'False Advertising' — Starbucks Fans Are Not Happy With A Change To The Beloved Eggnog Latte

CORRECTION 12/12/25: A previous version of this article stated Starbucks does not use real eggnog in the new Eggnog Latte recipe; the chain uses powdered eggnog mix, which is then used to create eggnog for the drink. The original recipe it's being compared to was made with liquid eggnog that had been sent to the stores, rather than having the baristas make the eggnog from a powder themselves.

Starbucks is in hot water (yet again) after customers have noticed a major change in the taste and quality of the cafe's classic Eggnog Latte. In addition to the November 2025 Red Cup Day strike led by unionized Starbucks workers, the company is facing backlash due to a key change to its original Eggnog Latte recipe. This beloved seasonal drink, which was Starbucks' first-ever holiday beverage, hasn't been on the holiday menu since 2020. Fans were elated to find out it would be back this year, but some quickly changed their minds after tasting the new iteration of the beverage. 

The seasonal latte has undergone an ingredient shakeup that, according to some long-time customers and Starbucks baristas, has significantly affected its flavor and has fans claiming false advertising. The original Starbucks Eggnog Latte, which has been around for longer than you might have expected, was made with liquid eggnog, steamed and combined with espresso, and topped with ground nutmeg. However, the current nutrition information for the drink, available on the Starbucks website, indicates that the espresso beverage is no longer made with liquid eggnog. 

Rather than liquid eggnog, the drink is now made with an "eggnog sweet powder component" containing sugar, dried egg yolks, and flavoring. While eggnog powder might be a shelf-stable alternative to shipping pre-made eggnog, it doesn't quite hit the same for customers who were expecting to receive a nostalgic, creamy holiday beverage. And neither the customers nor baristas are keeping quiet about their feelings towards the new Eggnog Latte.

When Starbucks announced the return of the Eggnog Latte, the company stated that it was because it wanted to give the fans what they wanted. A blog post on Starbucks' website confirmed that the new Eggnog Latte recipe is the result of trying a multitude of different ingredient combinations in an effort to re-imagine the classic holiday beverage. Erik Gomez, a member of Starbucks' beverage development team, said in a statement, "For true eggnog lovers, it's about those comforting notes — the warmth of nutmeg, the gentl[e] spice of ground cinnamon, layered over a luscious, custard-like base."

Though not a pan, we did note in our review of the Starbucks Eggnog Cream Cold Foam and Eggnog Latte that the drink wasn't quite what we had expected. While acknowledging that it captured the essence of eggnog, our reviewer pointed out that it didn't have a rich vanilla flavor or the thick consistency they had imagined.

While Starbucks customers wait all year for the return of holiday drinks, the 2025 holiday menu doesn't feature a single new drink. Yet it did hail the return of the Eggnog Latte, spurring intense reactions from fans who hadn't gotten their noggy fave since 2020. Unfortunately for some, nostalgia took a hit when fans actually tasted the new beverage. Both customers and baristas took to Reddit and other social media platforms to warn others away from trying the drink.

In a post to r/starbucks, a barista claimed the drink was "absolutely disgusting. Smells awful and tastes awful as well." They went on to confirm changes made to the original Eggnog Latte recipe, saying, "It is NOT like previous years where we have had real [liquid] eggnog shipped to us. This year it's a powder that we use and it's horrible." A Starbucks supervisor chimed in on another Reddit post, saying, "Eggnog is possibly the worst tasting drink we've ever had." A barista responded, "we made it [S]aturday to taste at work and it has to be the worst thing [I've] ever tried there, no one liked it, not to mention the way it was made really put me off as well."

Customers also aren't being shy about sharing their thoughts. In another Reddit post a customer said, "Weird aftertaste ... nothing like the [OG]." Another made a post on Reddit claiming the drink "had a really weird taste, almost like chemicals ... I went online and it seems like they changed their recipe to using powdered mix ..." That same post solicited homemade eggnog recipes so customers could make eggnog lattes at home.