Starbucks’ new Iced Apple Crumble Non-Dairy Cream Chai is a mouthful—and that’s before you’ve even taken a sip!
Starbucks needs to come up with a better name for this drink that doesn’t take two minutes to say. But beyond the strange name, this new Fall drink, released in 2024, is definitely a winner.
I recently stopped by my local Starbucks in Pleasant Hill, California, to try it out. Here are my initial impressions:
The First Sip
As soon as I took a sip of the drink, I was immediately hit by an overpowering apple flavor.
Some of Starbucks’ new fall drinks are on the subtle side. That’s certainly true of some of their winter drinks, like those that include a brown sugar flavor.
This drink is not subtle! It’s sweet, buttery, and extremely apple-forward!
What I taste most strongly is the flavor of the buttery crumble you might find on top of an apple cobbler. It’s definitely a fall drink, but one I would associate with late fall, around Thanksgiving time.
That strong apple flavor blends nicely with the traditional warm spices of the chai. Nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other chai spices are also things you’d find in an apple cobbler. Naturally, it works well.
The cream on top is a nice addition, too. I think Starbucks should come up with a much better name than “non-dairy cream.” What exactly is that? But the fact that it’s still extremely creamy without any dairy products is impressive, and it makes a nice layer on top.
My Thoughts
I like all these cream-based drinks that Starbucks has been making recently. The cool cream on top adds an icy component to the drink.
I really like this one! I love sweet drinks, so the combo of a bit of caffeine from the black tea in the chai, the nice warm spices, and the strong apple butter flavor works for me.
If you don’t like sweet drinks, though, this one’s not for you.
I also question exactly what season this is meant for. It’s an iced drink, which would suggest the warm days of late summer and early fall in September.
But the apple flavor, combined with the pie spices in the chai, makes it feel more like a Thanksgiving drink. In that case, I would expect it to be a hot drink.
Other than the seasonal confusion and the extreme sweetness, though, this is a great one. I would definitely get it again.
I just hope they come up with something better to call it next year!
