When summer hits, I skip the Starbucks line and make this Strawberry Acai Refresher at home instead. It's a spot-on copycat-made with fresh strawberries, brewed acai tea (or powder), and no weird syrups or preservatives. It's fruity, lightly caffeinated, and so easy to throw together with what's already in your kitchen.
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I tested this copycat recipe more times than I care to admit. I tried everything - from acai powder to passionfruit blends to blended versions-and some of them were just… bad. But this version? Spot on.
Once you've got the acai base down, you can easily turn this refreshing drink into Starbucks Pink Drink or Starbucks Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher.
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Why You'll Love It
Because real ingredients taste better, and you can make this for way less than the price of one cup at Starbucks - and also:
- It tastes like the real deal. I've taste-tested this next to the Starbucks version. This homemade version wins.
- You control the sweetness. Keep it tart or make it sweeter - your drink, your rules.
- Just simple ingredients. Just real fruit, tea, and filtered water.
- Customizable. Add green coffee extract for a caffeine boost, coconut milk for a Pink Drink vibe, or lemonade for a summer twist.
- Saves money. One batch makes multiple drinks for the price of a single strawberry refresher at your local Starbucks.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Strawberries: For the base recipe of this drink. I used fresh strawberries, but frozen works too - just simmer a little longer.
- Acai berry tea: I used Stash Acai Berry Tea, which had the perfect flavor. However, a reader emailed me to tell me she can't find the Stash tea anywhere. I searched the internet and was also unable to find it. So until the Stash is available again, I would use Tazo Passion Tea and ¼ teaspoon of Acai Berry Powder. You might have to blend it to get the powder to incorporate into the tea.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works, or swap for agave, honey, stevia, or monk fruit.
- Lemon juice: If you don't have lemon juice on hand, you can use lime juice or citric acid instead.
- Ice: You can use regular ice cubes, crushed ice, or frozen strawberries.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: You can also use chopped fresh or frozen strawberries. Starbucks uses freeze-dried to garnish their drink, so I wanted it to be as similar as possible.
- Green coffee bean powder (optional): Green coffee bean powder or green coffee bean extract adds a subtle caffeine kick, just like the original. If you prefer a caffeine-free drink, you can omit it.
Full ingredient list with measurements is in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make a Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher at Home
This recipe makes 2 Grande-size refreshers (473 mL) or one Trenta-size refresher (887 mL).
Step 1: Make the Strawberry Acai Refresher Base
- Add 2 cups chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a saucepan.
- Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, mashing the strawberries with a potato masher as they cook.
- Strain the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Chill in the fridge.
Step 2: Brew the Acai Tea
Steep 2 acai berry tea bags in ½ cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out every drop from the tea bags and discard. Let the tea cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Assemble the Drink
In a tall glass or large mason jar, combine:
- ½ cup strawberry acai base
- ¼ cup brewed tea
- Optional: ½ teaspoon green coffee extract
- ½ cup filtered water
Stir to combine. Add ice and freeze-dried strawberries on top. You can also combine everything in a shaker and shake it to combine.
Step 4: Taste and Tweak
Taste the drink. If needed, add a sweetener like agave syrup, honey, or simple syrup. Want fizz? Swap the filtered water for sparkling water or club soda.
That's it! Better-than-Starbucks and ready in minutes.
Top Tips
- Fresh is best - Use ripe strawberries for max flavor.
- Store the base - Keep it in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Skip the caffeine? Leave out the green coffee powder.
- Make it a Pink Drink - Use ½ cup coconut milk instead of water.
- Lemonade version? Sub ½ cup lemonade for the water.
- Use a clear glass - It's too pretty not to show off.
Recipe FAQs
Yep! Mix the base and tea, then store in the fridge. Just add ice, water, and freeze-dried strawberries right before serving.
Use Tazo Passion Tea + ¼ teaspoon acai powder. Blend if needed to dissolve.
Nope. It doesn't affect the flavor, just the caffeine content.
Absolutely. Double or triple the recipe and keep the base chilled.
Yes! Use club soda or sparkling water in place of the still water.
More Copycat Starbucks Refreshers
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Printable Recipe
Copycat Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Acai Base:
- 2 cups fresh strawberries (washed and hulled)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or preferred sweetener)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Acai Tea:
- 2 acai berry tea bags (or Tazo Passion + ¼ teaspoon acai powder)
- ½ cup boiling water
To Assemble:
- 1 cup strawberry acai base (½ cup per drink)
- ½ cup brewed acai tea (¼ cup per drink)
- 1 cup water (½ cup per drink)
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries (optional, for topping)
- 1 teaspoon green coffee powder (optional, ½ teaspoon per drink)
- agave, honey, or simple syrup to sweeten to taste optional
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Base: In a medium saucepan, combine strawberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally and mash the berries as they cook. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Strain and Cool: Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or jar, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the juice. Discard the pulp and refrigerate the liquid until chilled. (This is the strawberry acai base)
- Brew the Tea: Steep the tea bags in ½ cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bags to extract all the liquid, then discard. Let the tea cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the Refreshers: In each glass, add ½ cup strawberry acai base, ¼ cup acai tea, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon green coffee powder (optional). Stir well.
- Finish and Serve: Fill each glass with 1 cup of ice. Top with freeze-dried strawberries. Taste and sweeten if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Notes
- Strawberries: Use ripe, sweet strawberries for the best flavor. If they're out of season, frozen strawberries work too-just simmer a little longer to cook off excess water.
- Acai Tea Substitute: If you can't find acai berry tea, use Tazo Passion Tea and stir in ¼ teaspoon of acai powder. You may need to blend it briefly to dissolve fully.
- Green Coffee Powder: This is what Starbucks uses for a light caffeine boost. It doesn't change the taste. Leave it out if you want a caffeine-free refresher.
- Sweetener: The strawberries might be sweet enough on their own. Taste before adding extra sweetener like agave or simple syrup.
- Make-Ahead: The strawberry base and tea can be made ahead and stored separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before using.
- Glassware: Serve in a clear glass or mason jar to show off the vibrant color. Freeze-dried strawberries float beautifully on top.
- Fizz it up: Want bubbles? Use sparkling water in place of filtered water when assembling the drink.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jeff says
Green coffee powder is available on Amazon also.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Jeff, appreciate you taking the time to update everyone! 😊
Liz says
Where can i buy the green bean powder?????
Jeri Walker says
Great question Liz! I actually linked to the green coffee bean powder I use right in the post—it’s in the ingredients section. Here's the link again - Green Coffee Powder - I buy it from Amazon. It’s totally optional though, so feel free to skip it for a caffeine-free refresher!
Kelly J says
Thank you for this! Is the nutrition info for one of the grande drinks or both? Thanks!
Jeri Walker says
You're welcome, Kelly! The nutrition info is for one of the grande drinks. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try! 😊
Gin says
Where do you find green coffee powder and acai berry tea bags? None of our grocery stores carry these and I can't really find it on Amazon.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks so much for the question Gin! You are right - I can't find the acai berry tea anywhere either! I would substitute Tazo Passion tea and 1/4 teaspoon of acai berry powder. I updated the ingredient list in the blog post with links to Amazon for the Tazo Passion Tea, Acai Berry Powder, and the Green Coffee Powder I would use.
Jeff says
At the moment the Stash Açaí berry tea bags are available on Amazon.
I have not made this yet so no comment yet.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Jeff for letting everyone know they are available again!