Starbucks Refreshers are easy to recognize by their bright colors, fruity flavors, and plenty of ice. But you can make a similar drink at home without buying a ready-made concentrate or a whole collection of syrups. Most of the time, all you need is tea, juice, fruit, and a few simple add-ins that are already in the fridge or pantry.
When you make them yourself, you control the sweetness, strength, and amount of ice. You can make the drink more citrusy, add coconut milk, or use sparkling water.
Here, I tried to share Starbucks Drink Menu Refreshers that feel refreshing but do not require complicated preparation or hard-to-find ingredients.
1. Strawberry Açaí Refresher With Coconut Milk and Lime Zest
The drink with strawberry, açaí, and coconut milk has long been one of the most recognizable options on the Starbucks menu. The original version uses a strawberry base with white grape juice, coconut milk, ice, and pieces of freeze-dried strawberry. But when I make it, I always add one more ingredient — fresh lime zest.
I think lime juice can be added too, but the zest gives the drink a bright citrus aroma without watering it down. It is important to remove only the green part of the peel. The white layer underneath tastes bitter, and even a small amount can ruin the whole glass.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ¾ cup white grape juice (180 ml);
- ¼ cup cold strawberry tea or weak green tea (60 ml);
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk from a carton (120 ml);
- ⅓ cup sliced strawberries (about 50 g);
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey;
- ½ teaspoon lime juice;
- ¼ teaspoon finely grated lime zest;
- 1 cup ice;
- 1–2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries, optional.
For the zest, it is easier to use a zester such as the Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester Grater. It removes a thin top layer and barely touches the white part of the lime.
How to Make It
- Make the fruit base. Place the fresh strawberries in a tall glass or small pitcher. Gently mash them with a spoon so the berries release some juice, but do not turn them into a smooth purée.
- Add the juice and tea. Pour in the white grape juice and completely chilled tea. The tea makes the drink less sweet and helps bring it closer to the familiar refresher base.
- Prepare the lime. Zest the lime first, then cut it and squeeze out a little juice. Add the juice carefully. Half a teaspoon is usually enough.
- Pour in the coconut milk. It should be cold and well shaken. If the milk has separated a little in the carton, mix it separately first.
- Shake the drink with ice. Pour everything into a jar with a tight lid or a shaker, add the ice, and shake for about 10–15 seconds. The drink will get colder, and the coconut milk will blend evenly with the fruit base.
- Taste before serving. If the strawberries are tart, add a little agave syrup or honey. If the juice is already very sweet, you may not need any sweetener at all.
Pour the drink into a tall glass and add the freeze-dried strawberries on top. They soften quickly, absorb the coconut base, and become similar to the berry pieces in coffee shop drinks.
Tip. Do not add too much zest. It is not there to make the drink taste strongly of lime. You only need a light citrus aroma with each sip. A quarter teaspoon is plenty.
This recipe is worth making often during the summer. It is simple, quick to prepare, looks almost like a coffee shop drink, and does not require a special base. I usually mix two servings at once — one for me and one for Lindy. Sharing one glass never really works for us anyway.
2. Mango Dragonfruit Refresher With Frozen Peach Cubes
In the Starbucks version, the base is made with white grape juice, sugar, natural flavors, and citric acid, while fruit and vegetable concentrates give it that bright color. Ice and pieces of dried dragonfruit are also added to the glass. At home, I change the ingredients a little and use frozen peach cubes instead of some of the regular ice.
By the way, there is no need to blend the peach here. Just cut it into small pieces, freeze them, and drop them straight into the glass. At first, the pieces simply keep the drink cold, and then they slowly begin to thaw. You can eat them with a spoon at the end. Lindy usually does exactly that, so I add a little more peach to her glass.
One summer, we bought a whole box of peaches from a local farmer. At first, we ate them fresh, added them to oatmeal, and baked a pie. Then the peaches started softening pretty quickly, so I cut some of them up and put them in the freezer. Later, those pieces came in very handy as a replacement for regular ice in cold fruit drinks.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ½ cup mango juice or nectar (120 ml);
- ½ cup white grape juice (120 ml);
- ¼ cup cold green tea (60 ml);
- ¼ cup chopped dragonfruit (about 40 g);
- ⅓ cup frozen peach cubes (about 55 g);
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice;
- ½–1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup, optional;
- ½ cup ice;
- 1 teaspoon dragonfruit powder, optional.
If fresh dragonfruit is hard to find, you can use dried dragonfruit powder. It is mainly there for color, so one teaspoon is enough. Do not add it straight to a full glass, because the powder can form clumps.
Freeze the Peach Pieces
Choose a ripe peach that is still fairly firm. Very soft pieces begin to fall apart after thawing and can make the drink cloudy.
Peel it if the skin is tough, then cut the flesh into cubes about ½ inch wide. Arrange them in a single layer on a small plate or cutting board and place them in the freezer for 2–3 hours. Once the peach is completely frozen, transfer the pieces to a bag or container. This keeps them from sticking together, so later you can take out exactly as much as you need for one glass.
How to Make the Drink
- Mix the liquid base. Pour the mango juice, white grape juice, and fully chilled green tea into a jar or shaker.
- Add the dragonfruit. Lightly mash the fresh flesh with a fork. There is no need to turn it into a purée. Leave a few small pieces in the glass.
- Mix the powder separately. If you are using dragonfruit powder, stir it into one tablespoon of juice. Then pour the mixture in with the other ingredients.
- Add the lemon juice. Start with half a teaspoon. Mango nectar can be very sweet, and a little acidity works well here.
- Add the regular ice. Close the jar and shake the drink for about 10 seconds. There is no need to shake it longer because the juice is already cold, and you do not want too much foam.
- Add the frozen peach. Pour the drink into a tall glass, then add the peach pieces. This way, they keep their shape and do not break apart while shaking.
Tip. Do not rush to add honey. Taste the finished mixture first. Mango nectar and white grape juice may already be sweet enough on their own. If you are using nectar with added sugar, you probably will not need any extra sweetener at all.
This drink is best served with a wide straw or a long spoon because the fruit pieces keep settling at the bottom. We usually drink the refresher first and then finish the peach and dragonfruit. It ends up somewhere between a cold drink and a very simple fruit dessert.
3. Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher With Mint and Citrus Salt
Pineapple and passionfruit already have a pretty bold flavor, so it is easy to overdo the extras here. I add just a few mint leaves and put a little citrus salt on the rim of the glass. Not a full salty rim like you would use for a cocktail, just a thin layer on one side so you can choose whether to take a sip with salt or without it.
I first tried adding citrus salt after we cut into an especially tart pineapple. Of course, no one was going to throw it away. Some of it went on the grill, and I used the rest for drinks. I rubbed a lime wedge along one side of each glass, poured the salt and zest onto a plate, and pressed the damp rim into it.
With each sip, a little citrus salt reached the tongue along with the drink, and the sharp acidity of the pineapple did not feel quite as strong. Lindy looked at my glass with a lot of suspicion at first. Then she asked me to add the same salted rim to hers.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ¾ cup pineapple juice (180 ml)
- ¼ cup passionfruit juice or purée (60 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- 4–5 fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½–1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup, optional
- 1 cup ice
- 2 tablespoons small pineapple pieces, optional
For the Citrus Salt
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- ¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Make the Citrus Salt
Mix the sea salt, lime zest, and orange zest in a small bowl. Gently rub the mixture between your fingers or with the back of a spoon. The zest should release its fragrant oils, but the salt should not turn into a wet paste.
Rub a lime wedge along one side of the glass rim and gently press it into the salt. Do not dip the entire rim. Too much salt will start overpowering the fruit after the first sip.
How to Make the Drink
- Gently muddle the mint. Place the leaves in a jar or shaker and press them with a spoon two or three times. Do not crush the mint too hard because damaged stems and leaves can make the drink bitter.
- Add the fruit base. Pour in the pineapple juice, passionfruit juice, and cold water. If you are using thick passionfruit purée, mix it with the water separately first.
- Add the lime. One teaspoon is usually enough. If the passionfruit juice is already very tart, start with half.
- Taste the mixture. Sweet pineapple may not need any honey at all. If the fruit is tart, add half a teaspoon and taste again.
- Shake with ice. Add the ice, close the jar, and shake for about 10 seconds. That gives the mint enough time to release its aroma without breaking into tiny pieces.
- Pour into the prepared glass. Add a few pineapple pieces and one fresh mint leaf on top.
Tip. It is best to mix the citrus salt right before serving. Fresh zest releases moisture quickly, so after a few hours the salt becomes damp and starts clumping. For one or two glasses, just a couple of teaspoons of the mixture is enough.
I pour this drink into a tall, wide glass, like the kind usually used for lemonade. It has enough room for both the ice and pineapple pieces, and it is easy to add the salted rim to just one side. It is best to drink it right away, before the ice has time to noticeably water down the juice.
4. Very Berry Hibiscus Style Refresher With Raspberry Syrup Hack
A quick raspberry syrup helps add more berry flavor to strong hibiscus tea without having to cook fresh raspberries for a long time. The main thing is not to turn the drink into sweet syrup over ice. The raspberry should come through clearly without overpowering the tea and the other berries.
We tried making it this way too. It turned out so well that Lindy immediately asked whether I had written down the measurements. Of course, I had not written anything down the first time. I had to make it again the next day.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ¾ cup strong chilled hibiscus tea (180 ml)
- ½ cup white grape juice (120 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- 2 tablespoons blackberries or a mix of dark berries
- 1–2 teaspoons raspberry syrup, such as Monin Raspberry Syrup
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup ice
- a few fresh berries, optional
Brew the Hibiscus Stronger Than Usual
For one glass, I use 2 hibiscus tea bags and pour ¾ cup of hot water over them. I let the tea steep for 8–10 minutes, remove the bags, and then chill it completely.
Do not add ice to the hot tea just to cool it faster. The ice will melt and simply water it down. I usually brew the hibiscus in the morning or the night before and then put it in the fridge.
How to Make the Drink
- Lightly crush the berries. Put the blackberries in a jar or shaker and press them with a spoon a few times. There is no need to make a purée. You only want the berries to release a little juice.
- Add the tea and grape juice. Pour in the chilled hibiscus tea, white grape juice, and water.
- Add the raspberry syrup. Start with one teaspoon. Stir and taste. If the berry flavor seems too weak, add another half teaspoon or one full teaspoon.
- Pour in the lemon juice. You only need a small amount here. It should not make the drink taste like lemon. It just helps cut some of the sweetness.
- Shake with ice. Add the ice, close the jar, and shake for about 10 seconds.
- Pour into a glass. If you do not like berry seeds, strain the drink through a fine sieve. I usually skip this step because a couple of berry pieces at the bottom do not bother me.
Tip. If you are using fresh blackberries, do not crush them too hard. Otherwise, the drink will end up with too many seeds and too much pulp. A light press with a spoon is enough to release some juice.
I pour this drink into a tall lemonade glass and add a few berries on top. The deep red hibiscus color looks especially good through clear glass, particularly if you do not mash the blackberries too much. Put the raspberry syrup back in the pantry as soon as you finish making the drink. Otherwise, it is very easy to reach for just a little more, and that will definitely be too much.
5. Kiwi Starfruit Style Refresher With Green Grape Juice
For this drink, I use green grape juice instead of regular white grape juice. The difference is small but noticeable. It tastes a little fresher and more tart, so it works well with kiwi and starfruit. Grape juice concentrate is also often used in modern Starbucks Refreshers.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ¾ cup green grape juice (180 ml)
- ¼ cup cold green tea (60 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- ½ ripe kiwi
- 3–4 thin slices of starfruit
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon honey or agave syrup, optional
- 1 cup ice
Choose a soft kiwi that gives slightly when pressed but still holds its shape. A completely firm fruit will be tart, while one that is too soft will quickly turn mushy. The starfruit should be yellow, possibly with a few green areas around the edges. A fully green fruit is usually noticeably more tart.
How to Make It
- Prepare the fruit. Peel the kiwi and cut it into small pieces. Slice the starfruit crosswise into thin stars. Remove any seeds with a knife.
- Lightly mash the kiwi. Put it in a jar or shaker and press it with a spoon a few times.
The juice should come out, but there is no need to turn the flesh into a purée. - Add the liquids. Pour in the green grape juice, chilled green tea, and water.
- Add the starfruit. Put two slices into the shaker and save the rest for the glass. There is no need to press them hard.
- Add the lime juice. Taste the mixture afterward. If the grape juice and kiwi are sweet enough, you can skip the honey.
- Shake with ice. Close the shaker and shake for about 10 seconds. Pour everything into a tall glass and add the remaining starfruit slices.
Tip. Do not use thick grape nectar. You need regular clear grape juice without pulp. Otherwise, the mashed kiwi will make the drink too thick and awkward to drink.
It is best to pour this drink into a tall clear glass and add a few slices of starfruit at the very end. They look great among the ice, and the drink instantly feels more special, even though it only takes a few minutes to make.
6. Strawberry Lemonade Refresher With Basil Simple Syrup
Strawberry and lemon already work well together, but in my opinion, basil syrup makes the flavor much more interesting. It should not turn the lemonade into an herbal drink. You only need a light aroma that comes through after the first sip without getting in the way of the berries.
In summer, our basil almost always grows faster than we can use it. Some of the leaves go into sauces and salads, some get dried, and I use the freshest ones to make a small batch of syrup for drinks. It works well with strawberry lemonade, so I make this drink pretty often during the summer.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ½ cup strawberry juice or strawberry purée (120 ml)
- ½ cup lemonade (120 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- ⅓ cup sliced strawberries (about 50 g)
- 1–2 teaspoons basil syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup ice
- a few small basil leaves for serving
For the Basil Syrup
- ¼ cup water (60 ml)
- ¼ cup sugar (50 g)
- 6–8 fresh basil leaves
Basil Syrup
Pour the water into a small saucepan, add the sugar, and heat over low heat until it completely dissolves. There is no need to boil the syrup for long.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the fresh basil leaves, and gently press them with a spoon. Leave them for 10–15 minutes, then strain the syrup. The longer the basil sits in the hot syrup, the stronger the flavor will be. Do not leave it for too long, or it will become too intense and overpower the strawberry.
It is convenient to make this syrup in small batches. You do not need a whole bottle for one recipe that will then sit in the fridge for weeks.
How to Make the Drink
- Prepare the strawberries. Put the sliced berries into a shaker and press them with a spoon a few times. Do not turn the strawberries into a purée. We only need a little juice and a few soft pieces that will stay in the finished drink.
- Add the liquid base. Pour in the strawberry juice, lemonade, and cold water. If you are using thick strawberry purée, mix it well with the water first so there are no dense clumps left in the drink.
- Add the basil syrup. Pour in one teaspoon and mix the base well. Taste it before adding the ice. If you can barely taste the basil, add a little more syrup, but not the entire second teaspoon at once.
- Add the fresh lemon juice. One teaspoon is usually enough, especially if the prepared lemonade is already tart. Taste the mixture again and add a few more drops if needed.
- Shake the drink with ice. Fill the shaker with ice, close it tightly, and shake for about 10 seconds. That is enough to chill the drink well and evenly mix the strawberries and syrup with the lemonade.
- Pour the drink into a glass. Add the ice and strawberry pieces left in the shaker along with the liquid. You can add a few more fresh berries and a couple of small basil leaves on top.
Tip. Do not put the basil directly into the shaker with the ice. Vigorous shaking tears the leaves into small pieces, and they end up floating all over the glass. The syrup provides enough aroma here, while a few whole leaves can be added after the drink is ready.
This recipe makes a little more basil simple syrup than you need for one glass. You can keep the rest in the fridge and use it later in iced tea, sparkling water, or another batch of lemonade. It never lasts long at our place. When strawberries and basil are growing at the same time, it is easy to find a use for the syrup.
7. Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher With Yuzu Style Twist
At Starbucks, dragonfruit lemonade is easy to recognize by its bright pink color and small pieces of fruit among the ice. In my own version, I add a little yuzu juice. It has a more pronounced citrus aroma than regular lemon. You can taste something between mandarin, grapefruit, and lime. You do not need much, or the yuzu will quickly take over the whole drink.
Fresh yuzu is almost impossible to find where we live. That is why I use unsweetened bottled yuzu juice. One bottle lasts a long time because you only add it to drinks by the teaspoon. Lindy also uses it in salad dressings, so the bottle never sits unused in the fridge.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ¾ cup lemonade (180 ml)
- ¼ cup white grape juice (60 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- ¼ cup chopped dragonfruit (about 40 g)
- 1–2 teaspoons yuzu juice
- ½ teaspoon honey or agave syrup, optional
- 1 cup ice
- 1 teaspoon dragonfruit powder, optional
Fresh dragonfruit can have either white or red flesh. Either one works for this drink, but red dragonfruit gives it a deeper color. White dragonfruit usually looks more muted, so you can add a little dried fruit powder.
It is best to choose bottled yuzu juice without added sugar or flavorings. Check the ingredients before buying it. The bottle should contain actual juice, not a sweet cocktail syrup.
How to Make the Drink
- Prepare the dragonfruit. Remove the peel and cut the flesh into small pieces. Set a few pieces aside, then put the rest into a shaker and gently press them with a spoon. Dragonfruit is soft, so two or three presses are enough.
- Add the liquid base. Pour in the lemonade, white grape juice, and cold water. If the lemonade is already very sweet, reduce the amount of grape juice slightly and add the same amount of water.
- Add the yuzu juice. Start with one teaspoon and stir. Taste the mixture before adding the ice. You will only need the second teaspoon if the yuzu aroma is barely noticeable.
- Add dragonfruit powder if you like. Mix the dragonfruit powder with one tablespoon of the drink in a separate cup. Once there are no clumps left, pour the mixture into the shaker. If you sprinkle the powder directly on top, some of it may stick to the sides.
- Check the sweetness. Honey or agave syrup is not always needed here. The lemonade and grape juice already contain enough sugar, so taste the base first and then decide whether to add anything.
- Shake with ice. Add the ice to the shaker, close it tightly, and shake for about 10 seconds. Pour the drink into a glass with the ice and add the remaining dragonfruit pieces.
Tip. Add the yuzu juice gradually. It has a strong aroma, so one teaspoon is often enough. If you cannot find yuzu, mix a little mandarin, lime, and grapefruit juice.
After opening, always keep the yuzu juice in the fridge and use it a little at a time. You can add it not only to drinks but also to salad dressings, marinades, and iced tea. The bottle is small, but it lasts a while, so check the storage time on the label right away.
8. Coconut Refresher With Vanilla Bean Powder Shortcut
At Starbucks, coconut refreshers usually taste softer than the fruit versions made with water or lemonade. At home, I add a little vanilla bean powder to this kind of drink. It blends quickly with the coconut milk, so there is no need to make syrup or buy a separate bottle of vanilla flavoring.
It is important to use vanilla powder made for drinks, not pure ground vanilla. Pure vanilla is much stronger, and even a small amount can taste bitter. Drink powder usually already contains sugar, so check the ingredients first and do not add sweetener ahead of time.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk from a carton (120 ml)
- ½ cup white grape juice (120 ml)
- ¼ cup cold green tea (60 ml)
- ¼ cup cold water (60 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder for drinks
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- ⅓ cup chopped strawberries or dragonfruit, optional
- 1 cup ice
How to Make the Drink
- Mix the vanilla powder first. Add it to the shaker with a couple of tablespoons of coconut milk. Stir well with a spoon so there are no dry clumps left at the bottom.
- Add the rest of the coconut milk. Make sure to shake the carton first. The coconut part can separate from the liquid, especially if it has been sitting in the fridge for a while.
- Pour in the juice and tea. Add the white grape juice, chilled green tea, and water. Stir and taste the mixture before adding the ice.
- Add the lime juice. Half a teaspoon is usually enough. It cuts some of the sweetness from the grape juice, but the drink should not taste clearly like lime.
- Add the fruit. You can lightly press the strawberries with a spoon, while soft dragonfruit can simply be cut into small pieces. Do not mash them too much, or the drink will become thick.
- Shake with ice. Fill the shaker with ice, close it tightly, and shake for about 10–15 seconds. During that time, the vanilla will blend evenly with the coconut milk.
Tip. Do not increase the amount of vanilla powder by eye. Even a small extra pinch can make the drink too sweet and overpower the coconut flavor, so a quarter teaspoon is plenty here.
This shortcut is useful when you do not have vanilla syrup at home and making it for just one glass feels completely impractical, honestly. The powder lasts longer, takes up very little space, and works for more than just drinks like this. I also add it to iced coffee, milkshakes, and sometimes oatmeal. So good!
9. Iced Refresher With Sparkling Water for a Soda Style Finish
At Starbucks, refreshers are usually made with a still base, but at home, you can replace some of the water with highly sparkling mineral water. The drink immediately starts to feel more like a fruit soda, just without the thick syrup and overly sharp sweetness. I think this drink works especially well in summer, when regular juice over ice already feels a little too heavy.
It is important to add the sparkling water at the very end. If you pour it into the shaker and start shaking, the pressure will build quickly, and when you open the lid, half the drink may end up on the table. I learned that in my own kitchen. I do not do it anymore.
You can use almost any fruit base from the previous recipes here. Strawberry, mango, dragonfruit, raspberry, and pineapple all work well. I usually use berries and white grape juice, then pour the sparkling water directly into the glass.
Ingredients for One Large Glass
- ½ cup white grape juice (120 ml)
- ¼ cup strawberry, raspberry, or mango juice (60 ml)
- ¼ cup cold green tea (60 ml)
- ½ cup highly sparkling water (120 ml)
- 2 tablespoons chopped berries or dragonfruit
- ½ teaspoon lemon or lime juice
- ½–1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup, optional
- 1 cup ice
How to Make the Drink
- Prepare the fruit. Put the berries or dragonfruit into a shaker and gently press them with a spoon. You want to release a little juice while keeping some small pieces intact.
- Mix the base. Add the white grape juice, your chosen fruit juice, and the cold green tea. Chill the tea completely ahead of time so the ice does not start melting as soon as everything is mixed.
- Add the citrus juice. Pour in half a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice. Taste the mixture and add a few more drops if needed.
- Check the sweetness. If the juices are already sweet, you will not need any extra honey. If you are using tart berries, add a little agave syrup and stir it in well before adding the ice.
- Shake with ice. Add the ice, close the shaker tightly, and shake for about 10 seconds. There should be no sparkling water in the shaker at this stage.
- Add the bubbles. Pour the fruit mixture and ice into a tall glass. Slowly pour the sparkling water down the side, then move a spoon from the bottom to the top once or twice. Do not stir too much, or the bubbles will disappear quickly.
For this recipe, tall glasses with tight lids are convenient. The lid is useful if you are taking the drink out to the yard or porch, but once the sparkling water has been added, do not shake the glass.
Tip. Open a fresh bottle of water right before making the drink. Water that has been sitting open in the fridge for several days will not give you enough bubbles. It is also better to use plain sparkling water without sweeteners or flavorings so it does not affect the taste of the fruit mixture.
You can also add sparkling water to other refreshers, especially if they feel too sweet or too rich. Reduce the amount of regular water and pour in the sparkling water at the very end. You will get a light fruit soda that you can make with different juices and berries.
10. Refresher Concentrate Hack Using Tea and Pantry Fruit
As a rule, at Starbucks, the fruit base for refreshers is mixed with ice, water, lemonade, or coconut milk. At home, you do not have to buy a ready-made concentrate. You can make it yourself with strong fruit tea, juice, and whatever fruit you already have in the pantry or freezer.
At our house, sometimes a can of peaches gets used, sometimes frozen raspberries, and sometimes the last few spoonfuls of cherry juice. There is no need to make a special trip to the store for rare ingredients. There is always something in the pantry or freezer that you can use right away.
First, we make a rich fruit and tea concentrate, then mix it with water, lemonade, or coconut milk.
What You Will Need for the Concentrate
- 2 fruit or berry tea bags
- 1 cup hot water (240 ml)
- ½ cup white grape juice or apple juice (120 ml)
- ½ cup canned, frozen, or fresh fruit (about 75–90 g)
- 1–2 tablespoons juice from a can of fruit, optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- 1–2 teaspoons honey or sugar, optional
For One Glass
- ½ cup prepared concentrate (120 ml)
- ½ cup cold water, lemonade, or coconut milk (120 ml)
- 1 cup ice
- a few pieces of fruit, optional
Which Fruits Work Best
Use whatever you already have at home. Frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, and mango all work well. For canned fruit, you can use pineapple, peaches, or pears. Just do not pour all the syrup from the can into the base. It can be very sweet, so one tablespoon is enough to start.
You can change the tea too. Hibiscus works well with dark berries, green tea with peaches and grapes, and citrus tea with pineapple and mango. We do not stick to one recipe. We usually use whatever we reach for first and whatever does not require opening three more packages.
How to Make the Concentrate
- Brew strong tea. Pour one cup of hot water over two tea bags and let them steep for 8–10 minutes. A regular cup of tea would be too weak here because later we will also add juice, water, and ice.
- Add the fruit. While the tea is still hot, add the frozen or canned fruit. Frozen berries will begin to thaw and release some of their juice. Larger pieces of peach, pear, or pineapple are better cut into smaller pieces first.
- Lightly mash the fruit. Press it a few times with a spoon. There is no need to turn everything into a purée. We want some juice and a little pulp, not a thick fruit mixture.
- Pour in the grape or apple juice. It will add sweetness and make the base more flavorful. If you are using fruit packed in syrup, taste the mixture first and then decide whether you need any extra juice from the can.
- Add lemon or lime. One tablespoon of fresh juice usually balances the sweet fruit and canned syrup. If the tea is already tart, start with half a tablespoon.
- Taste the base. At this point, it should taste a little stronger and sweeter than a regular drink. Once mixed with water and ice, the flavor will become lighter. Add a little honey or sugar if needed and stir until it fully dissolves.
- Cool and strain. Let the concentrate cool, then pour it through a fine sieve. You can add some of the soft fruit back if you like pieces in your drink. Pour the base into a jar and place it in the fridge.
For storage, it is convenient to use a glass pitcher with a lid, such as a Glass Pitcher With Lid for Fridge. A regular jar will also work, especially if you made a small batch.
How to Make One Serving
Pour ½ cup of concentrate into a shaker and add the same amount of cold water, lemonade, or coconut milk. Add the ice and shake for about 10 seconds. If you are using sparkling water, do not pour it into the shaker. Shake the concentrate with the ice first, then add the sparkling water directly to the glass.
One jar of concentrate usually gives us several different drinks. I might mix mine with sparkling water, while Lindy uses lemonade or coconut milk. The base stays the same, but everyone can make their glass the way they like it.
Tip. Keep the concentrate in the fridge for no longer than three days. Shake the jar or stir it with a spoon before using because the fruit pulp slowly settles at the bottom.
I often end up with small amounts of different berries in the freezer or a few pieces of canned fruit in the fridge. It is not enough for a pie, it feels wasteful to throw away, but it is just right for a few cold fruit drinks. It also clears a little space in the fridge. That is a nice bonus too.
Your Own Recipes
Now all that is left is to choose a recipe and make your first serving. Do not be afraid to adjust the proportions to suit your ingredients. Juice can vary in sweetness, tea can vary in strength, and fresh berries are not always equally juicy. That is why a good refresher recipe is better treated as a useful starting point, not a rule you cannot change.
Tell us in the comments which Starbucks Refresher you decided to make and what you changed to suit your own taste.
