A fruity and colorful Starbucks refresher is the best way to enjoy a sunny day! We’ve collected 15 of the best refresher drinks from Starbucks so that you can find something new to try. This list includes the best refreshers on its official menu, and popular drinks from the secret menu. You’ll learn everything about these popular refreshers and how to make DIY copycat refresher recipes at home!
Starbucks refreshers are a perfect choice on a sunny and hot day, but you can enjoy them any time of the year. Most of these iced drinks are lightly caffeinated, but if you make them at home, you can make them caffeine-free, with more or less syrup.
We Love Starbucks Refreshers
Fruity. Refreshing. Sweet. Perfect. Have you checked out Starbucks Refreshers? They’ve become such a sensation on Instagram and other social media.
There are different flavors like strawberry, mango, dragonfruit, blackberries, and peach. This year, Starbucks introduced the Pineapple Passionfruit Drink which is a big hit.
You’ll see different colors from pink, orange, purple, green, blue, and even rainbow color with ombre effects. Best of all, there are no artificial food colorings.
If you are looking for some inspiration, try out some of these insta-worthy Starbucks refreshers. You can order them at your local Starbucks stores or make them at home with our easy copycat recipes!
What are the Starbucks Refreshers?
According to Starbucks, the “refreshers beverages are made with real fruit juice and are lightly caffeinated with Green Coffee Extract.” They have a natural source of energy with relatively low calories – a perfect afternoon pick-me-up!
Before we get into the list of refreshers, here are a few ground rules:
- We’ve included all Starbucks refreshers on the official menu. The list will be updated frequently to reflect menu changes.
- We’ve also included the popular refreshers from the Secret Menu. You can find out the detailed information from the link to the individual post.
- All the refreshers’ nutritional information is based on a 16oz grande size.
Whether you’re new to refreshers or are looking for new ideas, there’s something for everyone in the list below.
Starbucks Refreshers on the Menu
The refreshers on Starbucks’ official menu are the most popular ones. Simply order the drink by the name. The size options are: tall (12 oz), grande (16oz), venti (24oz), and trenta (31oz). You can also easily make them at home following our copycat recipes, and customize with your preferred level of sweetness.
1. Strawberry Acai Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 90; Sugar: 20 grams
This strawberry refresher is one of the hottest items on Starbucks refreshers’ menu. It’s one of the healthier refreshers and has a nice red color, which mostly comes from strawberries.
Starbucks uses freeze-dried strawberries to make this drink, but our homemade DIY recipe uses fresh strawberries, giving you an even more delicious flavor at the fraction of the price.
2. Pink Drink
Nutrition info: Calories: 140; Sugar: 24 grams
This is a super-popular Starbucks’ refreshing beverage made with Strawberry Acai Refresher and coconut milk.
It started as a secret menu item but was so popular that it became an official Starbucks beverage on the cold drink menu in 2017.
We’ve created a copycat recipe that you can easily make the pink drink at home!
3. Mango Dragonfruit Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 90; Sugar: 19 grams
The Mango Dragon Fruit Refresher has taken over Instagram and Social Media with its stunning bright magenta color and sweet, tropical flavors.
Our copycat recipe is the real deal – giving you amazing fruity flavors and the same beautiful bright pink color.
4. Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 140; Sugar: 30 grams
This is a twist on the regular Mango Dragonfruit Refresher by substituting lemonade for water. It takes the drink to a new level and tastes even better!
Our copycat recipe shows you how to make this stunning and delicious drink with only 4 ingredients and within 5 minutes.
5. Dragon Drink
Nutrition info: Calories: 130; Sugar: 23 grams
It’s a gorgeous Insta-worthy refresher that’s similar to Mango Dragonfruit Refresher but sweeter and creamier, thanks to the coconut milk!
Order it at your local Starbucks store for a perfect summer iced beverage or make it at home with our easy copycat recipe!
6. Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 70; Sugar: 14 grams
It’s a refreshing and beautiful drink that always helps to boost my energy levels in the afternoon during the hot summer days!
It also has the lowest calories among all Starbucks refreshers. We’ve re-created this recipe at home, made from scratch. It tastes just like the one from Starbucks.
7. Violet Drink
Nutrition info: Calories: 110; Sugar: 19 grams
This tea-based refresher is basically Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher mixed with coconut milk.
A perfect dairy-free iced beverage made with sweet blackberries, hibiscus tea, and coconut milk. Our copycat recipe is a real deal, giving you the stunning pinkish violet color and delicious flavor!
8. Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 140; Sugar: 32 grams
It’s Strawberry Acai Refresher made with lemonade instead of water.
It has more calories and sugar than the original refresher, but it also tastes better with deeper fruity flavors, and sweeter.
9. Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 120; Sugar: 25 grams
It’s basically Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher mixed with lemonade.
It has a richer fruity flavor but also has more calories and sugar.
10. Blueberry Acai Refresher
Nutrition info: Calories: 90; Sugar: 20 grams
This canned refresher is tangy, sweet, and sparkling. It’s different from the other refreshers made in-store as it’s carbonated.
Best Starbucks Refreshers from the Secret Menu
Besides the refreshers listed above on the coffee chain’s official menu, there are also many colorful and delicious hidden refresher drinks from the Starbucks secret menu. To order off of the secret menu, just tell your barista what to put in your drink, and you’ll have a special cup of refresher customized for you. Below you’ll find the most popular refreshes from the Secret menu.
11. Orange Drink
This new Orange Drink from Starbucks’ secret menu tastes like Peach Gummy Rings! It’s sweet, peachy, and so satisfying!
To order, just ask your barista for a venti iced half-sweet black tea lemonade, with peach tea and a splash of soy milk, served on ice. To make it at home, follow our easy recipe for a perfect vegan and refreshing drink with a few simple ingredients.
12. Green Drink
Like Iced Pineapple Matcha Drink, this beautiful green drink is smooth, creamy, and delicious.
To order, simply ask for a blend of iced black tea, green matcha powder, and coconut milk. You can also easily re-create this drink at home with our copycat recipe and customize it to your preferred level of sweetness.
13. Purple Drink
You’ve probably seen the purple drink all over Instagram. It’s another refreshing and stunning tea-based iced beverage that’s perfect for hot summer days.
To order the “Purple Drink” at Starbucks, just ask for a blend of passion iced tea, soy milk, and vanilla syrup, with a scoop of blackberries or blueberries. To make it at home, follow our easy DIY copycat recipe.
14. Blue Drink
Blue Drink is so refreshing with a unique blue color. If you like Purple Drink, you’ll like this blue drink too, as the two recipes are very similar.
To order the “Blue Drink” from the secret menu at Starbucks, simply ask your barista for a blend of passion iced tea, soy milk, and vanilla syrup. To make a copycat blue drink at home, follow our blue drink copycat recipe.
15. Ombré Pink Drink
You’ll probably agree that this Ombré Drink is one of the fanciest drinks from Starbucks Secret Menu. It has a bright pink layer on top of the white layer, and as soon as you stick in a straw, the two layers start to swirl into a beautiful Ombré!
To order, ask for a tall Cool Lime Refresher, but sub in coconut milk for water, served in a grande cup. Then get it topped with iced passion tea. It’s also easy to make at home if you follow a few simple tips from our copycat recipe.
Starbucks Rainbow Refreshers
If you are a fan of Starbucks, you’ve probably heard a lot of hypes about the whole line of rainbow-themed drinks. There are 5 rainbow drinks: Pink Drink, Purple Drink, Blue Drink, Green Drink, and Orange Drink. The Pink Drink is on the official menu, and the rest is from the secret menu.
Other Cold Drinks
If you’d like to explore some other cold drinks, try these iced coconut milk drinks. They are very similar to the refreshers:
Canned Refreshers and Instant Refresher Packets
Besides the freshly-made refreshers, Starbucks also offers canned refreshers and instant refresher packets that you can buy at the store or order online from Amazon. There are different flavors such as Strawberry Lemonade, Black Cherry Limeade, Peach Passion Fruit, and Very Berry Hibiscus.
What You’ll Need to Make a Strawberry Refresher
- strawberries (fresh or freeze-dried strawberries)
- freeze-dried acai powder
- green coffee cxtract
- white grape juice
- simple syrup or sugar
- water and ice
How to Make a Strawberry Refresher at Home
- Blend fresh strawberries until smooth and then strain them through a fine mesh.
- Whisk together acai powder, green coffee extract, and 1/2 cup of grape juice until dissolved.
- Add the acai mixture and the rest of the white grape juice to strawberry juice. Mix to combine.
- In a large pitcher or jar, add ice cubes, the strawberry mixture and more water.
- Then add simple syrup to your desired sweetness. You can also use sugar or honey. Start with a small amount, taste, and gradually add more. Mix well.
- Fill each glass 1/2 full of ice cubes and a scoop of strawberry slices. Pour the drink into the glass and serve immediately!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Starbucks Refreshers Have Caffeine?
Yes, all Starbucks refreshers have caffeine in it and will give you a boost of energy. For the refreshers on the menu, the caffeine comes from green coffee extract, and a grande cup has about 45 mg caffeine in it. For the refreshers from the Secret menu, many of the drinks have caffeine from tea such as black tea or green tea.
What is Green Coffee Extract?
It’s an extract of unroasted, green coffee beans which contains less caffeine than its roasted counterpart. Green coffee bean extract is an effective weight loss aid and the vegetable taste of the extract pairs well with sharp and acidic fruit flavors.
If you’d like to make Starbucks refreshers copycat at home, you can buy Green Coffee Extract online from Amazon. The most common ones are in pill form, and you’ll need to pop them open and use the powder from the capsules.
Which Starbucks Refresher is the Best?
The Pink Drink, Strawberry Acai Refresher, and Mango Dragonfruit Refresher are the most popular ones. To me, my favorite is Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher.
How Much are Starbucks Refreshers?
The prices are different for different refreshers. It’s about $4.50 for a basic tall-size refresher, but the ones with lemonade, coconut milk, or other customizations will cost more.
Are Starbucks Refreshers Healthy?
Starbucks refreshers are healthier than most other Starbucks drinks. Some are healthier than others. To make them even healthier at home, you can lower the amount of syrup or sugar, or use Stevia to sweeten your drink.
If you’ve tried any of our Starbucks Refresher Recipes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know. I love hearing from you!
15 Best Starbucks Refreshers (Strawberry Refresher Recipe and More)
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries (stems removed and halved)
- 3 1/2 cups water (divided)
- 3/4 teaspoon freeze-dried acai powder
- 1 tsp green coffee extract
- 2 cups white grape juice (divided)
- simple syrup to taste (or sugar, you can adjust the sweetness by using more or less)
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Clean the strawberries, and remove green leaves. Then cut them into halves.
- Add the strawberry halves and 1 cup of water into a blender.
- Blend until smooth and then strain them through a fine mesh.
- Whisk together acai powder, green coffee extract, and 1/2 cup of white grape juice until dissolved. It takes a few minutes for the powder to dissolve completely.
- Add the rest of the white grape juice and acai mixture to strawberry juice. Mix to combine.
- In a large pitcher, add ice cubes, the strawberry mixture and the rest of the water.
- Then add simple syrup to your desired sweetness. You can also use sugar or honey. Start with a small amount, taste and gradually add more. Mix well.
- Fill each glass 1/2 full of ice cubes and a scoop of strawberry slices. Pour the drink into the glass and serve immediately!
Michelle says
Would like some quick easy dinner recipes 4 the week thanks!!
Izzy says
Hi Michelle, you can find some quick and easy dinner ideas here: https://izzycooking.com/easy-weeknight-dinners/