Coffee snobs around me always say: “You don’t go to Starbucks for good coffee, you go there for diabetes.” Yes, indie coffee shops may be overtaking the Singaporean caffeine scene with their cold brews and Chemex pour overs, but is it unrefined of us to unapologetically crave the frappacino sugar-highs of our neighbourhood Buck? After all, some of just crave for that overly sweet sugar rush and customizability of the Green Mermaid, coffee quality be damned.
But to truly stand out at Starbucks, you must have a signature order – the more unique, the better. We’ve snooped around and scouted out off-the-table drinks and even interviewed self-professed Singaporean frappuccino junkies. So here are 10 secret Starbuck drinks, eyebrow-raising orders that’ll pique the curiosity of the cutie in the corner, enough for he or she to give you – and your drink – a second glance.
Disclaimer: We took the pictures of all these drinks ourselves from various outlets in Singapore. However, not all starbucks staff may know the recipes by hand. The general rule of thumb for “secret menus” is this – the baristas can make the drinks if you show them the recipes. We even filmed a vlog where we got the barista to make every drink in this list!! Watch it below!
For the times with no access to pints of Ben and Jerry’s because there aren’t any supermarkets in the immediate vicinity, Starbucks has you covered with the Chunky Monkey Frappuccino. Recreate the comforting fudge-y and walnut-ty banana bonanza you get in a tub of B&J’s, with a whole banana and mocha, hazelnut, AND caramel syrup.
Calling for a pump of almost all syrups on offer, you’ll definitely want to reconsider having this frappe as a daily treat or risk becoming the chunky monkey.
Recipe (Tall)
Banana ($1.00)
Vanilla Creme Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 pump mocha syrup ($0.70)
1 pump hazelnut syrup ($0.70)
1 pump caramel syrup ($0.70)
Top with caramel drizzle and mocha drizzle
Price: $9.10
Ogre-green makes for a happy hue and a happy you
Order this anytime you’re bog-ged down by the stresses of life, because this frappe not only brightens your day with its sweet shade of swamp, it sure perks you up with an additional espresso shot. You’ll be feeling extra chipper – Java Chips are blended right in and sprawled some on top for good measure.
Recipe (Tall)
Green Tea Creme Frappuccino ($6.40)
Java Chips ($0.70)
Espresso Shot ($0.80)
Top with whipped cream and Java Chips
Price: $8.00
Ariana Grande – not sure if pop-star singer or exotic Starbucks order.
Named after baby-faced beauty Ariana Grande, we can’t promise it’ll confer Ari’s everlasting beauty and youth, but you’ll be left starstrucked by the funky, albeit confusing sweet-sour raspberry mocha pop party in your mouth.
Best enjoyed Grande sized.
Recipe (Tall)
Vanilla Creme Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 Pump Raspberry Syrup ($0.70)
1 Pump Mocha Syrup ($0.70)
Top with whipped cream and caramel drizzle
Price: $7.40
Here’s the Iced Hibiscus Mango Passion Fruit Tea + Soy Milk.
Imagine a milky consistency with a punch of passionfruit. You might wonder how hibiscus and mango could ever taste like grape, but no kidding – that’s what this drink tastes like.
Recipe (Grande)
Iced Hibiscus Mango Passion Fruit Tea ($4.40)
Add Soy Milk ($0.60)
Price: $5.00
No one knows when a Nutella craving will strike. As much as we wish we could publicly devour the Italian chocolate crack straight out of jars, perhaps it’s best to spare civilised members of the public such traumatic nut-job behavior. This Nutella Frappe shall suffice instead.
A Java Chip Frappacino, a pump of mocha sauce and a spurt of hazelnut syrup and presto you’ve liquid Nutella!
Protip: request for some java chips blended the chunky consistency of Ferrero Rocher!
Recipe (Tall)
Java Chip Frappuccino ($6.80)
1 Pump Hazelnut Syrup ($0.70)
Top with mocha drizzle
Price: $7.50
This monstrosity will put the fear of frappes into Cookie Monster himself. First, choose between a Chocolate Chip or Coconut Monster Cookie, add two packs of butter, and blend into a Mocha Frappuccino!
The result is a thick decadent frappe that’s #omnomnomnom with crumbled cookie bits suspended in the buttery goodness. The best part is they don’t charge extra for butter, so yay to free calories!
Recipe (Tall)
Mocha Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 Monster Cookie ($3.90)
2 packs butter
Top with chocolate powder
Price: $9.90
This is what a fluffy pink unicorn in drink-form – you believe it exists but you’ve yet to see or taste its rosy magic. Simply razz up a regular Vanilla Creme Frappe with a pump of Raspberry Syrup and poof – you have a pink drink that proves one small tweak can be total flavour gamechanger.
It’s the closest thing to the cotton candy soda at Geylang Serai’s Ramadan Bazaar that you can get all year round.
Recipe (Tall)
Vanilla Creme Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 Pump Raspberry Syrup ($0.70)
Price: $6.70
Chai meets apple in this spiced up ice blended to give you the Chapple. Made with a cup of freshly sliced apples ($3.60) blended into a Chai Tea Frappuccino, your frappe indulgence can almost qualify as “healthy” with this nutritious boost of fibre and vitamin C!
Top this tea-rrific drink with a swirling of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon from the condiment counter. But beware, go easy on the spice, because too much will send you into a coughing frenzy.
Recipe (Tall)
Chai Tea Frappuccino ($6.00)
Freshly Sliced Apples ($3.60)
Top with cinnamon
Price: $9.60
The inspiration behind this drink was probably adapted from this Nespresso Machine Coffee Recipe – but if you’re environmentally-friendly and want to skip the capsule coffee, just ask the baristas for their Mango Passion Fruit Puree, topped with a shot of iced espresso and a layer of foam on top.
After stirring, it resembles a regular iced latte, but this strange bittersweet concoction, where the fruity taste of mango cuts the harsh bitterness of an espresso, proves that sometimes two unexpected things can do the tango.
Recipe (Grande)
Mango Passion Fruit Puree + Foam On Top ($6.00)
Espresso Shot ($0.80)
Price: $6.80
We’ve verified with the baristas – if they have the ingredients on hand, they can, and will blend it into a frappe for you. So you’ve the option of having any pastry, cake, even sandwich, liquified into slurpable form. If you’re playing it safe, stick with the tasty Raspberry White Chocolate Cheese Brulee Cheesecake, blended into a White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino.
Tip: For this photogenic ombre effect, ask for an empty cup to first be doused in raspberry syrup.
Recipe (Tall)
1 Raspberry White Chocolate Cheese Brulee Cheesecake ($6.50)
Vanilla Creme Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 Pump Raspberry Syrup ($0.70)
Price: $13.20
There isn’t a “fall” season in Singapore, but the kinds of “seasons” have are the Four Seasons Hotel, season parking and Seasons Ice Lemon Tea. And if you won’t settle for canned tea and prefer a comforting the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves – get the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, a “fall favorite” that you can now get anytime with a Chai Tea Latte + White Chocolate Syrup.
Recipe (Tall)
Chai Tea Latte ($5.70)
White Chocolate Mocha Syrup ($0.70)
Price: $6.40
Potterheads, this is a cause for celebration because you don’t have to head to the Three Broomsticks for a swig of Butterbeer Frappuccino. Fill up your muggle mugs with the taste of butterscotch, cream soda and shortbread cookies.
Unless you own a few time turners, you’ll only get to taste this at the end of every year, for this recipe calls for the exclusive toffeenut syrup, available only during the Christmas period!
Recipe
Vanilla Creme Frappuccino ($6.00)
1 pump Toffeenut Syrup ($0.70)
1 pump Caramel Syrup ($0.70)
Top with whipped cream and caramel drizzle
By a twist of fate you’ve stumbled upon these tried-and-tested recipes ordered by Singaporeans so it’s time you take your tongues on a tasty adventure. Starbucks baristas are ready to take on your orders from the 179,893 possible drink combinations – just make sure you have on hand the recipes, and order them only at lull periods!
If you’re still looking for more secrets in Singapore to discover, check out our islands very many hidden restaurants, underground bars and even secret bunkers! Go forth and adventure, you sugar-high campers.
Article originally published 27th October 2016, updated 25th February 2021.
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