Starbucks' Eggnog Latte Has Been Around For Longer Than You Might Have Expected

As 2025 draws to a close, Starbucks is giving us a glimpse of its holiday menu. There are many old school fan favorites on the menu. The most highly anticipated one of all, however, is the Eggnog Latte. This steamy mix of eggnog and milk with espresso, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of nutmeg really captures the holidays — yet it hasn't been on the holiday menu since 2020. But, while it might feel new, people seem to have forgotten how old the drink recipe actually is. 

While Starbucks dates back to 1971, the company didn't go public until 1992 – and at that point they only had 165 stores in five states. They were far from the international powerhouse they are today, which is why most people hadn't heard of it until later in the 1990s. But, the Eggnog Latte was already part of the Starbucks menu by then. First crafted by Dave Olsen at the espresso bar Il Giornale in 1986, the drink came to Starbucks when the two merged a year later. 

Olsen joined Starbucks in 1987 after serving espresso in Seattle for over a decade. He became Starbucks' resident coffee expert, and developed several coffee innovations — the Eggnog Latte being chief among them. The recipe came to Starbucks along with him. After it vanished in 2020 — and up until its reappearance on the 2025 holiday menu — fans could only order it at Starbucks Reserve locations.

There was never an official reason why Starbucks discontinued its eggnog latte and kept it away for so long. The drink's return after five years coincides with Starbucks bringing back a holiday menu of familiar favorites. There are notably no new drinks on the 2025 holiday menu, so Starbucks is banking on nostalgia and familiarity to carry it into 2026. This could be a winning plan if enough fans missed these classic drinks.

Along with the return of the Eggnog Latte is the Peppermint Mocha, which was first introduced in 2002. The Caramel Brûlée Latte, which Starbucks unveiled in 2009, is also back this year along Starbucks' first dairy-free holiday drink, The Iced Sugar Cookie Latte, which was introduced in back in 2021. The Chestnut Praline Latte from 2014 and the 2023 Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai are also set to be making a come back on this year's  holiday menu. 

Starbucks' 2025 holiday menu has a decent mix of newer flavor combinations and nostalgic favorites. So, if you've been looking forward to ringing in the season with an old favorite, this is your year.