Mango Dragon Fruit Lemonade

If you like the mango dragon fruit refresher from Starbucks, you're going to LOVE this recipe! Now you can make your own mango dragon fruit lemonade at home - it only takes a few ingredients! 

Last week my girls discovered the mango dragon fruit refreshers at Starbucks. They were absolutely delighted with them (I mean - even the name is fun!). They loved the vibrant magenta color and refreshing combination of flavors.

Since I already had freeze-dried dragon fruit powder (also known as pitaya powder) on hand from making the pitaya bowls, I thought I'd try to duplicate the recipe, much to the delight of my children (and my wallet - these drinks can be $4-7 each)!

What Is Dragon Fruit

Pitaya/dragon fruit is a tropical fruit indigenous to Central America. It is considered to be a superfruit, meaning it’s nutrient dense and high in antioxidants. Dragon fruit tastes similar to a pear or kiwi, though my daughter thinks it tastes a little like passion fruit, too!

Why Add It To Lemonade

When added to lemonade, dragon fruit adds a unique flavor (and color!) that elevates it and takes it from "a nice drink" to a stunning and exquisite beverage.

Forms of Dragon Fruit You Can Use In This Recipe

Depending on where you live in the world, you might be limited on what forms of dragon fruit you have access to. This is why I created this recipe you can use whatever form you find most convenient.

1. Freeze-Dried Dragon Fruit Powder (also known as Pitaya Powder)- The freeze-dried pitaya powder is made using the red-fleshed dragon fruit and is a deep rich magenta. In some parts of the world, ripe or frozen dragon fruit is hard to come by, yet this powder can easily be found online, or at your local health food store.
2. Dried Red Dragon Fruit Chips- These dried chips can be broken up into smaller pieces to be used in this mango dragon fruit lemonade. It will take them a minute or two to rehydrate, but they work really well, and can easily be stored in the pantry. I bought mine online.
3. Dragon Fruit Frozen Bite-Sized Cubes- I was really surprised to find frozen dragon fruit at not one, but two of our local grocery stores in Alaska! If your grocery store has them in stock, you will find them with the other frozen fruits.

If you enjoy coffee-house-style drinks, you'll also enjoy a cherry Italian soda, coconut matcha latte, and strawberry acai refresher.

Starbucks Mango Dragon Fruit Refresher vs. This Recipe

While I'd love to tell you this homemade dragon fruit refresher recipe tastes just like the Starbucks version, I can't - BUT, it's very close. My girls and I purchased the Starbucks drink and compared it to our version. We kept tweaking our recipe until we got it just right.

The Starbucks mango dragon fruit refresher contains a natural green coffee flavor and has caffeine, but ours does not. If you find yourself missing the added caffeine, you can try adding a small amount of this green coffee bean powder for an added boost.

Overview: How To Make Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade

• Add the lemonade, white grape juice, and mango juice to a 16-ounce glass. Remember to shake the individual juices up (make sure the caps are on tight!) prior to measuring them out. This is especially important with the mango juice and the lemonade since they both tend to settle as they sit.
• Add the dragon fruit- either the freeze-dried powder, the dehydrated chips, or the frozen cubes, prior to adding ice to your glass. This gives the dragon fruit the chance to dissolve, rehydrate, and/or melt, turning the yellow/orange drink into deep magenta. Let sit for at least 2-5 minutes before adding ice.
• With the dragon fruit powder, you may get clumping. So take the back of a spoon and smooth the clumps up against the glass. Here, in the picture below, you can see how the pitaya powder starts to change the color of the yellow/orange drink.

Other Dragon Fruit Recipes To Try

Dairy-Free Dragon Fruit Ice Cream from XOXO Bella
Dragon Fruit Mojito from Ciao Florentina
Dragon Fruit Salad from Mind Over Munch

Did you make this recipe? If you did, please give it a star rating and leave a review or comment below! And remember to take a pic and share it on social! Tag @allergyfreeak or #allergyfreealaska on Instagram!