If you are craving a cold, sweet, and delicious coffee blend, then you should certainly look into the Frappuccino. Though the Frappuccino is sold exclusively through Starbucks, it is easily one of the most popular coffee drinks in the United States.
If you don’t have a Starbucks near you, or you simply don’t want to leave the house, you are in luck. The Frappuccino is easy to make, and you likely have many of the needed ingredients for a Frappuccino recipe. To learn how to make a Frappuccino, read on.
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What Is a Frappuccino?
Before jumping right into the Frappuccino recipe, let us take a moment to discuss what a Frappuccino is. Even though it is easily one of the most popular drinks in the United States (which is proven by the fact Starbucks makes around $2 billion a year on the drink alone), very few people understand what the drink is.
Simply put, the Frappuccino is an ice coffee blend sold exclusively through Starbucks. Inspired by the frappe and cappuccino, the drink is made from cold and delicious coffee. This drink will typically be based on an instant coffee roast or crème. The drink will likely include syrups, spices, and whipped cream for additional flavoring in addition to the base.
Even though Starbucks trademarked the name Frappuccino, other stores sell similar drinks, just under a different name. Many stores sell their own version of the Frappuccino under the name “frappe,” nodding back to one of the inspiring drinks for the Frappuccino.
Because a lot of different stores make the Frappuccino, the recipe isn’t too difficult to figure out. In fact, Frappuccinos are really easy to make, and just about anyone will be able to make one from the comfort of their own home.
How to Make a Frappuccino:
1. Make the Coffee
To begin, you need to make coffee. Follow the instructions for whichever coffee brand you selected. Once again, we want to reiterate that the coffee needs to be strong. If you choose a weak coffee, the flavor won’t shine through the additional sweeteners, milk, and flavorings.
2. Blend the Ingredients
After the coffee is finished, blend all of the ingredients, except for the whipped cream and any other toppings. In other words, you should combine the ice, coffee, milk, sweetener, and spices. If you don’t have a blender, you can mix the ingredients together by hand. For best results, use a blender until the ingredients are blended well.
If you want a flavored cappuccino, make sure to include the desired ingredients. For example, don’t forget to add chocolate chips to the blender if you want a Java Frappuccino.
3. Add Toppings
Once all the ingredients are blended well, pour the drink into your chilled mug. Then, add the whipped cream and additional toppings if desired. For a Caramel Frappuccino, don’t forget the caramel sauce at the top.
4. Serve Immediately
Finally, you can enjoy your Frappuccino. Serve the drink immediately so that it doesn’t have time to melt. Depending on the thickness, you may need a spoon or straw.
Easy Frappuccino Recipe
Equipment
- High-speed blender
- Tall glass (chilled)
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups ice cubes crushed works best
- 1 cup espresso or coffee
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 tbsp. sweetener
- Whipped cream optional
Instructions
- Make the coffee. Make your espresso or coffee extra strong for the best flavor.
- After the coffee is finished, blend all of the ingredients, except for the whipped cream and any other toppings. In other words, you should combine the ice, coffee, milk, sweetener, and spices. If you don't have a blender, you can mix the ingredients together by hand. For best results, use a blender until the ingredients are blended well.
- Once all the ingredients are blended well, pour the drink into your chilled mug. Then, add the whipped cream and additional toppings if desired. For a Caramel Frappuccino, don't forget the caramel sauce at the top.
- Finally, you can enjoy your Frappuccino. Serve the drink immediately so that it doesn't have time to melt. Depending on the thickness, you may need a spoon or straw.
Notes
Mocha Frappuccino: 3 Tbsp. of cocoa powder can be added to the base (before blending). Chocolate sauce topping can be added to the whipped cream.
Carmel Frappuccino: 1 Tbsp. of caramel sauce can be added to the base (before blending) or to the top of the whipped cream as a topping.
Nutrition
Additional Frappuccino Tips & Variations:
Here are our recommendations for making the perfect Frappuccino, no matter what your favorite flavors are!
Chill a Glass or a Mug
One of the chilliest ways to serve a delicious coffee drink is to chill a mug or glass. This step isn’t necessary, but it will complete the drink whenever it is done. Add a mug to a freezer and let it sit overnight. The frost of the mug will create a delicious edge to the drink.
Gather the Ingredients
In addition to chilling the mug, you need to get all of the required ingredients. Below is a list and description of everything you need to get for this delicious and easy Frappuccino recipe:
- 2 cups ice: Crushed ice is best. If you don’t have access to crushed ice, put cubed ice in a Ziplock bag. Use a metal spoon’s back to gently break the ice into smaller pieces. You can also add the cubed ice to a blender.
- 1 cup espresso or coffee: Whether you get espresso or coffee is up to you. Since additional flavorings are added to the drink, you want the coffee to be strong so that you can taste it at the end.
- ¾ cup milk: Use your favorite milk variety. This includes half-and-half, condensed milk, cow milk, almond milk, etc.
- 2 tbsp. sweetener: Select a sweetener. Granulated sugar is the easiest option, but you can select honey, stevia, or another sugar alternative.
- Whipped cream (optional): Get a can of whipped cream for the topper.
Additional Flavorings and Toppings (Optional)
In addition to whipped cream, you can add other flavorings and toppings to your Frappuccino. These are completely optional, but we wanted to give you a little bit more room to make the Frappuccino your own. Here are some optional ingredients you may want to add based on the desired flavor:
- Java Frappuccino: 1 handful of chocolate chips can be added to the base (before blending).
- Mocha Frappuccino: 3 Tbsp. of cocoa powder can be added to the base (before blending). Chocolate sauce topping can be added to the whipped cream.
- Carmel Frappuccino: 1 Tbsp. of caramel sauce can be added to the base (before blending) or to the top of the whipped cream as a topping.
Conclusion
As you can see, making a Frappuccino is easy. For just a base Frappuccino, you only need four ingredients. You can always spice the recipe up a bit with additional ingredients. Either way, your Frappuccino will be absolutely delicious and save you money from buying an overpriced version at Starbucks. We hope you enjoyed learning how to make a Frappuccino!
SEE ALSO:
- Do Frappuccinos Have Coffee? How to Tell
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Recipe (Fast & Tasty)
- What Is a Frappuccino?
Featured image credit: Elena Veselova, Shutterstock
