Snowman Cookie

Flavor – 3/5

Price – 5/5

Overall – 4/5

At only $2.25, you certainly get your money’s worth with Starbucks’ Snowman Cookie. The cookie made its grand debut in 2020 and returned again this year after being a huge hit. The cookie itself is large, tasty, and the design is cute. It has a shortbread base with royal icing that has just the right amount of sweetness. The combo of the soft cookie and crunchy icing is definitely unusual, but it doesn’t fail to hit the spot. However, it is drier than I appreciate in a shortbread, and the vanilla flavor is definitely lacking. Overall, it is a fun and festive treat that I would definitely buy again.

Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

Flavor – 1/5

Price – 3/5

Overall – 2/5

Based on the picture, I had high hopes for a flaky and buttery danish with crispy edges and a sweet plum center. The danish I got certainly fell short. The edges are indeed crispy, but without the buttery flaky center, it tastes burned and dry and kind of reminds me of stale bread. The syrup in the middle is a liquified disaster and makes a mess, and it does even taste good: it is way too sweet and doesn’t remotely mimic plum. It soaks into the dough, leaving a soggy disappointment, and it overwhelms the flavor rather than complement it. The danish itself is fairly small – considering it costs $3.15 – giving this pastry a grand total of 2/5 and a huge step down from their regular danish.

Cranberry Bliss Bar

Flavor – 5/5

Price – 4/5

Overall – 5/5

The Cranberry Bliss Bar makes its return to the Starbucks holiday menu year after year – and for good reason. The bar has a soft blondie base with dried cranberries, cream cheese frosting, and a white orange drizzle. The blondie itself is perfect. It is soft on the inside and crispy like a brownie on the outside. The frosting, although I wish there were more, is not overly sweet, and pairs well with the tangy orange drizzle. As for the cranberries, they are evenly spread through the cake and frosting, and they add a nice touch that really sets this bar apart. One triangle comes out to $2.45.