Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino Recipe

Learn how to make the classic Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino at home with this simple, step-by-step recipe! This is perfect for coffee lovers that want an icy drink on a hot summer day.

The Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino is one of those drinks that looks so simple, but feels so out-of-reach to be able to make at home well.

Well, I’m here to hold your hand and walk you through the process step-by-step, and prove to you that it’s really not that deep!

Plus I’ve got a make-ahead hack that will make this SUPER doable to whip this up regularly (even on busy mornings!).

Okay, let’s dive in and make it!

Video Tutorial

Here’s a video tutorial in case you’re a visual learner. The full written tutorial and printable recipe are below!

Ingredient Notes:

Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this iconic drink. You may be surprised that vanilla ice cream is not on the list!

• Espresso or coffee: At Starbucks they use their “Frappuccino Roast” pumps to make all of their coffee Frappuccinos. I’ll discuss this more below in the “Making the Coffee” section, but I highly recommend using espresso here if you’re able. It has the best flavor in my opinion.
• Milk: Starbucks uses whole milk in their coffee Frappuccino, and that’s what I recommend here as well.
• Cream: Starbucks doesn’t use any cream in their version of this drink, but I like to add a little for some extra creaminess. You can substitute more milk if you prefer a leaner drink.
• Salt: The Starbucks coffee Frappuccino syrup contains salt, so make sure to include it for the most accurate flavor recreation.
• Vanilla Extract: This is completely optional because it isn’t included in the Starbucks version. However, I love vanilla in my coffee drinks, so I like to include it. If you want just a plain coffee flavor, instead of a vanilla Frappuccino, leave it out.
• Sugar: Starbucks uses their coffee Frappuccino syrup to sweeten their version, but there’s no need to go to the trouble of making a specialty syrup when plain sugar is the perfect substitute. If you have vanilla syrup on hand, you can use that instead of both the vanilla extract and sugar, but use 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of syrup. Feel free to use a natural sweetener instead if you prefer. Keep in mind that if the sweetener has a flavor to it (such as maple syrup), that will probably show up in the final drink.
• Xanthan Gum: This is optional, but it’s the secret ingredient in the Starbucks coffee Frappuccino syrup that keeps their frappe drinks from separating. It’s an emulsifier and a thickening agent. I know it sounds all fancy, but a lot of grocery stores carry it now!
• Ice Cubes: This is what you’ll use to thicken the drink and make it icy cold!

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Making the Coffee:

Before we begin, let’s discuss your options for the coffee portion of this drink.

As I mentioned in the “Ingredient Notes” section above, Starbucks uses their “Frappuccino Roast” for the coffee portion of this drink. It’s basically a special instant coffee that they mix with water and place in a container with a pump.

If you already own an espresso machine, I highly recommend using that to pull a shot or two of espresso for this drink. The flavor is far superior to instant coffee in my opinion, and the best coffee option for this drink.

But if you don’t own a fancy machine, don’t worry! You can still make a delicious coffee Frappuccino at home, trust! You can use an Aeropress or Moka Pot to make strongly brewed coffee, a French press to make espresso-strength coffee, or even instant coffee shots (make sure to check out my instant coffee espresso tutorial)! Check out this post to learn how to make strong coffee with the Aeropress and French press.

You could even experiment with using cold brew.

And in light of the fact that Starbucks uses instant coffee in theirs, you shouldn’t feel bad about using that here!

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Now that you have your coffee all ready to go, measure out everything else into your blender pitcher.

Blend until everything is completely smooth.

If you have a high speed blender (this is the one I own), this blends up super fast. You can still make it with a regular blender, though! But you might need to stop and stir now and then if an air pocket forms.

Pour into a tall glass. I recommend using a 16-ounce glass.

I like to use my Libbey Can Glasses, but any 16 oz. or larger cup will work just fine. You could even use a pint mason jar!

Serving

Now when you look at the Starbucks website, whipped cream is not included on their standard Coffee Frappuccino.

However, when I ordered one it came with whipped cream, even though they didn’t ask whether or not I wanted it. So depending on which Starbucks store you go to, you may or may not get whipped cream automatically.

If you ‘d like to add whipped cream to your homemade Frappuccino, you can easily make it with just a few ingredients and a hand held milk frother.

Or, to keep this extremely easy, you can just use canned whipped cream from the grocery store!

You’ll want to serve this immediately for the best flavor and texture.

Doesn’t this look like the perfect treat for a hot day?!

However, it is possible to store the coffee Frappuccino in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Here’s what it looked like after about 2 hours in the fridge. Not a ton of separation thanks to the xanthan gum!

However, the drink won’t be as icy cold and thick if it sits in the fridge, so I highly encourage you to serve it as soon as you blend it.

Make-Ahead Option:

If you’d like to be able to make this drink at home even on super busy mornings, here’s a make-ahead tip!

Measure all of the Frappuccino base ingredients except for the coffee and ice into individual jars.

Then measure the ice into individual bags. Place the jars in the refrigerator and the bags in the freezer.

When you’re ready to make the Frappuccino, simply make your coffee and dump it, along with the contents of one jar and one bag, into a blender and blend.

And voila! You’ve got a super quick coffee Frappuccino. I’ll bet it’s faster than waiting in line at Starbucks!

Substitutions and Customizations:

One of the great things about making coffee shop drinks at home is the endless customizations you can make (if you start making substitutions or additions at Starbucks, it can cost you a small fortune).

Here are a few ideas:

• Use more or fewer shots of espresso/coffee to get to the flavor or caffeine level you prefer. If you want a stronger coffee flavor, I recommend using 2 shots of espresso (you’ll want to use less milk to compensate for the extra liquid).
• Increase or decrease the amount of sweetener (my homemade version is less sweet than the Starbucks version, so adjust up if you want a more true-to-Starbucks flavor).
• Swap out the sugar with a flavored syrup such as vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, chocolate, etc. I’m planning on making a dedicated Caramel Frappuccino recipe, but you could easily get that flavor by using a caramel syrup to sweeten this. And for a Mocha Frappuccino, just use chocolate syrup!
• For a dairy free option, substitute oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, etc. I have not personally tried this with non-dairy milk so I can’t vouch for the flavor, but the texture shouldn’t be greatly different.
• Use a high protein milk to boost the protein levels.

Price Comparison:

A Grande Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino Blended Beverage will set you back around $5.75 before tax and tips. When all is said and done, it will probably be closer to $6-$7.

If you use the same quality of ingredients as Starbucks, my homemade version will only cost about $1.45 for a Grande-size serving. That’s about ¼ of the price!

If you opt for premium or organic ingredients the price will of course increase, but it will still be a savings over the non-organic Starbucks version!

Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino Ingredients:

This is a Starbucks drink that actually doesn’t have an ingredient list that’s a mile long.

Here’s is the full list of ingredients in the Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino:

• Ice, Milk, Coffee Frappuccino Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid), Coffee.

Now as I mentioned above, when I ordered this drink at Starbucks, they automatically gave me whipped cream on top without asking. So if yours comes that way, here is the additional ingredients for the whipped cream:

Starbucks Whipped Cream Ingredients:

• Cream (Cream, Mono and Diglycerides, Carrageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)]

How Much Sugar is in the Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino?

A tall Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino contains 31 grams of sugar. A Grande contains 45 grams of sugar, and a Venti contains 59 grams.

Keep in mind that if your drink comes with whipped cream, it will contain a bit more sugar than that.

Creme Frappuccino vs Coffee Frappuccino: What’s the difference?

The Coffee Frappuccino® lineup of drinks at Starbucks all contain coffee (specifically their Frappuccino roast at the time of writing this post).

The “Crème Frappuccino®” drinks are all of their Frappuccinos that don’t contain coffee. They are caffeine-free EXCEPT for the matcha Frappuccino.

Frappuccino vs Mocha?

A Frappuccino is made by blending together liquid ingredients (such as milk, coffee, and syrups) and ice to make a thick, frozen drink.

A mocha is a drink made with a mixture of coffee and chocolate. It can be made into a hot latte, iced latte, or Frappuccino.

Frappe vs Frappuccino?

The simple answer is that Frappuccino® is the trademarked name of the iced blended drinks that Starbucks sells, and Frappé is often what other coffee shops and establishments call their blended iced beverages since they can’t use the trademarked name. For example, McDonalds calls their iced blended coffee drink a “Caramel Iced Frappé.”

It can also refer to a drink that’s popular in Greece that’s made by shaking or whipping together instant coffee and water until frothy, and serving over ice. It can be sweetened and served with milk if desired.

More Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino Recipes:

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