McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026 land at participating US restaurants on Nov. 3, and they bring cookie butter and cranberry flavors to a lineup of five. Here is what’s new, what’s in each drink and the McRib’s early return.
Last updated October 27, 2026.
McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026: the full lineup and launch date
McDonald’s announced the limited-time drinks on Tuesday, October 27. The company’s press release, as published by IDS News, says they start Nov. 3 at participating restaurants nationwide.
The lineup splits into cranberry and cookie butter. Two drinks carry the frosted cranberry flavor, and three are coffee drinks with cookie butter. Her Campus confirms the same five names and the same date. Here is the whole menu, as the release describes it.
| Drink | What’s in it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Frosted Cranberry Splash with Sprite | Sprite with orange and cranberry flavors, cold foam and cranberry sprinkles | A soda-based drink |
| Red Bull Frosted Cranberry Energizer | Frosted cranberry flavor, cold foam and sprinkles, with Red Bull | Classic Red Bull or Red Bull Zero |
| Cookie Butter Frappé, Latte and Iced Coffee | Cookie butter flavor topped with caramel cookie crumbs and vanilla whip | Three coffee drinks, one flavor |
People says the release closes with a line about the season. “The best traditions are worth starting a little early,” it says. “Consider this your official holiday kick off.”
McDonald’s Cookie Butter Latte, frappé and iced coffee
Among McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026, cookie butter is the flavor to watch. The release describes a creamy blend of rich cookie butter flavor, topped with caramel cookie crumbs and sweet vanilla whip. It applies to all three drinks.
People got an early taste of all five drinks. The magazine wrote that the Cookie Butter Frappé was “the most dessertlike.” The other two cookie butter drinks were “more coffee-forward,” People said, “while still sweet enough to be a treat.”
That means the McDonald’s Cookie Butter Latte and the iced coffee are the pair to try if you want coffee first. If you want dessert, People points to the frappé. Some people type McDonald’s cookie butter frappe without the accent, but the menu spells it Frappé.
McDonald’s has not published ingredient lists or nutrition details in the release, so we are not guessing at them.
The best traditions are worth starting a little early.
McDonald’s Frosted Cranberry Splash and the Red Bull option
The Frosted Cranberry Splash is the simpler of the two cranberry drinks. The release calls it a crisp Sprite infused with bright orange and cranberry flavors, finished with cold foam and cranberry sprinkles.
The Red Bull Frosted Cranberry Energizer takes the same flavor and adds Red Bull. McDonald’s pitches it as “made for packed holiday schedules and festive adventures.” You can order it with classic Red Bull or Red Bull Zero.
People wrote that it loved the fruity-meets-creamy mix of both cranberry drinks. Cold foam made them “refreshing and indulgent,” the magazine said. Her Campus, meanwhile, calls the Splash a fruity, fizzy option for anyone wanting a seasonal twist on a classic soda.
Availability: when can you get the drinks?
Here is the short version for McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026: the date is Nov. 3, and only at participating restaurants. McDonald’s says “limited time only,” so the drinks will not stay forever. The release gives no end date. Pair the date with an outing, because Bryant Park Winter Village 2026 is open, with the rink running until February 28, 2027 and the Holiday Shops until January 3.
The release also lists no price for the drinks, and we will not guess one. It does say prices and participation may vary. People says the McDonald’s app shows whether the McRib is available near you, so it is the best place to check the drinks too.
Planning a sweeter month? Our Halloween cocktails cover the drinks side. For candy, see the best Halloween candy. If you would rather cook, try roasting pumpkin seeds.
Also new: McDonald’s McRib 2026 locations
The McRib is back, but only in select cities. People says it returned on Tuesday, October 27, in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas. McDonald’s has yet to announce more cities, per People. Her Campus lists the same six, and it notes that the McRib came back nationwide last November.
The McRib news arrived the same day as McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026. People describes the sandwich as boneless pork with tangy barbecue sauce, onions and dill pickles on a hoagie-style bun. Check the app before you drive across town.
One more deal sits in the same release. From Nov. 2, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal is $8 at participating restaurants for a limited time. McDonald’s notes that prices and participation may vary.
Want a different kind of drink news? Read Erewhon’s NYC smoothie news, or browse more Food & Drink on High Tea Magazine.
McDonald’s holiday drinks 2026 FAQ
When do McDonald’s holiday drinks come out in 2026?
Nov. 3, at participating restaurants nationwide, per McDonald’s.
What are the McDonald’s holiday drinks this year?
There are five: the Frosted Cranberry Splash with Sprite, the Red Bull Frosted Cranberry Energizer, and the Cookie Butter Frappé, Latte and Iced Coffee.
What is in the McDonald’s Cookie Butter Latte?
McDonald’s describes cookie butter flavor topped with caramel cookie crumbs and sweet vanilla whip. The release lists no ingredients or nutrition details.
Is the McRib back in 2026?
Yes, in select cities. It returned October 27 in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas, and McDonald’s has yet to name more cities, per People.
Does McDonald’s have a holiday drink without caffeine?
We could not find caffeine details in the release. The Frosted Cranberry Splash is Sprite-based, but check with your restaurant or the app. The Energizer is built around Red Bull, and the three cookie butter drinks are coffee drinks, so none of the five is a clear caffeine-free pick from the release alone.