This post may contain affiliate links.
Strawberry Acai Refresher is the bright, fruity, ice cold sipper that tastes just like the one you pay six dollars for at the coffee shop, except you can make a whole pitcher at home for pennies. I started making these on hot summer afternoons when Maddie and Lizzie kept begging for “the pink drink,” and now it is our go to backyard refresher. If you love copycat sips, you will also adore our blue raspberry slush.
With just a handful of fruity powders, white grape juice, and fresh strawberries, this refresher comes together in five minutes flat with zero cooking.
Strawberry Acai Refresher Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: None (no cook)
- ⏳ Total Time: 5 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 2 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 141kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, fruity, and refreshing (strawberry, acai, and a hint of passion fruit)
- ✋ Difficulty: Very easy, on par with our easy blue raspberry slush
Quick Answer
Whisk acai powder, green tea powder, and passion fruit powder with a little cold water until smooth. Stir in white grape juice, the rest of the water, and chopped fresh strawberries. Combine everything, pour over a glass packed with crushed ice, and serve. The whole thing takes about five minutes and tastes just like the coffee shop version without the steep price.
Jump to:
- Strawberry Acai Refresher Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Strawberry Acai Refresher
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Strawberry Acai Refresher FAQs
- Other Recommended Refreshing Drink Recipes
- Easy Strawberry Acai Refresher (Starbucks Copycat)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Powders do the flavor work. Acai, green tea, and passion fruit powders pack a concentrated berry punch and a gentle caffeine lift, so you skip the syrups and still get that signature refresher taste.
- White grape juice is the secret base. It mimics the sweet, lightly floral white grape and passion fruit flavor of the coffee shop version without any artificial mix.
- Blooming the powders prevents clumps. Whisking the powders into a little water first dissolves them fully, so your refresher is smooth instead of gritty.
- Crushed ice keeps it frosty. Packing the glass with crushed ice chills the drink instantly and gives it that slushy, sippable texture everyone loves.
- Fresh strawberries add real fruit. Chopped berries floating in the glass look beautiful and give you little bursts of fresh strawberry in every sip.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes like your favorite coffee shop refresher for a fraction of the cost, and you control the sweetness.
- It comes together in five minutes with no blender and no cooking, perfect for a hot day or a quick afternoon pick me up.
- It is easy to scale up into a big pitcher for parties, just like our 3 ingredient pink punch.
Key Ingredients
Just six simple ingredients make this copycat refresher. Here is what each one brings to the glass.
- Acai powder: The star that gives the drink its berry depth and gorgeous color, plus a little antioxidant boost.
- Green tea powder: Adds the light, energizing caffeine kick that the coffee shop refreshers are known for.
- Passion fruit powder: Brings the tropical, slightly tart note that makes the flavor taste authentic.
- White grape juice: The sweet, fruity base that ties everything together without any artificial syrup.
- Fresh strawberries: Chopped and stirred in for real fruit flavor and that pretty pink color floating in the ice.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This refresher is easy to customize to your taste and what you have on hand.
- Make it creamy: Swap some of the water for coconut milk to copy the pink drink style refresher.
- Use lemonade: Replace the white grape juice with lemonade for a brighter, more tart sip.
- Add fizz: Top with a splash of lemon lime soda or sparkling water for a bubbly version.
- Swap the fruit: Try blueberries, raspberries, or diced peaches in place of the strawberries.
- Make a pitcher: Multiply everything by four and stir together in a pitcher for a crowd, like our party pink punch.
How to Make Strawberry Acai Refresher
- In a small bowl, whisk the acai powder, green tea powder, passion fruit powder, and a half cup of the cold water until fully dissolved and smooth.
- In a second bowl, stir together the white grape juice, the remaining cold water, and the chopped fresh strawberries.
- Pour the two mixtures together and stir well to combine into the finished refresher base.
- Fill a tall glass with crushed ice, pour the Strawberry Acai Refresher over the top, and serve right away.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Bloom the powders first. Whisking them into a little water before adding everything else keeps the drink smooth with no gritty clumps.
- Use cold ingredients. Starting with chilled water and juice means the refresher is icy from the first sip.
- Crushed ice is best. It chills faster and gives the drink that signature slushy texture, but cubed ice works in a pinch.
- Adjust the sweetness. Taste and add a touch more grape juice or a drizzle of honey if you like it sweeter.
- Muddle for more flavor. Lightly mash a few of the strawberries before adding them for an even fruitier sip.
- Make it ahead. Mix the base and keep it in the fridge, then pour over fresh ice whenever you want one.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Strawberry Acai Refresher is made for sunny days. Serve it in a tall clear glass so the pink color and floating strawberries show off, with a fun paper straw for the kids. It is the perfect partner for backyard cookouts, pool days, and lazy weekend brunches.
Pair it with light bites like fruit skewers, a pitcher of pink punch for a crowd, or set up a refresher bar with different fruits and powders so everyone can build their own. It also makes a gorgeous non alcoholic option at a party.
For a grown up version, add a splash of vodka or white rum and serve over ice as a light summer cocktail. However you pour it, this copycat refresher beats the drive through line every time.
Strawberry Acai Refresher FAQs
A Strawberry Acai Refresher is made from acai powder, green tea powder, and passion fruit powder mixed with white grape juice, water, and fresh strawberries. The green tea adds a light caffeine boost, just like the coffee shop original.
Yes, the green tea powder gives this Strawberry Acai Refresher a gentle caffeine lift similar to the store bought version. For a caffeine free drink, simply leave the green tea powder out.
Absolutely. Mix the refresher base and store it covered in the fridge for up to two days. When you are ready to drink it, just pour it over a fresh glass of crushed ice and add the strawberries.
You can find acai, green tea, and passion fruit powders in the supplement aisle of most grocery stores, at health food shops, or online. A little goes a long way, so one bag makes many Strawberry Acai Refreshers.
To copy the creamy pink drink style, replace some of the water with coconut milk. Stir it in at the end for a smooth, dreamy version of the Strawberry Acai Refresher.
This homemade Strawberry Acai Refresher is lower in sugar than many bottled drinks because you control the ingredients. Acai and strawberries add antioxidants and real fruit, making it a refreshing better for you treat.
Thirsty for more? Sip our blue raspberry slush next for another easy, crowd pleasing drink.
Easy Strawberry Acai Refresher (Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon acai powder
- 1/2 teaspoon green tea powder
- 1/2 teaspoon passion fruit powder
- 1 & 1/2 cups cold water
- 1 & 1/2 cups cold white grape juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Mix the acai powder, green tea powder, passion fruit powder, and a half cup of water in a small bowl. Mix well to combine.1 teaspoon acai powder, 1/2 teaspoon green tea powder, 1/2 teaspoon passion fruit powder, 1 & 1/2 cups cold water
- In a second small bowl, mix the grape juice, the remaining water, and chopped strawberries.1 & 1/2 cups cold white grape juice, 1/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- Combine the two liquids.
- Fill a glass with crushed ice.
- Pour the drink into the glass and serve.
Notes
- Mix Well: To get the perfect consistency, mix the powders well before combining them with other ingredients.
- Chill Everything: Use chilled grape juice and water to keep the drink refreshingly cold.
- Adjust Sweetness: Add simple syrup or more fruit juice to sweeten the refresher to your liking.
- Garnish: Add freeze-dried strawberries or fresh fruit slices for an eye-catching garnish.
- Blending Options: Blend the drink with ice for a frozen version.
- Reusable Cups: Make the refresher in a reusable tumbler for on-the-go sipping.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
