The Starbucks Pink Drink is a popular beverage known for its vibrant pink color and refreshing taste. It’s a combination of fruity flavors, creamy coconut milk, and a hint of sweetness.
Starbucks is one of the many chain restaurants where customers come up with secret, off-menu concoctions. From creative twists on Frappuccinos to mashups of beloved beverages (have you ever tried the chai-der?), there’s a whole world of drinks you can’t find on the store’s menu. Many of them get hype on social media, but no off-menu item went as viral as the Pink Drink.
The Internet first learned about the Starbucks Pink Drink in 2016, where customers ordered the Strawberry Acaí Refresher with coconut milk instead of water. The result was a creamy, bright pink beverage that took social media by storm—so much so that Starbucks made it an official menu item less than a year after.
Cut to five years later, and the hype still hasn’t died down. In fact, Starbucks just launched a bottled version of the Pink Drink that people can buy at their local grocery stores. But if you want to kick your expensive Starbucks habit, it’s super-easy to make the Pink Drink at home. You can re-create this beloved beverage with just a few ingredients and even adjust the ratios to suit your preferences.
There are some important things to note. Starbucks uses TAZO Passion tea to add some tang and the signature pink hue. Using the same brand will get you closer to the real deal, but you can use any hibiscus-based tea here. Since we can’t buy the Strawberry Acaí base used at Starbucks, we boost the fruity flavor by making a strong batch of tea for our copycat version.
Also Read: Orange Blossom Mint Refresher
Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink
1
servings15
minutes30
minutes85
kcalIn 2016 Starbucks customers swapped water for coconut milk in the Starbucks Strawberry Acaí Refresher, and the rest is history—the chain made it an official menu item less than a year after. Now you can make it at home!
Ingredients
2 bags hibiscus-based tea (preferably TAZO Passion)
2 fresh strawberries, sliced
1 c. white grape juice
1/2 c. light coconut milk
1 tbsp. simple syrup
Ice
Directions
- In a kettle or small pot, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Pour into a heatproof container, add tea bags, and steep 10 minutes. Discard bags. Refrigerate tea until room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine tea, strawberries, grape juice, milk, and simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is very frosty, about 30 seconds. Pour into a cup and serve.
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness and the amount of coconut milk according to your taste preferences. You can also experiment with different fruit variations or add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to give it a tangy twist. Cheers!
Notes
- The Pink Drink at Starbucks is made with Teavana Passion Tango Iced Tea, which is a blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, and apple. You can use a similar hibiscus tea or even hibiscus herbal tea bags to achieve a similar flavor profile.
- Using fresh strawberries will give your Pink Drink a bright and natural flavor. You can also use frozen strawberries if fresh ones are not available. Just make sure to thaw them before blending.