Starbucks Copycat Recipe | Very Berry Hibiscus Tea Refresher

Starbucks Inspired Hibiscus Tea Refresher

Ingredients

For the Tea:

For the Simple Syrup:

Directions

1

Make 2 quarts of tea according to package instructions. I brought 2 quarts of water almost to a boil on the stove and then turned off the heat, and added 8 tea bags to infuse (covered) for about 3 minutes.

2

Take out tea bags and pour tea into a glass pitcher. Set the pitcher aside and let cool to room temperature.

3

To make the simple syrup, bring water to a boil with sugar and hibiscus flowers. Turn down heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (covered), making sure to stir a few times.

4

Strain leaves and then add syrup to the tea and stir. Refrigerate.

5

To serve, pour over berries and about 2 cups of ice in a large glass. I used fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I recommend pouring some tea in a cup with a lid and shaking it up with the berries. Enjoy!

Brought to you by Hip2Save.

Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you via trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Prices and availability are accurate as of time posted. Read our full disclosure policy here.

More Drinks
11 Comments
Love Love Love I'd Have Seconds! Meh... Not Feeling It Needs A Do-Over
5.0 / 6 ratings
Print

hand holding red drink in starbucks cup

If you’re an iced tea lover like I am, try making a homemade version of the popular Starbucks Hibiscus Tea Refresher. It’s currently my favorite summertime drink – and it’s super easy to make a pitcher at home. I love that it uses all-natural ingredients, too!


We created a video to show the process of making this Starbucks inspired tea refresher:


Starbucks inspired tea refresher in cup with berries

Here are a few tips when making this Starbucks Copycat Drink:

  • The tea that I used is Trader Joe’s Red Refresh herbal tea, which is sold for $2.49 per box. It features notes of hibiscus, lemongrass, peppermint, orange peel, and wild cherry bark. If you don’t have a TJ’s near you, then Tazo Passion Tea is a great choice, too!
  • I ordered my dried hibiscus flowers from Amazon, but if you’re lucky enough to have a Mexican market near you, you may be able to find them for less there. Look for a product called “Jamaica.”
  • Hibiscus leaves are known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and they have a rather tart flavor. Adding some berries and sugar can counter that with a subtle sweetness!
  • Looking for a spiked version? Try mixing in vodka, tequila, or even sparkling wine with the simple hibiscus syrup from this recipe, and enjoy!

ingredients for a berry tea drink on kitchen counter

putting tea bags in pot of water

dried hibiscus flowers in pot with water and sugar

straining dried hibiscus flowers

hand holding red drink with berries


Print

Starbucks Inspired Hibiscus Tea Refresher

This Very Berry Hibiscus Tea Refresher is an easy Starbucks-inspired copycat recipe you can make at home!

Ingredients

For the Tea:

For the Simple Syrup:

Directions

1

Make 2 quarts of tea according to package instructions. I brought 2 quarts of water almost to a boil on the stove and then turned off the heat, and added 8 tea bags to infuse (covered) for about 3 minutes.

2

Take out tea bags and pour tea into a glass pitcher. Set the pitcher aside and let cool to room temperature.

3

To make the simple syrup, bring water to a boil with sugar and hibiscus flowers. Turn down heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (covered), making sure to stir a few times.

4

Strain leaves and then add syrup to the tea and stir. Refrigerate.

5

To serve, pour over berries and about 2 cups of ice in a large glass. I used fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I recommend pouring some tea in a cup with a lid and shaking it up with the berries. Enjoy!

Brought to you by Hip2Save.

hand holding purple drink with berries and a straw


Make this Blueberry Kiwi Mojito Recipe with or without alcohol for the whole family!


About the writer:

Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.


Join The Discussion

Comments 11

  1. Lori

    Thank you…we love flavored iced tea!

  2. Jacki

    That looks so refreshing! I have the passion tea and just wondering if the leaves just add more flavor.

  3. Dee

    Just be warned that hibiscus leaves will dye everything pink. Be careful with your nice towels and your sink.

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      Great tip thanks!

  4. Deanna

    Looks yum! Can this be made to be keto friendly?

  5. MrsGarfield

    That’s a lot of hibiscus leaves/flowers. You can probably achieve the same result with half the amount.

  6. ToriSC

    Not sure how much you end up saving as I just order a Trenta without ice for under $5. As that size is almost a quart, I just add my own ice when I get home.

    • rina

      Also ask for it with NO WATER. That way they don’t dilute it.

  7. Melissa

    Hi! Former Starbucks barista here. There are a few adjustments you need to make. For starters, the Very Berry drinks are with sparkling water. If you get the berry version at Trader Joe’s it’s the closest to what Starbucks has. From there, you’ll also want dehydrated raspberries. That’s what Starbucks uses and when the dehydrated berries mix with the sparkling water, that’s what gives the drink it’s color – not the hibiscus. Finally, these are energy drinks, but the way you have yours is an herbal mix. You need to add Green Coffee Extract which is what we use and what gives the drink it’s flavor and caffine.

    Here’s our instructions:

    Mix Green Coffee Extract with Sparkling water. Drop three pumps of hibiscus flavoring (for at-home, steep tea for 5 minutes, then remove the bags and continue to reduce at low heat for 30 minutes. If you want it thicker, add equal amounts sugar and tea reduction). Then add dehydrated berries. Shake + pour.

    • Jodie

      Any advice on making the dragonfruit mango lemonade at home?

  8. Vivi

    The actual drink from Starbucks apparently doesn’t actually have hibiscus in it

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

It's not your Grandma's coupon site!

Sign up for a Hip2Save account (it's free) to access all of the awesome features!

Forgot Password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot Password

Don't have an account? Register

Become a Hip2Save Insider

Don't Miss Out! Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! What are ya waiting for?!



Already have an account? Login

Thank you for rating!

Would you also like to leave us a comment?