We are coffee lovers, and we are delighted to share our coffee knowledge with enthusiasts like you that are willing to listen. We’ll be sharing the standard Frappuccino recipe, and homemade suggestions to try at home. Coffee is all about creativity.

Let's get started.

WHAT IS A FRAPPUCCINO?

A Frappuccino is a new name for a milkshake that is mixed with ice and the regular cappuccino- an espresso-based drink made with frothed milk. Frappuccino is also called frap or frappé. There are different ways to spell it. Whatever you choose to call it, is fine.

In other words, a Frappuccino is a milkshake or ice cream kind of beverage that is mixed with coffee. Note that you can make versions that do not include coffee, they are known as the ‘crème frappés’

HOW TO MAKE THE  STANDARD FRAPPUCCINO

We are going to show you how to make the equivalent of the 16-ounce Frappuccino you see in coffee shops (it is equivalent to the grand size that people order). We’ll also be giving you a list of ingredients to pick from. Anyone you choose to go with will still produce a great cup of coffee. The taste might be slightly different if you don't go with the normal ingredients, but it will still be delicious.

So feel free to mix the ingredients based on your preferences and the ingredients you have in the kitchen. 

What You’ll Need

• One shot of espresso 
• 3/4 cup of milk (whole milk or plant-based milk will work)
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream mix or vanilla smoothie
• Ice cubes
• Any additional flavorings you might want to add

SUBSTITUTES FOR THE INGREDIENTS

Espresso: If you are not brewing espresso using freshly roasted coffee beans, you can brew strong coffee using any of the brewing methods, a Moka pot or French press can brew strong coffee. You might see recipes that tell you to use instant coffee and hot water. But the thing is that you don't know how long the ground coffee has been sitting on the shelf.  Coffee begins to lose its flavors once it is ground.

If you are brewing at home, it is a good idea to grind just before brewing else the coffee will lose almost all of its aromatic compounds. If the coffee you grind yourself can be like this, imagine what happens when you brew with already grounded coffee.

Related: Why Is Fresh Coffee The Best For Your Brew?

Milk: Instead of milk, you can use 1 scoop of ice cream or 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk.  You can create another mixture yourself- use an equal mix of heavy whipping cream and any milk.

Vanilla smoothie: There won't be any need for this if you are using cream, sweet condensed milk, or ice cream. If you want to add other flavors, add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the drink.

INSTRUCTIONS

This is a quick version of how to make this recipe. If you want to know more (like the role each of the ingredients plays in the recipe and how the substitutes can affect the drink), keep reading.

Come on, let's get to it

1. Grind your freshly roasted coffee beans, using a burr grinder, and brew the coffee  (remember it has to be strong). The coffee shops you buy from always use concentrated coffee, you should too. This is because concentrated coffee works perfectly with the other flavors you'll be using like your milk. It will help to soften the intense taste of your coffee.
2. You could use one or 2 shots of espresso. If you want to blend all the ingredients, put the coffee and other ingredients we mentioned into your blender.
3. If you want to make an iced version without blending, just add all the ingredients into the cup you want to use and stir.
4. Add the milk to your coffee.
5. Add any thickener you like (like a vanilla smoothie powder)
6. Put your ice, shake it very well, and enjoy.

We hope you are enjoying your drink. Let's tell you more, you can make delicious alternatives to this drink.  

MOCHA FRAPPE

These ingredients are for a grande size cup

• 3 tablespoons of coffee beans
• Whole milk that gets to the first line of your grande cup
• Ice cubes
• 2 tablespoons of mocha (semi-sweet chocolate)
• 3 tablespoons of your frappé base

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To brew this at home, you’d have to brew your coffee first. We recommend using shots of espresso. For the grande cup, you’d be needing 2 shots of espresso or use 2-4 tablespoons of regular coffee (it has to be brewed at double strength).
2. The next step is to add 2/4 cup of milk. We are  using whole milk for this recipe but any milk you use is fine.
3. Now add the Frappuccino base, you’ll be needing about 2 to 3 tablespoons of this recipe.
4. Then put your ice cubes.
5. The last step is to add the flavorings, in this case, we are using the mocha. You can use store-bought sweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips. 
6. Stir and enjoy your drink.

CHOCOLATE CHIP FRAPPUCCINO

What You’ll Need

• Freshly roasted coffee beans
• 1/2 cup of milk
• Chocolate chips
• Dark chocolate syrup or dark chocolate powder
• Ice cubes
• Any thickener (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind your coffee beans and pull a shot of espresso
2. Add 1/2 cup of milk
3. You can add thickener of your choice (ice cream or vanilla smoothie powder)
4. Add the ice cubes
5. Then break the chocolate chips and sprinkle them on the beverage.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COFFEE FOR YOUR FRAPPUCCINO

If you want to make a creme-based Frappuccino, you won't be needing coffee, so skip this info.  You can use coffee blends for this recipe or medium roast. These roasts will produce concentrated coffee that blends with other ingredients. 

Brew double-strength coffee: As we previously mentioned, you can use any coffee maker at home to make this drink. If you are using regular coffee, we advise that you double the grounds you normally use or reduce the quantity of water (it will produce double-strength coffee). For the regular coffee, we recommend using a darker roast, it will produce concentrated coffee.

WHAT KIND OF MILK SHOULD I USE FOR FRAPPUCCINO?

The next most important ingredient is milk. If you were to order from a coffee shop, they’ll use whole milk. But since you are making the drink at home, you can use any type of milk you like.

Note that if you are not using whole milk, the consistency of your frappé will be slightly different. This is because of the general rule, the more fat the milk contains, the creamer the beverage will be. 

HOW MUCH ICE SHOULD I ADD?

The ice should be equal to the drink you want to make. You can bring two identical glasses, then pour ice into one (until it is half the cup). If you are blending all the ingredients, pour the required ingredients into the blender.

HOW CAN I THICKEN MY FRAPPUCCINO?

A thickener is one of the important ingredients for this drink. If you were to order this drink from a coffee shop, they would have used a Frappuccino base (it serves as a sweetener and a thickener) but that is not the case here.

We have suggested alternatives to the Frappuccino base below:

Sweetened condensed milk: If you normally use whole milk, you can opt for the sweetened condensed milk. It will produce a sweet and really creamy drink. If the drink turns out too sweet for you, you can make another mixture- use half sweetened condensed milk and half regular milk.

Ice cream: Replacing the ice with ice cream won't make a real Frappuccino, but it is one delicious alternative you can try. If you are using the ice cream, feel free to skip the other flavorings, you won't be needing them.

Maple syrup: We know this might sound like an unusual addition but adding two or 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup will make something close to the Frappuccino you order from a coffee shop.

We hope you enjoyed trying out these recipes. You don't always have to visit a coffee shop to make your coffee drinks. Homemade coffee drinks are cheaper, and you can tweak the recipe as much as you want. 

Hurry now, get a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans from Coffee Hero, gather your other ingredients, and start making a delicious cup of Frappuccino!