Every Starbucks Hot Breakfast Item, Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you're in need of a caffeine fix or looking for an indulgent snack on the way to work, Starbucks is a favorite destination for weekday workers and students alike. The Seattle-based chain is beloved for its unique offerings, from the recently launched Oleato olive oil coffee to its cult-favorite Starbucks holiday drink menu. Even those who aren't big on coffee or blended fruity drinks can't deny the allure of a charming Starbucks cake pop from time to time. 

When it comes to breakfast, Starbucks is the go-to choice for those seeking trendy treats with drive-thru convenience. The chain offers a broad range of delectable pastries to accompany one's coffee order, and its hot breakfast menu is no less inviting. There are plenty of options to whet one's appetite, from plant-based collaborations with Impossible Foods to hearty classics like the Bacon, Sausage, & Egg Wrap. We sampled each hot breakfast item that Starbucks has to offer, and here's how they stacked up.

The classic breakfast sandwich is a staple on many menus across the country, from fast food eateries to corner store bodegas. Whether you're recovering from a wild night out or simply craving carbohydrate-laden goodness first thing in the morning, there's nothing quite like a stick-to-your-ribs Egg McMuffin or a sizzling bacon, egg, and cheese.

Given Starbucks' reputation and attention to detail, we had high hopes for this little sandwich. After all, it seemed like a go-to option for those seeking something tasty and filling from the coffee chain's breakfast assortment. However, those dreams were dashed as soon as we bit into the Sausage, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich. Despite its attractive presentation, this one fell flat in a number of areas. The fluffy-looking English muffin turned out to be extremely chewy, bordering on gummy, creating an unpleasant mouthfeel against its slippery egg and sausage filling. There was no real flavor present beyond pure saltiness, though we wished there were something more to distract us from its rubbery consistency. Truth be told, we struggled to finish the sandwich due to its abject blandness and discordant array of textures.

The idea of faux-meat alternatives to standard fast-food fare was once unheard of but it's now a staple at several chains. Impossible Foods tends to be the brand of choice, from Burger King's Impossible Burger to White Castle's Impossible Slider. Starbucks has joined the party as well, thanks to the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

While there are a few other choices for those seeking a vegetarian bite on Starbucks' hot breakfast menu, the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich is clearly meant to emulate the chain's meatier offerings. Unfortunately for those accustomed to the plant-based lifestyle, this was one of the more disappointing items that we tried. In fact, it was essentially the meatless counterpart to the chain's disgraceful Sausage, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich. Simply put, neither option is a good idea if you're looking for a palatable breakfast on your morning commute. 

Whereas the standard sausage patty used in Starbucks sandwiches at least held some flavor, the disc in the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich was fairly one-dimensional. The dominant taste was the Impossible sausage patty's meek seasoning blend, a sage-heavy recipe reminiscent of your standard poultry seasoning. Overall, the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich failed in virtually every category, from the glueyness of its bun to its flavorless filling.

Whether you're not a fan of pork or are just looking for lighter breakfast fare, turkey bacon serves as a delicious alternative to traditional bacon strips. The Turkey Bacon, Cheddar, & Egg White Sandwich seems to be the most health-conscious offering on Starbucks' hot breakfast menu. So how does it stack up against its fellow breakfast sandwiches?

Sadly, not very well. The Turkey Bacon, Cheddar, & Egg White Sandwich confirmed our earlier suspicions: Several Starbucks breakfast items suffer from a severe lack of seasoning. This was the lowest-calorie sandwich on the chain's breakfast menu, and it certainly tasted like it. Like other sandwiches in our ranking, the bread had a strange, overly chewy texture –- likely the result of being reheated from its frozen state, but unfortunate nonetheless. The egg white made everything a bit soggy, and the turkey bacon itself wasn't anything to write home about. If you're dead set on ordering this item, however, we'd strongly recommend keeping a bottle of your best hot sauce at the ready.

Look around at the many fast-food breakfast options we've come to know and love, and you'll notice a couple of things. There are treats that cater to those with sweet tooths, like donuts and danishes, and then there are savory choices, like meat and egg-based sandwiches. Of course, some products aim to cover both bases simultaneously, such as McDonald's maple-infused McGriddle sandwich.

At first glance, the Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich seems to fit squarely in the category of savory breakfast foods. We firmly expected it to taste rich and salty — after all, its calling card is the Double Smoked Bacon centerpiece, right? How wrong we were. The buttery-looking croissant crust turned out to be surprisingly sweet. In fact, it tasted remarkably similar to that of a sugary cornbread. There was very little bacon, and it wasn't particularly smoky. Fans of crunchy bacon may not enjoy the texture of this sandwich's meat. It was slightly undercooked, with very few tinges of crispiness along the edges. Like other sandwiches from Starbucks' hot breakfast menu, the predominant flavor in the Double Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, & Egg Sandwich was pure saltiness with a somewhat oily aftertaste. All in all, we couldn't get past the unexpected sweetness from the bread and weren't thrilled with the sandwich in its entirety.

Who doesn't enjoy a good bagel? Whether you're a fan of the increasingly popular everything bagel trend or prefer to stick to a classic plain bagel and cream cheese, there are many ways to indulge in the gold standard of grab-and-go breakfasts. While the Starbucks bagel may not be the flashiest item on the chain's hot breakfast menu, it still ranks among the best of the bunch.

Many of Starbucks' hot breakfast sandwiches have significant textural issues, but there are none to speak of in their bagel. It had a crisp, chewy crust and a soft, ever-so-slightly dense interior. Paired with generous lashings of cream cheese, it makes for a filling, albeit somewhat basic, breakfast. For those seeking something dairy-free, you may want to consider swapping the cream cheese for Starbucks' creamy avocado spread instead. True, the Starbucks bagel itself isn't quite as otherworldly as a freshly-baked delicacy from a New York bakery, but it'll do in a pinch during your next coffee run.

Gruyère cheese is a favorite of many cheesemongers and cheese fanatics. Its sweet, nutty taste works perfectly in dishes like macaroni and cheese, and it's an essential ingredient in French onion soup. Recently, the traditionally Swiss-manufactured dairy product made headlines when American-made Gruyère cheese was approved for sale as authentic Gruyère by a U.S. Court of Appeals for the first time.

It's no wonder, then, that we looked forward to trying Starbucks' Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites. The standard egg bites are one of our favorite menu items from Starbucks, filled with protein and perfect for easy snacking on the go. There's no denying that this variation is delicious, but the portable treats were a touch too rich for our palettes. 

Unlike the other egg bites on Starbucks' menu, these were fairly one-dimensional in terms of taste, with bacon at the forefront. The Gruyère cheese flavor we anticipated wasn't quite detectable beneath the overpowering saltiness of the (very generous) crumbled bacon topping. If you're watching your sodium, we'd advise you to steer clear of these eggy little mounds (each piece contains 680 milligrams). That said, the Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites are a solid option for bonafide egg lovers or those looking for a keto-friendly fast-food breakfast.

In terms of flavor duos, spinach and feta are a true match made in heaven. From spring quiche to spanakopita, the marriage of fresh garden greens and tangy cheese works beautifully in countless Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Starbucks' Spinach, Feta, & Egg White Wrap is a testament to this iconic pairing.

Although we found the lavash-style flatbread a bit too dense for the delicate filling, the combination of sundried tomatoes, feta, spinach, and egg white was delicious, and we wish there was more inside. The most disappointing element of this breakfast was the light-handed distribution of its ingredients. While there was more than enough egg white to go around, we found there was only a smattering of veggies inside this health-conscious wrap. 

The melding of vibrant flavors definitely worked, but we could have used filling to balance things out. The tomato component also leaned more toward a subtle, stewed flavor rather than the sun-dried tang we yearned for. It's a pretty decent bite for those wanting a healthy Starbucks breakfast, but it could do with some subtle adjustments to take its flavors to the next level.

Introduced in 2017, the Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bite has become something of a cultural phenomenon among carb-conscious consumers. The protein-packed snacks have inspired numerous copycats, and die-hard fans can even purchase official Starbucks Egg Bites at Costco stores nationwide. Of all the Starbucks egg bite offerings, the chain's this variety is the lowest-calorie option at 170 calories per piece, but they still pack quite a punch in terms of flavor.

At first taste, it's clear that the Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites are lacking in terms of the richness found in the other varieties on the menu. However, their fluffy and light texture is more than enough to make up for this. The overall flavor profile is fairly mild, with piquant pieces of red pepper scattered throughout. If you're looking for quick breakfast fare that's both pleasant-tasting and good for you, we'd definitely recommend giving these a try.

It can be said that oatmeal gets an undeservedly bad rap. Many of us have experienced bland, gluey oats – but they don't have to be that way. Today, there are various methods to make oatmeal taste exciting. Whether you choose to toast the oats before cooking or infuse overnight oats with berries and chia seeds, there's no limit to how one can spin the old-fashioned breakfast staple.

At Starbucks, oatmeal is one of the few hot breakfast items that can satisfy a sweet tooth. While you can order your oatmeal plain, we opted to include all the fixings with our order. The number of mix-ins that Starbucks provides for a serving of oatmeal is truly impressive: Take your pick from agave nectar, brown sugar, mixed nuts, blueberries, and dried fruit. We opted to add a dash of each ingredient to our creamy bowl, and the results were exceptional.

Although the double-whammy of brown sugar and agave nectar tasted a bit too sweet against the sugary dried fruit, the tart blueberries were the star of the show. Of course, the mixed nuts added a delightfully crunchy texture to the dish, which leaned more towards the consistency of instant oats than the steel-cut variety. If you think oatmeal is boring, you may want to try adding a handful of fresh blueberries to yours next time you swing by Starbucks for breakfast — you surely won't regret it.

After tasting a series of underwhelming Starbucks breakfast sandwiches, we were pleasantly surprised by the Bacon, Sausage, & Egg Wrap. Possibly the most filling menu option on Starbucks' morning spread, this hearty meal exceeded our expectations in every category. Paired with coffee and cream, there's no doubt that this generously stuffed breakfast wrap will fill you for hours.

When we first laid eyes on the wrap, we had low expectations due to its unremarkable presentation. It looked slightly deflated, and we weren't sure what we'd find upon cutting into it. To our delight, it turned out to be one of the most pleasant breakfasts we've ever encountered from a fast food eatery. The most memorable aspect of this wrap was the incredibly light and flaky crust enveloping its filling. Inside the wrap was an ample amount of cage-free scrambled eggs interwoven with gooey shreds of cheddar cheese. 

Although the sausage component was slightly bland, we thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected inclusion of tender potato at its core. With the addition of added seasoning or sauce, this could easily have taken first place in our ranking.

Although the Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites aren't quite as visually appealing as their fellow eggy companions, they're every bit as delicious. In fact, they are perhaps the most balanced bite of the bunch. There's nothing worse than tucking into a fast food breakfast filled with enough grease to double as a WD-40 alternative, and we can assure you that's not the case with these egg bites.

Once you get past their rather swampy-looking exterior, your tastebuds are greeted by the springy, soufflé-like texture of the egg, kale, and mushroom fusion. They have an almost airy mouthfeel, which enhances their rich and earthy flavor distribution. Even if you aren't big on eggs, you can appreciate these mini mounds of deliciousness — we detected very little of the overt eggy taste commonly found in dishes like quiche or frittata. Of all Starbucks' Egg Bite offerings, we found that the kale and mushroom version struck a perfect balance between good-for-you ingredients and palatability.

Starbucks' Bacon, Gouda, & Egg Sandwich is a veritable customer favorite — so much so that we even had some difficulty obtaining the often sold-out menu item. When we finally procured it, we realized why it's garnered such a cult following with Starbucks fans. Though its presentation left something to be desired, we have to admit that it lived up to the hype.

Right away, we were impressed by the sandwich's ciabatta roll, which managed to survive the perils of reheating with a crusty exterior and toothsome chewiness. We immediately tasted the familiar smokiness of gouda cheese, a perfect companion to the sandwich's crisply cooked bacon. Although the egg patty portion was a touch dry, bordering on powdery, it didn't detract from the mouthwatering flavors in this popular sandwich.

Where other Starbucks breakfast sandwiches failed, the Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich triumphed. It's hard to believe that a sandwich of this caliber can be purchased via drive-thru. Its only downside was its somewhat small size, which left us pining for more.