Before buying a nice espresso machine, my husband and I would go to Starbucks daily sometimes even twice. With the current state of the economy we cannot in good conscience or afford to continue spending $12/daily. Instead we opted to invest in a nice home espresso machine knowing the machine would pay itself off in a few months. And for the record it has. Now we just make our favorite espresso drinks at home. Most mornings I usually drink a hot latte but by afternoon you can find me drinking an iced coffee beverage including my own home version of a Starbucks Frappuccino. Besides saving Instead of giving Starbucks almost $5 for a frappuccino, I feel better knowing I have broken free from the power of the green topless mermaid. Let me tell you right now how much I love making these at home because of the flexibility of controlling the amount of sugar, type of milk(s), and flavoring (therefore calories) to cater to whatever it is I’m craving. It is my own personal opinion that these homemade iced coffee blended drinks are just as good as the local mermaid-cafe if not better. As an added bonus, it only take less than 2 minutes from start to finish. So if you find yourself trying to save some money (and who isn’t?) but love frappuccinos may I present to you my version of this beloved favorite.
**Disclaimer: This is not Starbuck’s actual proprietary recipe. This is my own version copycat clone frappuccino recipe of it. This recipe is for a blended icy coffee frappe / beverage similar to but not the same as Starbucks.
- 1½ cups crushed iced
- 2-1 ounce shots of espresso OR use ¾ cup of double strength (strong) coffee mixed with ½ cup of milk and increased crushed iced amount by ¼ cup.
- ¾ cup your choice of milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar (more or less depending on preference)
- optional whipped cream in a can or freshly made and chocolate syrup
- Blend all the ingredients except the whipped cream in a blender for 30-45 seconds. Pour into a tall glass and top off with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate syrup. Best served with a straw. Enjoy!
Katie says
When I tried making this, it turned into two huge servings that I could in no way finish by myself. even though I did. but they did taste amazing. so thanks but I suggest cutting this recipe in half.
Jess says
Haha ya like I said earlier u don’t need a machine just use strong coffee and a blender and ur good to go! 😉
Jess says
You don’t need a machine; a blender works great at a fraction of the cost!! Just follow recipe using blender — YUM and wayyy cheaper than an espresso machine!! 🙂
Alice Currah says
Thanks for your insider tips!
Aley says
As a Starbucks barista for over a year you’d think I would try to protect Starbucks recipes as some sort of twisted job security, but the truth is I love giving away all the secrets of deliciousness so people can save money. Your recipe is great but if you find your fakeaccinos (that’s what we call then in my house lol) aren’t quite sweet enough, are a bit gritty from undisolved sugar or just that they are separating really quickly, add about 2tbsp of corn syrup. I use light for creme frappuccinos (non coffee) and dark for coffe based drinks. You can replace some of the sugar to cut down on the calories.
Great recipe, I hope this addition helps take it up a notch 🙂
– a penny pinching barista <3
Josh says
The ingrediants are sort of confusing…. someone email me the recipe if i use the strong coffee attgeemaledotcom@gmail.com please and thanks
Sasha says
Great recipe, i’m not much of a morning person and lately i’ve tended to dislike my creamers in hot coffee. This recipe, I added the 1/2 milk, 3/4 medium coffee, did not have enough ice but it worked, and some vanilla creamer but very little, regardless of the milky texture due to lack of ice, it was astoundingly delicious and cool. This will be my new way to start the morning!
Michelle says
Thank you for sharing this! I had one last night and I believe it’s BETTER than Starbucks! Great job!
Sherry Reis says
I absolutely love this recipe!!! I used instant coffee and made it a little stronger…perfect : )
R. Barton says
Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
Here’s a sugar free, non-dairy version.
About 110 calories per 12 oz.
1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 cup Coffee Mate French Vanilla Creamer – sugar free (liquid creamer)1/3 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 (3.25 oz) Jello Vanilla Pudding Snack Pack (prepared pudding cup) - sugar free
2 cups ice cubes
Blend on HIGH for 45-seconds or until smooth. Makes about. 48 oz.
The Jello pudding cup makes a thick, rich, low calorie Frappuccino.
Carolyn says
This is so wonderful! It is the little things in life and this made my day…thank you
Jenn says
I have a keurig so I used a Pumpkin Spice k-cup at the lowest setting to make my own pumpkin frap! Delicious! Mine turned out frothy on top but that’s okay because I don’t have whipped cream and I sprinkled pumpkin pie spice on top.
Stephen says
I think the pectin keeps it from separating and makes it creamier but if you’re trying to make your own don’t add pectin, apparently it makes it very acidy/citrusy.
I don’t like the bottled ones at all, too milky and I don’t think they taste the same at all..
Stephen says
Is that the same as xantham gum? I heard that’s what Starbucks use.
Also regarding the recipe, I find a splash of sugar syrup will cut out all the regular sugar that needs to be added to make this sweet. I found myself adding so much sugar just to try and get it as sweet as Starbucks, it was crazy, lol!
Basically boil 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and keep stirring till sugar is dissolved, then remove and cool. Can be stored for about 1 month (I’m not 100% sure of this date) in the fridge:)
Aldine says
I note that Starbucks has pectin in their bottled frappes. Is that similar to the thickening agent mentioned in Lillian’s note?
unterderlaterne says
I do not use any ice in my frappachino. I fill my Ice tray with milk and freeze it. I use 6 cubes of frozen milk cubes( Equals i cup of milk}for my drink. I use a Ninja to blend it. This way one enjoys a rich drink, never watery and there is no need to add cream. I do not like chocolae syrups, they are full of corn syrup, so I use the best Dutch Cocoa instead.for coffee I use instant .(Java)
Leroy says
I have tried a lot of recipes to make this drink. I just tried yours. My drink is Great!! And, it was easy to make. I will use this recipe forever. Per your suggestion, I used a cup of whipping cream for a portion of the milk. I also added some chocolate chips. Wow, did it turn out creamy and good. Thank You.
zainee says
you can have it with whiped cream because it is like eating air there is nthing in it but YUMMYNESS:)
Pamla says
I just made this and it was fantastic. I made it with:
Used 3/4 cups double stregenth coffee
1/2 cup milk 2%
1 tablespoon Agave Nectar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder.
For those who want other favors look in the dairy section in the grocery store, non dairy creamers come on many flavors but remember they are sweetened so I would omit any sweetner until blended then add more if wanted. They may also seperate so finding the right combo of “milk/creamer” could be a tasty experiment.
Gina D says
I have a Caffe Froth frother by Bonjour… and the metal bits on the frother keep falling off, and I can never remember the order in which they go back on the rod…
I’ve been to the Bonjour site, all I see are ads for replacement glass tubes, non for the sequence of the frother itself…I put it all back the way it seems it should go but now it won’t froth!
Any answers out there?
Gina D
Lillian says
The secret to your drink being and staying thick is a product called carrageegan. Only used with milk products, its what makes store-bought chocolate milk stay blended and smooth. It’s used with ice cream and so much more. Google it. There are disfferent kinds of this wonderful product, resd labels, it;s used in so much of our grocery product. Starbucks used to use it in the powder form when they first started mixing from scratch. Now it is used already in the milk product. Be sure to follow directions and use a tiny bit. If you over-do, you may get playdough. A good way to ruin a good frappe……….Good luck.
PS, don’t buy but one bag of it, I bought two and I’ll have enough to leave it in my will for great, great grandkids.
Joe says
Tastes like something you were sorry you paid $5 for at a mom-and-pop drive-thru coffee stand. Tastes nothing like Starbucks.
james says
made exactly how it said only difference is i used organic milk and turned out really liquidly i had to add a bunch of ice to even remotely make it what i thought it would be
Abby says
This recipe was not what I was expecting… I was expecting the kind they serve in the resteraunt… not what they serve in the little bottles. I had to put in a ton more ice, and it still wasnt quite right. However, I think if you got the ice right it could be very good.
Ashley says
I have been making these for a while now. My husband says there are better than anything he’s bought. I use chocolate syrup to make it a mocha frappe. I also use splenda to cut down on the calories some. I’ve started making a mix and leaving it in the fridge. I put everything together except the chocolate and ice. Then you just put 1 and a half cups of the mix (if you used coffee instead of espresso), ice, and syrup in the blender. Makes it super easy!
Thanks for the recipe!