Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher

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Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher is known for its bright pink color and tropical fruit flavor. The sweet mango and tart dragonfruit flavors are perfectly balanced. This drink is light and refreshing, making it a popular choice for hot summer days or as an alternative to coffee or tea. On the downside, it is expensive. Keep reading; I have a Starbucks mango dragonfruit refresher copycat recipe where you can make a drink for as low as .81 cents and save $3.44 simultaneously!

It is well known that I love Starbucks; after all, I have made many Starbucks copycat recipes to save money. I needed to do this when I realized I was spending nearly $500 monthly at Starbucks. YIKES that is a lot of money!

I started by recreating my favorite blueberry scones and petite vanilla scones. Then it was on to the drinks. I started with this recipe, the mango dragon fruit refresher. This was my favorite afternoon drink. The flavor was light and sweet, and I could not get enough of the tropical flavors.

Creating the Recipe

This recipe was a challenging recipe to crack! I tried every combination of natural fruits, tropical fruits, and mango puree possible. I read, reread, and kept rereading the nutrition label to see what I was missing.

Then it occurred to me Starbucks base is a concentrated clear liquid with no fresh fruit. Because of this, the Starbucks recipe cannot be recreated using all-natural ingredients. In fact, the label says ‘natural fruit flavor.’ Not mango juice, not dragonfruit flavors, but only ‘natural fruit flavor.’ The beverage equivalent of ‘froot,’ the official name of the fruit flavor in Fruity Pebbles.

I went back to the store and scoured the isles. I came home with just about every artificially flavored drink packet. Hands down, the mango passion fruit by Crystal Light was the closest in flavor to the Starbucks version.

What I like about Crystal Light is its artificial flavor that matches Starbucks without artificial colors or aftertaste. The taste was also as close as I could get to the original drink.

Three Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers

Each Starbucks refresher line uses the same base. Additional flavor is added by mixing the base with water, lemonade, or milk. Each has its own unique taste.

1. Mango Dragonfruit Refresher: This is the classic version of the drink, featuring a blend of mango and dragonfruit flavors mixed with water and ice. It’s a refreshing and fruity beverage perfect for hot summer days.
2. Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher: This version replaces water with lemonade. The lemonade balances out the sweetness and provides a tartness. This version is perfect for those who love sour flavors and sour candy.
3. Dragon Drink: The Dragon Drink variation replaces water with creamy coconut milk. This gives the drink a creamier texture and tastes like a poolside tropical drink.

Ingredients

Essential Ingredients

To replicate this drink at home, you will need the following ingredients:

Freeze Dried Dragonfruit Powder – 1/4 teaspoon – Known for its vibrant magenta color; however, the flavor is neutral. I add it because I love the bright color, but for the taste, it is optional. The powder can be purchased on Amazon.

White Grape Juice – 1 teaspoon – This is a popular fruit juice used in most Starbucks refreshers. I found that a little goes a long way, adding to the overall flavor. Too much, and the drink tastes like grape juice. That is why there is only one teaspoon used in this recipe.

Simple Syrup – 2 tablespoons – This is a blend of equal parts white sugar and water cooked on the stove until the sugar dissolves. For less sugar, add less simple syrup when mixing the drink.

Crystal Light Mango Passion Fruit – 1 teaspoon – While an artificial flavor, it does not leave an artificial aftertaste. I used a teaspoon because a little goes a long way. I also purchased this at my local grocery store. It is also available on Amazon.

Flavor Mixer – You will need an alternative mixer, depending on your choice of drink.

• Refresher = 2 cups of water.
• Lemonade = 2 cups of lemonade.
• Dragon Drink = 2 cups of coconut milk. I recommend using unsweetened coconut milk to control the sugar content. You can also use almond milk or oat milk.

Optional Ingredients

Green Coffee Extract Powder – 1 teaspoon – Starbucks uses “natural green coffee flavor” in their base, which are unroasted coffee beans that add little flavor while adding caffeine. If you want to add caffeine, start with one-teaspoon increments until you reach the desired amount.

Freeze-Dried Dragon Fruit – – 1 handful – The refresher sold at Starbucks comes with 4 ounces of freeze-dried dragon fruit cubes. I did find the cubes on Amazon. However, the price was $100 for a bag. An affordable option is freeze-dried pieces (chips), which are the same, just in a different shape. Soak the chips in water for five minutes before mixing.

Fresh or Frozen Dragonfruit – 1 handful – Fresh dragonfruit is always an alternative. It is easily found at most grocery stores. If it is your first time buying this funky-looking fruit, follow these instructions on how to cut dragonfruit. Frozen dragonfruit is also a good choice. Look for it next to the frozen fruit section at your grocery store.

Interested in A Different Copycat Recipe?

• Starbucks Blueberry Scone
• Starbucks Crisp Apple Macchiato – Iced and Hot
• Starbucks Cold Foam Recipe
• Starbucks Pineapple Passionfruit Refreshers – All 3!
• Starbucks Petite Vanilla Scones

Instructions

Below are instructions for all three drinks. Start by making the simple syrup and the base, then follow the instructions for your desired version.

Step One: Make the Simple Syrup –

Simple syrup is really sweetened water that blends the sugars into the drink better than mixing sugar directly. Place a small saucepan over low heat to make simple syrup, and combine water and white sugar. Stir periodically until the sugar dissolves—about five minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Step Two: Make the Base –

Combine dragon fruit powder, freeze-dried dragon fruit, grape juice, simple syrup, and Crystal Light Mango Passion Fruit Liquid Water Enhancer in a mason jar or a cocktail shaker. Place the lid on top and shake well. You want to ensure to combine all the ingredients. If the powder is dry and clumped together, let it soak in the mixture for five minutes before shaking.

Step Three: Select your Flavor –

Once the base has been made, add 1/4 cup of the base + 2 cups of the variations (water, lemonade, or coconut milk). If you would like a sweeter drink, add more simple syrup.

Drink	Ingredients
Mango Dragonfruit Refresher	1/4 cup base + 2 cups water
Mango Dragonfruit Lemonaide	1/4 cup base + 2 cups lemonade
Dragon Drink	1/4 cup base + 2 cups coconut milk

Step Four: Finish and top –

In a tall glass, pour the drink over ice cubes, then top each drink with 4 ounces (a small handful) of freeze-dried dragon fruit pieces or fresh dragon fruit cut into cubes.

Visual Steps

Substitutions and Variations

Fresh Kiwis: Kiwis are the perfect substitute. They have the same seeds, texture, and mild flavor. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.

Kiwi Fruit Powder: Kiwi fruit powder is fun, but t will alter the taste. However, this is the most comparable substitution.

Mango Juice – The natural flavors of mango is hard to beat. If you prefer natural fruit, I recommend starting with a tablespoon and increasing it in small increments until you reach the desired flavor. One bit of warning, a little goes a long way.

Apple Juice – Apple juice can be used instead of white grape juice concentrate.

Caffeinated – The recipe in this post is decaffeinated. For a caffeine boost, add one teaspoon of green coffee extract. Another option is to make a cup of hot green tea. Allow the tea to cool and use that in place of water at a 1:1 ratio.

Boozy – I recommend using vodkas; the flavor is neutral and does not alter the taste of the overall drink. When mixing a drink, I use 1/4 cup per 24 ounces. I prefer a lighter ratio of alcohol and then altering the amount according to personal tastes.

Mango Dragonfruit Secret Menu Recipes

As Starbucks lovers know, there is always a secret menu. This menu is variations that have become popular, usually through word of mouth or TikTok. Here is a quick rundown of popular mango dragonfruit secret menu drinks. Use this as a recipe guide to make these drinks at home.

Drink	Ingredients
Firecracker	Base: Refresher base Variation: No dragonfruit inclusions. Add a pump of raspberry syrup and top with unsweetened Passion Tango.
Fuzzy Peach	Base: Refresher base Variation: No dragonfruit inclusions. Two pumps of vanilla syrup, peach juice, and light coconut milk.
Luna Lovegood	Base: Lemonade refresher base Variation: Add light kiwi inclusions and light strawberry puree. Top with vanilla sweet cream cold foam with strawberry puree drizzled on top.
Rose Gold	Base: Refresher base Variation: No dragonfruit inclusions and no water. Substitute water with peach juice, and add two pumps of classic sweetener and three pumps of raspberry syrup.
Sunset Drink	Base: Lemonaid Refresher base Variation: No dragonfruit inclusions; add a splash of peach juice blend and Iced Passion Tango Tea.

Please leave the information in the comments if other drinks are on the secret menu. I will add to the table above, and together; we can create a super-sized secret menu for drinks to make at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

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