Although Halloween was a few short days ago, the holiday season is upon us. To kick it off Starbucks has released four new holiday-inspired desserts: the Chocolate Swirl Brioche, Pistachio Honey Croissant, Sugar Plum Cheese Danish, and Penguin Cake Pop. Famous for its wintertime selection, I decided to skip the coffee and go straight for the desserts.

I first tried the Penguin Cake Pop, which was, (as the name suggests), frosted to look like a penguin and made of a vanilla cake base with a chocolate coating. Simple yet scrumptious, the cake was super moist and paired perfectly with the chocolate, making for a great bite.

Next up was the Pistachio Honey Croissant, a delicate pastry topped with chopped up pistachios and a honey glaze. The crust was rich, flaky, and buttery, and overall had a pleasant, subtle honey flavor. I did not pick up on the pistachios, but even without the nutty flavor, it was a tasty treat.

As a chocolate lover, I was disappointed with the Chocolate Swirl Brioche. A pastry resembling a cinnamon roll, the Chocolate Swirl Brioche is filled with a rich chocolate-cinnamon spread and covered in a honey syrup glaze. Unfortunately, most of the pastry was dry and underwhelming, with little chocolate or honey flavor. Once I got to the center, the chocolate was creamier, the flavors stronger, and the pastry less dry, but I probably will not be purchasing this dessert again any time soon.

The dessert I was most skeptical about proved to be my favorite: the Sugar Plum Danish, a pastry with a cream cheese and sugar plum jam center. I had never been a fan of any desserts with cheese, (yes, that includes cheesecake), but the Sugar Plum Danish was phenomenal. The crust was flaky and buttery without being too heavy, the sugar plum jam was sweet without being a sugar-overload, and the cream cheese perfectly balanced out the dessert.

Overall, I was really impressed by Starbucks’ wintertime dessert selection and will be returning throughout the holiday season to satisfy my sweet tooth. To anyone looking for holiday-inspired treats, nearly all of Starbucks’ new dessert line is a pastry-lover’s paradise.