Last Updated on August 27, 2024 by Karen

Featuring fresh pineapple chunks and tropical flavors, this Starbucks Copycat Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher is light and refreshing, making it a perfect summer sip.

Starbucks added Chocolate Cream Cold Brew to their summer Starbucks menu for 2022, and I’ve shared my Starbucks Chocolate Cream Cold Brew easy copycat recipe last month. They just launched three more new drinks this summer, including their bright, fruity Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher, which became a viral favorite drink on TikTok – Make. I actually love this refreshing drink so much, I’ve created this copycat Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher recipe so I can make it at home!

If you love this drink, try my our other Starbucks Refreshers recipes:

Starbucks Copycat Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher

Starbucks Copycat Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher

Starbucks Copycat Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher

Thanks to this easy recipe, you can skip the line at Starbucks and make your own homemade pineapple refresher, which tastes just like the real thing! The good thing about making these copycat Starbucks drinks at home is you can customize it to your liking and find the right sweetness balance for your personal taste. You can use all-natural flavors, with no added sugar, or keto-friendly sugar substitutes if you like.

This might very well become my go-to cold drink on a hot summer day!

What is Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher?

The Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher is a new caffeinated iced beverage at Starbucks. It’s described on Starbucks’ website as “tropical flavors of pineapple and passionfruit, hand shaken by Starbucks baristas with real diced pineapple pieces and ice to create a delicious island escape.” It is unmistakably a tropical drink with strong pineapple flavors and more subtle passionfruit flavors I would say. The Starbucks’ Pineapple Refresher uses a pineapple passionfruit base and contains a moderate amount of caffeine.

What does it taste like?

It tastes like a tropical non-alcoholic cocktail with bright, fruity flavors, and chewy pieces of freeze-dried pineapple. It has a vibrant yellow color from the real pineapple pieces, which looks like sunshine in a cup. The original drink is not too sweet and even has a bit of tartness, with a subtle earthy flavor from the green tea extract. If you want it sweeter, you can add more sweetener. You can also experiment with passionfruit powder or citric acid (for more tartness) to adjust the taste to your liking.

Here are the simple ingredients you will need to make this Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher:

Pineapple juice: I prefer to use real fruit juice for the pineapple passionfruit refresher base, so 100% pineapple juice or store-bought pineapple juice works best in this drink recipe. For a more authentic flavor, use real juices or a blend of pineapple juice, and avoid artifical flavoring for the best flavors.
Passionfruit juice: Passionfruit adds a tropical sweetness to this drink. You can buy it at your local grocery store or order online from Amazon. Try to avoid fruit nectar, which is usually heavily sweetened with sugar. For an extra boost, consider adding passion fruit pulp which usually come frozen.
White grape juice: The Starbucks version uses a white grape juice base. You can also substitute with apple juice or pear juice.
Green tea: Instead of using green coffee extract powder in the refresher, I use green tea for the caffeine. Either green tea bags or loose tea leaves work, just make sure you brew it at the proper temperature. Green tea is best brewed with 175°F water and steeped for 1-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it. The longer you steep it, the stronger the flavor. Just be careful about leaving the tea leaves in the water for too long, as it will develop bitter flavors.
Diced pineapple: The Starbucks drink contains freeze-dried pineapple pieces. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned pineapple, or even try using pineapple chunks for a chewy texture.

How to make Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher from scratch (see below for the full recipe)

Brew and chill some green tea until very cold.
Make a pineapple passionfruit syrup. Simmer pineapple and passionfruit juice in a medium-size saucepan over lower heat until the liquid has reduced by half and the mixture turns syrupy. You can add a simple syrup for extra sweetness if desired.
Add pineapple pieces to a large mason jar or individual glasses, and muddle with a mortar. Add ice cubes, pineapple passionfruit syrup, white grape juice, and green tea, and give it a good stir. Serve in a glass and you’ve got a delicious drink!

Can I make this Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher ahead of time?

Yes. Make a large pitcher of this refresher and keep it chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also make the pineapple passionfruit syrup ahead of time, and mix it with the grape juice and green tea right before serving. This homemade version is a great option for a refreshing drink anytime.

How long does the pineapple passionfruit syrup last?

You can store the pineapple passionfruit syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Is Starbucks Refresher caffeinated?

Yes, the original Starbucks Refresher drink contains green coffee extract powder, so it is caffeinated. My copycat version uses green tea which also contains caffeine. If you want to make this decaf, you can follow the recipe as is and just substitute with decaffeinated green tea.

Can you use green coffee extract instead of green tea?

Yes, instead of using green tea, you can substitute with the same amount of water or sparkling water, and add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered green coffee extract to each drink for a caffeine boost. Green coffee is coffee beans that have not been roasted and does not taste like traditional coffee at all. The extract is made by soaking Arabica beans and extracting the caffeine during the process.

What are some variations to this simple recipe?

Starbucks Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher Lemonade: Substitute 1 cup of green tea with 1 cup of lemonade for a pink drink variation.
Copycat Starbucks Paradise Drink Recipe: Substitute 1/2 cup of green tea with 1/2 cup of creamy coconut milk, unsweetened coconut milk, or almond milk for a creamy drink.
No caffeine: Use decaf green tea or sparkling water.
Sugar-free version: Use sugar-free pineapple syrup (such as the one made by Torani), sugar-free passionfruit syrup, and sugar-free white grape juice or apple juice. That would turn this refresher into a low-calorie Starbucks drink.

Hope you enjoy this little taste of tropical paradise in a glass!

Featuring fresh pineapple chunks and tropical flavors, this Starbucks Copycat Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher is light and refreshing, making it a perfect summertime drink choice.

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