REVIEW: Starbucks S’mores Cold Brew

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Foamy

In honor of America’s 250th birthday and summertime, Starbucks brought back the fan favorite S’mores Frappuccino and, with it, also introduced new S’mores beverages. One of them is the S’mores Cold Brew, featuring marshmallow cream cold foam, marshmallow syrup, and a graham-cracker crumble and chocolate syrup on top.

No need for me to graham-cracker coat this one – this cold brew is fantastic. I was delighted by the amount of chocolate drizzle and graham cracker on top. Recently, I’ve felt Starbucks has skimped on the amount of toppings I’ve received on a drink, but this was not the case here.

At the first sip, I got a good taste of the marshmallow cream cold foam, which was amazing. It had the right amount of vanilla without being too sweet and a very authentic marshmallow flavor. I really want to try it on flavored lattes for a fun boost!

All I see is a street map.

Another thing to note was the marshmallow syrup in the cold brew – big fan. I’ve come to realize I prefer when there is a syrup in the cold brew in general because it a) adds nice flavor and b) mellows the cold brew as the cold foam sinks in. Speaking of that – I loved the way the cold foam meshed with the cold brew. No notes.

The chocolate drizzle added a nice, subtle sweetness and stayed intact on the cold foam as I sipped. I assumed it would melt in, but it did not. I like that the chocolate didn’t steal the show from the marshmallow but simply enhanced the flavor.

Cascading.

Overall, I loved this drink. Truly tasted like I was sipping on a s’more. It was smooth, fun, and the perfect way to start my day. Will definitely be getting this one all summer long!

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 145 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Brookie Batter Ice Cream

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Chocolate Chip Cookie and Brownies unite!

Here’s something I thought I’d never type: I guess sometimes Oreo cookie pieces aren’t necessary.

What made me come to that conclusion was Baskin-Robbins’ July 2026 Flavor of the Month, Brookie Batter. There’s a lot going on with this scoop. It starts with brown sugar and brownie batter flavored ice creams. Then there are chocolate chip cookie and brownie dough chunks. Suspended in all of that are brownie batter flavored swirls. Then, like icing on a cake that already had icing on it, there are Oreo cookie pieces that feel like a third wheel uncomfortably sitting at a table where brownies and chocolate chip cookies are on a date.

Did someone at Baskin-Robbins corporate accidentally add an extra zero to the Oreo amount on a purchase order, creating an Oreoabundance? Did the folks there feel guilt because the last Flavor of the Month to feature Oreo cookie pieces was back in September 2024? Because the famous chocolatey cookie pieces seem unnecessary.

Whatever the case, Brookie Batter is a great ice cream flavor with a perfect balance between cookie and brownie.

Sorry for the slightly blurry photo.

The brown sugar and brownie batter ice cream bases are enjoyable on their own and do a good job of conveying the flavors of a brookie. But the scoop gets even better with the cookie and brownie dough chunks. Both are chewy, and when you get one or the other, it imparts its flavor into the ice cream and enhances it. It was rare to get both chunks in the same spoonful, but I didn’t mind. It was like playing Brookie Bingo, except instead of random numbers being pulled from a spinning cage, chewy chunks of cookie or brownie were scooped out from my cup.

And if that weren’t enough, the brownie batter swirls kick things up another notch. They add a slight grittiness and are bursting with fudgy flavor, elevating the other brownie-flavored elements. But I do wish my scoop had more of them.

Back to the Oreo pieces, which, I’ll admit, don’t really detract from the scoop and contribute a bit of crunch, which I guess justifies their presence. But, I dunno. It’s a little weird that they’re in here without being a headliner. Maybe if Chips Ahoy pieces were alongside them, the Oreo addition would feel more intentional and less like an afterthought. But if this didn’t have them, I would still enjoy it as much.

Baskin-Robbins’ Brookie Batter is a wonderful ice cream that nails the flavors and textures of a brookie, and those gritty swirls take the scoop to another level.

Purchased Price: $5.19
Size: 4 oz scoop
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar (including 25 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Biscoff Cookie Blizzard

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It's just soft serve and Biscoff cookies.

There is almost nothing enjoyable about air travel, unless you like long security lines, flight delays, and people in Group 10 who line up at the gate before boarding even starts. But one thing that helps me take the edge off is the Biscoff cookie many airlines toss out to the plebs in economy. It can sometimes be the only positive experience during a day of flying, and now you can get that feeling without having to listen to a safety demonstration, as Dairy Queen has introduced the new Biscoff Cookie Blizzard as part of the Blizzard Cup lineup.

The Blizzard Cup sounds like a minor league hockey tournament.

This Blizzard is about as simple as simple gets. It’s Biscoff cookies blended with vanilla soft serve. That’s it. But sometimes simple is splendid, and that’s the case here.

Biscoff cookies and soft serve is quite simple.

As much as I like Biscoff cookies, I don’t think I’ve ever actually purchased them at the grocery store. I really don’t know why, because the sweet blend of caramel and cinnamon is delicious. So this Blizzard might be the first time I’ve had a Biscoff without sitting uncomfortably in an aluminum tube. I was really looking forward to this Blizzard, and it delivered as expected.

But it's a tasty combo.

It was a delight every time I got a significant chunk of Biscoff in a spoonful, but even the soft serve mixed with just cookie crumbs was tasty. Much like a regular Oreo Blizzard, this one is not going to astound you — it’s just cookies and vanilla ice cream — but it is certainly a sweet, satisfying treat.

My only advice is not to dilly-dally as you eat this Blizzard. I guess because of the airy texture of Biscoff cookies, I did experience a bit of cookie sogginess toward the bottom of the cup. That’s just a minor complaint, however, and I hereby declare this as the winner of the Blizzard Cup (even though I’ve only had two of the three in the new lineup).

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: Mini
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories, 11 grams of fat, 77 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 39 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Mexican-style Hot Chocolate Made with ABUELITA Blizzard

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Dairy Queen Mexican-style Hot Chocolate Made with ABUELITA Blizzard

Here’s a sentence that likely has never been typed before: I know more about the Spanish language than I do about hot chocolate. That’s a weird thing to say, but it applies to the Mexican-style Hot Chocolate Made with ABUELITA Blizzard at Dairy Queen. It is part of the new Blizzard Cup menu and probably the record-holder for the longest Blizzard name in history.

I know enough Spanish to know that abuelita means grandmother, but I have an odd dislike for hot beverages of any kind, so I had never heard of ABUELITA hot chocolate. I also don’t know why the word has to be in all caps, or why Mrs. Doubtfire is on the logo. But I do know this Blizzard is quite good.

My aversion to hot chocolate only pertains to the hot part, so I was excited to try it as part of an icy-cold Blizzard. If you’ve had Nestle’s ABUELITA or any Mexican-style hot chocolate, you know there’s a lot more going on than with the standard version. And that’s certainly true with this Blizzard.

The ABUELITA packs a nice punch of warm cinnamon, and the chocolate flavor is not as sweet or powerful as other chocolate-focused Blizzards. There’s still plenty of chocolatiness in here though, thanks to the choco chunks that are a staple of so many other Blizzard combinations. The result is a complex and pleasing blend of chocolate flavors.

Whipped topping has never made anything worse.

The only letdown comes from the fudge-coated mini marshmallows. I realize marshmallows are chewy by nature, but these are distractingly rubbery and don’t impart much fudge or marshmallow flavor. They just add a weird texture against the crunch of the choco chunks. And since whipped topping has never made anything worse, the addition of it on top is a nice bonus.

Even after a slight downgrade because of the marshmallows, this Blizzard provides a tasty change of pace and stands out from most others. It did not quite make the list as one of my all-time favorites, but I would definitely get it again, and it’s worth a try if you are a fan of Mexican-style hot chocolate.

And it turns out that’s not Mrs. Doubtfire on the label, but instead is the late actress Sara Garcia, who was known as Mexico’s Grandmother.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: Mini
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 430 calories, 19 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 49 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks S’mores Chai

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I heard the siren for Starbucks' new S'mores Chai

It’s S’mores Season! So let’s savor these summer months by stuffing our mouths with a sugary surge of s’mores.

Starbucks is going all out this S’mores Season with the return of the S’mores Frappuccino and the introduction of two new drinks: the S’mores Cold Brew with Marshmallow Cold Foam and the S’mores Chai.

I’m a chai guy, so the S’mores Chai got my attention over the cold brew. I’ve had tasty chocolate chai drinks before, so I thought this would be a sweet, satisfying beverage. The fusion of chai tea with toasted marshmallow, milk chocolate sauce, and graham cracker sounds amazeballs. However, while I’m a chai guy, I’m also a shy guy, and I can spot shyness when I see it. The s’mores flavor in this drink is even shyer than I am.

Hello, sweet stuff.

Despite three pumps of marshmallow syrup, marshmallow cream cold foam, milk chocolate drizzle, and graham cracker topping in and on my tall order, none of it was enough to overcome the three pumps of chai. With every sip, the chai’s spices dominated everything else, like that friend who puts on too much perfume or cologne for a dinner.

Everything on top looks quite sweet-tooth-satisfying, but doesn’t do much to enhance the chai flavor, and that’s two-ply-toilet-paper-getting-misaligned-frustrating. I thought the chocolate sauce would be a welcome addition, but I couldn’t detect it at all.

Even when mixed, the chai dominates.

Even after mixing the toppings into the drink, they didn’t make much of a difference. If anything, the marshmallow notes maybe made the chai slightly sweeter. Stirring things together also created a new problem — all the graham cracker crumbs sank to the bottom and became mostly trapped by the ice.

The barista who made my drink wrote “yum” on the cup, and I’m not going to disagree with her. I’m a chai guy, after all. But it tasted too similar to a regular chai to justify the “S’mores” in the product’s name. So I guess my S’mores Season is off to a shaky start.

Purchased Price: $5.95
Size: Tall
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Tall) 280 calories, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 37 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein, and 45 milligrams of caffeine.

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