The Starbucks secret-menu drinks are real, and each one is spectacular. There’s no end to the delicious, highly Instagrammable creations and hacks on the hidden Starbucks menu, including everything from candy-inspired Frappuccinos to gem-colored TikTok refreshers. The world is truly your sippable oyster, one pump of cinnamon dolce syrup at a time.
While the best Starbucks drinks may already exist (looking at you, hot-girl drink of choice: the Oat Milk Shaken Espresso) on the established menu, the coffee chain’s long list of customizable options means that there are endless ways to experiment with your next caffeine fix. We know you love your pumpkin spice latte and cold brew, but live a little! Some of the best secret-menu items take something simple, like hot chocolate, and make it worthy of the Starbucks holiday-drinks lineup with just a simple syrup addition. Or several pumps of caramel.
The trick to mastering Starbucks’s secret-menu items is all in how you order. (The brand has even been known to share a few recipe ideas of its own on social media.) But simply asking for “the Purple Drink” won’t cut it (and will probably bug your barista). You have to be specific when it comes to what’s in them.
Also, do your research first: The company sometimes changes up its established menu—they dropped 13 beverages in spring 2025, for example—which means that certain syrups may no longer be available. That said, you can easily customize your drink on the Starbucks app, so ordering there is always an option. If a syrup isn’t on offer, it simply won’t be available in the app.
And if that all still feels too intimidating, try experimenting at home first. Order a variety of Starbucks syrups and at-home coffees and go crazy.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up 41 of the best secret Starbucks drinks, each with their designated Starbucks recipe for exactly how to order these sugar highs in a cup.
1. Biscotti Frappuccino
- Order a Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino.
- Ask your barista to blend a biscotti into your Frappuccino.
- Order an iced Passion tea.
- Add soy milk, vanilla syrup, and berries.
3. Cake Batter Frappuccino
- Order a Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino.
- Add 1 pump hazelnut syrup.
- Ask your barista to add 1 Starbucks Birthday Cake Pop into the blender.
4. Apple Pie Frappuccino
- Ask for ½ cup milk combined with ½ cup apple juice.
- Add 2 pumps each cinnamon dolce syrup and caramel syrup.
- Add ice and blend.
5. Grasshopper Frappuccino
- Order a Mocha Frappuccino.
- Add java chips and 1–2 pumps of peppermint syrup.
6. Cookie Monster Macchiato
- Order a Caramel Macchiato.
- Ask for sugar cookie syrup instead of vanilla syrup.
- Add cookie crumble topping.
7. Nutella Drink
- Order a Caffe Misto.
- Add 1 pump each of Starbucks chocolate drinks’ secret weapons: mocha sauce and hazelnut syrup.
- Top with a caramel drizzle.
8. “Liquid Cocaine”
- Order 4 shots espresso.
- Add 4 pumps white chocolate mocha sauce.
- Pour into grande cup with ice and fill with milk.
9. Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato
- Order an Iced Soy Caramel Macchiato (upside down).
- Add 1–2 pumps each vanilla syrup and cinnamon dolce syrup.
10. Banana Split Frappuccino
- Order a Strawberry Crème Frappuccino.
- Add vanilla bean powder, java chips, and a whole banana.
- Top with whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and caramel drizzle.
