This Mango Dragonfruit Refresher tastes JUST like the version from Starbucks, and the ingredients are easier to find than you think!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Dragon fruit – you can make the drink using freeze-dried dragon fruit pieces or fresh red dragon fruit pieces.
- White grape juice – you can use apple juice, but it will have a slightly different flavour. White wine can be used to make a delicious mango dragonfruit cocktail!
- Mango juice – mango juice is essential to the taste, but you could also use peach juice for a peach dragonfruit refresher.
- Coconut milk – to turn this refresher into a dragon drink, half and half or a combination of heavy cream and milk can be used instead.
Dragonfruit syrup
- Red dragonfruit pieces – use either fresh or frozen dragonfruit to make the syrup.
- Sugar – swap out for a sugar substitute of your choice like stevia.
- Dragonfruit powder – this is primarily used to add colour, so you can leave it out if you can’t find any.
How to make a Mango Dragonfruit Refresher
Step 1: Make the dragonfruit syrup.
Add the dragonfruit, dragonfruit powder, sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the dragfruit has softened.
Step 2: Mash dragonfruit.
When the dragonfruit has softened, mash it in the saucepan.
Step 3: Strain the syrup.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to get the syrup.
Step 4: Prep your glass.
Add the freeze-dried dragonfruit pieces to a tall glass.
Step 5: Add ice.
Step 6: Ade in white grape juice.
Step 7: Add mango juice.
Step 8: Stir in dragonfruit syrup and enjoy.
If you'd like to make a dragon drink, add in 1/4 cup coconut milk.
Customizing your drink
Just like at Starbucks, there are a few different ways you can customize your mango dragonfruit refresher:
- Dragon Drink: To turn this into a Starbucks dragon drink, add in 1/4 cup coconut milk after you've added in the mango juice.
- Lemonade: Make this drink a bit sweeter by mixing in some lemonade.
- Dragonfruit Cocktail: Try making this drink into a cocktail by swapping out the grape juice for white wine, or pouring in 1 shot of vodka or another alcohol of your choice.
- Blend It: Blend all the ingredients in a blender for more of a smoothie-like texture.
- Sugar-Free: Use your favourite sugar-free alternative like stevia when making the dragonfruit syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the Starbucks version contains 45 mg of caffeine, my Starbucks dragonfruit refresher recipe is completely caffeine-free.
If you want your dragon fruit refresher to have caffeine, add in some green tea powder (although it will slightly alter the flavour).
Yes! If you want to add a bit of sweetness and tartness to this drink, pour in a bit of lemonade over top of the mango juice.
To turn this refresher into a dragon drink, pour 1/4 cup coconut milk in after the mango juice.
Unfortunately, you can't store this drink in the fridge fully assembled, but you can make the dragonfruit syrup 3-4 weeks in advance – just store it in the fridge in a mason jar until you're ready to use it.
Making a big batch
If you want to make a big batch of this mango dragonfruit refresher, it’s easy – just double, triple or quadruple the ingredients! Serve it in a pitcher for a party with lots of ice. You can even make a fun adult version by swapping out the grape juice for white wine, or adding in the liquor of your choice like vodka.
Storing components of this drink
This mango dragonfruit refresher is best made fresh, but you can make the syrup ahead of time. Store it in a mason jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks, so you always have some on hand to make a fresh drink.
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Meal Prep Tools
- Buy some freeze-dried dragonfruit online – it's also great for snacking!
- Order some dragonfruit powder online – you can skip it if need be as it's mostly just used for colour instead of taste but it does add plenty of nutrients to the drink.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp freeze-dried dragonfruit pieces/chips optional, or use fresh red dragonfruit pieces
- 1 handful ice
- 1/4 cup white grape juice
- 1/4 cup mango juice
- 2 tbsp dragonfruit syrup
For dragon drink
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
Dragonfruit syrup
- 1/2 cup red dragonfruit pieces (fresh or frozen) I can sometimes find them frozen in tropical fruit mixes, such as the President's Choice brand; you can also use fresh dragonfruit
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp dragonfruit powder optional, used mostly for colour
Instructions
- Add fresh or frozen dragonfruit and dragonfruit powder along with sugar and water to a small saucepan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until dragonfruit has softened. Mash then strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- Add freeze-dried dragonfruit pieces to the bottom of a tall glass, then add ice. Add in grape juice, mango juice and dragonfruit syrup. Stir well, then serve and enjoy!
- To make it a dragon drink, add 1/4 cup coconut milk then serve and enjoy.
Comments & Reviews
Kenna says
My local stores don’t have red dragon fruit…could you do it with white?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes for sure!
William S. says
It is too fruity, and it is not just like Starbucks but I still like it and think it tastes really good.
Brianna says
I like this bc i work at Starbucks and i am new so this help me a lot.
Jayde says
Does this have caffeine in it?
Taylor Stinson says
My version does not have caffeine.
Janine says
Could you add some sort of alcohol to this? And what would be the best for taste ?
Taylor Stinson says
You could try vodka!
Joslyn says
Definitely too heavy on the white grape juice, but we watered it down (I prefer the refresher just made with water) and it is close enough! Less time, less money, and at my fingertips. Just mixed up an entire pitcher to keep in the fridge for the family.
Emily says
Very good! I suggest using more mango and less white grape, the grape is very overpowering.
Tayler says
Doesn’t taste much like the Starbucks one but it is still very good! Will continue to make it. Thank you for the recipe!
Nini says
Doesn’t taste exactly like it, but its good!
Megan @ The Oregon Dietitian says
I love the dragon drink (and the beautiful color) from Starbucks, but haven’t been there in months! The dragon drink with a splash of coconut milk is my go-to since I’m still nursing and need those fats! I think you nailed this! Can’t wait to try!
Lele says
Can this be done with coconut water instead of coconut milk or lemonade?
Taylor Stinson says
It probably wouldn’t be the exact same but it would likely taste good!