Starbucks Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread Review: Nothing To See (Or Eat) Here, Folks

The calendar has turned the page to November, the pumpkins have been smashed, and the pumpkin spiced lattes will soon be in the rearview mirror. This means it's time to get serious about the winter holidays and all the food and drinks that come with them. The holiday cheer at Starbucks kicks off on November 6, 2025, when the new menu will finally be available to order. While this menu doesn't feature a single new drink, two new food items are joining the fun — a Polar Bear Cake Pop and a Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread.

While the cake pop is probably more of the usual same yumminess, dressed up in a new winter way, the intriguing item is the introduction of the Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. It is supposed to have croissant-like pieces, cinnamon sugar, and crunchy streusel. As part of a sneak peek preview of its holiday menu, Tasting Table was invited to Starbucks' table in Manhattan to pull apart this cinnamon bread. So, is this new treat going to pull at one's heartstrings, or is it not worth loosening the purse strings for? The truth can finally be told for the first time in this chew and review.

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

By appearances, the plump little Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread looked like a sure-fire winner. Housed in a muffin paper wrap, this bread's head is popping out at the top, like a cuddly head of cauliflower in bread form. The top had a wonderful array of encrusted terrain, where various shades of brown intersected, and was punctuated by thick sugar crystals and specks of cinnamon seasoning. I leaned in for a whiff, and although it was visually there, it only had a faint cinnamon scent.

The whole reason to call a baked good a "pull-apart" is to get an eater excited to order one and do just that with it. While I was perhaps expecting this Starbucks one to be super-elastic, like the arms of Mister Fantastic from "The Fantastic Four," I would have settled for slightly stretchy after my ho-hum experience tearing this dense bread limb from limb. This was a sign of not-so-great things to come.

I started to nibble at the top to get a sense of the flavor, and there really wasn't much sweetness. The sugar and cinnamon sprinkles on top seemed more for show than for enjoyment. When I started working on this bread's body, the blandness of the item truly set in. While it gave off the appearance of being airy and even squishy, it was as dry as a three-day-old challah bread and had even less flavoring than its more showy top.

It's safe to say that people love baked goods doused in cinnamon, in one form or another. There's a reason why Cinnabon exists, right? Well, Starbucks could have probably borrowed a few of its recipes, or even Tasting Table ones, when coming up with its take on a cinnamon pull-apart.

Beyond its pleasant appearance, which resembled a popover, a lot is missing under the surface. Sure, some more sugar or spice would have been nice, especially given it's launching during the holiday season, but I don't think anyone would complain if there was a healthy sheen of cream cheese frosting coating the top. It's not too late to add it, or perhaps include a side dipping cup of it.

Plain and simple, this pull-apart is not worth pulling apart. You're better off pushing away from this baked (not so) good item and giving the new Polar Bear Cake Pop a go. At least with that one, you can use it as a puppet for a holiday stage play, and then bite its head off for a tasty encore.