In the age of Instagram, TikTok and viral posts, it’s no secret that some food items, specifically beverages, take off because of Internet popularity. Coffee company Starbucks benefited from this trend with many of its drinks gaining fame due to their aesthetic. One of their most popular beverages is a pretty pink and violet refresher called the Dragon Drink — Starbucks’ mango and dragon fruit drink.
Starbucks’ Dragon Drink is refreshing and Instagram-worthy. The drink arrived at the same time as the finale of Game of Thrones but the drinks were far from Daenerys’s dragons. Unlike her dragons, this drink is a bright color of fuchsia speckled with dragon fruit seeds. It’s also a cooling drink, which makes it the antithesis of Daenerys’s fire-breathing babies.
What is the Dragon Drink at Starbucks?
As mentioned, Starbucks’s Dragon Fruit drink is made with dragon fruit and mango flavors, complete with a coconut milk base. Despite the combination of mango-dragon fruit-coconut, the taste of mango reigns supreme while the dragon fruit flavor is mild. However, the diced dragon fruit’s jelly-like texture makes the drink more interesting. Some people are fans of slurping up bits of dragon fruit; it’s similar to drinking bits of tiny pearls of boba.
Another great thing about this dragon fruit drink is that its pretty colors aren’t artificial. The dragon fruit is the reason for the magenta color.
The coconut milk base gives the drink its signature light and creamy taste. The creamy texture goes well with the tropical flavor, which is unexpectedly tangy. If you’ve tried yogurt-flavored milk teas and loved them, you’ll probably like this one.
If you’re not a big fan of caffeine, worry not! The Dragon Drink doesn’t contain a heavy amount of caffeine (70 to 80 mg for a venti cup) so you need not hesitate to try this fruity drink.
Is The Dragon Drink Healthy?
When you order a venti cup of the Dragon Drink from Starbucks, you’ll be drinking a cup worth of:
- 190 calories
- 33 grams of sugar
- 37 grams of carbohydrates (1 gram of fiber)
- 5 grams of fat (4 grams of saturated fat)
- 1 gram of protein
Like the other drinks in Starbucks, the Dragon Fruit Drink isn’t the healthiest option out there. It has too much sugar and not much protein. A drink that has excess sugar and lacks protein could cause a spike in your blood sugar and a crash. This could leave you with a wiped-out feeling after. The excess calories don’t offer much nutritional value either.
Bearing all of this in mind, Starbucks’s Dragon Drink is a good treat that you can enjoy every now and then. It’s not super healthy, but if you don’t indulge often, you’ll be fine. It’s a yummy drink to be enjoyed after a hard day at work or during a girls’ night out.
How Do You Order the Dragon Drink at Starbucks?
The Dragon Drink is still part of Starbucks’ official menu so you can ask your barista for the Dragon Drink. If they don’t, order the Mango Dragon Fruit refresher and ask the barista to switch the water with coconut milk. Add some diced dragon fruit to achieve the Dragon Drink.
The drink can cost between $3.25 to $4.95, depending on the location of the Starbucks branch and the size of the drink. However, if you like to drink it often, it’s more affordable to make one at home.
How To Make Starbucks’s Dragon Drink
If you love the Dragon Drink from Starbucks but don’t have the time or money to buy one often, you can always make it at home.
The Ingredients You Need
- Dragon Fruit. Otherwise known as pitaya, dragon fruit gives the drink its pretty pink color and sweet tropical flavor. For the best results, use freeze-dried red dragon fruit powder. You can also use fresh dragon fruit if you want a more refreshing taste.
- Mango Juice. Homemade fresh mango juice or bottled mango juice works for this recipe. If you want to make your own mango juice, remove the pulp before adding it to the drink.
- Coconut Milk. The milk adds creaminess and a silky richness to the drink. Canned coconut milk is okay, but the coconut milk drink will work better. The solid chunky lumps of coconut milk add to the lovely texture of this drink. Both unsweetened and sweetened coconut milk will work for this recipe. You can also adjust the amount of syrup as preferred.
- White Grape Juice. If you want to add more flavor to the drink, add other fruity juices like apple juice or white grape juice. Avoid dark-colored juices.
- Sugar or simple syrup. Customize your drink with your preferred sweetness level. You can use honey, sugar or simple syrup. If you want a healthier option, use Stevia. To omit sweeteners, use sweetened coconut milk.
How To Make the Dragon Drink
- Whisk the juice and dragon fruit powder together until dissolved. Let the powder dissolve completely.
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker before pouring in the mango juice. You can also use a large mason jar if you don’t have a cocktail shaker.
- Add the dragon mixture then pour in the coconut milk.
- Secure the lid and start shaking. Shake the mixture vigorously for about 30 seconds.
- After 30 seconds, fill the glass halfway with some ice and diced dragon fruit. Strain the mixture into the glass. Next, add sugar and simple syrup to taste.
- Serve the drink and enjoy!
Tips on How To Make Delicious Copycat Dragon Fruit Drinks
A great copycat Dragon Drink doesn’t have clumps of powder. To make sure the dragon fruit powder dissolves properly, mix the powder with a small amount of water first. Mix it thoroughly until there are no powder clumps in the mixture.
If you’re not a big fan of the white and dark particles of dragon fruit, strain the drink through a coffee filter or cheesecloth before adding the drink to the mason jar or cocktail shaker. Also, you can customize the color of the drink by changing the ratio of coconut milk and dragon fruit. If you want a softer pink color, add more coconut milk.
This recipe doesn’t have caffeine in it, but if you don’t mind some feel free to add some green coffee extract or green tea.
With the sweetener, add it gradually until you achieve your desired level of sweetness. For a healthier option, use Stevia.
The Dragon Drink of Starbucks isn’t just pretty to look at; it’s yummy too. If you’re looking for a sweet treat to indulge in every now and then, this one’s for you.
