Butterfly Drink Recipe (Creamy Purple Drink Better Than Starbucks)

August 13, 2026

Butterfly Drink Recipe (Creamy Purple Drink Better Than Starbucks)

This Butterfly Drink recipe is a creamy, fruity purple refresher made with butterfly pea tea, coconut milk, vanilla, and berries. It has the gorgeous color of a coffee-shop refresher, but this homemade version has a richer berry flavor and creamier finish.

If you're searching for the viral Starbucks Butterfly Drink, this version gives you the same dreamy purple look while making it easy to customize at home.

Recipe Summary

Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 large drink

Ingredients

2 butterfly pea tea bags

½ cup hot water

½ cup frozen blueberries

¼ cup frozen strawberries

¾ cup chilled coconut milk beverage

1–2 tablespoons vanilla syrup

1 tablespoon simple syrup or honey, optional

Ice

Optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract for an extra creamy vanilla flavor.

How to Make a Butterfly Drink

1. Brew the butterfly pea tea

Steep the butterfly pea tea bags in ½ cup hot water for about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and let the tea cool completely.

For a stronger purple color, use two tea bags rather than making the tea overly diluted.

2. Make the berry base

Add the frozen blueberries and strawberries to a blender with about ¼ cup of the cooled butterfly pea tea.

Blend until smooth.

You can strain the mixture if you want a smoother coffee-shop-style drink, but I prefer leaving it slightly pulpy because you get more real berry flavor.

3. Build the drink

Fill a large glass with ice.

Pour in:

Berry mixture

Remaining butterfly pea tea

Vanilla syrup

Coconut milk

Stir gently until the colors swirl together into a creamy lavender-purple drink.

Taste and add a little simple syrup if you'd like it sweeter.

Why This One Is Better Than Starbucks

The goal isn't just to recreate a pretty purple drink. This version actually tastes like berries.

Frozen blueberries give it a deeper berry flavor and naturally complement the blue-purple color of butterfly pea tea. Strawberries add sweetness, while coconut milk turns everything creamy without making the drink heavy.

And because you're making it yourself, you control how sweet and creamy it is.

Make It Extra Creamy

For an even creamier Butterfly Drink, use ½ cup coconut milk beverage + ¼ cup canned coconut milk.

That small amount of richer coconut milk gives it an almost dessert-like texture without turning the entire drink into a smoothie.

Can I Make It Without Caffeine?

Yes. Butterfly pea flower tea is naturally caffeine-free, so this recipe is already a great option when you want a fun café-style drink without coffee.

Just check the specific tea blend you're using because some packaged butterfly pea teas contain additional caffeinated ingredients.

What Does a Butterfly Drink Taste Like?

Butterfly pea tea itself has a mild earthy flavor, so the berries, vanilla, and coconut are what really make this drink.

The finished drink tastes creamy, lightly sweet, fruity and berry-forward, with vanilla rounding everything out.

Final Notes

Serve your Butterfly Drink immediately while it's icy cold. For the prettiest presentation, pour the coconut milk in last and photograph it before stirring so you get those blue, purple, lavender and creamy white swirls.