Next time you are craving a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day, skip the line and make this Starbucks Pink Drink recipe right at home. Not only is this strawberry acai refresher recipe cheaper to make but you can whip one up in just a couple of minutes! The easy recipe combines tea, white grape juice, creamy coconut milk, and freeze-dried strawberries that come together for the flavor and color we all love.
When you want a refreshing drink that is iced, has just the right amount of sweetness and uses simple ingredients, the homemade pink drink is a must-have. Its beautiful pink color comes from the passion tea, while our version packs a punch of strawberry flavor because we are using freeze-dried berries. This delicious drink not only tastes great, but the homemade version looks beautiful, too.
Freeze-dried fruit maintains its flavor due to the way it is processed. Freeze-dried strawberries are as close to fresh as you can get, and have much more flavor than frozen ones you get at the grocery store. Plus you can keep them in the pantry, so their shelf life is obviously much longer.
If you find yourself wanting to make a warm Starbucks copycat recipe, be sure to try this Pumpkin Spice Latte. Chocolate lovers should blend up a Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino!
🍓 Ingredients:
- White Grape Juice: This provides sweetness and fruity flavor to the drink. Fruit juice contributes to the overall sweetness and flavor profile of the pink drink.
- Cold Water: Water is used to steep the tea bags, extracting their flavors and colors to create the base for the drink.
- Tazo “Passion” Tea Bags: These tea bags are responsible for the vibrant pink color of the drink. The tea also adds a floral and fruity flavor to the base. Steeping the tea bags in cold water creates a mild and refreshing tea infusion.
- Ice Cubes: Ice cubes are used to chill the drink and make it cold and refreshing.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Coconut milk adds creaminess to the drink without overpowering the other flavors. It provides a smooth texture and a hint of coconut flavor, which complements the fruity elements.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: These serve both as a garnish and as a flavor enhancer. They contribute a concentrated strawberry flavor to the drink and add visual appeal.
- Simple Syrup (Optional): Simple syrup is a sweetener made from sugar and water. It can be added if you prefer a sweeter drink. Its role is to balance and enhance the overall sweetness of the drink.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Fresh strawberries or even raspberries would look beautiful and add flavor and sweetness to your pink drink recipe. You can also add whipped cream.
Substitutions and Variations
- Top with a sprinkle of toasted or untoasted coconut flakes for added flavor and texture.
- Strawberry acai base: You may be able to purchase a similar product, but the Starbucks strawberry acai refresher base packets are no longer available. You can combine freeze-dried strawberries crushed into a powder with some acai powder for a substitute.
- Tea Variety: Instead of Tazo “Passion” tea bags, you can experiment with other herbal tea blends or fruit-infused teas. Hibiscus tea is a popular choice for this pink drink, though, due to its vibrant color and tart flavor. Acai berry tea is another option.
- Fruit Juices: Instead of white grape juice, you can use other fruit juices like cranberry, pomegranate, or raspberry to add depth of flavor and color variation.
- Milk Alternatives: If you’re looking to avoid coconut milk, you can try other plant-based milk alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. Each will bring its own unique flavor to the drink.
- Sweeteners: Instead of simple syrup, you can use honey, agave nectar, or another sweetener of your choice. Just be aware that different sweeteners might impact the overall flavor profile.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Place a tea bag into a glass of white grape juice.
Step 2: Allow it to steep until it is bright pink. The juice does not need to be heated, but it can be if you prefer.
Step 3: Add the second tea bag to a glass of water and steep until it’s deep pink (about 3-5 minutes). Again, hot water is not necessary.
Step 4: Pour ½ cup of juice over ice in a large mason jar or glass. (If you heated the juice, it’s best to cool it completely before adding to the glass or it will melt the ice.)
Step 5: Add ½ cup of pink tea to the ingredients in the glass.
Step 6: Pour the coconut milk into the drink.
Step 7: Stir the ingredients together.
Step 8: Garnish with freeze-dried strawberries. I even added a few fresh strawberry slices – they add flavor and look pretty. A Starbucks pink drink does not have fresh berries, but you can garnish your own pink drink however you like!
Tips for Making a Starbucks Pink Drink at Home
- The passion tea is actually hibiscus. So if you cannot find the Tazo brand there are others on the market. They used to sell the Very Berry Hibiscus single-serve packets, but I haven’t seen those in a while.
- For a sweeter drink: add simple syrup or try a sweetened coconut milk. The recipe listed is the closest combination of the Starbucks version and gets its sweetness from the grape juice.
- Shake the coconut milk well before adding it to the drink. Sometimes the oil separates from the milk.
- Coconut milk from the can (vs. a carton) mixed into the drink smoothly and didn’t separate at all.
- If using a coconut milk that doesn’t blend in as easily, I like to mix the whole drink in a cocktail shaker or protein bottle with the ball to help mix the milk with the tea.
- The water does not have to be hot to steep the tea. If you do use hot water, make sure the tea is cooled completely before pouring over the ice.
Fun Fact
I’m still wondering why Starbucks kept the Pink Drink as a secret menu item for so long?! Did you know that it didn’t debut permanently until 2017 because so many people ordered it?
Recipe FAQs
Most people refer to them as the “pink drink” however, the real name is Strawberry Acai Refresher.
It’s best to make and drink them on the same day as the coconut milk will separate.
More Delicious Drinks To Try
If you tried this Pink Drink Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Starbucks Pink Drink Copycat
Ingredients
- ½ cup white grape juice
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tazo “Passion” tea bags or a hibiscus tea
- Ice
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries or sliced fresh strawberries
- Simple syrup for sweetening, optional
Instructions
- Place tea bag into a glass of white grape juice (1 tea bag will work for up to 1 cup of apple juice = 2 servings) and allow the juice to steep until bright pink.
- Place second tea bag in a glass of water (1 tea bag will brew up to 8 oz. of water = 2 servings) and steep for 3-5 minutes, until deep pink.
- Fill a large drink glass with ice.
- Pour ½ cup of juice and ½ cup of tea over the ice.
- Top with coconut milk and stir to combine.
- Add a handful of freeze-dried strawberries or fresh sliced strawberries (or a combination of both!)
- Sweeten with simple syrup, if desired.
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Notes
- The passion tea is actually hibiscus. So if you cannot find the Tazo brand there are others on the market. They used to sell the Very Berry Hibiscus single-serve packets, but I haven’t seen those in a while.
- For a sweeter drink: add simple syrup or try a sweetened coconut milk. The recipe listed is the closest combination of the Starbucks version and gets its sweetness from the grape juice.
- Shake the coconut milk well before adding it to the drink. Sometimes the oil separates from the milk.
- Coconut milk from the can (vs. a carton) mixes in more smoothly, in my experience.
- If using a coconut milk that doesn’t blend in as easily, I like to mix the whole drink in a shaker or protein bottle with the ball to help mix the milk with the tea.
- The water does not have to be hot to steep the tea. If you do use hot water, make sure the tea is cooled completely before pouring over the ice.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Patricia says
It was good!