How To Make The Strawberry Acai Refresher

Plenty of people love the Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher, so here’s an easy Starbucks copycat to make at home that’s refreshing and not too sweet.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• Step-By Step Instructions
• Tips and Possible Variations
• Serving Ideas
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Recipes to Try
• How to Make the Strawberry Acai Refresher
• Subscribe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you’ve had any of the “refresher” drinks at your local Starbucks and wondered how to make something similar at home, I’ve got you covered. This popular refresher flavor is an easy recipe with sweet strawberry flavors, and it’s made with a just a few simple ingredients.

Here’s what you need to know to make a homemade version:

• Starbuck’s version uses water, sugar, white grape juice concentrate, acai powder, passion fruit puree, additives, preservatives, natural green coffee bean flavoring and freeze dried strawberries (strawberry powder).
• That said, I’ve adapted this to simple steps with easy to find ingredients to make your own strawberry acai refresher at home.
• Fun fact! If you add a little coconut milk to this strawberry acai drink, the Internet says this makes it the popular Starbucks “Pink Drink”.
• In this recipe, we substitute most of the ingredients with natural flavors like fresh strawberries and green tea.
• Acai powder is the only special item that’s needed in this recipe, which you can find in most natural food stores, or in a well-stocked grocery store. Get it online too.
• If you love Starbucks drinks, you’ll also love this crazy good Peach Green Tea Lemonade recipe to make at home. It’s incredible and super refreshing on hot summer days!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the full recipe and list of instructions, please see the recipe card below.

• Acai powder: Made from freeze dried acai berries, this stuff is a nutrition powerhouse.
• Strawberries: To puree into a fruit juice and strain into the drink.
• Nectarine: Just a half, peeled to be used instead of passion fruit puree that’s in the original.
• Lemon Juice: To balance the sweetness in this refreshing drink.
• Apple juice OR white grape juice concentrate: For a little sweetness.
• Green tea: Regular or make this a caffeine-free drink. We’ll use this instead of green coffee bean powder in the original.

Step-By Step Instructions

To make the strawberry acai base, here’s all you do:

1. Add the apple juice (or white grape juice if using) plus the green tea and lemon juice to a jar with a tight fitting lid. For example, a large Mason jar that holds 32 ounces.
2. Next, make a strawberry puree by adding strawberries, fresh nectarine and acai powder to an electric blender, mini prep processor, or food processor and puree until it becomes liquid and pourable, about a minute.
3. Add the fruit puree to the jar with the juice, tea and lemon, then put the lid on and shake and swirl a couple times to combine.

For the next step:

4. Strain the drink to remove the pulp, a step that’s mildly annoying but really doesn’t take long, and is worth it because otherwise the liquids separate rather quickly, which doesn’t look as nice in the glass. That said, keep the pulp in if you like it!

Just pour a little of the puree at a time through a fine mesh strainer, using a spoon to help push it through.

This is what the juice looks like strained and ready for ice cubes!

Tips and Possible Variations

• Acai powder is available in many well-stocked grocery and natural foods stores, or online. 
• Straining the drink after you add the pureed fruit is optional, but the drink will separate quickly.  Strain all the liquids together after combining the juice and tea with the pureed fruit. It’s an easy step that takes just a few minutes, and is worth the effort!
• Use simple syrup or agave nectar if you’d like a sweeter drink
• Store the refresher in a mason jar with lid in the refrigerator until ready to serve for up to 2 days. 
• Sparkling apple juice is my pick for this drink instead of white grape juice.  It adds a little extra something to the final drink.

Serving Ideas

• This is a fantastic drink to enjoy on a hot day! Double or triple this recipe and serve it in a large pitcher.
• Have it for brunch with an easy Mini Breakfast Naan that’s piled with fresh berries and nut butter.
• This is a popular drink to serve as mocktails at parties. Or add vodka, your choice 🙂
• Serve with these little Veggie Cups with Hummus, some fantastic party olives and warm lemon artichoke dip with butter crackers and/or this really tasty homemade Salsa Mix recipe and some tortilla chips!
• If you’re serving dinner too, go casual with Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowls (pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home) or this fantastic Summer Pasta (we eat it year-round).
• Dessert could a classic Banana Cake (always a favorite) or Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar, this jammy and wonderfully easy blackberry galette recipe, these thick and soft Shortbread Lemon Cookies, these no-bake cookie dough bites, or fun and fabulous Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
• Take a look at this round-up of easy desserts and these Melon Balls Recipes to find more ideas!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

• Plant Based Breakfast Bowl: A healthy, satisfying breakfast
• Starbucks Egg White Bites: A great recipe!
• Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds: A terrific chicken salad recipe
• Pumpkin Spice Milkshake: A wonderful fall treat!
• Fresh Tangerine Sorbet: A refreshing, extremely delicious sorbet!
• Decorated Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Cute, fun, delicious!
• Dark Chocolate Trail Mix: Great for snacking!
• Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe: Just delish!
• Summer Buffet Menus: A round-up of summer favorites

If you’ve tried “How to Make the Strawberry Acai Refresher” or any other recipe on Studio Delicious, please rate the recipe 5 stars and tell me how you liked it in comments below!

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