Starbucks' Barbie Drink Made My Childhood Dreams Come Alive
Turn up the tunes because this one will definitely have you singing “I’m a Barbie girl, in a Barbie woooorld” as you cruise down to the beach this summer. To celebrate the July release of the movie Barbie, Starbucks fans are at it again, creating a secret menu item that is so pink it would make Ken blush.
Much like other secret menu items from Starbucks, the Barbie Drink was an instant hit on TikTok, with tens of thousands of views on this brand-new pink drink and even more ordering it to celebrate the release of the movie (and the start of summer)!
Let’s dive in and check out the ingredients in this Barbie Pink Frappuccino, plus how to order it so you can get one in your hands, pronto.
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What is the Barbie Starbucks drink?
TikTokers have been swirling the classic recipe around the internet for a couple of months now, with the base being a Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino, swapping out half and half for the milk, and adding in raspberry syrup and vanilla syrup, mixed with dragonfruit. No Barbie drink would be complete without a bright topping, of course, so whipped cream and more dragonfruit are sprinkled on top.
The barista at my local ‘bucks informed me that the raspberry syrup has been discontinued as of March, and there’s no fruity syrup substitution to go in its place, so the Barbie drink of 2023 is already a bit different than the classic version. Vanilla syrup is still available, though, so it’s up to you if you want to add more of that in place of the raspberry. The barista asked if I wanted the dragonfruit juice blended in as well but I declined and just asked for dragonfruit blended into the vanilla Frappuccino to keep it as close to the original recipe as possible.
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Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
How do you order the Barbie Starbucks drink?
Here’s a tip: The only thing that’s inconvenient about this drink is that you have to order it in person. On the app, there’s no way to order it mixed with dragonfruit or order additional dragonfruit on top. And there’s no place for notes to the barista, either. So you must order it at the counter or in the drive-thru. Order a Venti Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino made with half and half, mixed with dragonfruit, three pumps of vanilla syrup, and whipped cream and dragonfruit on top.
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Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
What does the Barbie Starbucks drink taste like?
This is a straight-up vanilla creme Frappuccino with vanilla milkshake vibes. It was a hot day when I got this, so it separated very quickly, but the gradient of whipped cream running into the light pink had me doing cartwheels down the sidewalk (or maybe that was the 67 grams of sugar in my grande).
The color is a beautiful Barbie pink and pairs nicely with the chunks of hot pink dragonfruit on the top, so in terms of aesthetic, it’s stunning to look at and would make any Barbie girl very happy, but in terms of flavor, it was super one-note. It is very sweet, very vanilla bean-heavy and it’s smooth as silk that gets only slightly icy as it melts down and gets fruitier toward the bottom.
I loved the classic vanilla flavor but I’m sure it would have been delicious with the addition of the raspberry syrup (RIP). Perhaps next time, strawberry puree or the dragonfruit juice as the barista suggested would be a fun addition since my brain was telling me it should taste more…pink. But it definitely went down easy and I got a bit of Barbie brain freeze.
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Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
The only thing that would bring this drink over the top is something that Starbucks doesn’t offer (but that I have plenty of and you should too)—edible glitter. I would bet that if Starbucks offered sparkly drinks, there would be lines out the door. But I digress—this bright pink drink takes me back to my 6-year-old self, wearing tutus, eating candy and playing with Barbies (of course). The only thing that’s different is that I’m drinking it while doing adult things now—like grocery shopping, paying rent and calling my mom. But that doesn’t make drinking it any less fun and actually makes me feel pretty cool—just like Barbie.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
Next: 'Barbie' (2023) Movie Release Date, Cast, Trailer and More