I asked 5 Starbucks baristas to make me their favorite off-menu drinks, and I'd order them all again

Most secret menu offerings are just basic menu items with a few tweaks that make them over-the-top creations. Eventually, those customized orders get nicknames and become popular among customers. Secret menu options range from the Skittles Frappuccino,' a strawberries and cream Frappuccino with vanilla syrup, to the Nutter Butter Frappuccino, a hazelnut Frappuccino with banana and cinnamon-dolce syrupBut I was curious if Starbucks baristas have some of their own secret favorites that aren't on the menu. So, I asked five Starbucks baristas in a nearby San Francisco location to make me their favorite customized drink.Vanessa's order: When I decide to go all out and indulge, I order a vanilla-bean Frappuccino but I add in a brownie and top it with whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. It's like a chocolate milkshake and it's very decadent and delicious.My take: This was delicious. It tasted like a creamy, chocolate milkshake, except it had a slightly crumbly texture due to the brownie. It was dessert in a Starbucks cup.Just keep in mind that it might be tricky to recreate this drink, since baristas are not usually allowed to blend food items into drinks aside from fruit.Sam's order: During the holidays I like to order a tall peppermint-mocha coffee Frappuccino with two extra shots of espresso, one pump of sugar-cookie syrup, and java chips, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.My take: Overall, this Frappuccino was pretty tasty. I'm not big on peppermint, but it wasn't too overpowering in this drink.I could taste the hint of sugar cookie and, when combined with the java chips and whipped cream, this kind of tasted like a peppermint chocolate-chip cookie.Jonathan's order: My go-to off-the-menu item is simple. I'll blend a vanilla-bean cream Frappuccino with a banana. I get it with whipped cream and extra caramel drizzle.My take: This tasted like a caramelized-banana milkshake. Think fried bananas and ice cream, crème brûlée, and bananas Foster all in a creamy beverage topped with a generous helping of whipped cream and caramel drizzle.Liz's order: When I'm in the mood for a Frappuccino, I order a mocha cookie-crumble coffee Frappuccino, blend it with a banana and a couple pumps of hazelnut syrup, top it with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle (sometimes caramel too) and, finally, a chocolate-cookie crumble. Nutella is one of my favorite things so the flavor from the hazelnut rounds everything out.My take: This felt like a less rich, but equally sweet version of a milkshake.This Frappuccino tasted like a banana, Nutella, coffee, and vanilla ice cream had a baby, then chocolate-Nutella cookie crumbs were crumbled into it, and then it was topped with chocolaty goodness.The banana almost made me feel less guilty about drinking this sugary drink — but, I'm not going to lie, I finished a good amount of this one. Zander's order: I usually get a venti iced latte with four blonde shots, oat milk, and either chestnut-praline or vanilla syrup. That's my drink. It's pretty caffeinated. The blonde shots make it taste better because it's a smoother type of coffee and higher-quality bean. It's also more caffeinated so you get more bang for your buck.My take: This was something I'd drink regularly, just in a smaller size and with less caffeine. The iced beverage was sweet, but not overly sugary or syrupy, and had a great nutty flavor.The chestnut-praline taste is perfect for the fall. The oat milk further gave it an enriching quality. The drink really filled me up and certainly caffeinated me for the rest of the week.Each drink was so decadent that they definitely aren't likely to become my everyday go-to orders. Still, they are so delicious they'd be a great occasional pick-me-up — plus I learned some great ordering tips. I plan to add bananas to my blended orders way more often, since it made the drinks extra creamy, thick, and milkshake-like.I also liked using oat milk in the drinks. It really adds a sweet, oatmeal taste that makes the beverage feel healthier and more satisfying.

I asked 5 Starbucks baristas to make me their favorite off-menu drinks, and I'd order them all again

Most of us have heard of Starbucks' "secret menu," but I wanted to know what baristas like to make themselves.

The first customized Frappuccino has an entire brownie in it.

One barista told me about their favorite holiday drink.

The third drink I tried was simple but tasted decadent.

This decadent Frappuccino reminded me of a banana and Nutella shake.

This customized latte had a strong dose of caffeine.

Overall, I'd order all of these drinks again.