I Tried Dunkin’s New Starlight Lemonade That’s Supposed to Taste Like a Freeze Pop — and I Can’t Get Over This Flavor!

As summer temperatures continue to get higher, I’m always searching for a refreshing beverage to help me cool down. Luckily for me, Dunkin’ released a red, white, and blue and summer-themed lineup on June 24, just in time for America’s upcoming 250th birthday on the Fourth of July.

With too many new drinks to try at once in the drop, I set my sights on two of the new summer sips that really caught my attention: the Fruit Punch Refresher and the Starlight Lemonade. 

Dunkin’s “star-spangled sips and summer flavors” lineup, as the brand refers to it in its press release, includes a wide variety of drinks — from Dazzleberry Coolatta to Cookie Cravings Iced Coffee — and patriotic donuts, including a star-shaped version of the Rocket Pop Donut.

I landed on ordering two iced drinks that sounded the most refreshing to me because it was such a hot, humid day. According to Dunkin’, the Fruit Punch Refresher is a “combination of black cherry and pink pineapple flavors mixed with lemonade,” while the Starlight Lemonade features “freeze pop flavors and dragonfruit pieces.” 

I paid $5.09 for a small Fruit Punch Refresher and $4.99 for a small Starlight Lemonade in New York City. 

I tried the Starlight Lemonade first because I was fascinated by the unique purple color and the dragonfruit pieces floating in it. It was difficult to place the flavor at first — my immediate thought was that it tasted fruity and watery like a slushie, though it obviously didn’t have the texture of one.

I’m not sure what I expected a freeze pop-inspired lemonade to taste like, but it was tart and sweet. I don’t know how else to describe it, except that it really did taste like a melted freeze pop with a splash of lemonade! I vaguely recognized a cherry flavor, but it was balanced out with the milder flavor of dragonfruit. Overall, I really liked it as an interesting twist on a plain lemonade that wasn’t too sweet or too sour.

The Fruit Punch Refresher brought back all the memories of drinking fruit punch from juice boxes in elementary school. It’s difficult to pinpoint the specific flavors (because what is fruit punch made of, really?), but if I had to pick one that stood out in this Dunkin’ drink it would be strawberry. 

Like Dunkin’s Pink Pineapple Refresher, it wasn’t too sweet, which made it perfect for sipping on over long periods of time. I drank it while walking around the city and getting pizza with my friend. I liked it better than the Starlight Lemonade because it was less tart, which made it feel more refreshing to drink on a hot day. 

If I had to rank these sips, the Fruit Punch Refresher would have to take the top spot — I really liked that I could enjoyably sip it while on a walk. But I’d definitely get the Starlight Lemonade again, too, especially if I was craving that unique freeze pop flavor!