Starbucks' Surprise January Menu Just Leaked, and it Includes a Reformulated Matcha and the Return of This Fan-Favorite Latte

Drive-through coffee devotees, rejoice: America’s largest coffee chain appears to be taking notes from its customers and adjusting accordingly. After all, Starbucks did slash extra fees on its non-dairy milks last month and rolled out modestly-priced breakfast bundles during the summer. Now, leaked details on a new winter menu could point to big changes for one of its most popular lattes. 

Starbucks may be planning a new approach to its matcha formula starting in January, as food blogger extraordinaire Markie Devo speculates. In a recent Instagram post, Devo claims Starbucks could instruct baristas to blend the tea powder rather than shaking it — a change that could mean even more silky-smooth matcha lattes and lemonades in the near future. Another item of note? All powdered matcha will arrive unsweetened and primed for customization, according to Devo’s insights from an anonymous Starbucks barista. 

Either way you spin it, Starbucks’ approach to matcha isn’t exactly orthodox. Traditional prep necessitates a stiff bamboo whisk to consistently blend and aerate the Japanese green tea powder in hot water. When you’re staring down uncaffeinated crowds during the peak morning rush at America’s largest coffee chain, however, those extra moments of careful preparation aren’t exactly practical… so we’ll give Starbucks that. 

Elsewhere online, social users call attention to the amount of sugar that comes standard in Starbucks’ matcha formula (a complaint that’s echoed across wellness accounts, foodies, and lifestyle vloggers on TikTok). Some are surprised to learn that the drink, which they assumed was health-conscious, actually holds a significant amount of sugar, which the chain mixes in with the matcha powder.

If you aren’t into matcha, though, no worries: There are three new surprise drinks expected in the new year. The standout is the Cortado, a short-sized coffee that brings three shots of high-quality blonde espresso and a splash of milk. It’s joined by the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado, which adds brown sugar syrup and cinnamon to the silky coffee. The Pistachio Latte — and its accompanying cold foam — will reportedly also make a return. In early February, we could expect a new Blackberry Sage Refresher and a Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Frappuccino, the latter of which reminds us of the early 2010’s “secret menu” wave across social media.  

Forgot your work lunch at home? There might also be a savory new vegan Spicy Falafel Pocket (with a side of Bitchin’ Sauce Almond Chipotle Dip) to tide you over, per Devo’s sources. The Vanilla Bean Custard Danish is also apparently making a January return, followed by a Valentine’s Day cake pop in February.

All in all, we’re eagerly awaiting any word on the new matcha formula from Starbucks HQ. Of course, social media rumors are never guaranteed — but this one has us crossing our fingers.