✔ Updated · what's in the Starbucks drink, three ways to make it, popular add-ons, a fix-it table and a party pitcher
My copycat Starbucks Pink Drink is creamy, fruity and the prettiest shade of pink: berry tea, coconut milk and strawberries over ice. I make a big jar on hot afternoons for a fraction of the café price.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Brew the tea double strength and chill it completely before adding coconut milk, so the ice doesn't water the drink down.
Why You'll Love This Pink Drink
- Caffeine-free, so the whole family can have one.
- Creamy but light, coconut milk keeps it dairy-free.
- Make-ahead, the tea base keeps 4 days in the fridge.
What Is the Starbucks Pink Drink?
The Pink Drink is a Strawberry Açaí Refresher made with coconut milk instead of water, shaken with ice and finished with freeze-dried strawberries. It started as an off-menu order that went viral, and Starbucks added it to the menu for good. It's fruity, creamy and only lightly sweet, a bit like a strawberry milkshake that went to yoga.
| At Starbucks | My copycat | |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit base | Strawberry Açaí Refresher base (fruit juice with white grape juice and green coffee extract) | Double-strength berry herbal tea with white grape juice |
| Creamy part | Coconut milk | Carton coconut milk beverage |
| Fruit pieces | Freeze-dried strawberries | Fresh sliced or freeze-dried strawberries |
| Caffeine | A little, from the green coffee extract | None, unless you steep a green tea bag with the berry tea |
| Sweetness | Sweetened base | Agave or simple syrup to taste |
Three Ways to Make a Pink Drink at Home
| Method | What you need | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Berry tea base (the card below) | Berry herbal tea, white grape juice, coconut milk, strawberries | Caffeine-free, kid-friendly glasses and big batches |
| Refresher base | My homemade strawberry açaí refresher base plus coconut milk | The closest taste to the café drink |
| 5-minute shortcut | 1/2 cup white grape juice, 2 tablespoons strawberry puree or jam, 1/2 cup coconut milk, ice | When you want one right now and have no tea chilled |
My kids like the tea version best. I make the strawberry açaí refresher base when I want it to taste exactly like the cup from the Starbucks near us.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Pick the right coconut milk. Use the drinkable carton kind, not canned. Canned coconut milk is far too thick and rich here.
- Want the caffeine boost? The café drink gets a little caffeine from green coffee extract. Steep 1 green tea bag with the berry tea to get a similar lift.
- Sweeten smart. Agave and simple syrup dissolve instantly in a cold drink. Granulated sugar sinks to the bottom, so stir it into the hot tea instead.
- Freeze-dried strawberries. They give the café look and soak up the drink like little sponges. Fresh slices are lovely too.
- Batch it. Make a quadruple batch of the tea base and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add coconut milk and ice per glass.
- Tweak the ratio. More coconut milk makes it creamier and paler; more tea base makes it fruitier and brighter. Your drink, your rules.
Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink
2
drinks10
minutes124
kcal40
minutesA copycat inspired by the Starbucks Pink Drink: double-strength acai berry tea and white grape juice, chilled, then poured over ice with creamy coconut milk, sliced strawberries and a little agave. Caffeine-free when made with herbal tea. Makes 2 large drinks.
Ingredients
4 acai berry or mixed berry herbal tea bags
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white grape juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk beverage (carton), cold
1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste
4 fresh strawberries, sliced (or freeze-dried slices)
ice
Directions
- Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes for a strong, double-strength tea. Squeeze and discard the bags.
- Stir in the white grape juice and agave, then chill until completely cold, at least 30 minutes.
- Fill two tall glasses with ice and a few strawberry slices. Pour in the tea mixture, about half full.
- Top up with the coconut milk and stir (or shake everything in a jar) until evenly pink. Taste and add more agave if you like.
Notes
- Chill the tea base completely before adding ice, or the drink turns watery.
- For the closest café taste, swap the tea and grape juice for homemade strawberry açaí refresher base.
- Store the base and coconut milk separately for up to 4 days; mix per glass.
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Nutrition Facts
1 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories120
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
5g
6%
- Saturated Fat 4g 20%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 0mg 0%
- Sodium 20mg 1%
- Total Carbohydrate
12g
4%
- Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
- Total Sugars 16g
- Protein 2g 4%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Popular Pink Drink Add-Ons and Variations
- Vanilla sweet cream cold foam: froth 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla syrup until thick and spoon it on top. This is the most popular way people order it.
- Strawberry puree swirl: blend a handful of strawberries with 1 teaspoon of sugar and swirl it around the inside of the glass before adding ice.
- Lighter: unsweetened coconut milk and a sugar-free syrup bring it to about 80 calories a glass.
- Blended: blend everything with 1 cup of ice for a slushy pink frozen drink.
- With a caffeine kick: steep 1 green tea bag with the berry tea for a light lift, like the café version.
Pink Drink Troubleshooting
| Problem | Why it happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Separates into layers | Coconut milk and juice settle as it sits | Normal. Shake or stir right before drinking |
| Pale, not pink | Tea too weak or too much coconut milk | Use 4 tea bags for 1 cup of water and steep the full 7 minutes; pour the tea in first |
| Watery | Warm tea melted the ice | Chill the tea base completely before it meets ice |
| Too sweet | Sweetened coconut milk plus agave | Use unsweetened coconut milk and add agave a teaspoon at a time |
| Thick or chalky | Canned coconut milk | Use the drinkable carton kind |
Pink Drink by the Pitcher
For a party, brew a big batch of the base and let everyone build their own glass.
| Servings | Tea bags | Boiling water | White grape juice | Coconut milk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 (the card) | 4 | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1 to 1 1/2 cups |
| 8 | 16 | 4 cups | 2 cups | 4 to 6 cups |
| 16 | 32 | 8 cups | 4 cups | 8 to 12 cups |
Keep the tea base and coconut milk separate in the fridge for up to 4 days, then mix per glass so nothing separates in the pitcher.
Nutrition (Estimate)
| Per 16-ounce glass | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | About 124 |
| Sugars | About 22 g |
| Fat | About 3 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg (berry herbal tea) |
Estimates with sweetened carton coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of agave per drink. Starbucks' own nutrition info is the place to check the café version.
More Starbucks Drink Copycats
Start with my strawberry acai refresher base, then try the purple violet drink or a tangy passion tea lemonade. There are plenty more in my Starbucks recipes collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks Pink Drink?
The café drink is the Strawberry Açaí Refresher base (with white grape juice and green coffee extract) shaken with coconut milk and freeze-dried strawberries. This copycat uses berry tea and white grape juice for a similar flavor.
How do you make a pink drink at home?
Brew strong acai berry tea, mix it with white grape juice and a little agave, and chill it. Pour it over ice and strawberries, then top up with coconut milk and stir until it turns a soft pink.
Does this copycat pink drink have caffeine?
Not if you use herbal acai or berry tea, which is naturally caffeine-free. Add a green tea bag while steeping if you'd like a small caffeine boost like the café version.
How many calories are in this pink drink?
About 124 calories per large glass, depending on your coconut milk and how much agave you add. Use a sugar-free syrup and unsweetened coconut milk for a lighter drink.
Can I use a refresher base instead of tea?
Yes. If you have my homemade strawberry acai refresher base in the fridge, use it in place of the tea and grape juice, then add coconut milk. It's the closest match to the café drink.
Does the Starbucks Pink Drink have caffeine?
Yes, a little. The Strawberry Açaí base contains green coffee extract. This copycat made with berry herbal tea has none, and you can add one green tea bag while steeping if you want a light lift.
Why did my pink drink separate?
Coconut milk and fruit juice naturally settle into layers as the drink sits. It's not spoiled. Shake or stir it right before drinking, and mix it per glass rather than storing it mixed.
What can I add to a pink drink?
Vanilla sweet cream cold foam is the most popular add-on. A swirl of strawberry puree, extra freeze-dried strawberries or blending it with ice into a frozen drink are all great too.
Wow, I’m already drooling. Thanks a ton for this recipe. I’m sharing this to my colleagues. 🙂
Yes it’s a great recipe! 🙂