Looking for a way to spice up your trips to Starbucks during the autumn season? You’ll be wondering what the best Starbucks apple drinks are!
During the fall season, the Starbucks company not only has an Apple Brown Sugar syrup and topping, but an Apple Juice mixture. These ingredients can be used in some of Starbucks’ more popular official recipes, such as the Caramel Apple Spice and the Apple Brown Sugar Macchiato, but in fan-made recipes like the Apple Martini Rgresher.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a list of the Top 10 Apple Drinks Starbucks can create, both official and unofficial!
What are the Best Starbucks Apple Drinks?
The best apple drinks made by Starbucks are the ones that include those ingredients which just make you think of sweet apples, harvest time, and curling up with a nice drink and getting cozy! These can be found below:
- Caramel Apple Spice
- Caramel Apple Frappuccino
- Peach Apple Lemonade
- Spiced Apple Pie
- Apple Pie Frappuccino
- Caramel Apple Spice Frappuccino
- Apple Crisp Macchiato
- Apple Chai Latte
- Apple Pie a la Mode Frappuccino
- Apple Martini Frappuccino
Let’s take a look at not only how to order these beverages, but what goes into them that makes them so delicious when you’re craving apple flavors!
1. Caramel Apple Spice
The caramel apple spice is unique, not just on this list, but among all of Starbucks’ other recipes no matter what the season! Why, you ask? Because the Caramel Apple Spice doesn’t contain any coffee or tea products!
You may be wondering why a coffee company would create something so out-of-character, but the truth is, the Caramel Apple Spice is Starbucks’ genius take on a traditional Apple Cider drink.
Though it does contain sugar in the form of Cinnamon Dolce syrup and a drizzle of delicious caramel sauce, this beverage has no caffeine! That, and the decadent whipped cream it is topped with, makes the Caramel Apple Spice ideal for kids and adults alike.
The only downside to this drink is that it often comes extremely hot thanks to the juice’s fast-steaming makeup. If you’re not careful, sipping the beverage too quickly through the layer of cool whipped cream can result in a burnt tongue! Remember, baristas will offer you a safer temperature of beverage if you simply ask for “Kids Temp” when ordering!
2. Caramel Apple Frappuccino
The Caramel Apple Frappuccino is not an official Starbucks recipe, so depending on the experience level of your local baristas, you may have to explain the contents of this delightful drink.
Like all Starbucks Frappuccinos, this beverage is blended up with the consistency and temperature of a slushy, or milkshake. Most Starbucks frapps include Whole Milk, Starbucks’ Frappuccino syrups, and ice, with a coffee roast option included. However, the Caramel Apple Frappuccino is a “cream” Frappuccino, meaning it doesn’t typically receive coffee content.
Instead, the Caramel Apple Frappuccino contains coconut milk instead of Whole Milk. This adds to the light, fruity taste which is essential to making the whole thing remind you of biting into a green apple. That, and the green tea and apple juice you’ll need to ask baristas to include!
Topping the Caramel Apple Frappuccino is caramel drizzle, which matches the caramel sauce added to the beverage. To make this drink dairy-free, all you need to do is request no whipped cream.
3. Peach Apple Lemonade
Another unofficial favorite Starbucks can craft for you is the Peach Apple Lemonade. Peach Apple Lemonade is much like Starbucks’ other refreshers; it is prepared in a shaker so that the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and chilled.
Because this drink is not on Starbucks’ menu, order it by asking for a Lemonade in the size of your choice, then ask to add both Peach refresher base and Apple Juice. It is important to note that Starbucks does not actually have a “peach syrup,” so if you’re looking for more of that flavor in your Lemonade, you’ll need to specifically request more of the refresher base!
Otherwise, this fruit-flavored beverage will have equal parts Lemonade, peach tea, and apple juice, making it a sweet enough refresher on it’s own. Don’t forget, though; a barista is happy to add either the Liquid Cane Sugar or Classic Sugar syrup if you’d like it even sweeter!
4. Spiced Apple Pie
The Spiced Apple Pie used to be a popular off-menu choice at Starbucks. It involved ordering a traditional Caramel Apple Spice, then letting your barista know that you wanted a splash of Hot Passion Tango Herbal Tea added in!
This comined caramel sauce, Cinnamon Dolce syrup, and apple juice with that delightful tang and extra fruity-flavor found in the Passion Tango. However, unfortunately, Starbucks discontinued their Hot Passion Tango Herbal Tea bags in the year 2018.
The good news is, this does not mean that the Spiced Apple Pie is gone forever! Starbucks still sells the Iced brew of their similar Passion Tea. Simply make sure your barista knows you would like a Caramel Apple Spice with “half Steamed Passion Tea” mixed in, and you’ll have your Spiced Apple Pie!
5. Apple Pie Frappuccino
The Apple Pie Frappuccino used to be one of Starbucks’ more prominent offerings around the holiday season, though it was never officially on the corporate menus! Unlike the hot Spiced Apple Pie beverage above, the Apple Pie Frappuccino is cold, blended, and does not include Passion Tango Tea!
Instead, order the Apple Pie Frappuccino by ordering a cream-based Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino and asking for it to be made with one part Heavy Whipping Cream and one part Apple Juice to replace the traditional Whole Milk portion of the recipe. Then, simply make sure your barista knows you still want whipped cream and cinnamon dolce powder on the top!
This will leave your Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino transformed into a richer, more decadent drink with that warm apple flavor that earns it the Apple Pie name! Remember: this recipe does not include any coffee, so if you’d like that changed, let your barista know!
6. Caramel Apple Spice Frappuccino
Though the name sounds similar to the Caramel Apple Frappuccino, this beverage does not have any green tea. Instead, it is a frozen version of the Apple Cider-type drink, Caramel Apple Spice.
Though this drink is delicious, it is not commonly ordered. Your barista may be able to infer what you’re asking for, but just in case, the drink is made with one part Whole Milk, one part Apple Juice, Cinnamon Dolce syrup, and caramel drizzle! For the best results, request caramel drizzle inside the cup to make sure that sweetness is in every sip. This drink is caffeine-free.
7. Apple Crisp Macchiato
The Apple Crisp Macchiato is one of the few drinks on this list that Starbucks actually advertises on their menus each fall season! It comes with it’s own syrup and specially-flavored drizzle. The Apple Crisp Macchiato is a layered Espresso beverage which can be ordered iced or hot.
What does “layered” mean? Well, the barista will not stir the drink before offering it to you, meaning the Apple Crisp syrup will rest on the bottom of the cup, covered in milk and topped with Espresso and a cinnamon-apple flavored drizzle.
The benefit of this drink is that it is highly caffeinated and offers a unique experience every sip, with the flavor changing bit by bit as you drink. Altogether, the drink tastes a bit like Apple Jacks or an apple-flavored candy with a hint of coffee.
If you’d like the flavors more fully incorporated, you can ask your barista to stir it, or order it “Upside Down.” This is true of all macchiatos!
8. Apple Chai Latte
The Apple Chai Latte is not served officially by Starbucks, but if you simply ask for a Chai Latte with half-Apple Juice, half-milk, you’ll have a delicious autumn-flavored twist on the Chai.
Starbucks’ Tazo Chai Tea concentrate is already pretty cinnamon-flavored with a spiced, vanilla-like taste. Adding Apple Juice not only cuts the richness, but adds one more pleasing layer to that experience. You can also order this drink iced!
9. Apple Pie a la Mode Frappuccino
This rarely-ordered Frappuccino may sound complex, but it’s taste is well worth the ordering process! It is actually very similar to the Caramel Apple Pie Frappuccino, with one notable exception: instead of Heavy Whipping Cream, ask for a Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino to be made with Starbucks’ Vanilla Sweet Cream and Apple Juice.
The Vanilla Sweet Cream is a milk mixture made with Heavy Whipping cream and lots of vanilla: it is basically liquid ice cream. Adding such a thing to the Apple and Cinnamon Dolce Syrup, with plenty of caramel drizzle and whipped cream makes a very sweet treat!
10. Apple Martini Frappuccino
Last but certainly not least, the Apple Martini Frappuccino is another secret-menu beverage that works best if you prefer something cold and refreshing in the harvest season.
It requires Starbucks’ Kiwi Starfruit Lemonade Refresher to be ordered, with your choice of Apple Crisp Syrup pumps inside.
For the best experience, make sure the barista knows that you’d like an additional splash of lemonade concentrate added on top, after the rest of the drink has been shaken up.
Starbucks cuts the lemonade concentrate they use with water for most of their Refreshers; asking for one more splash of that concentrate without the dilution of water will have the effect of freshly-squeezed lemon juice!
One other thing to note: Starbucks’ Kiwi Refresher tea has not been seen on menus during the year 2020 due to a drop in popularity. Though most Starbucks stores still carry the tea bags needed to make the Kiwi Refresher tea, be prepared; they may not have it brewed and ready due to the rarity of people ordering it.
The new Pineapple Tango Refresher base is a good alternative, though it will change the taste a bit!
In Conclusion
In conclusion, Starbucks’ apple ingredients make great seasonal favorites! Some of these are Starbucks’ corporate recipes and can be found on seasonal menus or on the Starbucks app, including Caramel Apple Spice and Apple Crisp Macchiatos. However, if you’re looking for an Apple Martini Frappuccino or an Apple Pie Frappuccino, refer to this list to order!