"I love nothing more than a midday coffee run. There’s just something about getting coffee out that makes me feel better about my life, and I’m lucky enough to live within walking distance of a Starbucks. I can grab my sunnies, pop in my AirPods, and do a mini hot girl walk to grab a nitro cold brew. Afterward, I always feel refreshed and ready to tackle my afternoon to-do list. But here’s the thing: As much as I love a Starbucks run, it’s not a daily occurrence. For the sake of my wallet, I treat myself maybe once a week. So in the meantime, I recreate the magic at home with a few of my go-to Starbucks dupes.
There’s a different type of satisfaction that comes with recreating my Starbucks favorites at home. It’s a nice reminder that I can create little luxuries in my own kitchen, often for a fraction of the price. And when it comes to reasonably priced groceries, Trader Joe’s never lets me down. Whether you want to save some money, sleep in a little and skip your morning coffee run, or simply try something new, these Starbucks dupes made with Trader Joe’s finds are definitely worth checking out.
Spinach, Feta, and Egg White Wrap
This is a recipe I initially made on accident, without even trying to recreate my favorite Starbucks breakfast wrap. I think this is delicious even without the feta cheese, but you should definitely add it to get the full experience. Trader Joe’s wraps aren’t as hearty as the ones at Starbucks, but the filling is spot-on thanks to the Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip (the key ingredient!).
Ingredients:
1 Carb Savvy Tortilla
100% Liquid Egg Whites
Feta Cheese
Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip
Directions:
Spread the spinach dip on your tortilla, and cook your egg whites in a pan on the stove. Once the eggs are ready, place them on the tortilla and sprinkle with feta cheese. Roll up the wrap, and you’re ready to eat!
Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
I love this shaken espresso drink at Starbucks, so when I saw that Trader Joe’s had Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer, I knew I had to try it. I use both the creamer and actual brown sugar in my recipe to get the right amount of sweetness, and it’s easy to tweak if you prefer yours more or less sweet. And don’t worry if you don’t have an espresso maker at home—I personally don’t, and I think using a dark roast coffee or cold brew works just fine!
Ingredients:
6 oz. Trader Joe’s French Roast Coffee or two shots of espresso
Non-Dairy Brown Sugar Oat Creamer
Oat milk (or milk of choice)
1 tsp. brown sugar
Ice
Directions:
Fill a glass with ice and pour in milk until the glass is about three-fourths full. Add a splash of creamer. In a separate cup, pull your espresso shots or brew a small cup of French roast coffee, and mix in your brown sugar. Pour the coffee on top of your milk and stir.
Iced Lemon Loaf
Pairing a slice of lemon loaf with a hot cup of coffee is the ultimate afternoon indulgence if you ask me. And luckily, Trader Joe’s has made it easy to make your own loaf at home. Their Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Icing is super simple to prepare, though it does take a bit of time (50 minutes in the oven, about 45 minutes to cool, and an extra five to make the icing), so make it ahead of time! And although the Starbucks lemon loaf is dense and heavy, this cake is light and fluffy. They both have the same incredible flavor, though, and each makes me do a happy dance when I take a bite.
Ingredients:
Meyer Lemon Cake Mix
Directions:
Just follow the directions on the box!
Egg Bites
Perhaps this is a very obvious dupe, but Trader Joe’s recently rolled out two varieties of egg bites! They’re perfect as a gluten-free alternative to a breakfast sandwich, and IMO Trader Joe’s egg bites are just as good—if not better—than the Starbucks version. Both the Spinach & Kale and Cheddar Cheese & Uncured Bacon flavors are excellent and about $2 cheaper than the Starbucks version. Plus, you can make them in your kitchen in your PJs, which is a plus in my book!
Ingredients:
Egg Bites, Cheddar Cheese & Uncured Bacon or Spinach & Kale
Directions:
Simply heat in the microwave for a minute and enjoy!
Pink Drink
On days when I know I shouldn’t drink yet another cup of coffee, Pink Drink is a great alternative. This dupe is fairly simple since Pink Drink is a mix of Strawberry Acai Refresher and coconut milk. While Trader Joe’s doesn’t have a specifically strawberry acai-flavored drink, they do have Sparkling Strawberry Juice, which is a great alternative! A sprinkling of freeze-dried strawberries is the perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients:
1 can Sparkling Strawberry Juice
Coconut Milk Beverage, Unsweetened
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Ice
Directions:
Fill a cup with ice, then pour in the can of Sparkling Strawberry Juice. Top with coconut milk and freeze-dried strawberries.
Cold Brew and Lemonade
I recently saw a drink featured in my Starbucks app that consists of only cold brew and lemonade, and I was a bit perplexed. I had never thought to add lemonade to my coffee, but I figured I’d give it a go. I like Arnold Palmer’s (which is black tea and lemonade), so this really couldn’t be that much different, right? One sip in, and I was shook. It was refreshing and light and totally unexpected—I loved it! To dupe it, I used Trader Joe’s ready-to-drink cold brew coffee, which definitely packs a caffeine punch. And you can choose between TJ’s fresh squeezed lemonade or their lower-calorie version. The sugar in the regular lemonade mixed with cold brew is a sure-fire way to give me a bellyache, so I opt for the low-calorie version, which is sweetened with Stevia!
Ingredients:
Cold Brew Coffee
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade or Organic Low-Calorie Lemonade
Ice
Directions:
Add equal parts cold brew coffee and lemonade to your glass and enjoy!
Iced Caramel Macchiato
I used to be a Starbucks barista, and I made many iced caramel macchiatos while I was behind the bar. It was for sure one of the most popular drinks, and I think it still is! What makes the drink so iconic is the caramel in the cup and on the top. Remaking these at home is actually fairly simple once you know how to do it. The most important thing is the caramel sauce! Since I don’t make my own espresso at home, I use cold brew coffee concentrate for this recipe. Remember: It’s concentrated, so you only need a little! The Starbucks version also has vanilla syrup for added sweetness, but I think with enough caramel, the sweetness in this at-home version is perfect.
Ingredients:
Trader Joe’s Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Milk of choice
Directions:
Just like the baristas do, drizzle the caramel sauce around your cup and add a little on the bottom, especially if you’re drinking with a straw. Add ice, followed by your milk of choice. Pour in cold brew concentrate, then top with more caramel and start sipping!