I Tried All of Shake Shack’s Holiday Shakes, and Had a Clear Favorite

Across the country, we’re bracing for cold weather, with many chains releasing hot chocolates, flavored hot lattes and other warm drinks to soothe the winter chill. But for some, it’s still time for cold drinks. Panera recently announced the release of its first-ever frozen hot chocolate, while Dunkin’ just launched a Cookie Butter Cloud Iced Latte, inspired by an ordering hack invented by fans. Meanwhile, there’s the divisive Starbucks Bearista cup, the sold-out bear-shaped glass cup for iced drinks.

Now, Shake Shack is taking the season from iced to frozen, announcing a collection of three holiday shakes. This year’s lineup will feature one returning seasonal shake and two new holiday flavors fans can try for the first time.

“The holidays are a rich source for inspiration, and our shake lineup is all about reimagining those nostalgic seasonal flavors with our signature Shake Shack twist. From well-loved classics like sugar cookies, to bold, decadent combinations with crackable chocolate shells, each shake is hand-spun with care and designed to surprise and satisfy holiday cravings. We’re excited to share these festive shakes with our fans and can’t wait for them to experience the joy in each sip, Nick Wuest, Shake’s Shack’s Senior Manager of Culinary Innovation said in a press release.

What’s so special about Shake Shack’s shakes?

Instead of using ice cream, Shake Shack’s shakes are made from frozen custard, which is popular in the Midwest. The egg yolk in the custard produces a denser, richer and less icy shake when whipped with air.

What are Shake Shack’s holiday shakes this year?

The Holiday Shake trio includes the following drinks:

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Shake: This new shake features a base of frozen chocolate custard hand-spun with mint chocolate fudge. The drink is topped with a crackable white chocolate peppermint bark shell, coated in a thin layer around the entire cup, and finished with whipped cream and peppermint candy bits. This is the chain’s second-ever crackable shell after the success of the Chocolate Pistachio Dubai Shake.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Shake: Inspired by the classic British dessert, the drink features a base of hand-spun frozen vanilla frozen custard mixed with sticky toffee pudding cake and caramelized brown sugar. The drink is finished with whipped cream and a toffee pudding sauce drizzle. While Shake Shack U.K. previously released a Sticky Toffee Pudding Shake, this U.S. version uses a new formula.

Christmas Cookie Shake: A fan-favorite flavor that returns each year, this shake features a sugar cookie frozen custard, topped with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles.

My Honest Thoughts on Shake Shack’s 2025 Holiday Shake Trio

I got to try all three shakes at Shake Shack’s Innovation Kitchen in New York. Here’s what I thought:

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Shake: Squeezing the cup to crack the shell was subtly satisfying, like cracking a pinkie finger, but not a major “wow” moment. The shake had the perfect level of sweetness and richness, not cloying or too heavy. On the flavor side, I was surprised by how subtle the peppermint was. I barely tasted it in the chocolate shake, mixing in some of the whipped cream topping to get a mint chocolate flavor. I also struggled to taste the peppermint in the bark shell, though the white chocolate was delicious. However, I concluded that this balance of flavors actually worked very well for a shake that easily could’ve been “too much.” I’d recommend it to peppermint-lovers and skeptics alike.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Shake: My favorite shake of the three, this shake had a complex flavor from the toffee sauce, brown sugar and molasses. The toffee sauce specifically tasted like nutty browned butter. The texture and small size of the sponge cake pieces were also perfect, melting in my mouth as I ate them. I also detected the subtle taste of rum in the cake, which added further depth (Nick Wuest confirmed to me that the alcohol in the cake is completely cooked out). Much like the Peppermint Bark Chocolate Shake, I was impressed that the shake wasn’t too sweet or rich. Pro tip: dip Shake Shack’s French fries into the drink — the saltiness from the fries combined with the sweet toffee sauce is heavenly.

Christmas Cookie Shake: After waxing poetic about the other two shakes, you’ll notice my description of this one is pretty short. That’s because, compared to the other two flavors, it was very simple. The flavor is one note, successfully capturing the essence of a sugar cookie, though I’d also liken it to vanilla pudding or frosting. This singular flavor would have been fine if the shake hadn’t been cloyingly sweet. I struggled to take more than a few sips of it, though in all fairness, I’d just had two others. I’d recommend the shake to kids, as the flavor may be better suited to them than adults.

How can you get Shake Shack’s 2025 Holiday Shake Trio?

The Peppermint Bark Chocolate Shake is rolling out in stores starting November 18, while the Sticky Toffee Pudding and Christmas Cookie Shakes were released earlier, on November 4. The shakes will be available In-Shack at the counter, at kiosks or via online ordering on the website or the Shack App for both pick-up and delivery.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding and Christmas Cookie shake is available for $6.99, while the Peppermint Bark Chocolate Shake is priced at $9.99.

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