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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Starbucks Dragon Drink Recipe (Copycat!)

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Made with the refreshing combination of sweet mango, nutty and creamy coconut milk, apple juice, and bits of dragon fruit, this vibrant Starbucks Dragon Drink Recipe copycat is full of dreamy sweet flavors! This specialty dragon drink is made with simple ingredients while being fruity, creamy, vegan, gluten-free, and easy to make caffeine-free. Everyone will love this amazing drink!

A side shot of a glass of Starbucks dragon fruit with a metal straw next to small cubes of dragon fruit.

In the mood for something sweet and refreshing with a little bit of caffeine? This Starbucks dragonfruit drink recipe is a fruity paradise beverage packed in a cool and refreshing package. Simple to make, this copycat Starbucks dragon drink recipe is a lightened-up and better way to enjoy one of our favorite drinks at home!

Whenever I’m near my local Starbucks, I love grabbing our usual treats: chocolate croissants, cake pops, and this specialty drink similar to the Starbucks mango dragonfruit refresher. What’s the difference between the two?

This dragon fruit drink recipe is sweeter and creamier than the refresher recipe, all while using only fruit juice to sweeten and coconut milk to make it rich and luxurious! This vibrant colored drink is sweet, has no added sweeteners, and you can easily customize it to satisfy your taste buds. Adjust the sweetness to taste and make it without caffeine if desired!

Similar to Starbuck’s pink drink, but made with dragon fruit instead of strawberries, this homemade dragon drink features magenta-colored dragon fruit pieces. It’s as beautiful to look at as it is tasty to drink and is perfect to serve for baby showers, bridal showers, brunch with friends, outdoor cookouts, or for a delicious pick-me-up on a hot day!

If you’re into making cold drinks in the comfort of your home, you should also try my Honeydew Milk Tea, our Taro Milk Tea, our Strawberry Juice, or Strawberry Milk Tea! And when you are dining out, check out this guide for navigating the Starbucks menu!

🥤What Is A Dragon Drink?

Dragon drinks, also known as dragon fruit drinks or pink drinks, are refreshing mango-based fruit drinks made popular by Starbucks. These new drinks are made with mango juice, green coffee powder, dragon fruit powder, a scoop of actual dragon fruit, and creamy coconut milk. Talk about the makings for some seriously refreshing beverages!

Originally, this iced drink was a secret menu item at Starbucks, but they brought it onto the permanent menu item because people liked it so much! Additionally, thanks to the recipe I share below, you can now make the dragon drink at home in a few simple steps and with no added sweeteners or processed ingredients! For more information, you can learn more about this drink on the Starbucks website.

Latest Recipe Video!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Dragon Drink Recipe

  • Fresh & Fruity: Packed with delicious dragon fruit and mango flavors.
  • Budget-Friendly: One venti Starbucks dragon drink can cost upwards of $5. You can make this homemade dragon drink for 1/4 of that price!
  • Quick: This dragon drink copycat recipe is ready in just 10 minutes and made with only simple steps.
  • Low-Sugar: This recipe is as delicious as the original drink without using much sugar. In fact, almost all of the sweetener comes from natural sources like fruit juice. With a nutritional profile like this, you can feel good about serving this dragon fruit drink recipe to your family!

🥘 Ingredients

This DIY dragon drink recipe has a simple list of ingredients. You can easily find these items online or at your local grocery store. Here are all the dragon drink ingredients that you will need:

All of the ingredients to make Starbucks dragon drinks on the counter.
  • Dragon Fruit Powder: You will need freeze dried dragon fruit powder. You can find this fruit powder online, at Whole Foods, or at other well-stocked grocery stores.
  • Green Coffee Powder: Also known as green coffee extract, this ingredient is optional but can be added to the copycat dragon drink for an extra caffeine boost! Green coffee bean extract is made from raw coffee beans (or berries) and is known to have health benefits such as regulating blood sugar levels. If the natural green coffee flavor is too strong for you, you can leave it out, use less of it, or replace it with green tea concentrate or tea made from steeped green tea bags.
  • Mango Juice: Sweetens the drink and complements the dragon fruit flavor. If you can’t find mango juice, you can also use mango nectar.
  • Apple Juice: Choose a light-colored apple juice for the prettiest colored drinks. Alternatively, white grape juice can also work in this copycat dragon drink recipe!
  • Ice: Scoop your desired amount of ice. Choose less ice for a more concentrated flavor; choose more ice for a more mild flavor.
  • Coconut Milk: Opt for light unsweetened coconut milk, or an unsweetened coconut milk beverage instead of coconut milk from the can. Canned coconut milk can be heavier and chunky, or not emulsified.
  • Dragon Fruit (Optional): Use freeze-dried dragon fruit pieces or fresh or frozen dragon fruit as a garnish. Dragon fruit does have health benefits and contains fiber, antioxidants, iron, magnesium, and vitamin C. One serving of dragon fruit has 7 grams of fiber, making it great for digestion!

🔪 How To Make Starbucks Dragon Fruit Drink

It’s super easy to make the dragon drink Starbucks recipe at home! Here’s how:

Combine Ingredients & Stir: First, in a mixing bowl, combine both the dragon fruit and green coffee powder with apple juice. Stir until smooth.

An overhead shot of a small dish of dragon fruit paste with a small wooden spoon.

Add Rest Of The Ingredients: Next, in a cocktail shaker, add a scoop of ice, the dragon fruit mixture, the remaining apple and mango juice, and coconut milk.

An overhead shot of a shaker full of the dragon drink next to a towel and small cup of cubed dragon fruit.

Shake! Attach the lid and shake until combined.

A hand shaking a rose gold colored cocktail shaker over a wooden cutting board, cups of fruit, and towel.

Pour And Serve: Add ice cubes and dragon fruit pieces to a large glass. Pour this dragon fruit pink drink into the serving glass and serve immediately.

Overhead angled shot of a glass of dragon drink with a metal spoon next to a small dish of cubed dragon fruit.

💭 Expert Tips

  • Taste as you go: This dragon fruit drink Starbucks recipe is already moderately sweet on its own, but you can make it sweeter with the addition of coconut sugar or simple syrup! Just add either to the shaker with the dragon fruit drink and shake.
  • To make this drink caffeine-free, just omit the green coffee powder.
  • Completely dissolve the dragonfruit powder in the juice: Make sure the powder is mixed very well with no lumps in the mixture before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
  • Adjust the color of your drink: How pink your drink gets depends on how much dragon fruit powder vs. coconut milk you have. For a lighter-colored violet drink, stir or shake in more coconut milk. For a more intense magenta color, reduce the amount of milk.

📖 Variations

  • Make A Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher Recipe: Substitute water or coconut water for the coconut milk. You can also add some soda water or sparkling water to this copycat Starbucks drink to give it a natural fizz.
  • Make it Richer: For more decadence, try shaking in some coconut cream, heavy cream, or a scoop of ice cream!
  • Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade: Use lemonade instead of coconut milk!
  • Add Protein: This recipe doesn’t contain much protein as-is, so if you want to amp up this Mango Dragonfruit Refresher with coconut milk, add 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder to this drink and blend it in a blender or protein shaker.
  • For Kids: This drink can be made caffeine-free, so it is suitable for toddlers and children! Just omit the green coffee powder and surprise your kids with this vibrant sweet drink in their favorite cup!
  • Double Or Triple: Make it a venti or trenta size by doubling or tripling the recipe. Shake the ingredients in batches if necessary.

👨‍👩‍👧 Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this cooling and refreshing drink in place of your morning coffee on warm summer days or shake up some drinks for an afternoon pick-me-up! The dragon fruit flavors are fantastic served alongside vegan protein balls, homemade lara bars, or sliced fresh fruit.

This creamy coconut milk-based drink is also delicious served with light meals and lunches, such as BBQ jackfruit burrito bowls, samosa wraps, air fryer tempeh, and more.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

Allergy-Friendly Adaptations: To make this drink safe for tree nut allergies, you can use any type of milk in place of coconut milk. You can use skim milk, whole milk, or half and half. Just note – the calorie count will be higher than if you are using unsweetened light coconut milk from a box!

Low Sugar Version: To reduce the sugar even further, use sugar free apple juice and mango juice. Alternatively, you can make this mango dragon drink with coconut milk completely refined sugar free by adding some whole apple and mango, blending it together, and finishing with a dash of stevia or monk fruit if you want a sweeter taste.

🫙 Storage Directions

  • Refrigeration: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the drink separate from the dragon fruit pieces to keep the fruit from getting slimy.
  • Freezing: Easily turn this dragonfruit drink recipe into popsicles by pouring the liquid into popsicle molds and inserting them with popsicle sticks before freezing. Dragonfruit popsicles can be kept in the freezer for 3 months!

❓Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between dragon drink and mango dragon fruit refresher?

Both the dragon drink and the dragon fruit refresher drink are made with dragon fruit, mango, and green coffee extract, though the dragon drink is also made with coconut milk to make it creamy and lighter colored.

Do dragon fruit refreshers have caffeine?

Both the Starbucks and my version have caffeine. A grande size of this drink has 45 mg of caffeine. You can easily omit the green coffee powder to make this recipe caffeine free if desired, however.

How much sugar is in the dragon drinks?

When purchased at your local Starbucks, a grande dragon drink has 26 grams of carbohydrates, 23 grams of which are sugars. This easy recipe only has 19 grams of sugar, making it a lower-sugar option than the original drink.

HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN A STARBUCKS DRAGON DRINK?

A 16 ounce grande size Starbucks Dragonfruit Drink has 130 calories. It also has 3 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs, and 23 grams of sugar. It doesn’t contain much protein (only 1 gram) or fiber. The venti dragon drink 190 calories, and the trenta dragon fruit beverage has 270 calories. You can get all of the details about Starbucks’ dragon drink nutrition on their website.

WHAT DOES DRAGON DRINK TASTE LIKE?

This specialty drink has a smooth, creamy, sweet and refreshing taste – like a fresh tropical fruit juice that also happens to be creamy! Our copycat Starbucks dragon drink tastes just like the original, just slightly less sweet!

IS THE DRAGON DRINK THE SAME AS THE PINK DRINK?

No, they are not the same at all! The Starbucks dragon drink refresher is made with a refreshing combination of dragon fruit, mango juice, and apple juice. But the pink drink recipe, also known as the strawberry acai refresher, is made with only coconut water, strawberry acai, white grape juice concentrate, and freeze dried strawberries.

Overhead shot of a glass of dragonfruit drink with a metal spoon!

🍹 More Fruity Drink Recipes!

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🎥 Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/d5LxhvPUhiI
starbucks dragon drink recipe copycat in a glass with a straw
Print Recipe
5 from 25 votes

Starbucks Dragon Drink Recipe

Made with nutty and creamy coconut milk, sweet mango, apple juice, and bits of dragon fruit, this vibrant Starbucks dragon fruit drink is an easy recipe that is full of dreamy sweet flavors! This specialty pink drink is made with simple ingredients, is vegan, gluten-free, and is easy to make caffeine-free. Everyone will love this vibrant-colored drink!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon dragon fruit powder freeze-dried
  • ⅛-½ teaspoon green coffee powder start with ⅛ or ¼ tsp, gradually increase as the more coffee powder you add, the more bitter it will be! You can also omit the coffee powder if you don't like the flavor.
  • ¼ cup apple juice
  • ice cubes
  • ½ cup mango juice
  • 1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
  • ¼ cup dragon fruit frozen or fresh; diced

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the dragon fruit powder and the green tea powder with two tablespoons of apple juice. Stir until smooth.
  • In a cocktail shaker, add a scoop of ice, the dragon fruit mixture, remaining apple and mango juice, and coconut milk.
  • Attach the lid and shake well until combined.
  • Add several ice cubes and diced dragon fruit pieces to a large serving glass.
  • Pour the drink into a serving glass and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Make sure the apple juice is light in color or it will affect the appearance of the drink.
  • If you need to add additional sweetener, then add some sugar or liquid sweetener to the shaker with the dragon fruit drink and mix. This drink is already sweet enough on its own, though!
  • To make this a caffeine-free drink, just omit the green coffee powder. Omitting the green coffee powder makes this a kid-friendly drink too!
  • When mixing the dragon fruit and coffee powders, make sure they are mixed very well with no lumps of powder in the mixture before adding the rest of the ingredients.
  • How pink your drink gets depends on how much dragon fruit powder vs. coconut milk you have. The more coconut milk you add, the lighter pink color you’ll get.
  • The fresh or frozen dragon fruit is optional.
  • Note: If you have a tree nut allergy, you can use any type of milk in place of the coconut milk. You can use nonfat regular milk, or half and half. Just note – the calorie count will be higher than if you are using unsweetened light coconut milk from a box!

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g

32 responses to “Starbucks Dragon Drink Recipe (Copycat!)”

    • Hi! You can get mango juice at most grocery stores actually! If you can’t find mango juice, you can also use mango nectar (which is also available at most grocery stores). And if you can’t find either one, apple juice will also work – it’ll just change the flavor slightly. Alternatively you can juice fresh mangoes yourself to make your own mango juice at home – so there are lots of options here!

  1. I became familiar with this drink unexpectantly. I ordered the pineapple refresher drink and Starbucks was out and she recommended this dragonfruit/mango refresher. I tried it with coconut milk and I’ve been hooked since. I go to Starbucks at least twice a week for it. I love your recipe and tips and hope to try to make this at home soon.

  2. I’ve never had a dragon drink at Starbucks (not sure they even have it here in the UK), so I don’t have a point of reference, but all I know is that it is now one of my favourite drinks ever! Not only picture-perfect, it’s so delicious with all the coconutty creaminess and dragonfruit powder! Not too sweet, but sweet enough for me!5 stars

  3. My son just loves this drink from Starbucks. I’m excited to surprise him with this after school today. Definitely going to be loved here and I love how simple this recipe is too!5 stars

  4. This is such a pretty drink…I love the color so much. I love how your version is healthier than the Starbucks one, that’s always a win!!5 stars

  5. What a lovely drink. Color is amazing. I didn’t see this in Starbucks yet, BUT I’m going to make it at home nevertheless.5 stars

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