Starbucks Drink Hacks You Haven't Thought Of Yet
Starbucks reportedly can make as many as 87,000 different drinks. With all of the syrup flavors, fruits, milk types, garnishes, toppings, fruits, and other add-ins the chain offers, that daily caffeine and sugar fix could be something different every day of your life. Also, with so many options, there's no way Starbucks could list all of them on their menu board. The result: "Starbucks hacks" have taken the internet by storm. People share their recipes for some new drink that supposedly tastes exactly like some famous dessert, breakfast cereal, candy bar...or something entirely new. Here are some of the best and freshest choices from the Starbucks "Secret Menu." Just keep in mind that Starbucks baristas may have no idea what you're talking about, as there is no official "Secret Menu." If you've got a drink in mind, tell them how to make it and what goes into it. And prepare to pay a bit more—syrups, flavorings, fruits, and toppings are all subject to extra charges.
Neapolitan Frappuccino
It's just like the Neapolitan ice cream flavor: equal parts chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry (but with a hint of caffeine). Start by ordering a Strawberries-and-Creme Frappuccino, then ask for vanilla bean powder to be added in, as well as a pump of mocha syrup, and then top it with mocha drizzle. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry: all represented.
Three C's Latte
This one is hot, simple, and extremely rich. The three C's stand for: cinnamon, chocolate, and caramel. It's basically a Cinnamon Dolce Latte, along with a couple of pumps of chocolate syrup, and then a single pump of caramel syrup.
Crunchberry Frappuccino
It reportedly tastes just like Cap'n Crunch Crunchberries, the only difference being that the drink doesn't cut up your mouth. The recipe: a Strawberries-and-Creme Frappuccino, along with a pump of toffee nut syrup, a pump of hazelnut syrup, and a pump of caramel syrup. Finish the thing off by throwing some java chips on top, to really put the "crunch" in "Cap'n Crunch."
Snowball Frappuccino
This blended drink conjures up both the look and feel of winter, except that it's, you know, cold. Get this one by ordering a grande White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino as the base drink, ask for 1.5 pumps of toffee nut syrup and 1.5 pumps of hazelnut syrup (more if you're addicted to the stuff), and top it off with whipped cream and that crunchy caramel brulée topping.
Butterbeer Latte
Nobody knows exactly what's supposed to go into butterbeer, the delicious-sounding drink enjoyed by Harry Potter and his wizard friends, but this Starbucks hack is a viable contender for what butterbeer might taste like, only in latte form. To get this, order a standard latte with two pumps of caramel syrup, two pumps of toffee nut syrup, and two pumps of cinnamon dolce syrup. Get it topped with whipped cream and salted caramel bits, and you're good to go. No magic required.
Cotton Candy Frappuccino
Cotton candy looks pretty impressive, but it's just the result of some basic science: sugar + heat + motion = cotton candy. The Starbucks Cotton Candy Frappuccino is almost as simple. Take a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, add in a pump or two of raspberry syrup, and enjoy! It's all the fun of carnival cotton candy, minus any carnie barkers trying to wrest your money through some impossible ring toss game.
Blue Drink
Very little in nature is truly blue, but this drink really is very, very, berry, berry blue, even though none of the ingredients themselves are blue. It's just the magic of mixing that makes it happen. Ask for a Passion Iced Tea with soy milk, a pump of vanilla syrup, and you've got yourself a blue drink. Or rather, a Blue Drink.
The ultimate in caffeine
Starbucks regular drip coffee is quite strong, but sometimes it's not quite strong enough for what your day entails. The "Red Eye" is a common coffee shop hack: a regular drip coffee with an espresso shot added in, but there are stronger variations available at Starbucks. The "Black Eye" is a regular coffee with two shots tossed in. The "Green Eye" is coffee plus three shots of espresso. And then there's "Liquid Cocaine:" coffee, plus four shots, and four pumps of white chocolate syrup, all poured over ice. Drink it quickly and not only will you have hacked Starbucks with this drink, you'll also have hacked the ability to never sleep again.