Coffee addicts and caffeine-craving college students, start taking notes because here is your guide to the Starbucks Secret Menu and some drink ideas that will help get you through the semester!
Many Starbucks first-timers sweat a little when they see the wide variety of specialty drinks on their menu. Even as someone that has been a Gold Level customer for a few years now, I still sometimes freeze up at the register trying to decide what to get or remembering everything that I want from a complicated order. With the many different coffee and espresso beverages, it’s hard to keep up with what’s what.
With the warm weather and tough exams in the very near future, here are some special drink ideas invented by Starbucks fans that you won’t find on menus. For Starbucks lovers, here is your chance to branch out and try something new. For those of you just beginning to go, here are some options to ask for when you get to the register that will hopefully allow you to skip that moment of panic! All you have to do is tell your barista exactly what you want in your drinks by following these recipes.
Right now professors are doing their yearly midterm cramming before spring break. If you’re part of this cycle, here are some highly-caffeinated drinks that will help you through late night/early morning studying.
The Undertow—a tastier way to enjoy an espresso shot or two
· A tall cup
· 3 pumps of your favorite syrup (most people prefer vanilla)
· A splash of milk
· Lastly, two shots of espresso to top it off
A slightly sweeter grande Red Eye
· Iced coffee
· 2 pumps of your favorite syrup (caramel is the most popular)
· soy milk
· 1-2 shots of espresso, depending on how much caffeine you need
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up in a couple weeks, try a mint Frappuccino. I have seen a few different versions of this, so depending on whether or not you want chocolate in your drink, it could either be like a mint cookie or just minty-fresh.
For just plain mint, here is a grande Peppermint Pow Frappuccino
· Order a vanilla bean Frappuccino
· Two pumps of peppermint syrup, less or more depending on the size (this available all year)
· Two scoops of matcha green tea powder, again add more or less depending on size.
For Girl Scout Cookie fans, here is the grande Thin Mint Frappuccino
· Order a green tea Frappuccino
· Add java chips
· Two pumps of mocha syrup
· One pump of peppermint syrup
If you’re not headed to any tropical resorts this spring break, you can order a Virgin Margarita Frappuccino from your nearest Starbucks!
· Have your barista pour lime to the first line of a grande drink
· Lemonade to the second line
· Pour in your ice
· Two pumps of classic syrup
· 3 pumps of Frappuccino crème base
· Blend!
Do you find most Starbucks teas to be a tad too sweet? For a light and refreshing drink that might help you get more into the spring break mode, try a fuzzy peach tea!
· Grande Passion Iced Tea made with half water and half orange mango puree (I suggest getting light ice with this)
· Peach tea syrup instead of regular syrup
For all those Harry Potter fans out there, if you can’t make it to Florida to Harry Potter World this spring break, you can still get a taste of Hogwarts a bit closer to home!
Here are the ingredients that go in a Butterbeer Frappuccino:
· Order a crème Frappuccino
· Two pumps of caramel syrup
· Two pumps of toffee nut syrup
· A drizzle of caramel to top it off
If you’re sick of the same old latte routine, either hot or iced, and are in sweet tooth mode, try out a grande Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato!
· Iced Caramel Macchiato (it can be hot too, but I think it tastes a little better cold)
· 1-2 pumps of Cinnamon Dolce syrup—the cinnamon makes this classic drink just a little sweeter, the amount of pumps depends on how much sweeter you want it to be
If you love chocolate then this is the perfect drink for you.
Here is the recipe for a Kit Kat Frappuccino:
· Begin with a mocha drizzle on the inside of the cup
· Everything you need to make a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
· Add java chips to be blended with everything
· Top it off with a mocha drizzle and cookie crumbles
All recipes and photos are courtesy of the Starbucks Secret Menu official website.