and can’t decide between the two, then don’t. Have this instead! This hot chocolate drink is made with half mocha and half white mocha for a nice blend of milk and white chocolate. It also goes by other names, including tuxedo hot chocolate and zebra hot chocolate. To order, just ask for a regular hot chocolate with 2 pumps of regular mocha and 2 pumps of white mocha.


7. Mexican Hot Chocolate

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Add a little kick to your hot chocolate by ordering the Mexican hot chocolate! You’ll order it by asking for a regular hot chocolate and adding regular mocha, white mocha, and cinnamon dolce syrup. Then have it all topped off with some sweet whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon powder, and you’re good to go!


8. Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

Pumpkin-Spice-Latte_Oksana-Mizina_Shutterstock
Credit: Oksana Mizina, Shutterstock

This yummy drink is perfect for when fall first hits and is simple to order. All this customization involves is a regular hot chocolate with some pumpkin spice sauce! That’s it; no other changes necessary. And you’ll be amazed at how much just a bit of pumpkin can spice up a simple hot chocolate!


9. S’mores Hot Chocolate

hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon sticks_Jumpstory

Who doesn’t love the sweet, marshmallowy, chocolatey goodness of s’mores? So, why not have that same tastiness in drink form? Well, you can with the s’mores hot chocolate! Interestingly enough, you’re not adding any marshmallows or marshmallow flavoring to the hot chocolate. Instead, you’ll order a regular hot chocolate, then add chestnut praline syrup (or toffee syrup if your Starbucks doesn’t have the chestnut praline) and a chocolate drizzle. Voila, tasty s’mores flavor!


10. Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate

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The snickerdoodle hot chocolate actually used to be on the regular menu, but it’s long been removed, making it a secret menu item now. With this drink, you’ll be ordering a regular white hot chocolate, then making it half white mocha and half cinnamon dolce by doing two pumps of each. Finally, add some cinnamon dolce sprinkles, and you are set to enjoy the deliciousness of snickerdoodles in one warm, yummy drink!


11. Swirl Pow Hot Chocolate

mocha cookie crumble frappuccino
Image credit: Elena Veselova, Shutterstock

What is a swirl pow, you may be asking? It’s sort of like that chocolate and vanilla striped yogurt you get out of restaurant yogurt machines (except this doesn’t contain any yogurt). Instead, you’ll order a regular hot chocolate and ask for 1 ½ pumps of mocha sauce and 1 ½ pumps of vanilla syrup. Top with sweet whipped cream and caramel drizzle, and you’ve got yourself one absolutely sweet treat!

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Conclusion

‘Tis the season for hot chocolate, so if you’re on the go, grab a hot chocolate drink from Starbucks! Whether you want classic hot chocolate straight from the menu or something fancier from the secret menu, Starbucks has a bit of everything. Or go in and make up your own sweet hot chocolate drink customization, and maybe one day, it’ll be on the secret menu as well!

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Kate MacDonnell

Kate is a lifelong coffee enthusiast and homebrewer who enjoys writing for coffee websites and sampling every kind of coffee known to man. She’s tried unusual coffees from all over the world and owns an unhealthy amount of coffee gear.

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