This Copycat Pink Drink Tastes Better Than the Real Thing

This homemade version of the viral Starbucks Pink Drink comes together with just five ingredients. Erik Bernstein/TCA

Remember when Starbucks used to only sell coffee? Nowadays, that’s no longer the case. Their expansive menu includes not just coffee, but also a variety of hot and cold non-coffee beverages as well as food.

One of the most popular drinks on the menu is the Pink Drink—and it’s popular for a reason. With its refreshingly sweet strawberry flavor and tropical vibe, it’s so pretty that you won’t be able to resist snapping a picture of it.

What is the Starbucks Pink Drink?

Even if you haven’t tried the Starbucks Pink Drink yet, it’s likely you’ve seen someone else drinking it. It’s easy to spot because of its bubblegum-pink hue and flecks of freeze-dried strawberries. Starbucks describes it as a crisp beverage “with accents of passion fruit and combined with creamy coconut milk.”

The ingredients include ice, a strawberry açaí base (which is mostly water, sugar, and white grape juice concentrate), coconut milk, and freeze-dried strawberries. The drink is shaken with ice, and then poured over ice, which leaves a frothy top.

Ingredients in Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink

• Passion tea: Starbucks uses Tazo brand tea, but any passion fruit or pink-hued tea will work as a replacement.
• Strawberries: Although freeze-dried strawberries are used in the Starbucks version, we found that fresh strawberries work just as well. Muddle them gently, so they don’t turn to mush.
• White grape juice: Besides simple syrup, white grape juice is the other main sweetener in the drink. It delivers a subtle sweetness. Because it’s mostly clear, it won’t affect the color of the drink.
• Light coconut milk: The subtle tropical flavor comes from coconut milk. Light coconut milk is used here, but for a creamier version, use full-fat.

A Few Tips

Luckily it’s easy to make a copycat Pink Drink at home. Not only will doing so save you money (a tall Pink Drink is around $5 in major cities), but it also allows you to create a more customized version.

• Make your tea base the night before. To save time, consider making a big batch of tea the night before (you can double, triple, or quadruple it). Simply steep the tea (as instructed below) and then cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Make the simple syrup in advance. Simple syrup will last a month in the refrigerator. Remember to keep it covered and use a clean spoon between uses. If you have time, make it in advance; any extra can be used to sweeten other drinks or foods.
• Try substitutions. If you can’t find white grape juice, omit it completely and add a little more simple syrup, or substitute with apple juice. If you don’t want to make simple syrup, leave it out; you can add a bit of powdered sugar before shaking if you need a little extra sweetener.
• Use fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried strawberries. Starbucks uses freeze-dried strawberries in their Pink Drink. If you’d like to try using them at home, simply substitute the fresh berries with 1/4 cup of freeze-dried strawberries. If you want to use frozen strawberries, partially thaw them in the freezer before using.

Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink

Serves 1

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tazo Passion or similar hibiscus tea bag
• 6 fresh strawberries, divided
• 3 teaspoons simple syrup
• 1 cup white grape juice
• 2/3 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
• Ice

1. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil on the stovetop, or microwave in a microwave-safe mug until very hot. Add 1 bag Tazo Passion tea bag and let steep off the heat for 1 minute. Pull out the tea bag and. Let the tea cool for 5 minutes (or add 1 or 2 ice cubes to cool more quickly).

2. Meanwhile, trim and dice 3 of the strawberries. Divide between 2 tall tumbler or highball glasses. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons simple syrup to each glass and use a wooden spoon to gently press (muddle) the strawberries. Trim and slice the remaining 3 strawberries.

3. Pull out the tea bag and squeeze the bag to extract more tea out, then discard the tea bag. Divide the tea between the glasses. Add 1/2 cup white grape juice and 1/3 cup light coconut milk to each glass and stir vigorously with the spoon to combine.

4. Add enough ice to fill each glass. If you want a little bit of foamy froth on top, use a whisk to vigorously stir the top part of the drink. Garnish with the sliced strawberries.

Recipe Notes

Substitutions: Any similar pink-hued tea can be used in place of Tazo Passion Tea. The Starbucks version uses dehydrated strawberries. If you can find them, add a few crushed and whole dehydrated strawberries to the drink in place of fresh.

Make ahead: The simple syrup and tea can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated in separate airtight containers.

Sara Haas is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected].

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