Make the refreshing Starbucks Violet Drink at home! This copycat recipe is a real deal with stunning pinkish purple color and delicious flavor at the fraction of the price. A perfect dairy-free iced beverage made with sweet blackberries, hibiscus tea, and coconut milk.

When it comes to Starbucks iced beverages, this creamy violet drink is one of my favorite drinks to order, along with Pink Drink, Dragon Drink, and Strawberry Acai Refresher.

If you like Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher, you’ll love this tea-based violet drink, which is basically very berry hibiscus mixed with coconut milk. But wait, if you just mix the two together, the coconut milk will curdle when it’s mixed with acidic hibiscus tea. I will show you a simple trick to prevent this from happening, so that you’ll get that smooth and perfect look just like the one from Starbucks!

What is a Violet Drink?

Violet drink is a popular Starbucks’ colorful drink made with coconut milk. It’s described on Starbucks’ website as “the sweet blackberries and tart hibiscus flavor of our Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers® beverage swirl together with creamy coconutmilk and ice, creating refreshing (and violet-hued!) sips.”

The base of this drink is Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher. When mixed with coconut milk instead of white grape juice, it’s called “violet drink”. The color looks like somewhere between “Pink Drink” and “Purple Drink”.

What’s in a Violet Drink?

• Hibiscus Tea Bags: Hibiscus tea adds a tart, cranberry-like hibiscus flavor. You can buy the tea bags at your local grocery store such as Whole Foods or order them online from Amazon. You can also substitute dried hibiscus flowers.  Other substitutions include mixed berry juice or cranberry juice.

• Coconut Milk: It adds a silky richness and creaminess to this drink. Coconut milk beverage works better than canned coconut milk, which contains solid chunky lumps of the white stuff. I like to use unsweetened coconut milk, and add simple syrup or sugar according to my personal taste. (Or skip the sweetener for a keto version.)

• Blackberries: I used fresh blackberries for this recipe, but you can also use freeze-dried whole blackberries.

• Green Coffee Extract: Original Starbucks Violet Drink uses green coffee extract to add caffeine to the beverage. You can order green coffee bean extract online from Amazon. If you use the coffee bean pills, you’ll need to pop them open and use the powder from the capsules. You can substitute green tea, or skip this ingredient and it won’t affect the flavor.

• Simple Syrup or Sugar (Optional): You can customize this drink with your preferred sweetness level with simple syrup, sugar, or honey.

How to Make a Violet Drink at Home

1. First, prepare the hibiscus tea. Pour hot water over the hibiscus tea bag.

2. Add green coffee powder into the tea. (You can skip this step if you’d like to make a caffeine-free drink)

3. Steep the tea for 5 minutes. Then let it chill in the refrigerator. (You can add the optional green coffee powder into the tea.)

4. Add ice to a cocktail shaker, then pour in chilled hibiscus tea and coconut milk.

5. Secure the lid. Hold the shaker with both hands and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.

6. Fill a glass halfway with blackberries and ice. Then strain the mixture into the glass. Add more blackberries to garnish. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Tips and Tricks

• The most common problem when making this drink is that coconut milk tends to curdle when mixed with acidic hibiscus tea. To avoid this, you’ll need to shake the mixture well before pouring it into the glass. It’s best to use a cocktail shaker, but if you don’t have one, you can use a mason jar with a lid.
• Make sure to steep your hibiscus tea to let the flavor develop. Then let it chill until it’s very cold before making the drink.
• The color of your drink depends on the ratio between the hibiscus tea and coconut milk. If you prefer a more purple color, you can mix in some blueberry juice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does a Violet Drink Taste Like?

It is a tart and slightly sweet iced tea with cream and berry flavors. It tastes similar to a “Purple Prink”, and is less sweet than a “Pink Drink”, but it’s quite refreshing. You can always add more syrup to make it sweeter to your liking.

How to Order a Violet Drink?

To order the “Violet Drink” at Starbucks, simply ask your barista for a blend of Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher made with coconut milk, ice, and a scoop of blackberries.

Why does my coconut milk curdle when mixed with hibiscus tea?

When coconut milk is exposed to acid from the hibiscus tea, the protein separates from the oil and water, therefore it contracts into a tight chain. To avoid this, you need to shake the mixture well with a shaker and serve immediately.

Why is My Violet Drink Separated with Two Layers?

This drink is supposed to be served immediately after it’s made. After sitting for a while, the coconut milk will naturally separate from the tea. To avoid this, don’t make it ahead of time. Only mix and shake the drink right before serving.

Is Violet Drink Good for You?

The violet drink is not the healthiest beverage out there, but it has some great nutrients from hibiscus and coconut milk. When making it at home, you can use the higher-quality ingredients and lower the sweetness for a healthy drink.

More Starbucks Copycat Drink Recipes You’ll Love:

If you’ve tried this violet drink then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know. I love hearing from you!