Starbucks New Spicy Lemonade Refreshers and Spicy Cold Foam: Taste Test & Review

Starbucks has been experimenting with some interesting flavor combinations lately. From lavender coffee to olive oil-infused cold foam, 2024 has seen its fair share of divisive drinks – and it’s only April. The newest additions to Starbucks’ drink menu are their Spicy Lemonade Refreshers and Spicy Cold Foam.

I had to try all of these drinks as soon as they launched on April 16 to find out if they’d bring the heat or leave me feeling lukewarm. Read on for my taste test and review.

Taste Test

Spicy Pineapple Refresher – $5.25

Starbucks’ new Spicy Pineapple Refresher was the drink I was most excited about in this lineup. I’ve tried pineapple with chamoy in the past and enjoyed it, so I figured it would have a similar flavor profile – and it did!

This lemonade mixes pineapple, passionfruit, pineapple chunks, and their Spicy Chili Powder Blend for a physically cold drink that packs some real heat.

Be sure to mix your drink before taking a sip; otherwise, you’ll run the risk of gulping down a bunch of chili powder, which tends to sink to the bottom.

Spicy Strawberry Refresher – $5.25

I was a bit more skeptical about this drink since I don’t usually think of strawberries as a fruit that would go with spice. Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it was a pretty fun combination with strawberry chunks, acai, lemonade, and chili powder.

My only complaint with this drink is that it had a strong salty aftertaste that other drinks didn’t have. I don’t know where it came from, but it was less refreshing than all the others.

Spicy Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher – $5.25

Even though the label on my drink said “Spicy Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher,” I’m pretty sure my local Starbucks accidentally gave me two Spicy Pineapple refreshers instead of a dragonfruit and a pineapple.

My “dragonfruit” refresher was topped with pineapple chunks and tasted identical to the pineapple drink. After pulling out of the drive-thru, I also found out that this drink was supposed to be bright pink.

Starbucks’ new Spicy Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher “should” be a mix of lemonade, mango, real pieces of dragonfruit, and their Spicy Chili Powder Blend. Even though I didn’t get to try the proper version of this drink, I imagine it has a very similar fruity-spicy profile to the other two lemonades.

Spicy Cream Cold Foam – $1.45

I was fully prepared to hate Starbucks’ new spicy cold foam. It’s an extra charge of $1.45 to add to a drink, which is a lot to pay since I was doubtful if it would even taste good.

But oh, was I wrong – this stuff is actually really good! I paired it with the Iced Chai Latte because I figured the spices would go well together. When I first tasted the cold foam, it tasted like any other regular cold foam.

Then, after a few seconds, the heat hit me. It wasn’t enough heat to keep me from taking another sip (maybe the dairy counteracted some of the spice), but it was just enough to bring a whole new depth of flavor to one of my go-to drinks.

Grab or Pass?

I recommend grabbing one of Starbucks’ new Spicy Lemonade Refreshers. They weren’t my favorite drink of all time, and I probably will stick with their regular refreshers in the future, but they’re a fun, unique treat to enjoy in the warm weather.

I’d also recommend grabbing a drink with Spicy Cold Foam, particularly an Iced Chai. The spiciness of the cold foam isn’t quite as jarring when mixed with the warming spices already present in chai.

If you can only try one of these products, go for the Spicy Pineapple Refresher or an Iced Chai with Spicy Cold Foam.