10 Starbucks Secret Menu Drink Recipes You Can Make At Home
Get your coffee on!
Ah, Starbucks. From fabulous coffee and delicious lattes to refreshing teas and trademarked Frappuccino’s, there is something for everybody to love at Starbucks.
Everyone loves Starbucks (or at least, I’m convinced they do), but even this Starbucks enthusiast can’t deny that their drinks can get pretty pricey, especially for those of us who require a daily Starbucks fix!
Maybe you want to save some money (we’ve all been there) or just want to learn the tricks of the trade so you can enjoy a 5-star caffeine fix without leaving the comfort of your kitchen. Making your own coffee (or other Starbucks secret menu drinks) at home is a great way to do it!
RELATED: 8 Secret Starbucks Drinks You Won't BELIEVE You've Been Missing
I’m embarrassed by how much I spent at Starbucks in college. One Christmas I got $130 worth of Starbucks gift cards … it was gone in like three weeks. Yeah, that’s right, my coffee budget at one point was close to $150 a month. Don’t judge me, I’m better now! Sort of.
I’m living proof that by making your favorite secret menu items from Starbucks at home, you’ll be surprised how much money you’ll save.
While the occasional Starbucks splurge is justified (I mean, they have revolutionized coffee), a $150 Starbucks allowance each month is outrageous. Whether it’s to save money or maybe you just need a great non-alcoholic drink recipe to make the next time your friends come over (or for a party — some of these make fantastic theme drinks), you’ll find a great drink below to help you budget while keeping you engulfed in sugary Starbucks deliciousness!
So, if you’re craving a Starbucks drink but want to save a couple of bucks, here are the top 10 drinks from Starbucks' secret menu that you can make at home!
1. Starbucks Butterbeer Latte
Original recipe by Practically Functional
For the Harry Potter enthusiasts who also enjoy a good cup of joe in the morning, try this delicious Starbucks spin on a Three Broomsticks classic.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 dash cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup milk
Directions:
Melt the butter a ndadd the rest of the ingredients to the melted butter and heat until desired temperature. Add coffee (you may want to brew coffee stronger so it pairs well with milk).
2. Starbucks Pink Drink Copycat Recipe
Original recipe by Beauty and the Beets
This berry good (see what I did there?) spin on the Starbucks “pink drink” is a delicious and refreshing drink to try out this spring.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup strawberries, freeze-dried
- 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup white grape juice
- 1/4 tsp green bean coffee powder
- 1 cup ice
Directions:
Stir everything together making sure not to crush the fruit, then pour over ice.
3. Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino Copycat Recipe
Unicorns are so in right now. Be cool and colorful as heck with this delicious sugary treat! That is a delightful mixture of fruity, sweet AND sour! YUM!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup Ice
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1 can condensed milk (10 oz.)
- 1 can evaporated milk (5 oz.)
- 1 1/2 tsp Mango syrup
- Kool-Aid powder (unsweetened blueberry lemonade )
- 1 Baby Bottle Pop (Strawberry)
- food coloring (neon blue and pink)
- whipped cream
- white chocolate chips
Directions for blue syrup:
- Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and 3 oz. of white chocolate chips in a sauce pan and heat on low until chocolate chips and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Take half of melted mixture and add a packet of blue raspberry lemonade Kool-Aid (make sure to save enough Kool-Aid powder to “dust” the top of finished drink later).
- Mix Kool-Aid powder into mixture thoroughly, adding neon blue food coloring for desired vivid color.
Frappuccino Directions:
- Combine vanilla ice cream, ice, 1 tsp strawberry bottle pop powder, mango syrup, and a splash of milk in a blender.
- Blend thoroughly, adding neon pink food coloring for desired color.
- Drizzle already made blue white chocolate drizzle on inside of cup, coating the sides.
- Pour blended mixture into cup.
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkle rest of Kool-Aid powder on top.
4. Mermaid Frappuccino
It feels like a no-brainer that this Frappuccino would make it on the regular menu already. I mean, really? Everyone confuses the Starbuck’s siren with a mermaid, it just seems like a marketing gold mine! But I digress. Try this fruity, sweet and colorful spin on the vanilla bean frap in the comfort of our own home.
Ingredients:
- I cup ice
- 3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
- 1/3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- canned whipped cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- white chocolate syrup
- toasted coconut syrup
- matcha powder
- blackberries
Directions:
Make the green drizzle by combining equal amounts of white chocolate syrup with toasted coconut syrup. Dye the mixture the “seaweed green” color by adding matcha powder. Make the DIY vanilla bean Frappuccino by combining ice, milk, vanilla bean ice cream, sugar, and vanilla extract — and blend thoroughly. Add frozen blackberries for that pink hue, coat the sides of your cup with the green drizzle and then poor in the Frappuccino.
Top it off with whipped cream and enjoy.
5. Apple Pie Frappuccino
Original recipe by StarbucksSecretMenu
Who doesn’t like apple pie? Try this DIY version of the Starbuck’s secret menu item, the apple pie Frappuccino, at home! Add some vanilla ice cream or ice to make it a cool spring and/or summer blended treat!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 2 tbsp caramel syrup
- 1/4 cup black coffee medium strong
- 1/4 cup whipped cream
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
Instructions:
Pour caramel into the serving glass, then pour apple juice, heavy cream, and coffee. Blend. Add a dollop of whipped cream and some pinches of nutmeg and cinnamon to taste. Want some extra kick? Add some extra cinnamon on top and finish with caramel syrup.
6. American Cherry Pie Frappuccino
Fan of cherry pie a la mode? Then you’re going to LOVE this! This Starbucks Frappuccino was released solely in Japan, but that wont stop the rest of the world from making it in the comfort of our own kitchens.
Ingedients:
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- puff pastry
- eggs (for egg wash)
- 1/2 cup vanilla bean ice cream
- milk
- 1/2 cup ice
- vanilla extract
Directions:
Make pie domes by using something round to mold into the shape your looking for, poke holes in top with fork and coat with egg wash. Bake following the baking instructions on your store-bought puff pastry package. Then, make the traditional vanilla bean frap by combing vanilla bean ice cream, ice, vanilla extract. Add milk until desired thickness.
Next, add cherry pie filling into your cup squishing the cherries a bit (so they’ll fit through the straw). Pour in vanilla bean frap and add more cherry pie filling on top, then, top it with whipped cream and your pie crust dome. Stick a bubba straw through the top and enjoy.
7. Banana Split Frappuccino
Original recipe by Bigger Bolder Baking
Another American classic, the banana split — Starbucks style!
Ingredients:
- 10 ice cubes
- 1 cup full fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
- 8 strawberries (frozen)
Directions:
Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender until smooth and thick. Top with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a cherry. Enjoy immediately!
8. Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino
Original recipe by Instructables
Starbucks sure knows what to do with cinnamon, am I right? Make this secret menu delight in your own kitchen and enjoy the sweet cinnamony deliciousness!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups ice
- 2 tbsp Torani white chocolate syrup
- 3 tbsp Torani vanilla syrup
- 2 tbsp Torani cinnamon syrup
- ¾ cup milk
- ground cinnamon
- whipped cream
Directions:
Combine ice, syrups, and milk in blender, and blend thoroughly. Pour into glass and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, and enjoy.
9. Cotton Candy Frappuccino
Original recipe by StarbucksSecretMenu
Enjoy this fruity spin on the circus classic without the hassle of leaving home!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ice
- 3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sugar
- Whipped Cream
- Raspberry syrup
Directions-
Make the DIY vanilla bean Frappuccino by combining ice, milk, vanilla bean ice cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend the mixture, then add raspberry syrup (start with 2 tablespoons and add until desired flavor and color). Blend again, then pour into glass and top with whipped cream (can add another splash of raspberry syrup for garnish).
10. Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato
Original recipe by StarbucksSecretMenu
This drink is basically just a caramel macchiato with cinnamon, but there is NOTHING wrong with that!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- ice
- caramel sauce
- 2 tbsp vanilla syrup (the video will show sugar free, but get the full sugar one unless you want it to not be sweet)
- instant coffee (or instant espresso)
- cinnamon dolce syrup
Instructions for caramel macchiato:
Poor instant coffee or espresso packet into ¼ cup hot water and whisk until fully dissolved. Combine milk and vanilla syrup in your 16 oz. cup, stir, then pour hot coffee over a spoon into the mixture.
For snickerdoodle flavor: Add 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon dolce syrup.
Nicole Bradley-Bernard is a writer who needs coffee more than she needs anyone’s approval. She enjoys putting bright colors in her curly brown hair, spending time outside on cool days and being with her partner in life, Eric, who she considers a continuing source of inspiration.