Starbucks' 2026 holiday menu includes several drinks that can be ordered without dairy, according to a 4 November 2026 rundown by Charlotte Pointing for VegNews. The full lineup went on sale from 5 November.
New this year is the Iced Sugar Cookie Cream Matcha, which the report said can be ordered without dairy. "Smooth, creamy matcha gets a holiday twist with sugar cookie cream cold foam and festive red and green sprinkles," Starbucks said of the drink.
Also new is the Apple Pomegranate Refresher, which the company said "features crisp apple flavors and popping pomegranate-flavored pearls." As with most refreshers, it can be paired with lemonade or with coconut milk. The coconut milk version is sold as the Snowy Apple Drink.
Two returning drinks can be ordered with dairy-free milk alternatives: the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte and the Peppermint Mocha, which Starbucks normally finishes with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls that need to be left off. Three seasonal non-dairy cold foams are back as well, in Gingerbread, Peppermint Chocolate and Sugar Cookie Cream versions.
The vegan-friendly drinks and add-ons listed by VegNews are:
- Apple Pomegranate Refresher
- Snowy Apple Drink (the Apple Pomegranate Refresher with added coconut milk)
- Iced Sugar Cookie Latte
- Iced Sugar Cookie Cream Matcha
- Peppermint Mocha
- Gingerbread Cream Cold Foam
- Peppermint Chocolate Cream Cold Foam
- Sugar Cookie Cream Cold Foam
The Starbucks sauces that cannot be swapped
A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed to VegNews that all beverages made with caramel brûlée sauce, caramel sauce, white chocolate mocha, dark chocolate curls and the new velvet mascarpone sauce cannot be made vegan.
That rules out two of this season's launches, the Tiramisu Velvet Latte and the Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew.
Cost is no longer a factor in the order: Starbucks no longer charges extra for non-dairy options. On food, the chain has not released a festive plant-based item this year, though the Spicy Falafel Pocket, which first appeared on the menu in 2025, remains available. VegOut previously covered year-round and seasonal orders in its guide to the best vegan Starbucks drinks for the holidays, and earlier listed vegan fall drinks to order at coffee chains.
At Peet's, the topping is what to leave off
Peet's Coffee, which has more than 250 locations across the US, has released a five-drink holiday lineup, four items of which are vegan or can be ordered dairy-free, VegNews reported on 5 November 2026.
The Holiday Spice Latte is made with espresso, holiday spices and the steamed milk of the customer's choice. Pointing wrote that customers should "ask for this beverage without the Dream Top, a dairy-based cream topping."
The Peppermint Mocha, which the report called a fan favorite, can be made with any dairy-free milk and without the Vanilla Dream Top.
Two further items need no change. The Sparkling Black Cherry Energy is vegan by default, made with club soda, sweet black cherry purée and green coffee extract, with added vitamin B12 and L-theanine. The Holiday Blend is a limited-edition roast described by the company as "bold and well-balanced."
The exception is the Peppermint Bark Matcha, the one new drink on the Peet's menu that cannot be made vegan.
"Holiday coffee has a way of bringing people back to the moments and traditions they look forward to every year," said Cara Schlanger, Peet's director of retail.
As of summer 2025, Peet's no longer charges extra for alternative milks such as oat, almond and soy. Outside the seasonal lineup, the chain offers cold-brew oat lattes and chai lattes, though not the golden chai, which contains honey. Its Everything Plant-Based Sandwich is made with Beyond Breakfast Sausage, Just Egg and vegan cheese. Peet's has also launched two limited-edition products with body care brand LAVANILA, a Vanilla Latte Body & Hair Mist and a soy-wax Vanilla Latte Candle.
What the chains' own announcements say
Starbucks' own holiday menu announcement, published on 4 November 2026, confirms the lineup from 5 November, including the new Tiramisu Velvet drinks, the Apple Pomegranate Refreshers and the Iced Sugar Cookie Cream Matcha. It describes the Peppermint Mocha as topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls, so a dairy-free order also needs to leave off the dairy whipped cream and the dark chocolate curls, which Starbucks told VegNews cannot be made vegan.
Peet's announced its holiday menu on 4 November 2026, for a limited time at participating coffeebars nationwide and through the Peetnik Rewards app, with availability varying by location. The release lists the Holiday Spice Latte and Peppermint Mocha as available with or without Vanilla Dream Top, and describes the Peppermint Bark Matcha as made with white chocolate sauce and cold milk under a Peppermint Matcha Dream Top.
Neither report describes any of these drinks as certified vegan; both describe which items are vegan by default and which can be built without dairy. Ingredients, equipment and availability vary by store, so customers should confirm the build in each chain's app or at the counter before ordering.
The Starbucks holiday menu has been available since 5 November 2026. At Peet's, the Holiday Blend is sold as a limited edition for the season.
