The 27 Best Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks, Chosen by a Former Starbucks Barista

As a former Starbucks barista, I can verify that most customers order the same thing every time they come in. Just like at a bar, you get to know your regulars, from the sporty mom who always gets the tall, hot Pike Place to the guy who asks for the venti, kid’s temp cinnamon dolce latte with half-and-half and three Splenda. But before you request yet another caramel macchiato on your next coffee run, consider these 27 Starbucks secret menu drinks. From blended treats to souped-up lattes, they’re fan-favorites for a reason.

• What to Ask for: Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, equal pumps caramel and toffee nut syrup

“Controversial opinion, but the secret menu Butterbeer Frappuccino tastes better than the official Butterbeer you can snag at Universal Studios,” asserts VP of editorial Candace Davison. “It’s creamier and smoother, and it doesn’t taste like syrupy, flat soda as it melts.” Make it even more decadent with caramel drizzle and whipped cream.

• What to Ask for: hot or iced chai, add an espresso shot

This is one unsung bev you can get at any café. “I have a soft spot for the dirty chai because it’s the perfect balance of sweet, spiced and coffee,” says senior food editor Katherine Gillen. “On its own, I find the Starbucks chai too sweet, but if you add espresso and make it iced? Mmm.”

• What to Ask for: Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, add raspberry syrup

Back in my barista days, I was blending dozens of these vibrant Frapps every week, mostly for teenagers who weren’t into coffee. It’s as sweet as it is pink, but hard to dislike. Finish it with whipped cream and a drizzle of strawberry purée or raspberry syrup.

• What to Ask for: passion tea or passion tea lemonade, add apple juice

I can personally attest to this easy modification’s deliciousness. It brings out apple notes that are already in the hibiscus tea and makes the flavor more sweet-tart than sour. Rumor has it that a pump of raspberry syrup gives it an apple pie-like profile.

• What to Ask for: Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, add vanilla and raspberry syrups or vanilla syrup and strawberry purée, add dragonfruit inclusion

Barbenheimer summer might be over, but folks still aren’t over this pretty-in-pink blended bev. It’s sort of like an extra sweet, extra fruity play on a cotton candy Frappuccino. Finish it with extra dragonfruit for a little razzle-dazzle.

• What to Ask for: passion tea, add soy milk and vanilla syrup

Swifties, this one’s for you. Named after the Midnights song, this iced tea latte is beloved for its Insta-worthy appearance and sweet, herbal flavor. Of course, you can use any milk you’d like. But the soy milk offers both sweetness and silkiness to every sip.

• What to Ask for: iced latte, add strawberry purée, 3:1 ratio brown sugar syrup and classic syrup, top with vanilla cold foam and strawberry purée

Tangy, sweet and dessert-inspired, this Starbucks secret menu drink won’t disappoint. I’m betting it’d be sweet enough even without the Classic syrup, so feel free to nix it to bring the sugar content down (although that’s typically not the move when it comes to these special bevs).

• What to Ask for: hot chocolate, add hazelnut syrup

A few pumps of hazelnut put a nutty spin on this cold-weather classic. To double down on the nuttiness, stans suggest asking for almond milk in place of dairy milk. Pretty ingenious, no?

• What to Ask for: caramel Frappuccino, add hazelnut syrup, java chips, caramel drizzle and mocha drizzle

This O.G. Starbucks secret menu drink is timeless. Nutty, decadent and finished with a flurry of java chips and chocolatey syrup, it has everything a candy lover craves. Might I suggest crumbling a Twix bar on top?

• What to Ask for: sweet cream cold foam cold brew, 2:1 ratio of mocha and vanilla syrups, mocha syrup blended into the foam, top with cookie crumble

Without the fancy toppings, this is a black-and-white coffee. But I love the idea of the mocha being blended into the foam; it reminds me of the limited-time chocolate whipped cream Starbucks has offered in the past.

• What to Ask for: iced white chocolate mocha, 50/50 split of white chocolate mocha sauce and cinnamon dolce syrup

Sugar, spice and everything nice. This breakfast-inspired secret menu drink is missing the crunch element of its name, so go ahead and sprinkle the cereal itself atop the whipped cream if you’re feeling ambitious.

• What to Ask for: apple juice, equal pumps cinnamon dolce syrup and chai concentrate

I’m so eager to try this autumnal gem this fall. It’s sort of like a caffeinated riff on the grossly underrated Caramel Apple Spice, but with chai concentrate in place of caramel drizzle.

• What to Ask for: Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, sweet cream and pineapple passionfruit Refreshers base instead of milk

The Disney staple gets the Starbucks treatment, thanks to a few clever modifications. Instead of the typical whole milk that’s used in Frappuccinos, this one gets a sweet-and-sour mix of Refreshers base and sweet cream for an extra rich texture and punchy, tropical flavor.

• What to Ask for: pumpkin cream cold brew, white chocolate mocha sauce and cinnamon dolce syrup in place of vanilla syrup, one pump chai concentrate

Once PSL season hits, you need to try this souped-up cold brew. White mocha sauce makes for a rich mouthfeel, while cinnamon dolce syrup and chai amp up the spiced qualities of the pumpkin syrup.

• What to Ask for: iced chai latte, add brown sugar and vanilla syrups, top with sweet cream cold foam

Leave it to TikTok to create a viral Starbucks drink. Brown sugar syrup emphasizes the spiced, caramel-y nature of the chai, while the vanilla and sweet cream cold foam soften the warmer notes. Many fans of this Starbucks secret menu drink also recommend subbing in oatmilk and adding caramel drizzle.

• What to Ask for: blonde vanilla latte, add pumps white chocolate mocha sauce and cinnamon dolce syrup

Cinnamon girls to the front. Smooth, high-caffeine espresso is the ultimate foil for rich white mocha and gently spiced cinnamon syrup. The white mocha drives the cookie-inspired flavor home.

• What to Ask for: lemonade, add white chocolate mocha sauce

Traditional Brazilian lemonade is made from lime, sugar, water and sweetened condensed milk. Starbucks doesn’t have lime juice or fresh limes, but lemonade is used in its place while white mocha stands in for condensed milk. Too bad the discontinued Cool Lime Refresher isn’t a thing anymore.

• What to Ask for: soy caramel macchiato, 50/50 split vanilla and cinnamon dolce syrups

FYI, caramel macchiatos are made with vanilla syrup, not caramel. It’s the drizzle on top that gives this cult-favorite its name. Here, vanilla pumps are divided with cinnamon dolce for some spice. Again, feel free to use whatever milk you’d prefer (almond milk would give it a nice nuttiness).

• What to Ask for: iced white chocolate mocha, top with vanilla sweet cream cold foam blended with strawberry purée

Nothing gets Instagram in a tizzy like a blush-colored bev. Here, strawberry purée is used to color the cold foam crown. Regular mocha sauce would work here too if you’re a chocolate purist, as would raspberry syrup in the latte itself.

• What to Ask for: Crème Frappuccino with a 50/50 base of milk and apple juice, add equal pumps caramel and cinnamon dolce syrups

Another fall favorite that I can’t wait to taste, this is the ultimate Frappuccino to end iced drink season with before the weather gets too cold. Sweet, warm-spiced and fruity, it’s a great chilled alternative for people who typically order the caramel apple spice.

• What to Ask for: iced matcha lemonade, 50/50 peach juice and lemonade, splash coconut milk

Sour citrus and sweet peach are stellar matches for earthy matcha powder. The coconut milk adds tropical richness to every sip, making the lemonade creamier than you’re used to. This one screams summer, if you ask me. 

• What to Ask for: Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, strawberry purée

An invention of Totally the Bomb, the Santa Claus Frapp went viral in 2020, thanks to its festive appearance and fun flavors. Despite its wintry name, its taste is quite summery. But appearance-wise, it has Saint Nick written all over it.

• What to Ask for: caramel brulée cold brew, add toasted white chocolate mocha sauce

Starring two holiday flavors that happen to be soulmates, the Toasted Caramel Brulée Cold Brew was made with both caramel brulée and toasted white chocolate mocha sauces for a collab that was rich with notes of marshmallow, brown butter and burnt sugar. Since the toasted white mocha was discontinued, this beauty is off the table—for now. (Thanks for the tip, Totally the Bomb.)

• What to Ask for: Pink Drink

Sometimes, a secret menu drink becomes so popular that it makes the lineup for good. Such was the case with the Starbucks Pink Drink, which officially joined the roster in 2017. It’s a mix of lightly caffeinated strawberry açai Refresher base, ice, coconut milk and freeze-dried strawberries. The results are a blush-colored, opaque bev that’s as Insta-worthy as it is appetizing.