I tried Starbucks' new Sugar Cookie Latte, and it's perfect for anyone who thinks the other holiday drinks are too sweet

From the Irish Cream Cold Brew that debuted in 2019 to this fall's Apple Crisp Macchiato, I've seen the coffee giant experiment with a wide range of flavors.

So when Starbucks announced a new holiday drink was joining the menu this year, I knew I had to see how it stacked up against its predecessors.

The Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte — available starting Wednesday — is Starbucks' first non-dairy holiday drink, a spokesperson for the chain told me.

It features sugar cookie-flavored syrup, along with Starbucks' Blonde Espresso, almond milk, and ice.

The drink is topped with red and green cookie sprinkles, and can also be ordered hot or with oat milk instead.

These sweet cookies, which get their name from the German word "spritzen," have long been popular during the holidays.

Erin Marinan, who helped develop the Sugar Cookie Latte, told Insider that Starbucks wanted to "harness the buttery and vanilla notes" of spritz cookies so that you could smell their familiar scent from your very first sip.

"It reminds me of making cookies with my mom and sisters growing up," she added. "It gives me all the nostalgic feels of the holiday."

While it may sound counterintuitive, I'm not surprised that Starbucks decided to make another iced holiday drink. Back when I tried the Irish Cream Cold Brew in 2019, a Starbucks representative told me that "cold is booming."

"It's more than 50% of our beverage sales, and we know that everybody loves them year-round," they added.

I'm a huge fan of the Irish Cream Cold Brew and my go-to winter drink is an Iced Peppermint Mocha, so I was excited to see if the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte would be a hit as well.

I ordered my drink with oat milk (I'm allergic to almonds) and was surprised by how light the coffee looked compared to the promo image. At first glance, it didn't really stand out — especially compared to recent special Starbucks drinks like the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino.

It was a cute touch, although the sprinkles seemed a bit out of place without whipped cream.

I know that a lot of Starbucks' special drinks are a bit too sweet for many people — especially when it comes to the holiday menu. But if "Sugar Cookie" is in the name, I'm expecting something pretty saccharine.

So I was surprised that the Iced Sugar Cookie Latte's flavor was pretty muted. The nuttiness of the oat milk and Starbucks' Blonde Espresso came through, and I did get a bit of that vanilla and buttery taste that Marinan had mentioned. But the sweetness so prevalent in a sugar cookie? That was lacking for me.

There was also a bit of a strange aftertaste, although it mostly disappeared after I gave the drink a big stir with my straw.

Now this, this smelled like the holidays — and it tasted like it, too. The sugar-cookie flavor was definitely more apparent in the hot latte, and the ingredients just seemed to meld better together in this warmer version.

The sweetness still isn't overpowering though, so the Sugar Cookie Latte could be a good drink for people who think a Peppermint Mocha is too much for a frequent winter beverage. But I still yearned for a little more holiday flavor.

When I took off the cap to take a peek at the red and green sprinkles, I felt that familiar tug of excitement for the upcoming holidays — this actually looked like Christmas in a cup.

Maybe it's because last year's holiday season was overshadowed by the pandemic, but when I heard "Sugar Cookie Latte," I was expecting something packed with plenty of festive flavors. After all, who doesn't want an excuse to go all out for Christmas after 2020?

I think the sugar-cookie flavor might've been more exciting in a frappuccino. But, since the latte doesn't feel like an over-the-top treat, I could easily see someone drinking this every day if they wanted to.

The Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulee Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, and Irish Cream Cold Brew will all reappear on Starbucks' menus as of Wednesday.

This years' red-cup designs were inspired by wrapping paper, ribbons, holiday lights, and candy canes.

You'll be able to get the new reindeer cake pop, along with classics like the sugar plum danish, cranberry bliss bar, and snowman cookie.