Comparing Starbucks’ Lavender Lemonade To TikTok’s Secret Drink

Lavender really has taken over Starbucks’ spring menu with all-new cold foam, Frappuccinos, and lattes featuring the floral ingredient. Something noticeably absent at first, though, was a lavender lemonade.

When you think of lavender-fueled beverages, a flavored lemonade is likely at the top of your list. So when Starbucks unveiled its seasonal menu in March *without* an all-new lemonade, customers were very surprised. Naturally, TikTokers came up with a secret menu order that utilizes Starbucks’ lemonade and the coffee giant’s brand-new lavender powder.

Shortly after these off-the-menu versions made waves, Starbucks heard its customers cries and launched a limited-time Lavender Lemonade in April.

Never one to NOT try a new Starbucks drink, I tried both the TikTok and official versions of the beverage to find out which one is the better sip.

There Are 2 Ways To Order TikTok’s Secret Starbucks Lavender Lemonade

The first version I saw on my FYP of TikTok’s Lavender Lemonade requires a few customizations that you can do in the app for mobile ordering or in-store. According to @whoslulugirl_2, you’ll want to order:

• A venti lemonade
• 3 scoops of lavender powder
• 2 pumps of vanilla syrup

The vanilla helps cut down the floral flavors with a bit of sweetness, and with all the add-ins, the drink comes out to be around $5.

The second Starbucks Lavender Lemonade going around TikTok is a bit more complicated. For this one, you’ll need to go in a café to order from a barista since the customizations aren’t available in the app. When ordering, ask for:

• A venti Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Starbucks Refresher — without the strawberry inclusions
• 1 scoop of lavender powder

This drink was about $6.

For both of these drinks, you can adjust the scoops and pumps depending on the size you’re getting, but the amount of powder you put in can affect the shade. Overall, both of these drinks are gorgeous — but not quite purple — and fit in with the spring season vibes.

Starbucks’ Lavender Lemonade Is Intense

I had to scroll down pretty far on the app to find where the Lavender Lemonade was. Once I found it, it was easy to order. The app suggested a grande lemonade with three scoops of the lavender powder for $5. This is different than the TikTok versions, which were both ventis.

Right away, I anticipated that it was going to be overwhelmingly lavender-flavored — and it was. The first sip was packed with sour and floral flavors that really felt like they punched me in the face. It’s intense, but actually woke me up and helped with that mid-day slump feeling. This is a Lavender Lemonade for fans of big flavors, but for everyone else, I highly suggest trying out TikTok’s more subtle versions instead.

Here’s How Starbucks’ All-New Lavender Lemonade Compares To TikTok’s Creations

When it comes to TikTok’s lavender lemonades, there is a clear winner. The lemonade with three scoops of lavender and vanilla syrup is the way to go. This gives you a similarly strong lavender and lemonade drink like Starbucks’ version, but with a sweet aftertaste of vanilla. While I found it to be a bit intense as well, the vanilla really helped to mellow out the strong sour and floral flavors.

If I were to order Starbucks’ Lavender Lemonade again, I would get a venti version with two scoops of lavender powder and one pump of vanilla. The vanilla is a must, because it helps to subdue the sourness while adding a nice, sweet touch. If you like more sweet and flavorful drinks, you’ll enjoy the TikTok recipe as is.

If you’re not a huge fan of lavender, but want a subtle lemonade version, I would go with the strawberry acai version. This was definitely just a Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher, but with a hint of the lavender thanks to that one scoop of powder. TBH, I wouldn’t categorize this as a lavender lemonade at all, but it’s a great start for newbies to the flavor. If you do want more lavender present, I would suggest adding in more scoops of the powder.

Ultimately, all three of these lemonades are great if you want a refreshing drink to keep cool on a warm spring day.