Starbucks Just Brought Back Its Valentine’s Day Drinks

If there’s one thing Starbucks knows how to do, it’s craft a real treat-yourself kind of drink. Just after Starbucks brought back free refills, the chain has added two Valentine’s Day drinks to the menu. It’s the perfect excuse to stay in the cafe for a date! (Even if it’s with yourself while you’re running errands.)

I’ve taste tested quite a few Starbucks drinks in my time as a food writer. I’m partial to mainstays like the Starbucks cortado, but once in a while, a limited edition release like the Wicked drinks, and now the Valentine’s menu, have me wondering if I should branch out from my typical black coffee more often.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crème Frappuccino

Taste Recipes, Courtesy Starbucks

The Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crème Frappuccino actually tastes like chocolate-covered strawberries. It blends strawberry puree, Frappuccino chips, milk and ice into a pretty pink swirl. Then, the drink gets topped with a splash of strawberry puree. In true Frappuccino fashion, it’s finished with a huge swirl of whipped cream and a mocha drizzle.

Even though it was about 23°F outside when I tried this drink, I’d absolutely order it again. And that’s coming from someone who drinks exclusively hot coffee once the temp drops below 50°. This Frappuccino is not overly sweet, which surprised me. The chocolate and strawberries felt balanced, and I would definitely accept this in lieu of chocolate-covered strawberries on Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Cold Brew

Taste Recipes, Courtesy Starbucks

The Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Cold Brew is the coffee-forward drink on this mini Starbucks Valentine’s menu. Vanilla syrup sweetens traditional Starbs cold brew, and baristas top the whole drink with fluffy chocolate hazelnut cream cold foam. Chocolate cookie crumbles decorate the top of the cold foam.

Because cold brew itself is so bitter, it’s sometimes hard to detect what the drink is actually supposed to taste like if it’s flavored. I could tell this one had hints of hazelnut and chocolate once I swirled the cold foam into the drink a bit. It didn’t taste like a Nutella dessert, but I don’t look for that when I’m drinking coffee anyway. If you’re hoping for a truly sweet, cookie-flavored drink, try a flavored iced latte instead.

Blackberry Sage Refreshers

Taste Recipes, Courtesy Starbucks

Like the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher released for the holidays, Starbucks has really been playing into the sweet drinks that aren’t coffee-forward. The Blackberry Sage Refresher line isn’t part of the Valentine’s menu per se, but the new drinks were released at the same time. It only made sense to include it in my taste test!

Like other refreshers, you can order the Blackberry Sage Refresher with lemonade or coconut milk. (This refresher with coconut milk is called the Midnight Drink at Starbucks.) For this taste test, I only ordered the basic Blackberry Sage.

There are plenty of Refreshers that make the list of best Starbucks drinks, but for me, this isn’t one of them. I love using blackberry and sage in baking and cooking, so I had high hopes for this Refresher, but it didn’t work. The blackberry was overwhelming and the sage was nearly nonexistent. This being said, I could see the coconut milk infusing the overwhelming blackberry sweetness with a more mild flavor. I might have to try that next time!

How long will Valentine’s Day Drinks be at Starbucks?

The Valentine’s drinks and the Blackberry Sage Refresher line will be at Starbucks while supplies last. Get your fix sometime in February while you can. Fortunately, if you miss the window, you can always order a Strawberry Cold Brew from the secret menu.