Pink Drink
This pink drink is my interpretation of the Starbucks drink. This naturally sweetened hibiscus punch recipe is fresh, fruity and super refreshing.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
Rewind to yoga class one month ago. Before we got started, the instructor started off with a story about her recent experience at Starbucks. She ordered her drink (the “pink drink”) and was super friendly to the barista (I forgot the details). In turn, she got her drink for free! Treat others well and you will be treated will in return. Treat your body well and it will treat you well in return, she said.
Her golden rule analogy was lost on me because I was entranced by this “pink drink” idea. She mentioned that it had hibiscus tea and coconut milk in it. Inhale, cat, exhale, cow, hibiscus tea, coconut milk. Hmmm. Downward dog, hibiscus tea, right leg up, lunge, coconut milk.
I know I’m supposed to focus solely on yoga during class, but I could not stop thinking about the pink drink. Did you see the hibiscus pink lemonade in the cookbook? I really like hibiscus tea and its naturally bright pink color.
So, I went home and started playing around with the idea. I created a pink drink that I really enjoyed before I even drove to Starbucks to try their version. I finally ordered one a couple of weeks later (it’s not on the menu; you have to ask for it). Here’s the kicker, though—I didn’t like it! I liked mine much better, and everyone who has tried it loves it, too.
Here’s my pink drink recipe, roughly inspired by Starbucks. The pink drink of my dreams, if you will. It’s light and refreshing, and naturally sweetened with a bit of honey and some orange juice. It’s not nearly as sweet as Starbucks’ pink drink. I think they layer the drink but I just couldn’t manage to get mine to look pretty for long, so we’re mixing it all together in a pitcher for simplicity’s sake.
Treat it like a punch recipe, serve it as a mocktail, or sip this pink drink instead of soda. You can add a splash of club soda if you’d like some fizz, but I like it as written below best. Please let me know how you like it!
Pink Drink
This pink drink is my interpretation of the Starbucks drink. This naturally sweetened hibiscus punch/mocktail recipe is fresh, fruity and super refreshing. Recipe yields 4 cups.
Ingredients
- 1 hibiscus tea bag (I used Tazo Passion Tea)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 8 ripe strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced, divided
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup light coconut milk (from a can or carton)
Instructions
- Bring the water to a simmer. Place the tea bag in a 1-quart (4 cups) liquid measuring cup or small heat-proof pitcher. Pour the water over the tea bag, stir in the honey until dissolved, and drop in half of the sliced strawberries. Let the mixture steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Discard the tea bag. Pour the orange juice and coconut milk into the mixture and stir to combine. Fill drinking glasses with ice and divide the pink drink between the glasses. Garnish the drinks with the remaining sliced strawberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup or your vegan sweetener of choice instead of the honey.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This looks delicious, and so refreshing! Sadly I have neither hibiscus tea nor coconut milk in my house at the moment, but I’ll have to add those to the grocery list. Maybe make some for the 4th of July?
Ooh, great party drink idea.
whoa whoa whoa. Hibiscus and coconut milk?? This sounds perfectly heavenly. I would have been distracted during downward dog as well! I’m totally making this to take with me to work today.
Perfect! Thankk, Aimee.
I love the story behind this delicious looking drink! I didnt know that was on the S-bucks menu but I think i’ll have to go straight to making my own thanks to this recipe ;)
I think it’s actually on the “secret” menu! Regardless, this one is better (sorry S-bucks). I think you’ll love it!
Kate, I’m so excited to try this! I tried the Starbucks version last week and was planning to experiment to make it at home. Thanks for your recipe :)
Perfect timing!
This looks and sounds delicious and refreshing. Can’t wait to try it!
Let me know how it goes, Paula!
It sounds yummy! I have loose hibiscus tea. How much would you recommend to use for this recipe?
Hi Lynn, so sorry for the slow response. One tea bag is about 1 teaspoon loose tea. Hope you enjoy this one!
Dear Kate, Your recipes are increasingly filling my weekly menu. Hooray! Dhyan in Boulder
Thanks, Dhyan! I love hearing from you. Thanks for reading!
Sounds lovely! What if you wanted to add a light touch of tipsiness for a summer cocktail party? What would that be? I’m thinking maybe rum?
I think rum would be amazing in this, Fern. Probably a white rum?
Haha, that description of your thoughts during yoga really made me laugh! I’m often thinking about dinner while in yoga class.
Ha! Right? I can never get my mind to totally settle down.
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this! Also, thank you for sharing all of your blogging tips, I’ve definitely been reading up!
You’re welcome, Kristen! Let me know how the pink drink goes. :)
Which kind of coconut milk do you prefer? I think the stuff from the can is generally tastier but more caloric and fatty, while the stuff in the carton is less caloric and fatty but not as tasty. I just wonder which kind you typically use. Thanks!
I used Trader Joe’s light canned coconut milk for this one– it should be super creamy.
I love Arroy-D coconut milk in a carton. It’s super creamy and no additives.
When I saw your title, pink drink, I was reminded of my childhood days when we referred to the flavor of our drink by it’s color! Purple was always my fav, but I’ll have to try your pink drink to compare!
Let me know how it goes, Alison!
I always find Starbucks drinks are super sweet. I’m pretty sure this will be on high rotation here, I mean it’s pink!
Yes, same! I think this one has the perfect amount of sweetness.
I haven’t had (or heard of!) pink drink before, but I bet I’d enjoy this more than anything they make at Starbucks.
I hope you try this version, Allyson! Let me know if you do.
Maybe some spiced rum.
Sounds yummy. Will give it a try for a mid morning pick me up. I make so many of your salads. Thank you for, as my husband says to me,” being right up my alley” .
Spiced rum is definitely a contender for the boozy version of pink drink. I hope you try it, Lori!
How many calories are in this total?
Hi, Jada! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
Thank you!
I’m seeing the pink drink ALL over instagram, but haven’t given it a try yet! This homemade version sounds like my kind of drink :)
I think you’d like it!
If I’m honest, the idea of combining orange juice and coconut milk seems super weird, but you’re recipes have never failed me yet so I’ll put my preconceptions aside and give it a try.
I *promise* it turns out great.
Yum! This looks so refreshing!
I think you’ll love it!
This drink looks amazing! (And your blog is awesome.) These glasses caught my eye. Do you remember where you purchased them??
Hey Kate! Those are inexpensive glasses from West Elm. I can’t find them on their site anymore but I think Williams-Sonoma sells the exact same kind. Here’s a link! They’re the short tumblers.
Oh I have to make this!!! I love the idea of adding coconut milk!!!
I hope you love it, Deborah!
I made it! I am on my 3rd round, because even with the recipe as a guide I found I was still trying to get it right. Based off practice rounds, I waited until the tea had cooled before adding milk. Even then it should be consumed immediately, as the drink turned less pink overnight and separated. I used slightly different ingredients – coconut water (bc I had it), and almond milk (bc in fridge). It’s still delicious and I keep making it!
Yes, this one is definitely better right after it’s made. Thanks so much for the notes, Kristy!
I’ve been thinking about this drink since I read the post and I am making it as I type! Thanks, Kate!
You’re welcome, Emily! I hope you enjoy it.
I just made it, and it is divine! Thanks for all the fabulous recipes!
You’re welcome, Jenn!
I made this about a month ago – very refreshing and love the taste. We will be making the pink drink again this weekend when we have some friends over. Thank you for the recipe! xxx
Thanks for sharing, Caren! I’m glad you loved it.
So this started out healthy with the honey and all but wasn’t sweet enough (I made a whole picture of it). So anyways, I ended up adding white sugar to it and white Haitian rum – lots of rum! This was amazing! It’s freezing cold outside now but hubby loved it and we imagined taking big coolers of this to the beach next year. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m sorry you didn’t think it was sweet enough! But, I’m glad you liked it with your alterations, Val.
Instructions for making this as a punch please?
I only have pomegranate tea so I’m going to see how it comes out I’ll let you know, the recipe looks good to me, going to surprise my wife…!
How did it turn out for you?
How did you keep the coconut milk from separating
I don’t know exactly what I did wrong, but I followed it exactly and the coconut milk separated and it ended up brown and disgusting.
This turned out great! Was a little confused why the ingredients said 2 cups of water but the recipe had 4 cups.
Some of my family added a shot of Icelandic Vodka to their drinks. Worked out well.
loved the drink and just a tip: for anyone who wants to try this and doesn’t like tea or did try this and thought it had too much of a tea taste, maybe try substituting tea for the drink packets from walmart. “great value wild strawberry energizing” also they include caffeine which makes it even more like starbucks pink drink. both this recipe & that worked great for me.
I made it and loved it. It’s so refreshing. Plan to serve on Easter. Made it with fresh grapefruit juice instead of oj because it’s what I had. Perfect for spring and summer!
Highly recommend.
Thank you, Celines! I appreciate your review.
Looks like a great recipe for this upcoming strawberry season! Any suggestions to make it alcoholic? Maybe rum?
Thanks Ericka! Love your rum idea. Can’t think of another liquor that would go any better than rum!
does this actually taste like the pink dink from starbucks
Hello! I was wondering if I could use normal milk or lactose free milk for this recipe instead of coconut? Thanks!
Hi there! Sure, you can. I like the tropical flavor that coconut milk offers.
Made this and it was very pretty, light and refreshing but in the end lacked the intensity of flavor I hoped for (I did steep it for the full 20 minutes with the Tazo passion tea). My teenagers thought it tasted like coconut orange juice. The bright side is that I found a new tea we all love because we love the passion tea plain!
I only had cranberry tea so I tried it with that except for the orange juice and it was quite good. However, after adding the orange juice, it was a lot more sour than I would have liked. I added more coconut milk, some coconut water and more maple syrup to try to cut down the acidity which did help and it was pretty good at the end. As is, I don’t think I’d make it again but maybe with pineapple or mango juice + coconut water, I think it would have the potential to be really tasty.
Been a bit obsessed with the coconut cooler from starbucks along with having an alcohol free month so thought I’d try this recipe. It’s amazing! Everything is easy to get apart from the Tazo, had to order that on Amazon but now I have plenty to do me. Definitely my go to mocktail for a weekend
I’m glad you found this recipe, Jemma! I appreciate your review.
what can i use as a substitute for hibiscus tea? i have a different floral kind? looks amazing.
Hi, hibiscus works best with this. I didn’t try it with others. If you do, let me know!
Love the recipe ! Living in Australia I haven’t tried looking for Tazo or the drink at Starbucks, but instead I used Red Seal Raspberry & Strawberry tea in which uses Hibiscus as a base AND it brews in cold water !! I love the fruity floral flavour which complemented and balanced the cococut perfectly. I chose not to add orange juice as the strawberry/raspberry acidity was enough. I love having such a quick recipe ( that doesn’t compromise on flavour) in Aussie summer !!
First of all, I love your recipes! I was a fan of the blog, then bought the cookbook and have given them as gifts as well! This drink I struggle with the separation of the coconut milk though… it never looks pretty. Do you ha e any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi! Are you making sure it is not separated (coconut milk) when you start?
Thank you for the reply! Yes, I shake it up before making one. Maybe I need to try some other brands? It’s happened to be with two so far. It separates after a few minutes in the drink.
Let me know if you try it again, Christine!
I’m a little lost. So simmer 6 cups of water but put the tea bag into a 4 cup pitcher and add the 6 cups to simmer, then add an additional 1.5 cups coconut milk and 1.5 cups orange juice and strawberries? Could you help me out with this?
Hi, 2 cups water in 4 qt measuring cup (which is 4 cups). Does that help?
Hiiiii! I’ve been dying to make this to save some money, though I’m wondering how long can the drink last in the fridge? I’m thinking of making a jug for the week, will the drink go bad?
This is best served right away.
We have made sun tea while camping and while my husband loved it, I was not so smitten. I shall try it made in the fridge and see what I think of it.
OMG. So good!! I also love hibiscus and this is a notch up. Never tried the Starbucks version and probably never will, given everything they make is excessively sweet. This is SO good!!!
its gross
I love your recipes. I have CLL and many of your recipes are so inviting!!
I love the Pink Drink! I made it with coconut water, not as rich as coconut milk, but very tasty.
Most non alcoholic drinks call for sparkling water, but this one did not so I tried it and yum!
Thank you for this recipe!
Be well and thrive, Ginger