Starbucks Blue Drink Copycat Recipe
This blue Starbucks drink recipe gives you that vivid, Instagram-worthy color and the light, fruity taste of the real thing, all from your own kitchen. It takes about 5 minutes and costs a fraction of what you’d pay at the counter.
The base is passion fruit tea sweetened with a little vanilla syrup, topped up with coconut milk for that creamy, cool finish.
Why I Love This Recipe
The color alone is worth it. Butterfly pea flower tea turns a deep indigo on its own, then shifts toward a brighter blue when the citrus in the passion fruit blend hits it.
It’s light rather than heavy. The coconut milk adds a gentle creaminess without making it feel like a dessert, so it still tastes refreshing over ice.
This is the version I keep coming back to on hot afternoons because it takes less time to make than it does to drive to a coffee shop.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 bags passion fruit herbal tea (or 1 bag Tazo Passion) – the tart berry base that gives the drink its bright flavor
- 1 bag butterfly pea flower tea – this is what creates the blue color; find it online or in well-stocked tea shops
- 240 ml (1 cup) hot water – just off the boil to steep the teas
- 2 tbsp vanilla syrup – sweetens and rounds out the tartness; store-bought or homemade both work
- 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk from a carton – the lighter, drinkable kind, not canned coconut cream
- 1 cup ice – fills the glass and chills everything fast
- 1 tsp lemon juice – brightens the flavor and deepens the blue tone slightly
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap coconut milk for oat milk – it gives a slightly thicker, more neutral-tasting sip with a creamier head.
- Swap vanilla syrup for simple syrup – the drink will be less aromatic but still sweet and refreshing.
- Add ½ tsp fresh ginger – slice it into the steeping water for a faint warmth that plays nicely against the tart tea.
- Make it spicy – stir in a small pinch of cayenne after steeping; it disappears into the cold drink but leaves a quiet heat at the back.
- Dairy-free – coconut milk as written is already dairy-free, so no changes needed.
- Make it stronger – steep a 3rd bag of passion fruit tea for a more vivid, tarter base.
If you enjoy making Starbucks drinks at home, the Starbucks Pink Drink Copycat Recipe uses a very similar method with strawberry acai instead of passion fruit.
How To Make Blue Starbucks Drink
Step 1: Steep the Tea Bags
Bring 240 ml (1 cup) of water to just off the boil, around 90 to 95°C (195 to 200°F), and add the 2 passion fruit tea bags and 1 butterfly pea flower tea bag to a heatproof mug or small jug. Let them steep together for 5 minutes without squeezing the bags when you remove them.
Squeezing the bags releases bitter tannins that can muddy the flavor. At 5 minutes the liquid will be a deep purple-blue, and the passion fruit notes will be clearly present in the smell.
Step 2: Sweeten the Brew
Remove all 3 tea bags and stir in the 2 tbsp vanilla syrup while the tea is still hot, so it dissolves completely in about 10 seconds. Then let the tea cool to room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes on the counter, or put it in the fridge for 5 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
Sweetening while hot matters because cold liquid will not fully dissolve the syrup, and you can end up with a sugary layer at the bottom. The color at this point will be a rich, dark indigo.
Step 3: Build the Iced Drink
Fill a tall 475 ml (16 oz) glass with the 1 cup of ice, then pour the cooled tea over it. As the cold hits the tea, the color will settle to a vivid cobalt blue.
Stir in the 1 tsp lemon juice. The citric acid shifts the pH of the butterfly pea flower pigment slightly, pulling it toward a brighter, more electric blue tone. This takes about 5 seconds of stirring and the change is immediate and visible.
Step 4: Pour and Layer the Coconut Milk
Pour the 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk slowly over the back of a spoon held just above the surface of the tea. Doing it this way keeps the coconut milk floating in a pale layer on top for a few seconds before it slowly drifts down into the blue, creating a two-tone swirl that looks striking in the glass.
Serve immediately with a wide straw or a reusable straw that lets you draw from the bottom. The drink is best in the first 5 minutes while the layers are still visible and the ice is at its crunchiest.
Recipe Tips
- Use carton coconut milk, not canned. Canned coconut cream is far too thick and fatty for this drink; it will clump over ice and taste heavy.
- The lemon juice is not optional for color. You can leave it out if you dislike any acidity, but the blue will stay more purple-grey without it.
- Steep time matters more than water temperature here. If you cut the steep to 2 minutes, the butterfly pea pigment won’t fully extract, and the color comes out pale grey-blue instead of vivid cobalt.
- Make the tea ahead. You can steep and sweeten a double or triple batch of the tea and keep it in the fridge, sealed, for up to 3 days. Just add ice and coconut milk fresh each time.
Scale it to your glass size:
| Glass size | Tea base | Vanilla syrup | Coconut milk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 355 ml (12 oz) | 180 ml (¾ cup) | 1½ tbsp | 90 ml (⅓ cup) |
| 475 ml (16 oz) | 240 ml (1 cup) | 2 tbsp | 120 ml (½ cup) |
| 710 ml (24 oz) | 360 ml (1½ cups) | 3 tbsp | 180 ml (¾ cup) |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Store the brewed, sweetened tea (without ice or coconut milk) in a sealed jar or bottle for up to 3 days. The color may deepen slightly in the fridge but comes back to life when you add lemon juice and ice.
- Serve Cold – Always assemble with fresh ice and fresh coconut milk right before drinking. Pre-mixed coconut milk will separate and look unappetizing after a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy butterfly pea flower tea?
Most large supermarkets don’t stock it, but it’s easy to find on Amazon or in health food stores. Look for dried butterfly pea flower bags or loose flowers sold specifically as tea.
Can I make this drink without butterfly pea flower tea?
Yes, but it won’t be blue. Without it you’ll have a purple-pink passion fruit iced tea, which tastes good but looks completely different.
Can I batch this for a party?
Yes. Steep the tea in a larger pot using the same ratio (1 butterfly pea flower bag per 2 passion fruit bags per 240 ml water), sweeten it while hot, and refrigerate it. Add lemon juice only when serving, and pour coconut milk into each glass individually so the layered effect stays visible.
Does the lemon juice change the flavor a lot?
Not much. At 1 tsp per glass, you’ll notice a very faint brightness at the end of each sip, but it doesn’t make the drink taste sour.
Blue Starbucks Drink Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Steep the 2 passion fruit tea bags and 1 butterfly pea flower tea bag in 240 ml (1 cup) of hot water for 5 minutes, then remove the bags without squeezing them.
- Stir in the 2 tbsp vanilla syrup while the tea is still hot, then let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes on the counter or 5 minutes in the fridge.
- Fill a tall glass with 1 cup of ice, pour the cooled tea over it, and stir in the 1 tsp lemon juice.
- Slowly pour the 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk over the back of a spoon to float it on top, then serve immediately with a straw.
