The Trader Joe's Starbucks Dragon Drink Dupe Shoppers Are Rushing To Grab

As with many seemingly innocuous topics, dragon fruit is surprisingly polarizing. Is its flavor light and refreshing, as some claim, or disappointingly bland? Or does it have to do with the type of dragon fruit you pick, since yellow seems to have the best flavor. And yet, if you think of dragon fruit, you're probably imagining the vibrant pink variety, thanks in part no doubt to pink-hued products like Starbucks' Dragon Drink (not to be confused with the company's Pink Drink, which is strawberry-flavored). Because of dragon fruit's subtlety, Starbucks' Dragon Drink incorporates white grape juice concentrate and mango flavors, and gets an extra tropical boost from being mixed with coconut milk. This creates an eye-catching drink with plenty of flavor. And now, thanks to Trader Joe's, you can make your own Dragon Drink equivalent at home.

Trader Joe's sells a Tropical Dragon Fruit Drink Concentrate, which can be mixed in a variety of ways to create something close to the Dragon Drink, or a brand-new drink of your own invention. Just don't try drinking it straight, as it is overly sweet before mixing. Unlike the Starbucks drink, Trader Joe's is proud to proclaim that its concentrate is not made with a cheap mixer like white grape juice, but rather genuine "dragonfruit purée and passion fruit juice, along with natural flavors and lemon juice concentrate" (via Trader Joe's). And buyer beware: Although by no means one of Starbucks' most caffeinated offerings, the Dragon Drink does contain 45 to 55 milligrams of caffeine in a grande serve. The Trader Joe's concentrate too contains caffeine, though it's unclear how much.

If you're debating whether to give the dragon fruit concentrate a try, here are some ideas for how to use it. First, you can always keep it simple by just adding water (or sparkling water which, contrary to rumor, is just as hydrating). You may want to play with the water-to-concentrate ratios a bit to get it just right for you. Another easy option is to mix it with lemonade, iced tea, or your favorite fruit juice. Because the concentrate itself is so sweet, you may want to opt for a tangier juice like cranberry.

If you love the Starbucks Dragon Drink, Trader Joe's recommends mixing the concentrate with coconut milk and freeze-dried strawberries (the store sells its own freeze-dried strawberries; however, you could also hunt down some freeze-dried dragon fruit for something closer to the original.) Now, if you've ever cooked with coconut milk in things like curry, you know that it may have a tendency to curdle over heat. And people who have added coconut milk to this concentrate also report curdling. In this case, the solution seems to be mixing the two really well, either in a blender or shaker.

Finally, you can play around with the concentrate as a cocktail mixer. Try incorporating it into something with some sour elements to offset the sweetness. For example, try a margarita, mojito, or Moscow mule. Something light and floral like an Aperol or gin spritz could be another fun option to try with Trader Joe's Dragon Drink dupe.