Frappuccinos are the classic “Starbucks run” order. Nobody can deny that these sweet coffee-flavored milkshakes are a big hit. While many other frappes and blended coffee are served in nearly every third-wave coffee shop, the original Frappuccino from Starbucks Coffeehouse has yet to be beaten.
Many hardcore coffee lovers are hard-pressed to admit that Frappuccinos are real coffee, and while I have my own doubts, that is not the point of the Frappuccino. This drink is coffee-flavored, sweet, blended, and gives enough caffeine to beat the Monday blues, and that’s all that matters.
What is a Starbucks Frappuccino?
A Starbucks Frappuccino is a blended coffee drink that usually combines several flavored syrups and toppings to create a deliciously sweet drink. They often resemble milkshakes because of their inherent sweetness, their multitude of flavors, and their whipped cream toppings.
Frappuccinos are not as creamy or as thick as a standard milkshake, but they have something else going for them: caffeine. The coffee-based Frappuccinos at Starbucks contain caffeine to give you that extra boost that a milkshake just doesn’t have.
These Frappuccinos are delicious, too. Starbucks has its own long list of Frappuccino flavors on its permanent menu, but many Frappuccino flavors can only be found on the secret menu.
The Starbucks secret menu is completely fan-created and contains hundreds of unique Frappuccino flavors that Starbucks regulars have created over the years. These flavors, in combination with holiday Frappuccinos, make quite a lot of options to choose from!
What is in the Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino?
The Coffee Frappuccino is the base for all coffee-flavored Frappuccinos that Starbucks offers. All other flavored Frappuccinos use this recipe as the base they build upon. Starbucks Frappuccinos always contain the following ingredients: milk, ice, base syrup, and whipped cream.
It is on top of all these ingredients that other flavors and toppings are added. The Coffee Frappuccino uses whole milk, ice, of course, and the coffee base syrup. There are only two base syrups for Frappuccinos: the coffee base and the creme base.
All coffee Frappuccinos contain the coffee base and all other Frappuccinos contain the creme base. Once the milk, ice, and coffee base syrup are blended, the drink is topped with Starbucks’ delicious homemade vanilla whipped cream and served with a domed lid.
Easy Recipe for Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup ice
- 4 tablespoons Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Flavored Syrup
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the milk, ice, and syrup.
- Blend until the ingredients have a creamy consistency and pour into a large clear cup.
- Top with whipped cream and a straw.
What is in the Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino?
The Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is usually served as a coffee Frappuccino. This means that it uses the coffee base syrup instead of the creme base syrup. These two syrups can be easily substituted for each other.
To order a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino without coffee, ask for a “Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino.” The coffee-based Vanilla Bean Frappuccino starts off as a regular coffee Frappuccino, but there are two differences.
Depending on the size of the drink, the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is made with several scoops of vanilla bean powder. This is a deliciously sweet-smelling inclusion that has real vanilla beans! Vanilla syrup is also added to flavor the drink.
These additional flavors are blended with the milk, ice, and coffee base and topped with that homemade vanilla whipped cream that Starbucks is famous for.
Easy Recipe Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup ice
- 4 tablespoons Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Flavored Syrup
- 2 tablespoons vanilla bean extract
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the milk, ice, vanilla bean extract, and syrup.
- Blend until the ingredients have a creamy consistency and pour into a large clear cup.
- Top with whipped cream and a straw.
What is in the Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino?
The Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino is one of the most popular drinks on the menu. This Frappuccino is coffee flavored, so it uses the coffee base syrup, but again, this can be substituted for the creme base syrup when asked.
The Java Chip Frappuccino combines the coffee base syrup, milk, and ice with its signature chocolate sauce and several scoops of java chips. These Java chips resemble large dark chocolate chunks.
The chocolate sauce (often referred to as a mocha sauce) is also a dark chocolate sauce. It is much less sweet than a milk chocolate candy bar but still adds to the overall sweetness of the Frappuccino.
The mocha sauce and Java chips are blended with the rest of the ingredients and topped with vanilla whipped cream. The chocolate drizzle is then added artfully to the top of the drink for extra flavor.
Easy Recipe Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup ice
- 2 tablespoons mocha chocolate sauce
- 4 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Flavored Syrup
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the milk, ice, mocha chocolate sauce, dark chocolate chips, and syrup.
- Blend until the ingredients have a creamy consistency and pour into a large clear cup.
- Top with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and a straw.
Conclusion
Starbucks Frappuccinos come in many flavors. The sky’s the limit when it comes to making your own Frappuccinos. Any of the above recipes can be modified to fit your taste preferences.
Instead of just making a Coffee Frappuccino, try adding some hazelnut syrup to it. Combine the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino with raspberry syrup to create a drink that tastes just like cotton candy!
Even the Java Chip Frappuccino can be adjusted. Try using white chocolate instead of dark chocolate to give it a sweeter and lighter flavor. Frappuccinos are the perfect drink to experiment with, so grab some ingredients and get to blending!