Review: Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread Is A Festive Treat That's Hard To Find

Now that the Thanksgiving festivities have come to a close, temperatures have continued to drop, and Santa himself floated down 5th Avenue in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, it is officially the holiday season! So, it's time to push aside the pumpkin spice, cranberry sauce, and leftover pecan pie and move on to some more Christmas-themed treats. While pumpkin reigns supreme for fall flavors, December's holidays have a bit more diversity in terms of the flavor profiles. In addition to eggnog and hot cocoa, both peppermint and gingerbread take center stage as the stars of the holiday season. 

Peppermint may be a more popular choice during the holiday season, but if you are in the latter, more gingery camp, Pepsi's newest announcement that it will be launching a sugar-free gingerbread-flavored beverage should snap you right into the holiday spirit. I sampled the Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread soda to see if it was truly worth the seasonal hype. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

In the last week of November 2024, Pepsi announced that it would be releasing an extremely limited-edition holiday drink, Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread in mini, 7.5-ounce cans. This is the first time the company has released a holiday-themed beverage flavor since 2004. Currently, the beverage is only available in zero-sugar format.

This drink is designed to blend brown sugar, cinnamon, molasses, and ginger flavors with the familiar soda fizz that its consumers are used to. The mini cans packaging is also limited-edition and features a wintery motif — complete with snowflakes, a smiling gingerbread man, and an adorable bear sporting a scarf.

If you want to try this very limited-edition holiday drink, it won't be easy to acquire, and you will have to move fast. Beginning on December 4, 2024, if you purchase two 10-packs of Pepsi mini 7.5-ounce cans on the brand's TikTok shop, you will be sent one single Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread can with your purchase, while supplies last. Unfortunately, there is no way to purchase the cans outright or acquire more than one per purchase. You can also enter to win a can on Pepsi's website from December 4 to 11.

As of the date of publication, the mini cans aren't listed in Pepsi's TikTok shop, so it's unclear how much they will cost. However, 2 packs of 10 mini Mug root beer cans are priced in the shop at $14, so it's reasonable to assume that Pepsi mini cans will be around the same price.

I was confused by the first sip of this beverage because I didn't get any of the notes that were advertised — like brown sugar, molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. It just tasted like any regular Pepsi Zero Sugar soda, which had its recipe refreshed in 2023. This was the case for several sips after, too; it wasn't until I reached about halfway through the can that I finally started tasting a bit of the spice in the finish.

It was at this point that I noticed a surprising effect — not related to the taste, but to the sensation. There was a mild, but noticeable, stinging on my tongue. It wasn't unpleasant and it sort of replicates the kick you get from biting into a heavily-spiced gingerbread cookie. The tingling also made me feel slightly warmer, the same way the spices (mainly cinnamon and ginger) tend to do as well. While the gingerbread taste doesn't come through in the first few sips, eventually you will notice the spices in the mouthfeel and a hint of flavor in the finish. It's also worth noting that even though my package arrived very carefully wrapped up in bubble wrap, the box was slightly damaged, which may be a downside if you're really after this product for the packaging. 

Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread soda tastes fine, but it's pretty much indiscernible from regular Pepsi Zero Sugar. I would personally skip this one due to its extremely limited availability, as it's only offered in the TikTok Shop and as a giveaway on Pepsi's website, and because there's no clear price point. While it does offer a unique tingling sensation from the spices and a slightly spicy finish (but only after several sips), it's so difficult to purchase — so you're better off buying the original Pepsi Zero Sugar. If you do stick to the regular can, you can pair the soda with a cocktail and add your own spices or liquor of choice. You could also combine it with a warming non-alcoholic beverage for a major kick.

However, if you're a Pepsi mega-fan and love special seasonal packaging, the difficulty of sourcing this can may be worth it. In that case, be on the lookout for its arrival at the Pepsi TikTok Shop on December 4.