I have to give it to the keto dieters; it’s not easy living on a low-carb, high-fat diet with little to no sugar. I tried it and failed miserably, and decided I’m better off sticking to an all-carb diet. The one thing that bothered me the most was not having a clue as to what I could order at Starbucks, considering I have it every other day. This got me thinking, though. What if there was a menu laid out specific to keto? Well, thank your lucky stars, because here’s a list of some keto-friendly Starbucks secret menu items.
#SpoonTip: When you order off the Starbucks app, it gives you the nutrition facts about your drink, or at least an estimate.
Pink Drink
The keto-friendly Pink Drink is definitely a crowdpleaser. Basically, it’s a keto version of the OG Pink Drink, but with completely different ingredients. It’s gotten a lot of attention all over Instagram, and people have said it reminds them of the Starbucks Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino.
To order this drink, tell your barista you want unsweetened passion tango tea with 2-3 pumps of sugar-free (SF) vanilla syrup, heavy or light creamer, and Splenda if you need a little more of a sugary taste.
Green Drink
You’ll recognize this beauty from the rainbow line that Starbucks released back in 2016. The Green Drink is an unsweetened iced black tea mixed with 1-2 scoops of matcha powder, 2-3 pumps of SF vanilla syrup, and coconut milk or heavy cream. And if you aren’t feeling the black tea, you can switch it for unsweetened iced green tea.
Now, before you get all upset about the matcha and coconut milk, hear me out. For every scoop of matcha, you’ll need to count about 6g of carbs, which isn’t that bad and can work with most people’s diets. And yes, Starbuck’s coconut milk contains sugar, but it’s still a good source of nutrients. Besides, you can always swap it out for heavy cream, and still get the same consistency and taste of the Green Drink. This goes for the rest of the drinks on this list, too.
Matcha Expresso Fusion
This three-layered drink is not only pretty, it’s simple to make. The bottom layer is made of 1 scoop of matcha powder mixed with water and ice, and you can make it sweet by adding 2-3 pumps of SF vanilla syrup. For the middle layer, you can use coconut milk or heavy cream. Then all you have to do is top it off with one or two espresso shots (aka affogato shots).
It’s important to note that if you want the drink to look like the picture, the layers need to be made in the exact order above. The best thing to do is to show your barista a picture when ordering, and they’ll know what to do from there.
Chai Tea Latte
The OG Chai Latte is made using a chai tea concentrate that contains a lot of sugar, which is a no-go for keto. To make it keto-friendly, Mr.Skinny Pants suggests asking your barista for 2 chai brewed tea bags with 2 shots of heavy whipping cream, and 2 pumps of SF cinnamon dolce. This way you can still enjoy the latte hot or cold.
Keto Macchiato
I’m a huge fan of the Caramel Macchiato with almond milk, but there’s also a keto-version. If you want to try this drink, Mr. Skinny Pants recommends an Americano with 3 parts water, 1 part heavy whipping cream, and 2 pumps of SF vanilla syrup mixed together for the base. Then pour the espresso shots over the top and decorate it with extra-light caramel drizzle.
Ristretto Bianco
The Ristretto Bianco is a little like a latte, but with a little more espresso. It’s one of those drinks you can customize in so many different ways. Per the Instagram post, it’s recommended that it be made with a double shot of espresso, a couple pumps of SF vanilla syrup, and heavy cream instead of milk for it to be keto-friendly.
White Tea Drink
This pretty little thing has become a fan favorite on Instagram recently. It doesn’t have an official name, but I call it the White Tea Drink. Several Instagram users posted about it saying its made with unsweetened Peach Citrus White Tea, 3-4 pumps of SF vanilla syrup, heavy cream, and no water. The Insta post above, however, made it with unsweetened black tea, so it’s really up to you on which tea you want to use.
Faux Frapp
All the Frappuccinos on Starbuck’s menu have a sugary base, so most keto dieters stay away from them. The Faux Frapp, on the other hand, is the closest thing you’ll get to the original without breaking your diet. To make this drink, ask your barista for a Cold Brew Coffee with heavy cream, and 2 pumps of both SF vanilla and SF cinnamon dolce syrup. Ask them to blend it Frapp style and you’ll be good to go.
Iced Quad Espresso
In case you’re wondering, “quad espresso” just means four straight shots of espresso. Espresso alone has 0 carbs and is usually a go-to drink for any dieter. But if that doesn’t sound appetizing to you, you can always mix it up like @lowcarbjennjenn on Instagram. She gets an iced quad espresso with a splash of heavy cream and adds cinnamon powder on top. If you want it to taste a little bit sweeter, you can always add any of the SF syrups.
Iced Cinnamon Refresher
If you love cinnamon, you’re gonna want to try this bad boy. It’s made using Cold Brew or unsweetened iced coffee (yes, there’s a difference) with heavy cream, light ice, no water, and 2-3 pumps of SF cinnamon dolce and SF vanilla syrup. A couple of people on Instagram also ask to have it topped with cinnamon powder for extra flavor.
This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of how many Starbucks keto-friendly drinks are out there, but it’s a start. These are just some of the most popular ones I saw on Instagram and around the Internet. So, to all keto dieters out there, do yourself a favor and save this list. It’ll definitely come in handy the next time you head to Starbucks.