REVIEW: Starbucks Frozen Lemonade Refreshers

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Summer is here, and so are new cold drinks at Starbucks. A look back through my last several months of Starbucks reviews reminded me that most of the newly released Starbucks drinks have been coffee-based, but the three new items on the menu this season are made using the Starbucks Refreshers. The coffee chain has introduced three frozen lemonades: Pineapple Passionfruit, Mango Dragonfruit, and Strawberry Acai. I tried the first two for some initial thoughts.

The Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refresher Beverage (that’s a mouthful!) is the Pineapple Passionfruit Refresher blended with strawberry puree, lemonade, and a scoop of diced dried pineapple. Similarly, the Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refresher Beverage uses the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher base with – you guessed it – lemonade and dried dragonfruit pieces. While these drinks had some similarities, you’ll soon find interesting differences, too. More on that below.

Pineapple Passionfruit is very tart, and the pineapple overshadows any taste of passionfruit. The pineapple also masked the strawberry puree. I am a big pineapple fan, so this didn’t bother me too much. But what I would have liked was more presence of the lemonade. Since this is billed as a frozen lemonade, you’d think it would be more prominent. But I felt this tasted like they had blended the Refresher base itself.

The Mango Dragonfruit was similar in that it tasted JUST like the Refresher with a lack of lemonade. I liked that it was smooth, wasn’t overly sweet, and the strawberry puree meshed nicely here. (Hence a slight increase in rating for this one over the other.)

I find it easiest to lay out the rest of my thoughts in a list:

  1. DO NOT mobile order this drink if you’re not going to pick it up within a few minutes of them making it. While I tried my beverages, I saw a Pineapple Passionfruit waiting on the mobile order table, and you could see the separation of the frozen concoction. You’d be stirring that bad boy up and potentially even sticking it in the freezer unless you want it super liquidy. Interestingly enough, as I sipped, the Mango Dragonfruit did not separate in the same way the Pineapple Passionfruit did. I never had to stir that one up, but I did with the Pineapple Passionfruit. I can only chalk it up to the different Refresher bases, as everything else is so similar. (Another reason for the slightly higher rating for Mango Dragonfruit.)
  2. I recommend getting a straw – or bringing your own reusable straw – for these. Since it’s frozen, I had difficulty sipping it through the small hole in the cup lid.
  3. Personally, I wouldn’t go any bigger than a grande on this one. I think a venti would cause some serious brain freeze.
  4. These frozen lemonades feel like a fun non-alcoholic cocktail from an exotic resort. They are a nice option for folks to have if they’re only tea or Refresher drinkers.

All in all, I liked both of these, but I don’t think they’re Starbucks’ best brainchild. A nice, fun, and tasty drink if you’re a Refresher fan, but if you never get a chance to try one, I promise you’ll be OK too.

Purchased Price: $5.45 each
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Pineapple Passionfruit), 7 out of 10 (Mango Dragonfruit)
Nutrition Facts: Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade – 160 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein, and 50 milligrams of caffeine. Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade – 150 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 45 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew

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Starbucks, you’ve done it again! Another cold brew to your lineup, and another winner.

Here for spring is the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew. New to the party are a macadamia syrup (added to the coffee) and a macadamia cream in the cold foam with a toasted cookie topping to cap it off.

The first thing I noticed when I grabbed this was how creamy it looked – I’d like to thank my barista for clearly acing the cold brew to cold foam ratio. The cold foam was already settling nicely into the drink. There was also a generous amount of the toasted cookie topping.

This might be one of the smoother-tasting cold brews I’ve had from Starbucks lately. I was delighted at first sip with its smoothness, and the macadamia brings a nice subtle sweetness. A little internet research tells me the flavor of macadamia nuts pairs well with coffee, so it’s no wonder it tasted good. For those unfamiliar with the nut, they tend to be a little buttery in taste, so there is no need to worry about a nuttiness overpowering your coffee. I was honestly surprised to see this had 20 grams of sugar in a tall, as it wasn’t very sweet at all.

I’ve mentioned this in some of my past Starbucks reviews, but I’m not the fastest cold coffee drinker. But because of that, I’m able to report that the toasted cookie topping stayed in the cold foam as I sipped my beverage. And from the time stamp on my drink to the time I finished, that was two hours! I really appreciated that it didn’t sink in, and I still got some with the cold foam at every sip. All that said, and much like I’ve felt with other Starbucks toppings, this one didn’t have much of an independent flavor to it. The toppings always seem like a nice-to-have, but they don’t enhance the drink’s flavor profile.

I’m definitely adding this new cold brew to my rotation, and I hope it hangs around for a while!

Purchased Price: $4.75
Size: Tall
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of protein, and 145 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew

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Starbucks seems to be churning out new cold brews faster than Nick Cannon is having kids. All jokes aside, the newest cold brew to grace the Starbucks lineup is the Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew. (Note that there is also a non-nitro version, as not all Starbucks locations have nitro taps. Pro tip: The Starbucks mobile app will tell you which stores do in the location info!). A refresher for those not familiar, a cold brew on nitro means it’s infused with nitrogen and has a smooth texture.

The Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew has a cold brew coffee base with a new cinnamon caramel syrup, plus vanilla sweet cream cold foam and cinnamon dolce sprinkles (a.k.a. just cinnamon) on top.

Three observations right off the bat when I got my drink:

  1. SO MUCH FOAM… and I am here for it. If you look at my photo at the beginning, nearly half of the tall size beverage had foam, and I loved it. The vanilla sweet cream and cinnamon were delightful.

  2. You can also clearly see the pool of cinnamon caramel syrup at the bottom of my cup in the photo below… more on that later.

  3. I haven’t had a nitro drink in a while, so I forgot and then realized there is no ice in this drink! No ice helps create a smoother flavor. If you don’t love watered down coffee, this one might be for you!

There’s an overwhelming cinnamon flavor right at the first sip, which I liked. I definitely got some cinnamon roll flavor vibes, which is perfect for the Midwest where I live. It’s like a hug in a drink married to a cold beverage, so whether it’s 70 degrees one day or 35 the next (this really happened last week), this one suits the weather.

My only knock on flavor was the caramel was pretty non-existent. This is likely due to the syrup at the bottom, so I’m eager to try the cinnamon caramel sauce in an iced latte to compare.

On another note, I might never go back to regular cold brew because the nitrogen makes it so smooth. It cuts the bitterness the cold brew can sometimes bring and feels like a morning indulgence. Despite no ice, it stayed cool as I sipped.

This cold brew is a winner in my book, and I’m happy it’s available year-round. After my not-so-excited review of the Pistachio Cream Cold Brew back in January, I was delighted with this one.

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Tall
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 10 grams of total fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 22 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 185 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich and Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream

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Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich Box

Let me start this review by saying I absolutely love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Has been, and always will be my favorite candy. I just can’t get enough of that amazing chocolate and peanut butter combo. I’m usually shocked when I find out someone doesn’t like them. Case in point: I joke that the only flaw of my boss is she doesn’t love Reese’s. All this said, I was super excited to find out Reese’s is releasing a new line of frozen treats.

Reese' Peanut Butter Sandwich Wafer Top

The first item I tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich. It’s described as “peanut butter frozen dairy dessert filling with a signature Reese’s peanut butter swirl packed between two chocolate wafers.” Upon opening, the sandwich was about the size of my palm – enough to be satisfying without overdoing it. The chocolate wafer portion was thinner than I expected.

Middle of the Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich showing side view of wafers and ice cream

Interestingly, on first bite, it actually had a hint of coffee flavor, which I think came from the chocolate. Further tasting brought no more coffee, just chocolate. The sandwich does have more of a peanut butter taste, though. To me, that’s the main reason this does not taste exactly like a Reese’s – the candy gives a pretty even chocolate-to-peanut butter ratio. Here, the focus is on the peanut butter. If you want a Reese’s, this isn’t quite it, but it still proves to be a delicious treat.

The peanut butter swirls in the ice cream were amazing, but I just wish there were more of them. They added a nice texture, especially since the wafers were so thin. And the ice cream itself felt light and sweet.

All in all, I thought this was good and something I’d eat again. Here’s a quote from my three-year-old, a budding opinionated reviewer himself: “It’s good, like Reese’s peanut butter.” Ah, the wise words of the young!

Reese's Light Ice Cream Tub

The next treat we tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream. This one is “light peanut butter ice cream with chunks of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a Reese’s peanut butter swirl.” Now THIS is what we’re talking about if you want a dessert that tastes more like the candy. I was thrilled to see this one had pieces of the cups loaded inside. (Although I did get worried when I first took off the lid – the ice cream was so smooth at the top with no chunks in sight. Alas, they were there when I dug in. Phew!)

Top of Reese's Light Ice Cream tub. Digging in reveals the Reese's cup chunks and peanut butter swirls

Once again, the peanut butter swirls were a big positive and an excellent addition to the peanut butter ice cream. I would think both the sandwiches and the ice cream use the same ice cream base, but for some reason this one had a stronger peanut butter taste AND smell. Not complaining! The amount of candy chunks per spoonful was definitely acceptable. I’d happily eat this ice cream all year round, even in the chilly winter of the Midwest where I live.

Reese's Light Ice Cream in a bowl

If you’re a Reese’s fan, I recommend you give these a try. They are nice additions to the Reese’s product lineup!

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Reese’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: Four sandwiches (Sandwich) and 1.5 quart (Light Ice Cream)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Sandwich), 9 out of 10 (Light Ice Cream)
Nutrition Facts: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich (One sandwich, 81 grams) 240 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein. Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream (2/3 cup) 230 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 24 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brew

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New Year, New Starbucks drink. That’s the saying, right? Back in 2021, Starbucks introduced a Pistachio Latte. Two years later, the pistachio flavor is now being adapted into a cold brew with the Pistachio Cream Cold Brew. This one has the signature Starbucks cold brew coffee with pistachio cold foam and a salted brown butter topping.

A quick reference to my 2021 Pistachio Latte review reminded me that I LOVED it. But this one? It wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t bad either. A “meh” kind of beverage, if you will.

The cold brew itself is just that: cold brew. With 145 milligrams of caffeine in a tall, you’re definitely getting a good caffeine hit for the day. (A venti boasts 275 milligrams of caffeine.) The pistachio cold foam is where the drink fell flat for me. At first sip, I liked that it was mellow and subtlety sweet. But the flavor of the pistachio syrup in the cold foam did not shine through. It was missing the nutty taste I hoped for and was masked by the coffee-ness of the cold brew. I was also surprised to see the drink had 25 grams of sugar, as it definitely didn’t taste that sweet. If something has 25 grams of sugar, I want it to tame my sweet tooth!

Also lacking, just like my one negative of the latte, was the salted brown butter topping. This had the potential to be such a scene stealer, but I barely had any on my drink and none of the flavor came through. Of course, this might depend on if the barista making your drink is heavy-handed with the topping or not. A quick recon in the Starbucks app shows that you can ask for extra topping. Let me know in the comments if you try that – it might convince me to give it a go and see if the flavor adjusts!

That all being said, the drink was still decent and totally palatable. It just didn’t knock my socks off. I did start to like it more as I kept drinking and the cold foam began to settle into the cold brew. It’s not something I’d go back to in a heartbeat, but I may have to try the Pistachio Latte iced for a comparison.

Purchased Price: $4.75
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 12 grams of total fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of protein, and 145 milligrams of caffeine.

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