Anyone tried Starbucks' Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate yet?

[septocaine_queen]

I was in Starbucks this morning and they have new hot chocolate flavors. The one that interested me the most was the salted caramel hot chocolate. Has anyone tried it or the other flavors? What did you think?

[smr33]

The first few sips were quite nice. Then...way too sweet for me. I think if I added a shot of expresso, I would probably enjoy it more.

[momof3]

Try the new espresso truffle. Its the sig hot choc with espresso. Yummmmmm

[sasha1]

It's official. I've had four or five since I discovered them two weeks ago, and I'm hooked. It is bad bad bad for me and I have to stop. I tell myself I'm doing good by getting a tall and no whip. Has anyone tried the hazelnut flavor?

[sharonj]

I just tried the Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate and it is just unbelievably good. I should really go to one of the New York Hot Chocolate stalwarts for comparison...

[sasha1]

Dang it - I'll have to try that one too. It doesn't by any chance taste like warm Nutella does it? Because that sounds scary good.

[sasha1]

I just tried my first, and I really liked it too. I left off the whipped cream, whose extra cals I didn't miss. I had remembered the chantico from a few years ago which was good but sooo rich, and when I saw that the salted caramel was regular coffee sizes, tried to get a "low fat" version. I asked for 2%, asssuming they used whole, and they also told me it was premixed with skim. Very tasty, could've used more salt, but ever so much better than Starbucks regular hot choc, which tastes like carnation to me.

[carfreeinla]

I am not going to go into the frustrating details but after ordering and waiting for way too long, I picked up my drink only to be told that they had made it without the salted caramel because they had run out! And they didn't offer to return my money- nor even reacted when i asked. So I walked out of the store and wrote a not to Starbucks. Basically what I got was an overpriced HC with a shot of caramel. Rip off...

[xojamielee09]

I just tried it today. I'm actually drinking at this very moment. I think it is delicious.

[sylvrgirl]

Loved it! I had a chance to sample one here in Toronto the other morning and I was floored by the delicious combo of the salt and caramel! Surprisingly good was all I could think as I "inhaled" the beverage! :-)

[Mayflour]

Had a free coupon and used it for a tall salted caramel hot chocolate, no whip. So delicious, but very rich and sweet. Not an every day kind of drink more like a one time treat.

[RobynS]

I agree, very good but so rich I couldn't drink it regularly. I was thinking that adding a shot of espresso as mentioned earlier on this thread would be really delicious as well though and might cut the richness.

[sadiefox]

I went to Starbucks yesterday specifically to try this, as I am a HUGE fan of chocolate and salt. They told me they were out of the salt. I left, because there was nothing else that I felt like wasting 420 calories on. Perhaps I can try again this weekend.

[sadiefox]

Ok, finally had it and I thought it was just ok. I wanted it to be richer chocolate, and saltier. It was tasty, but very sweet and the salt just did not come through. All I could taste was the caramel.

[Dommy]

This is the drink I ordered last week in the original starbux in Seattle... I also thought it was just okay. It had a nice salty edge, but I wanted more of a punch... Like the Vosage's Barcelona bar.

--Dommy!

[Low Country Jon]

I just tried one of these today and liked it pretty well. I had some time to kill, and it seemed like a good alternative to their coffee which I don't really like. I was confused by this: I tried to order it with soy milk, but the barista indicated they didn't normally mix it with milk of any kind, but he could make it half hot chocolate, half soy if I wanted. I told him to skip the soy, but it still seemed plenty creamy, and Starbucks' website seems to indicate it is indeed mixed with milk and soy is indeed an option. What gives?

[lstormont]

I was told it was pre-mixed with skim,

[HezApp]

I went in for one the other night...the barista actually pulled out a bag of mix, so I think he added it to milk or skim. I'm not a fan of Starbucks Coffee either. I met a big fan there and the signs intrigued me...bag of mix or not, that stuff is super-yummy! Looking at the other posts, I'm surprised to see that the salt is only at the top of the beverage...mine have always been fabulously tasty!

[momof3]

ew! thats so not how you make it! Bad job. You should ask them to make it to recipe for you

[wontonfm]

That was my problem with the signature hot chocolates too! I wanted soy but the hot chocolate was pre-mixed with cow's milk. I went for it anyway and it worked a number on my tummy.
The hot chocolate was good enough - nothing that I'd rush out to get again but would order it if I happened to end up at Starbucks.

WON
http://whatsonmyplate.wordpress.com

[dorayaki]

They also have Hazelnut Hot Chocolate, which is everything you would expect - Hazelnut + Chocolate. But I really like Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate - it was so good and this coming from someone who is not a fan of caramel.

[maryv]

I just had one today - the baristas were going gaga over it. I definitely liked the salted caramel topping with the whipped cream, and I liked the hot chocolate underneath, but it felt like they were two separate experiences. Maybe a salted caramel latte would be the way to go... or maybe just buying some salted caramels!

[septocaine_queen]

salted caramel latte sounds awesome.

[swissgirl]

Yeah, I was wondering if the whole drink is salted caramel flavored or if the salted aspect consists of sprinkles of salt on top. Does the salt flavor carry through to the bottom of the cup? I really like chocolate and salt together but wonder if this drink really is as good as it sounds.

[maryv]

The salt is just sprinkled on top, so it's a matter of technique. If you eat all the whipped cream first, there's no salt for your chocolate, but with a little attention you can make it last through the whole drink. Or, I suppose, you could ask the barista to mix the salt into the hot chocolate to start with instead of sprinkling it on top.

[swissgirl]

Thanks, that what I suspected. Stirring the salt into the drink would flavor the whole drink. It's like hot chocolate and marshmallows - once the marshmallows are "eaten" off the top, you're left with regular hot chocolate.

[Dommy]

AH!!! That is what was missing... I perfer my Hot Chocolate without whipped cream... so they probably didn't sprinkle the salt! :PPP

--Dommy!

[Lixer]

I tried one the other day and the girl making the drinks called out my order "Tall- no whip- salted caramel... oops" and right as she said that she took the lid off and sprinkled in the caramel salt stuff.

The first few sips with this was divine, but after that it was just normal hot chocolate.

[Chew on That]

What are the other flavors? Salted caramel sounds so good! I personally love the fall/autumn drinks. I could drink a pumpkin spice latte any day!

[salmonluva]

Try the new Signature Hot Chocolate with Pumpkin Spice flavor and two shots added to it. Sounds odd but oddly delici-o-so! Gotta get my Pumpkin Spice fix any way I can before it goes away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dianamesa]

Just had one (actually finishing it right now). I am a big fan of the salted caramel flavor and love this. It's very rich, and a small/tall is more than enough!

[missmallory]

I saw it today too.
So I ordered a tall with a shot of espresso and I actually really liked it. A little rich but the salted caramel was pretty good. I'd give it a shot if you've got hankering sweet tooth.