Starbucks brings back Unicorn Frappuccino after nearly a decade

Starbucks is bringing its aggressively pink-and-blue, color-changing creation back to menus for one magical weekend starting Aug. 15. And yes, the coffee chain says it is using the original 2017 recipe that turned the drink into an instant social media celebrity.

If you remember the Unicorn Frappuccino, you probably remember the technicolor swirls, the ridiculously photogenic cup, and a flavor that could not decide whether it wanted to be sweet or sour. Now, it's back to confuse a whole new generation of Starbucks customers.

The Unicorn Frappuccino is basically edible nostalgia

The original drink was a creamy, fruity fever dream built around mango flavors, blue drizzle, whipped cream, and pink-and-blue toppings. But the real gimmick was what happened when you swirled the drink. The colors changed, while the flavor supposedly transformed from sweet and fruity to something with a tangy, sour-candy kick.

Back in 2017, people practically turned their Starbucks cups into Instagram props. The Unicorn Frappuccino became one of those rare beverages that seemed specifically engineered for social media even though TikTok wasn't yet running the internet.

It already made a surprise comeback

The drink is not returning completely out of nowhere. Starbucks served the Unicorn Frappuccino at Coachella in April, giving fans a little preview of the nostalgia bomb before its wider return.

Now, everyone gets another chance to experience the beverage that briefly made drinking something neon-colored feel like a personality trait. And if you've somehow managed to avoid it until now, congratulations. Your feed is about to get significantly more pink.

Not stopping with unicorns

The coffeehouse chain is also preparing to launch its fall menu on Aug. 25, which means the Pumpkin Spice Latte is returning to begin its annual takeover of the internet. The pumpkin lineup includes returning favorites like Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, Pumpkin Spice Chai, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, and Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha.

There is also a new Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso joining the pumpkin party.

There is a mashup menu

The fall menu is also getting Chaider, a mashup of chai and cider flavors with cinnamon and sweet spices. You can make a choice between hot or iced.

Starbucks is also bringing back its pecan lineup, including the Pecan Cortado, Iced Pecan Crunch Latte, and Pecan Crunch Latte, all built around nutty flavors, brown-butter notes, and baking spices.

A beverage era for banana bread

Starbucks is also leaning into the banana-everything trend with two new drinks inspired by freshly baked banana bread. The Iced Banana Bread Latte and Iced Banana Bread Chai combine banana, cinnamon, and brown sugar flavors for what Starbucks describes as dessert-like drinks inspired by warm banana bread.

Unlike some of the seasonal offerings, these two are sticking around beyond the fall season.

Source: People